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Come and spend two nights at the heart of Vilnius Old Town in a superior class hotel and experience the magic aura surrounding Lithuanian National Opera’s ballet and opera productions and enjoy the enthralling voices of favourite singers and vibrant performance of ballet dancers!
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Arrival in Vilnius.
Private transfer to a superior class hotel.
Rest after the trip or spend the day of sightseeing Vilnius tour.
Vilnius, the historical capital of Lithuania dating back to the 14th century, has the most beautiful and one of the largest old towns in Europe, awarded with the status of World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, with Vilnius University being the oldest one in Eastern Europe. It is rapidly expanding as a modern European capital, so you can experience the harmony of the old and the new Vilnius.
Tour of Vilnius features essential sights of the city: St. Anne's Church, Pilies street, the Gates of the Dawn, University campus, Town hall, Cathedral square and others.
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| Day 2 |
Free day for individual taste of Vilnius – European capital of culture 2009.
The Old Town of Vilnius will offer you many art galleries to visit, stores to shop, cafes and restaurants to have lunch as well as great souvenir shops to acquire memories of Lithuania.
Impressive evening with Ballet or Opera performance. Famous opera “La Traviata”? Classical ballet “The Sleeping Beauty” or dramatic “Red Giselle”?
Make your choice, take a look to the Repertoire below.
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| Day 3 |
Private transfer from a hotel to the airport. Departure home. |
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The package includes:
· 2 nights accommodation DBL room with buffet breakfast in superior class hotel;
· Private transfers;
· Vilnius Sightseeing tour;
· 2 tickets to the Ballet or Opera performances;
· Information package.
3 days / 2 nights package 179 EUR per person
Important : to ensure you the best seats, we highly recommend bookings at least 1 week ahead.
Summer Season with the Most Beautiful Productions of the LNOBT !!!
This year the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre shall celebrate the Summer Season by showing its most beautiful and beloved productions. During summer, as the theatres get silent and empty, many people miss the charming theatrical fuss, and so the LNOBT announces its Summer Season 2010 - this year you will have a possibility to enjoy not only the usual summer performance of V. Klova’s opera “Pilėnai”, but also the most exquisite productions of the repertoire, performed by our best singers and dancers.
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June 20, Sunday, 6:30 PM
Music Director and Conductor Robertas Šervenikas
Director, Choreographer Chen Shi-Zheng (JAV | Kinija)
Set Designer Walt Spangler (JAV)
Costume Designer Elizabeth Caitlin Ward (JAV)
Lighting Designer Scott Zielinski (JAV)
Video Designer Leigh Haas (Vokietija | Didžioji Britanija)
Chorus Master Česlovas Radžiūnas
 La Traviata (The Fallen Woman) is the eighteenth of Verdi’s operas and the first one to draw on the reality of the day. The opera premiered at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice, on 6th March 1853. After the spectacular success of Rigoletto and Il Trovatore, the reception of this opera came as a shock to the composer – it was an unmitigated fiasco. The failure was blamed on the poor staging and the miscasting of singers. “Is it my fault or that of the singers?” Verdi wrote in a letter. “Only time will tell.” The composer evidently sensed that the reasons for the failure had been more serious. The public must have got indignant at the choice of the protagonist – a downcast woman shown in the milieu, likewise corrupt.
A libretto by Francesco Maria Piave adapted from La Dame aux Camélias inspired Verdi to compose one of his most beautiful operas. Re-staged and performed at another Venetian opera house, San Benedetto, on 6 May 1854, La Traviata was a triumph. Alexandre Dumas couldn’t be more right when he said, “Fifty years later, my La Dame aux Camélias would have sunk into oblivion, but Verdi made it immortal.”
La Traviata was put on at the Lithuanian Opera and Ballet in 1920, 1931, 1952, 1974, 1980 and 1992; on 31 December 2005 and January 2006 we presented a production by the English National Opera. Traditionally showcased at each New Year’s Eve until 2002, this opera received the largest number of performances on our stage ever. Opera to be shown on 8 May 2009 will be the 739th performance of La Traviata at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. |
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June 17, Thursday, 6:30 PM
an opera in 2 parts, sung in French with Lithuanian surtitles
Conductor Robertas Šervenikas
Director Arnaud Bernard (France)
Set Designer Alessandro Camera (Italy)
Costume Designer Maria Carla Ricotti (Italy)
Choreographer Gianni Santucci (Italy)
Light Designer Vinicio Cheli (Italy)
Chorus Master Česlovas Radžiūnas
Premiere: 20 November, 2009
 It is probably appropriate to start our story about Carmen with a fact that it is the most often staged opera in the world, while its author Georges Bizet remains in the operatic history primarily as an author of that single masterpiece. 135 years have passed since its premiere at the Opéra-Comique theatre in Paris, and even to this day no other operatic work can equal G. Bizet‘s Carmen when it comes to the number of different stagings.
