2012

Bombina bombina

EUROPEAN FIRE-BELLIED TOAD

The European fire-bellied toad is a very rare amphibian in Latvia, found only in the southern part of the country. It feeds and breeds in habitats such as small permanent or drying ponds, ditches, lagoons of larger ponds with clay bottoms, rich aquatic vegetation with good sunlight exposure.

Bombina Bombina

Bombina Bombina – a softly resonating opera.

The reason why the European fire-bellied toad traveled so far from the south to the north remains a mystery to many, but the story of this journey and the love that blossomed between the little toad Ululoni from Italy and her beloved Kunk from the Czech Republic is told in these songs. This story was first publicly shared with thousands of people on the night of 30 June 2012, in Demene, Daugavpils Municipality.

People gathered in the eastern part of Latvia, near the borders of Belarus and Lithuania, on this warm summer night. Dancers embodied the emotions of Ululoni and Kunk – how they grew up and how they overcame the trials and challenges faced by an endangered European species, the European fire-bellied toad. The characteristic call of the toad echoed from a nearby pond.

Released:
03/12/2012

Demene, Daugavpils Municipality

DIRECTOR Roberts Rubīns
MUSIC Aigars Voitišķis, Andris Sējāns, Ingus Ulmanis, Kaspars Tobis, Rūta Muktupāvela and Valdis Muktupāvels
ZINĀTNE Mihails Pupiņš, Aija Pupiņa