1975 LP text:
"In Chasw of Fire" is the first Lithuanian musical. The book has been written by Leonidas Jacinevicius and Saulius Saltenis, two young popular Lithuanian writers. They write scripts, novels and short stories.
The music has been composed by Giedrius Kuprevicius, a composer and performer. He writes incidental music subtly revealing the characters, rendering the general atmosphere of a play.
The plot of the musical is very simple. At first glance it seems to be better suited for a psychological play than for a musical. However, as the action develops and dramatic tension rises, the characters and their environment are more and more poetisized. Thus a protracted theme instead of prose becomes an allegorical metaphor of love, and touches of romance pervade everyday affairs.
Monika, Rolandas and Julius make the traditional triangle of lovers. Monika, a young teacher, is going to the place of her appointment. She says good-bye to her beloved Rolandas and stays in the city. However, they quarrel at the station and Julius, a demobilized soldier, interferes. A scuffle ensues. Julius spares the girl and her modest love. She is expecting Rolandas's baby and feels unwilling sympathy for Julius who takes her in and takes him to her modest home. She is expecting Rolandas's baby and feels unwilling sympathy for Julius who takes her in and tries to awaken her modest home. She is expecting Rolandas's baby and feels unwilling sympathy for Julius who takes her in and tries to awaken her modest home. She is expecting Rolandas's baby and feels unwilling sympathy for Julius who takes her in and takes care of her. She finds herself in love with Julius and Monika.
Driven by jealousy and passion, Rolandas comes to Monika. There is an intense and tragic conversation. Julius tries to make her choice. Shaken by this, Monika dies while giving birth to a child.
The Choir, a witness to all these events, sings:
"Why did the sun not go out,
Why did the towers fall down..."
However, nothing happens. Rolandas comes to claim the baby, but Julius does not let him have it. In a spurt of distress, he answers the baby himself.
"Who killed Monika?" – the question is posed, but there is no answer. The authors leave to everybody who think it out.
Why is the musical called "In Chase of Fire"? Fire symbolizes ardent human feelings, gusts of passion, desires. The Choir accompanying the action taking place acts as a kind of beaters in this "chase after fire".
Audronė Girdzijauskaitė