Carmen wasn’t blessed with instant success - her first appearances were marked by scandal rather than acknowledgement. However, its popularity that emerged after Bizet’s death is still very much alive today. In his plans Bizet had more than 30 opera drafts, but before his death he managed to finish only four of them, excluding Carmen. Despite that, the glory of Carmen is enough to keep the composer’s spirit among us.
Each country has its own understanding of femininity. The Spanish like strong women, thus the character of Carmen is always a challenge for any singer. She is fatalistic, hedonistic, living only in current moment and not looking forward. Carmen is ready to give herself away, fully understanding the power of such action, however, she will demand the same dedication from anyone she gives herself to. “Free, independent mistress of all of her wishes”, Carmen radiates destructive, wild passion and unexplainably attractive power. She is probably the most charismatic character in operatic history. Don Jose, charmed by gypsy’s whims, looses everything - his world, once moral, calm and virtuous, is now shattered to pieces. He hopes that his love will keep Carmen, maybe even redeem her... Sadly, his hopes are only illusions.
The character of Carmen keeps returning: sometimes surrounded by the original spirit of the work, or put in today‘s context, ascetic or decorated with lush stage designs. Every time she achieves new incarnations, remaining true to her essence - she intrigues, rouses wonder, fear and admiration. |
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June 9, Wednesday, 6:30 PM, June 10, Thursday, 6:30 PM
an opera in 2 parts, sung in Italian with Lithuanian and English surtitles
Music Director and Conductor Martynas Staškus
Director Emilio Sagi (Spain)
Set Designer Daniel Bianco (Spain)
Costume Designer Renata Schussheim (Argentina)
Lighting Designer Eduardo Bravo (Spain, AAI)
Choreographer Nuria Castejón (Spain)
Chorus Master Česlovas Radžiūnas
 Production of the LNOBT in collaboration with Teatro Real de Madrid, Teatro Pérez Galdós de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria ir Asociación Bilbaína de Amigos de la Opera (A.B.A.O.)
Premiere: 5 February, 2010
It is difficult to evaluate Mozart’s works and their impact. The more we know about him, the more valuable treasures we discover in his music. An ever-growing number of articles and books dedicated to this creator reveals only one thing - we will never manage to fully discover the essence of his personality. Every generation discovers something new in his works and also gains experience through his music. This music is like a universe - it envelops and transcends everything.
At the LNOBT this French-Austrian-Spanish masterpiece was brought to life by the creative team from Spain: director Emilio Sagi, set designer Daniel Bianco, lighting designer Eduardo Bravo, choreographer Nuria Castejón, and a costume designer from Argentina Renata Schussheim. Music director and conductor of the production is Martynas Staškus, chorus master - Česlovas Radžiūnas. The main roles in Le nozze di Figaro are sung by Lithuania's beloved soloists: Asmik Grigorian, Joana Gedmintaitė, Regina Šilinskaitė (Susanna); Sigutė Stonytė, Sandra Janušaitė (the Countess Rosina Almaviva); LNOBT's guest Klemens Sander, Deividas Staponkus (the Count Almaviva), Kostas Smoriginas, Egidijus Dauskurdis (Figaro), Ona Kolobovaitė and Vilija Mikštaitė (Cherubino). |
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June 3, Thursday, 6:30 PM
a ballet in 2 acts
Choreography Auguste Bournonville (1805–1879)
Production Choreographer Johan Kobborg (Denmark)
Designer Peter Farmer (UK)
Conductor Martynas Staskus
 August Bournonville, the man also known as the father of Danish ballet, was born in Copenhagen on 21st August, 1805. This was the same year that Hans Christian Andersen came into this world - he was a close friend to Bournonville. The two friends had a lot in common in their views on life and goals of creativity. Their works - ballets and fairytales, in which both children and adults find wisdom and meaning, in which demonic creatures of romanticism are kept much more silent and succumb to goodness. Their romanticism spoke in the name of purity, truth, folk and interest, fighting everyday routine hidden underneath the veil of the boring aristocratic hypocrisy.
Pointe work was not the most crucial part of ballet to Bournonville. His greatest talent was for making wonderful combinations of dance steps, creating impressive “dance pictures”. Bournonville was greatly influenced by his year in Paris where he took in all essential ideas of the romantic ballet.
The Danish La Sylphide premiered on November 28th, 1836, with main roles performed by Lucille Grahn and Auguste Bournonville. Sometimes innovation stuns at a very right moment; the novelty of La Sylphide was so great, that all witnesses had to justify its right for success.
