In the second special report from ICAF, the international community arts festival in Rotterdam, Owen Kelly talks with Ed Carroll and Vita Gelūnienė about The Cabbage Field community opera, developed by Zemuju Sanciu Bendruomene, a community association working to develop a sustainable urban vision of a neighbourhood in Kaunas in Lithuania, that will protect the unique cultural heritage and identity of the Shančiai neighbourhood against extractive capitalism.
The libretto for The Cabbage Field was created by community members. The professional and non-professional artists of the troupe are all related to Shančiai in various ways, and all events and characters are inspired by local people and their stories.
The music was composed by Vidmantas Bartulis, winner of the Lithuanian National Prize, although he died during the process of creating the opera, leaving the musical part of the opera unfinished. All of the participating actors come directly from the community.