Temporal and sacred celebrations of Vilnius under the rule of Władysław IV (1632-1648)

Po Vladislovo Vazos valdymo Vilnius, kaip ir Varšuva bei Krokuva, buvo pats svarbiausias baroko laikinų meno formų centras jungtinėje Lietuvos-Lenkijos valstybėje ir taip pat svarbiausia teatrinių bei parateatrinių įvykių vieta. 1636 m. vasarą Vilniuje vyko šventinė procesija, kurios metu Šv. Kazimiero palaikai buvo perkelti į naują koplyčią, pastatytą priešais katedrą. Centrinėje navoje buvo sukonstruotas tempjeto pavidalo katafalkas šventojo palaikams. Jo kompozicija grįsta romėnų projektais, sukurtais popiežių laidojimo progomis. Procesijoje dalyvavo karalius ir jo svita, LDK pasaulietinė ir religinė aukštuomenė, vienuolija, kareiviai ir miestiečių minia. Deja, šio renginio scenarijaus autorius nežinomas. Po trijų savaičių Valdovų rūmuose parodyta muzikinė drama Il ratto di Helena, kuriai sukurta laikina scena buvo aprūpinta inovatyviomis teatrinėmis mašinomis: besikeičiančios dekoracijos priešais žiūrovų akis, aktorių keltuvai, specialių akustinių ir vizualinių efektų įranga ir kt. Taip pat sukurta įspūdinga scenografija: žiūrovui priešais akis atsivėrė didingi Spartos karaliaus rūmai, parkai su veikiančiais fontanais, jūros peizažas su tolstančiais laivais, debesyse sklendžiantys Olimpo dievai.Under Wladyslaw IV Waza, Vilnius, alongside Warsaw and Cracow, was the most important centre of Baroque temporary art forms in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and also a significant place for theatrical and paratheatrical events. In the summer of 1636 a celebratory procession took place there, during which the relics of St. Casimir were moved to a new chapel which had been built beside the cathedral by Zygmunt Waza and completed by his descendants during the first years of his rule. On the 13th of August in a central nave of the cathedral, a tempietto shape catafalque with cupolas on its eight columns was erected where the remains of the saint were placed. The composition of the catafalque was based on Roman projects created for the funeral occasions of the deaths of Popes Sixtus V, Gregory XV, Paul V, Urban VIII and father Carl Barberini. The next day after High Mass in the streets of the decorated city, a-four hour long procession passed through the six triumphal gates. [...] The unknown author of this celebrations scenario made reference to the tradition of Roman Baroque festival, with this celebration recalling more the ceremony of the Popes taking the throne of St. Peter and the festive processions and entries of worldly rulers than it did the traditional pompa funebris ceremonies. On 4th of September in 1636, the first musical drama ("dramma in música") of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania - Ratto di Helena was held for the ruler's court. It is one of the earliest examples of that genre to be produced outside the boundaries of Italy and from 1639 it was called as opera. In one of the halls of the ruler's palace a temporary stage was equiped with innovative theatrical machines: periaktoi and prospectus which changed the decorations before the eyes of the audience (this was called "mutations"). There were raisers which lifted the actors above the stage and also equipment for special acoustic and visual effects. This performance was admired by the theatrical aficionado nuncio Mario Filonardi, who sent a report full of ravishing praise to Rome. [...] On the 6th of March in 1644 a performance L'Andromeda was shown and on the 16th of April in 1648 on the occasion of the arrival of Ludwika Maria Gonzaga, the last play of Wladyslaw Waza's time was shown - Circe Delusa, in which an earthquake, tempest with lightning, rain and hail were demonstrated - all very rare effects in the stage design of the Baroque. These Vilnius pageants were created by the palace stage designer and architect Agostino Locci whose career was formed in Rome, within the patronal environment of Francesco and Antonio Baberini, the relatives of Urban VIII. Locci knew and adapted the technical achievements of the leading centres of Italian scenography in the Baroque, especially those achievements of its most important creators, such as Francesco Guitti, the stagings of whom influenced the scenography of the afore mentioned performances