Nerealizuoti Juozo Gruodžio operos projektai

LTStraipsnio tyrimo objektas yra iki šiol lietuvių muzikologijoje dar specialiai nenagrinėta sritis – J. Gruodžio bandymai sukurti tautinę operą. Remiantis pirminiais šaltiniais (kompozitoriaus pasisakymais, amžininkų atsiminimais, ypač archyvine medžiaga) atskleidžiamos jo pažiūros į operos žanro specifiką, muzikos ir libreto santykį, kai kurių lietuvių kompozitorių (V. Bacevičiaus, S. Šimkaus) operas. Straipsnyje aptariami J. Gruodžio sumanymai kurti operas pagal V. Krėvės-Mickevičiaus dramas „Šarūnas“, „Skirgaila“, A. Mickevičiaus poemą „Konradas Valenrodas“, B. Buivydaitės libretą „Jūratė ir Kastytis“. Detaliau analizuojamas kompozitoriaus parašytas scenarijus operai „Skirgaila“.

ENFrom his studies at the Leipzig Conservatoire (1920-1924) until his death in 1941 Juozas Gruodis was getting ready to write a national opera. Among his manuscripts there are pages and pages of his thoughts about opera, is specific features, the relationship between music and libretto. He used to emphasise the primacy of the composer in writing opera, his right to free interpretations of the selected literary text. His attitude to the composer's responsibility for the quality of the libretto was reflected in his critique of Vytautas Bacevičius' "Vaidilutė" (the composer's libretto) and his positive attitude to Stasys Šimkus "Pagirėnai" (libretto by Stasys Santvaras). In the latter Gruodis especially praised the national element present in the text and music. All known plots of the operas, which Gruodis planned to write are based on the motifs of Lithuanian history or folklore. In 1927, he intended to compose an opera after Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius heroic poem "Šarūnas". As he did not receive a two-year grant promised by the Ministry of Education, he used musical ideas meant for his opera for the drama "Šarūnas" directed by Andrius Oleka-Žilinskas which was produced in 1920.Sketches for an opera libretto after Adomas Mickevičius poem "Konradas Valenrodas" from approximately the same period have also survived. In 1932, Gruodis considered writing "Jūratė and Kastytis" (Bronė Buivydaitė's libretto), but later used the theme for his ballet with the same title (1933). One of the most opera projects which interested Gruodis was "Skirgaila" after the historic drama by Krėvė-Mickevičius directed by Borisas Dauguvietis at the Kaunas Drama Theatre. In 1933, the composer worked out two draft scripts. The surviving sketches give us a chance to look at the composer's creative laboratory, demonstrating his principles of writing opera.