The Sylph turned into a symbol that caused many different discussions. Some people were charmed by her, others displayed anger, Christian democrats stated open contradictions to the Christian dogmas… The idea of human nature as a dual subject arose together with Christianity; however, it was in the Romantic period that it became crucial. A question was born: do we need to bid farewell to a part of our soul in order to achieve harmony? The duality of existence became the background for La Sylphide. The sadness that circles this ballet is not only a result of Scottish mountains and German forests, helping to create theatrical atmosphere; this sadness is born out of the feeling that our life lost lightness and harmony forever. |
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June 2, Wednesday, 6:30 PM
Ballet in 2 acts
Librettist and Choreographer Lorca Massine (Italy)
Conductor Martynas Staskus
Designer Sofia Tugarinova-Grzelak (Poland)
Premiere: 24 April 1998
 Zorba the Greek from the Nikos Kazantzaki’s novel is known throughout the literary world. Zorba the Greek impersonated by Anthony Quinn is known throughout the cinema world. Lorca Massine’s Zorba, likewise, can be said to be known throughout the ballet world. Compelled by the overwhelming philosophy of joy, the spellbinding power of dance and vertigo of the final syrtaki, we readily forget our little troubles and problems, start feeling the heat of the sunny Aegean seashore and keep repeating syrtaki steps on our way home…
Approx. running time: 2h 20min |
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April 30, Friday, 6:30 PM
Rodion Shchedrin
ANNA KARENINA
A ballet in 2 acts after Lev Tolstoy's novel
Choreographer: Alexey Ratmansky (Russia)
Music Director: Jonas Aleksa
Conductors: Valerij Ovsyanikov (Russia), Alvydas Sulcys
Designer: Mikael Melbye (Denmark)
Projection designed by Wendall K. Harrington (USA)
Premiere: 4 November 2005
Rodion Shchedrin composed Anna Karenina in 1972 and dedicated it to his wife, Maya Plisetskaya, who choreographed the first production of the ballet for the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre. Whatever visions of the producers, Anna Karenina is first of all, a work by Lev Tolstoy. The ballet deals solely with the main theme of Tolstoy's epic novel - the love question, Anna Karenina's existential dilemma. She is emotionally torn between her husband, the civil servant Karenin, and her love, the charming Vronsky. With her husband she lives a proper and ethical life, a life where she enjoys the highest social regard, and a life - most importantly - with her dearest infant son. But it is also a life without any passion, a life where she is hardly more than a piece of furniture to her husband. Passion is the domain of Vronsky, but while her emotions may circumvent the social conventions - a rather daring proposition at the time - the question is whether her passionate love of Vronsky can circumvent her being a mother. Shchedrin's score is penetrating in a dramatic expression of feelings. For Tolstoy's characters do not only act out; they contemplate, question and reflect as much… The score which ideally taps into the dramatic atmosphere, renders brilliant musical characterizations and manifests emotional intensity has proved an excellent score and guide of inspiration for the creative team.
Running time: 2.15 hrs |
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April 25, Sunday, 6:00 PM
Ludwig Aloisius Minkus (1826-1917)
DON QUIXOTE
Ballet in 3 acts
Libretto by Marius Petipa
Choreography by Marius Petipa and Aleksandr Gorsky
Revised version by Vladimir Vassiliev
Production Choreographer Vladimir Vassiliev (Russia)
Conductor Jonas Aleksa
Set Designer Viktor Volsky (Russia)
Costume Designer Rafail Volsky (Russia)
Premiere: 29 December 1994
Vladimir Vassiliev: “How many people admired this ballet, enjoyed and laughed at its heroes’ adventures! How many critics were enraged by the alleged profanation of the great Cervantes’ work, and virtually smashed the music into smithereens...“
Be that as it may, Minkus’ Don Quixote is one of the public’s most favourite performances, not only at our theatre, but rather globally. Of course, it would be an idle labour to look for the depths of wisdom or mastery of artistic portrayal inherent in Cervantes’ original novel. However, there is no endeavour to reach such a dramatic scale in the ballet. Richly worked-out brilliant movements, tuneful and dashing music, full of Spanish flavour, arrestingly colourful choreography – all this makes for a splendid entertainment, which is always appealing to the audience, because of its romantic flair, somewhat naive, yet invincible belief in humanity and benevolence.
Performance running time: 2h 30min |
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In the summer of 2001 the LNOBT finally fulfilled its dream of showing a Lithuanian opera in the surroundings of the Trakai Castle. The Castle works as a historical set, allowing the music of the opera to blossom with new colours. Despite all weather forecasts, “Pilėnai” always attracts exceptionally many appreciators of opera. And this summer is said to be very beautiful and sunny! In “Pilėnai” you shall see and hear such performers as Eugenijus Vasilevskis, Julija Stupnianek, Inesa Linaburgytė, Liudas Norvaišas, Ramūnas Urbietis, Vytautas Kurnickas (3 July), Vytautas Bakula, Vilhelma Mončytė, Jovita Vaškevičiūtė, Egidijus Dauskurdis, Ramūnas Urbietis, Vytautas Kurnickas (4 July). The wonderful “Pilėnai” in Trakai shall be conducted by Vytautas Viržonis.
