Melodrama Vilniuje XIX a. pradžioje
LTJau pačių pirmųjų Vilniaus miesto teatro sezonų repertuaras skelbė, kad šio teatro scenoje skambės daug muzikos. Tai buvo charakteringa ir vėlesnei teatro veiklai, įvairiais periodais šio teatro repertuaro didžiumą sudarė muzikiniai spektakliai. Tai nebuvo vien operos. Chorai, dainos, šokiai, net atskiros baleto scenos buvo rašomos komedijoms, tragedijoms, dramoms. XVIII a. pabaigoje Prancūzijoje „bulvarinių teatrų” scenose susiformavusi melodrama Lietuvoje buvo suvokta pirmiausia kaip muzikinis žanras, kaip spektaklis, kuriame gausu muzikos, kuri - ir tai itin svarbu - buvo specialiai jam parašyta. To laikotarpio įvairiuose istoriografiniuose šaltiniuose matome vieną ir tą patį sceninį kūrinį, įvardytą skirtingais žanrais. Melodramomis buvo neretai pavadinamos operos ar kitokio žanro kūriniai, ir atvirkščiai [p. 190].
ENOperas and other scenic works are frequently called melodramas in various istoriographical sources of the 19th century. Originated in France, this genre soon appeared in Lithuania: one of the first works was staged in 1799. Works of this genre were among the most important premieres of that time. Famous Lithuanian artists (J. Rustemas and others) provided them with stage design, while the music was written by vilniusites J. Deszczynski, F. Zilinski. The latter wrote music for a historical melodrama „Vytautas, the Grand Duke of Lithuania, or the Siege of Gardinas”. Works based on Lithuanian themes were quite rare on the stages of Vilnius. Mostly there were melodramas. It is obvious that they were more important to the troupe and spectators than to theatre critics who kept to pro-Polish views. Totally unreasonable critique towards „Lithuanian” stage works frequently speeded up their removal from the repertory. For example, this was the case with J. Franul von Wcissenturn's melodrama „Devotion and Courage of Lilhuanians” adapted by a Vilniusite K. Novinski. Other works on Lithuanian themes also did not receive more attention on the part of reviewers. This phenomena testified to the anti-Lithuanian campaign rather than of the „slrictness" of critique. Staging of a melodrama „A Ghost" reflected the spreading of romantic trends in Lithuania. This work might have influenced „All Saints’ Day” by A. Mickiewicz. K. Novinski's melodrama „Luciper’s Palace, or the Trial of Lovers" may be considered to be an example of romanticism in Lithuanian scenic art.In the 19th century stage direction became an independent sphere of theatrical art, and this is the greatest novelty of the world theatre of that epoch. J. W. Goethe experimented in this sphere; A. Klingemann attempted to bring novelties to the stage by presenting a theory of „scenic topography" in which stage is treated as a chess board. In this respect, staging of the latter’s melodrama „Moses, or the Crossing of the Red Sea by the Israelites" is important to us. Based on the historical facts we may suppose that the abovementioned novelties were introduced in this stage work. Similarworks were staged by F. von Dingelstedt in Munich, Weimar, and Wien.
