Search - Bronius Kutavicius, Martynas Staskus, Lithuanian Opera Orchestra :: Bronius Kutavicius: Lokys the Bear

Ursus Major

Michael E. Karman | Portland, OR USA | 09/22/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Opera is perhaps the most maligned and least understood genre of all music. It is a category equally as large (i.e., containing a wide diversity of styles) as symphony or concerto, yet "opera" can damn (or praise) a piece, sound unheard, in a way "symphony" or "concerto" never could. Imagine someone saying "I hate serenades" in the same tone of voice as you've heard people say "I hate opera," and you'll see my point.Having said that, I hasten to my point about one opera, "Lokys the Bear," which is that it's not only unlike any opera you've ever heard, it's unlike any music you've ever heard, unless you've been living in the Baltic for the past thirty years. If you haven't been, there are four entries in Amazon under "Kutavicius." If you buy "Lokys the Bear," I suspect you'll quickly want to buy the other three Kutavicius discs right away, for Lokys is as engaging and delightful piece of music as Janacek's Osud and Shostakovich's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, and as seductive. (And, by the way, those other albums are pretty delightful, too.)I could say more, but I really don't want to ruin it for you. OK, one thing: I feel like I could listen to this piece three or four times a week and never get tired of it."