Welcome to this musical gathering: a community opera with 30 residents of the Šančiai neighbourhood in Kaunas, Lithuania, performed for ICAF in the middle of the Tarwewijk neighbourhood, Rotterdam! Professional and nonprofessional artists bring the story of their neighbourhood, to which they feel an intrinsic sense of belonging, and present it in Rotterdam.
The “Cabbage Field” Opera is the story of a former military site in Šančiai that has been reclaimed by the local community. The site itself inspired the community to dive into the generational history and narratives of the place. What they found and interpreted in this opera are stories surrounding love, war, social solidarity, and reconciliation. Following the musical performance in the courtyard of the Tarwewijk community centre (Cultuurwerkplaats) , the cast invites you for an informal gathering at the table for a bowl of cabbage soup, made by the group members themselves.
The co-creative “Cabbage Field” opera process began in 2018 when residents of the neighbourhood were invited by local community artists to join the creative process. The opera rehearsals took place in public sites, so that everyone could access and take part. “Returning home from work I got off at my bus stop and saw a colourful community opera bus parked at the side of the street. I heard the sounds of music in it. Someone called me from within: ‘Come in, sing with us!’ I jumped onboard and I sing in the opera ever since. “ (Dangira Pikšrienė, performer)
The libretto was created during writing workshops by 11 nonprofessional writers. The music was composed by Vidmantas Bartulis, a recipient of the Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Arts, who sadly passed away before the last part of the opera was finished. The director and choreographer of the opera is Lina Puodžiukaitė-Lanauskienė, and the initiators and producers are community artists Vita Gelūnienė and Ed Carroll.
