Sea

The composition of M. K. Čiurlionis’s symphony “The Sea” (1903–1906) is characterized by a philosophical subtext, vivid images of nature, and psychological depth. “The image of the sea, which had long attracted the composer, emerged as a symbol of life purified and elevated through struggle; an active force, tragically breaking and solemnly rising again, appealed to the dignity of humankind, calling to rise against the vices and oppression of the age.” (Vytautas Landsbergis)
For choreographer Birutė Letukaitė, Čiurlionis’s “The Sea” became a central metaphor for exploring the transformed relationship between modern humanity and nature, addressing today’s urgent wounds: the pollution of the Baltic Sea with toxic substances, and a society plagued by phobias, selfishness, and apathy. The disrupted balance between nature and humankind leads to mutual, irreversible losses.
The pollution of the Baltic Sea is closely linked to the military industry. Chemical weapons began being dumped after World War I, and the pollution intensified dramatically after World War II: 3,000–5,000 tons of chemical weapons, 270,000 tons of explosives with chemical charges, and 35,000 tons of rockets and aerial bombs. This is just a portion of the data revealing the tragic state of the Baltic Sea.
“Scientists have long studied and confirmed that the Baltic Sea is the most chemically polluted sea in the world, that fish caught in it are not safe to eat […] The Baltic Sea is not only the most radioactive of all seas, but also the most radioactive body of water in the world.” (ELTA)
“Why do you complain, O Sea?” — more than a hundred years ago, the composer asked this question, as if foreseeing the future lament of the Baltic.