Pilėnai was a pagan castle in Samogitia that was attacked in the 14th century. After two days of fierce fighting, the Pilėnai realised that the invasion of the attacking crusaders had been successful, and, unwilling to surrender, they embarked on a desperate plan – to turn their weapons on themselves and their relatives. This is one of the most well-known acts of collective suicide, which has become an important symbol of resistance for Lithuanians, and whose significance was particularly heightened in the context of the Soviet occupation.
As the artists Matas Dirginčius and Naubertas Jasinskas reconsider the history of Pilėnai, the axis of their analysis becomes the constructs of heroic tradition and patriarchy. Historically, in the face of the threat of war and the danger of extinction, the ideas of conservative traditional masculinity become stronger. As modern men’s self-understanding moves away from the standards established by patriarchy, economic and political threats exacerbate the conflict of identity.
Aware of the possibility that the history of Pilėnai may repeat itself and of the threat to our nation, the performance deconstructs the rigid notion of masculinity and asks the question: how can we create new models of interactions that emphasize openness, sensitivity, and empathy?
* – not an opera, but a one-part performance.
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