This year, the program of the Pazaislis music festival even includes two concerts for young listeners. The children's opera "Kirana" by Maltese composer Ruben Zahra, which is part of the "Kaunas - European Capital of Culture 2022" program, will include children in the creative process. In every country where this opera inspired by the myths of China, India, Babylon and Mesopotamia is staged, the young performers not only participate in the performance of the opera together with professional artists, but also create the scenography themselves. The scenography of the performance at the Raudondvaris cultural center will use the works of the students of the Kaunas Antanas Martinaitis School of Fine Arts.
The word 'kirana' in Sanskrit means starlight. Kirana's story is based on the creation myths of ancient cultures.
In the beginning of time there was darkness and silence. At the heart of this darkness was an egg. Slowly, a light began to flicker inside the egg. It flickered and flickered. The silence was also broken as the light emitted vibrating tones that quivered in the void. The light grew stronger and stronger until it turned into blinding beams of light. The sound made the egg vibrate and they began to move and opened wide. Kirana, shining light of creation, dissolved the darkness. Kirana blew the dust from her flaming fingers and the first stars were born.
The stars began to spiral, forming groups, shapes, and constellations. Four creatures emerged from these constellations: a centaur, a scorpion, a wild dog, and a serpent. The four beings realized they were in Kirana's presence; the light that dissolves the darkness, the sound that breaks the silence. Kirana began to remember an ancient dream that echoed in the deep sleep of the universe. It was time for Kirana to create a whole new world with the sky above and the earth below inhabited by all sorts of creatures.
The four beings wanted the universe to be theirs alone. They did not want to share Kirana's dream and started a war against her. But Kirana transformed them into four elements: water, earth, air and fire. Kirana looked at the four elements and smiled. The dream was no longer a dream, now it had turned into a blazing sun, sky, earth and oceans. Kirana wanted to be a part of this creation, so she spread her rays across the earth, transforming her radiant light into viable seeds that were carried by the wind. Life was born.
