BRONIUS KUTAVIČIUS The Last Pagan Rites, oratorio for soprano, choir, organ and horns

Příchod (Atėjimas)
Kobylko zelená (Žioge žaliasai)
Uctívání vrchu Medvėgalis (Medvėgalio pagarbinimas)
Zaklínaní hada (Gyvatės užkeikimas)
Uctívání dubu (Ąžuolo pagarbinimas)
Odchod (Išėjimas)

Aneta Podracká Bendová soprano
Marek Paľa organ
BAS – Brněnský akademický sbor, choirmaster Pavel Šnajdr
Kantiléna, children‘s choir
Marie Horáková, Adéla Ondráčková, Lucie Sychrová, Juraj Záhradníček horns 
choirmaster, conductor Michal Jančík

When Moravian Autumn 2017 presented the oratorio The Last Pagan Rites by Lithuanian composer Bronius Kutavicius, the concert was described as one of the biggest events of the entire festival. In 2021, Moravian Autumn performed the work again as a special tribute to the composer, who died shortly before the festival opened. Even then, the performance was met with great interest. The audience’s success and the enthusiasm of the Kantiléna Children’s Choir for performing the work made The Last Pagan Rites a permanent Moravian Autumn programme item and tradition: the work was again performed to great interest and success in 2023 and is scheduled for 2025: this time, however, for the first time in a recently discovered and made accessible architectural gem – the historical water towers in Brno, whose acoustics and almost temple-like architecture will undoubtedly enhance the effect of this evocative oratorio by Kutavičius and offer it in a new context.

Under the auspices of Rolandas Kačinskas, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Lithuania to the Czech Republic.

The concert is a part of the project #vodojemyart.
Thank you for cooperation and support to TIC BRNO, co-organizer of the concert.

Bronius Kutavičius: The Last Pagan Rites (Worshiping of Mount Medvėgalis)