Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas’ ideas on the State Opera: a reflection on insights

Tyrimo objektu pasirinktas J. Tumo-Vaižganto rašytinis palikimas, liudijantis lietuvių operos teatro veiklos pradžią. Šiuo straipsniu siekiama įdėmiau pažvelgti į tautinio operos teatro formavimosi procesus ir reiškinius ir papildyti turimą informaciją. Tam tikslui nagrinėjami Vaižganto straipsniai, recenzijos, laiškai, apmąstoma informacija, gilinamasi į kontekstus. Straipsnyje remiamasi operos teatro istoriografiniais šaltiniais, kita moksline literatūra, archyvų dokumentais, teatro veikėjų, amžininkų liudijimais, autorės asmenine patirtimi. Taikomas istorinis, komparatyvinis, refleksijos tyrimo metodai. Tema nagrinėjama pirmą kartą.There is some space in extensive domains of the creative works written by priest, writer, and literary historian Juozas Tumas- Vaižgantas (1869–1933) that is devoted to opera theatre criticism. He scrutinized, assessed and in a way influenced the formation of the Lithuanian national opera theatre. Vaižgantas treated opera as a musical drama. Therefore, a performer is certain to utilize all the artistic means of this syncratic genre – not only to sing forcibly but also to act. This attitude becomes a criterion of assessment. In his texts Vaižgantas characterises the first troupe’s soloists, points to their professionalism, evaluates the quality of the theatrical performances and pays attention to the various problems of theatre life. He reveals troupe leader Kipras Petrauskas’ unique talent and masterly acquired singing school; he also maintains that Kipras Petrauskas is a guardian of the ancient traditions of the bel canto school. Also, Vaižgantas reveals the miserable conditions in which opera enthusiasts would have to work (in the years 1922–1923 opera performances took place in an unsuitable, non-hygienic environment). He highlights the sincerity and devotion with which performers would approach their creative works. In summarizing one can state that Juozas Tumas-Vaižgantas is one of the pioneers of Lithuanian opera theatre criticism. He provides forcible evidence on how the process of the amateur gatherings that emerged in Kaunas in 1920 eventuated in the State Opera