“Cherchez la Femme. Look for the woman”

Who is She, what is Her natural element and where does Her secret lie?

“Cherchez la Femme” – as the famous Alexandre Dumas would say. And we say, start with tenderness and dreams. Look for passion, a graceful feel or the flirtatious gaze of a stranger. Look for the woman whose unpredictable identity is being explored by the creators and… a new programme “Cherchez la Femme” by the ensemble “Lietuva”.

The concert will take place on May 15, 6 pm. in Vilnius Town Hall where three natural elements will spring to life in the form of music – Bona Sforca, Barbora Radvilaitė and Carmen. The orchestra of the state ensemble “Lietuva”, led by the Chief Conductor Dr Egidijus Kaveckas, as well as the young generation of opera soloists – soprano Ilona Pliavgo and bass-baritone Martynas Žukauskas – will perform works by three different composers for one musical evening. One of the works will be enriched by a solo dance composition performed by Gintarė Vaitiekūnaitė, also other dancers Danielius Voinovas, Simonas Laukaitis and Albertas Švelginas.

Georges Bizet’s “Carmen Suite” is one of the biggest intrigues of the upcoming programme. It is hard to confuse Carmen’s fiery temperament with anyone else, but what would the Lithuanian version sound like? France has stunned the world with its works and centuries-old legacy, whilst Lithuanian artists still draw inspiration from them.

How does the past inspire modern explorations? A musical intrigue is also prepared by the renowned Lithuanian composer Jurgita Mieželytė. “Cherchez la Femme” will feature the world premiere of her work “Barbora – Pearls and Lilies”, specially meant for a national instrument orchestra. Mieželytė’s music is colourful in both instrumentation and compositional technique, and the new work is being presented in collaboration with the Lithuanian Composers’ Union.

Giedrius Kuprevičius the third, one of the brightest Lithuanian composers, celebrating his 80th birthday this year. To commemorate his creative achievements, the concert will feature excerpts from the opera “Queen Bona”, which will take you back to the magnificent times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and will reveal yet another fundamental aspect of femininity. Although queen Bona is ingrained in our consciousness as a woman, shrouded in conflict and dark shadows, she brought a renaissance to the fringes of Europe – a renaissance of artistic and scientific achievements, of courtly culture, economic and farm prosperity, of fashion and cuisine. In Kuprevičius’ work, we will continue to look for women and virtuous answers.

The ensemble “Lietuva” continuously surprises audiences not only with spectacular musical theatre performances, but also with sophisticated concert programmes. The national instruments have proved their exceptional capabilities in such programmes as the French-inspired “Kiss from France” or the classical music concert “Symphony of Generations”. Intrigue, curiosity, high quality and versatility of sound inspire not only Lithuanian and foreign audiences, but also the ensemble members themselves.

“When we were preparing for the premiere of the in 2022, we were really curious how such elegant and pastel impressionistic music would sound and unfold in the colours of our Lithuanian national instruments – the kankles, the reed-pipe, the Lithuanian flute, which is not usual. The idea has come to fruition. We, as musicians, are expanding our capabilities, and this new experience and unique sound intrigues the audience. Now we are presenting a very spirited orchestral programme, which, I believe, will surprise you again”, says E. Kaveckas, Chief Conductor of  state ensemble “Lietuva”.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Performers: state ensemble “Lietuva“ orchestra

Soloists: Ilona Pliavgo (soprano) and Martynas Žukauskas (bass-baritone)

Dance solo: Gintarė Vaitiekūnaitė, Danielius Voinovas, Simonas Laukaitis and Albertas Švelginas

Head conductor: dr. Egidijus Kaveckas

Composers: Jurgita Mieželytė, Giedrius Kuprevičius and Georges Bizet

Arrangers: Rūta Raginytė and Arvydas Jankus

Choreographer: Aušra Krasauskaitė

Art director: Giedrius Svilainis

Head of the state ensemble “Lietuva“: Edita Katauskienė

Programme:

1. Jurgita Mieželytė „Barbora” – pearls and lilies“. Performed by the ensemble “Lietuva” orchestra, dance solo – Gintarė Vaitiekūnaitė, choreography by Aušra Krasauskaitė
2. Giedrius Kuprevičius. Fragments from the opera “Queen Bona”. Arranged by Rūta Raginytė. Performed by the ensemble “Lietuva” orchestra, soloists Ilona Pliavgo (soprano) and Martynas Žukauskas (bass-baritone)
3. Georges Bizet “Carmen Suite”. Arranged by Arvydas Jankus. Performed by the ensemble “Lietuva” orchestra, dancers Danielius Voinovas, Simonas Laukaitis and Albertas Švelginas, choreography by Aušra Krasauskaitė