Lāčplēsis (rock opera)
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The
Political and cultural significance
Lāčplēsis was first shown at the beginning of the Third
Summary
Unlike in the original poem, Kangars and Lāčplēsis are the best of friends. They are both heroes, they both have weaknesses, but Kangars' is easily noticeable: he is very ambitious. The rock opera mostly deals with Kangars' being blinded by the desire for fame, unaware of his betrayal until he reveals Lāčplēsis' weakness to the foreign invaders. Kangars is contrasted to Koknesis, who refuses even to think of betrayal. Laimdota and Lāčplēsis are characterised as symbols of Latvia and the
Plot
Lāčplēsis and Kangars are sent to study at Burtnieki. On the way they visit Aizkraukle Castle where Kangars is taken captive and tortured by devils, asking him to betray his people by drawing them into slavery and establishing Christianity. When he refuses, the torture is interrupted by the head devil Līkcepure who brainwashes him by saying that Kangars would win all fame if Lāčplēsis were not standing in his way.
Meanwhile, Lāčplēsis is dropped into the
Later Laimdota meets Kangars, who asks her to be with him. When she refuses Kangars threaten to rape her and share her with anyone who wants her. Then he kidnaps her and tells Lāčplēsis that she has fled together with "her lover" Koknesis and suggests that Lāčplēsis should leave. Broken-hearted, Lāčplēsis follows his advice. In his wanderings Lāčplēsis meets Ziemeļmeita (personification of the
The devils are now frightened; they curse and cry that people were already under their rule, and the local songs and language were almost exterminated. Dīterihs announces that only Kangars can help them and orders the devils to search for Kangars among the Latvian people.[3] The devils try to convince Koknesis to join them, but he refuses, saying that Lāčplēsis is his friend and Lāčplēsis can count on him. After that, Laimdota appears and Lāčplēsis asks her why she is crying. She answers that she is dishonoured and dirty. Lāčplēcis tells her that she will become clean in his tears and they are both reborn through each other's tears; then they are married. Meanwhile, Kangars has finally discovered the weakness of Lāčplēsis and reveals it to the enemy: Lāčplēsis' power is in his ears, because he hears his motherland and feels her every movement with his ears. If they make Lāčplēsis deaf, he will be unbelieving and unremembering and therefore easy to defeat. Only then does Kangars realise what he has done and cries that he loves Latvia. The crusaders arrange a tournament for Lāčplēsis and the Black Knight, a creature that has no eyes, no ears and no language: belief and memories are drawn out of anyone who comes near him. Lāčplēsis feels doomed but still asks his motherland to call him. The narrator says that his fight with the Black Knight has not ended yet but there will come a time when Lāčplēsis will kill him.
Song list
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Cast
- Lāčplēsis – Igo
- Laimdota – Maija Lūsēna
- Kangars – Imants Vanzovičs
- Lielvārdis – Juris Rijkuris
- Ziemeļmeita – Žaneta Ondzule
- Koknesis – Aivars Brīze
- Dīterihs – Niks Matvejevs
- Līkcepure – Zigfrīds Muktupāvels and Viesturs Jansons
- Staburadze – Mirdza Zīvere and Daiga Blaua
- Narrator – Jānis Skanis
- Girls– Ramona Fogele, Dita Podskočija, Aija Siliņa, Dana Purgaile, Lolita Sauliete
- Ziņotāji (informers), jodi, velni (devils) –Ainars Ašmanis, Aigars Grauba, Aigars Krēsla, Aigars Grāvers
Instrumentalists
- Zigmars Liepiņš, Uldis Marhilevičs – keyboards
- Harijs Zariņš, Aivars Hermanis – guitar
- Guntis Vecgailis, Eduards Glotovs – bass guitar
- Oļegs Upenieks, Vilnis Krieviņš – percussion
- Recordings of the folklore music bands "Skandinieki" and "Iļģi" were also used.
Notes
- Latvian National Awakening.
- ^ Staburadze was an 18-metre high cliff with an associated legend of a mourning girl turned into rock. Sunken castles as well as flying lakes are the subject of many Latvian tales. Lake Burtnieks was believed to be one of the flying lakes, and the folktales usually mention it for that reason, but the epic and the rock opera tell of the sunken castle of Burtnieki within it.
- ^ The name "Kangars" has become synonymous with "traitor" in the Latvian language.
Sources
- https://web.archive.org/web/20070928004720/http://www.marazalite.lv/html/dramatugija/25581.php
- Recording of "Lāčplēsis" (Latvijas Televīzija1988)
Guntis Smidchens, "National Heroic Narratives in the Baltics as a Source for Nonviolent Political Action," Slavic Review 66,3 (2007), 484–508.