guerrilla songs, women’s courage and story

Deep tradition

Kaunas IX Fort Museum has been joining the International Museum Night initiative for twenty -first time. According to Rita Vištarienė, Head of the Museum Marketing Department, exclusive activities are being prepared for this occasion.

« Since 2005, this museum initiative has been organizing different activities and experiences-from theatrical staging, excursions to walks in the dark. This year we invite you to participate in an exclusive musical show-outflow that combines location, history and stage arts, » she said.

The creators of the show-narrator Milda Varnauskaitė, Ariane Pawin and singer Oksana Zhuravel-Ohorodnyk-call the event a trip through historical periods and countries: from guerrilla forest in Lithuania, during French women’s resistance to the present day on the Ukrainian women’s sacrifice front. In Kaunas, this show will be shown as part of a tour of Lithuania funded by the Lithuanian Cultural Council.

« The cooperation was established on the initiative of the storytelling narrator Milda Varnauskaitė. The idea proposed by the creators of the show is original, » said R. Vištarienė.

O. Zhuravel-Ohorodnyk Personal Archive Photo

Women’s voices from the margins of history

« Partisan Songs » is a trianical musical performance of stories that intertwine in Lithuanian, French and Ukrainian, live music and true women’s fate stories. According to Milda Varnauskaitė, his debut, as part of the Lithuanian cultural season in France, took place in Grenoble in September last year.

“When deciding to bring the show to Lithuania to Lithuania, I immediately thought about offering it to the Kaunas IX Fort Museum, because I read that it stored the Lithuanian partisan-bare player Albina Norkutė-Kairienė (Ramunė) from Siberia, » the creator tells the idea. The embroidered handkerchief, so I thought it would be a unique opportunity to do so with the object in Kaunas and to give the audience the opportunity to experience stories even more intensely and unforgettable. ”

According to her, the purpose of the show is to reveal that women’s resistance stories are not just a background – the central axis of history. It tells the real stories of female fighters, and talks about the courage and strength of their occupation, incorrect and inhumane situations in France, Lithuania and Ukraine.

« From yesterday to today, » said M. Varnauskaitė, « too often women’s experiences are ignored or pushed to the margins of history. Today we will follow in their footsteps and listen to their stories. »

In France, during World War II, with weapons in their hands or typewriter types under the armpit, carrying suitcases or producing fake documents – women took all the positions of resistance to the Nazis.

In Lithuania since 1944 In order to fight the Soviet occupation, its, like men, moved to the underground. He went with them into the forest, fought and became involved in guerrilla war: working as liaison, hiding in bunkers, writing poems.

In Ukraine, more than 60 thousand are currently. Women are fighting their country from Russian aggression. They are doctors, teachers, journalists, politicians, artists …

M. Varnauskaitė said she was pleased that the Kaunas 9th Fort Museum had agreed to take the show during the tour of Lithuania. It is May 14-25. Not only Kaunas, Klaipėda, Tauragė and Panevėžys residents and guests will be able to see for free.

Each space – as part of a stage

French actress and narrator Ariane Pawin emphasizes that this show is not only a performance, but also a unique connection to space.

“The show-shots are one of the parts of my creative work I choose: a way to encourage viewers to look at the spaces they know differently, poetically and imaginatively, to pay attention to details and details

Even to rediscover the place that they seemed to know, says the co -operator of the show. – In this way, « Partisan Songs » is actually what we call « creative work »: every time we do the show, we re -create it, because every space, artwork, museum objects become its decorations and part. Real space creates a multifaceted echo with the stories we tell us and the fates of women, which we pass on by words and actions. ”

According to her, this project differs from its previous implementation in its multilingual and multicultural structure.

« This is the first time I am so deeply involved in the international show because it has many languages ​​and multiculturalism. During rehearsal, it has been so strong to revive all these women from all over Europe, their similarities and differences, and thus deeply feel all of their commonalities. Ukraine! ” – says Pawin.

Photo by K. Jurevičiūtė

Music – Code of Emotions

Ukrainian actress and singer Oksana Zhuravel-Ohorodnyk creates the musical part of the performance « Partisan Songs ». They are performed by Ukrainian folk songs – lullabies, roaches, hymns of resistance – sound like the silent voices of women, to this day.

« They were intuitively coming to my mind during rehearsals: when I listened to the text, some melodies naturally appeared. I remembered specific songs and found their place almost mysteriously, intertwined with history and deepened its meaning, » said the performance co -operator.

Every musical motive, she said, was born to strengthen and emphasize the narrative.

« I wanted the music to give each story a distinctive emotional shade-complementary rather than overshadowing the story and allowing the atmosphere to penetrate the listeners deeper, » said Zhuravel-Ohorodnyk

Not only the performance – and the museum’s experience

When it comes to the place where the show is held, Rita Vištartienė recalls that in 1940-1941. The IX Forte was operating the repressive structure of Soviet occupiers – the People’s Commissariat of the Interior (NKVD). At that time, the 9th fort was converted into a transmission station of political prisoners – teachers, military, journalists and other disapproval of Soviet occupation, were sent to the Soviet Union’s forced labor camps. The NKVD repressive structure was also in the fort at the beginning of the second Soviet occupation – 1944-1947.

The theme of Soviet occupation and the exile of the Lithuanian population in Kaunas IX Fort Memorial Complex exhibits two outdoor exhibitions and art installations – « (not) filled with emptiness » and « compatible » – namely, R. Vištarienė said the museum seeks to actualize with the show « Partisan Songs »: There are many resistance to the topic of resistance, but most importantly, there is no shortage of determination to resist. ”

On the evening of May 17, after the show, visitors to the Partisan Songs will also be able to see the museum’s exhibits free of charge to the themes of Kaunas Fortress, Kaunas Heavy Work Prison, Holocaust and Soviet repression.

According to the interlocutor, it is expected that the opportunity to visit the museum at an unusual time – in the evening – will allow visitors to even greater the uniqueness of the local and the complexity of history.

The performance « Partisan Songs » will begin at 6 pm and from 7 pm to 11 p.m. Visitors are invited to inspect the museum’s expositions. The event is free.

Kaunas IX Fort Museum info

On May 17, Kaunas City Museum invites you to visit Kaunas Town Hall, Kaunas Castle, M. and K. Petrauskai home, folk music museums and Juozas Gruodis’ home. The program includes odor workshops, education, archery, exhibition, photo studio and more.

Activities are free, but some registration is required. More information: https://kaunomuziejus.lt/renginiai/