On Wednesday evening, a large crowd of Palanga residents and resort guests gathered near the Tyszkiewicz manor house. The concert series “Palanga Park Evenings” started on the terrace of the Palanga Amber Museum, with opera soloist Merūnas Vitulskis opening the series.
This evening also became a symbolic return for him, as he recalled just after stepping on stage that he last performed at the Tyszkiewicz manor house almost two decades ago.
“I last performed in this manor 18 years ago, so it is incredibly nice to return. Palanga is a special resort; I have concerts here every season, and there is probably no better place to get to know your audience from one region of Lithuania to another, because in such places you see that you are loved by all regions,” says the opera soloist.
Speaking about concerts by the seaside, Merūnas did not hide that the Palanga audience has a special charm for him. According to the singer, people come to concerts at the seaside in a different mood – relaxed, on vacation, and ready not only to listen to music but also to socialize.
“People who come to concerts in Palanga are set to relax, not rushing from work but coming from the sea. The acoustic format allows for intimate communication and to see that all of Lithuania has a sense of humor, people are empathetic, sensitive, or maybe only such people come to my concerts. But in any case, I am the happiest singer because sometimes I see the same faces, which means I have not lost these people over time, and they are important to me,” says the opera soloist.
Among the concert guests, some well-known faces could be seen. Culinary TV show host Ilona Juciūtė, event host Tomas Grigaitis, and dance studio “Demo” director Deimantė Ūsienė came to listen to Merūnas. After the last chords of the concert faded, the opera soloist did not rush to leave the backstage and gladly spent time with his listeners: socializing, taking photos, and accepting their congratulations. Merūnas reveals that such moments are not a formality for him but an opportunity to get to know the people who have accompanied his work and himself for many years.
“It is very important to me because I can see who I meet, who listens to me. I even recognize some people – they write me letters, support me in various life situations, whether it is a TV show or beautiful family events. These people have always been around for 20 years. I think having such loyal listeners is a huge gift for any performer, so I really appreciate it,” says Merūnas.
The well-known singer does not hide that for a long time, summers in Palanga primarily meant an intense concert marathon. However, today his relationship with the seaside is somewhat different, as alongside performances, more space is found for rest and time with family. Remembering his first seasons at the resort, the soloist smiles – back then, the days revolved almost entirely around the stage, and sometimes there were even several concerts a day.
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“Palanga is an inseparable city from the overall work amplitude throughout Lithuania. When I listen to stories from older generation musicians about how much they have performed here and the various adventures they have experienced, it is nice that I am gradually joining that group and gathering my experience. I remember the first season somewhat resembled Hollywood, with two concerts one day and three the next. My past was not an easy one, so I value every thing, especially those first times, but today I am already freeing my mind from the image that I have to work, work, work. Now with my family, we find time to go to the sea and show the children that life is not only about work,” Merūnas says.
That is why this time, together with his wife Erika, children, and even the family pet, the opera soloist came to Palanga and stayed for two nights at the “Gabija” hotel, taking advantage of the seaside stay for both meeting fans and resting. According to Merūnas, a good rest before the performance allowed him to step on stage full of energy and anticipate a special evening.
“I slept very well, so I felt from the morning that this could be my best concert this summer in Palanga. This time we came as a whole family – Erika and the children are with me. It is very nice that the “Gabija” hotel accepted us even with a dog because traveling all together makes the situation much easier. We are staying here for two nights because when there is no need to rush anywhere, we can not only work but also be together, enjoy Palanga and the sea. I need exactly this kind of balance, where both work and family time fit into the trip,” admits the opera soloist.
This Merūnas performance was just the first of five musical evenings, for which the terrace of the Palanga Amber Museum became a unique stage this week. Today, Paulina Paukštaitytė will perform against the historic backdrop of the Tyszkiewicz manor, on August 14 – Angelou, on August 15 the stage will be taken by the group “8 Kambarys,” and on August 16 the concert series will conclude with Vaidas Baumila.
“This year, the weather gods are truly smiling on us because they have given wonderful summer weather for the entire week of ‘Palanga Park Evenings.’ When organizing outdoor events, this is one of those things you cannot control, so we are very happy to see a favorable forecast. We wanted these concerts to be not only about music but also about the whole summer experience – the opportunity to come to Birutė Park, be in the unique environment of the Palanga Amber Museum terrace, and enjoy a warm evening. We started with Merūnas’s concert, and ahead are four very different evenings and performers. We hope the good weather will accompany us until the last concert, and each evening will have its own mood and become a beautiful memory of this summer for the audience,” says the event organizer, director of the agency “Iš pirmo dublio,” Gintarė Kreipavičiūtė.
Tickets for the “Palanga Park Evenings” concerts can be found at the link: https://kakava.lt/festivalis/119/palangos-parko-vakarai
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