Free conversations and show screenings will continue throughout the weekend.
Vilnius City Opera celebrates its twentieth anniversary by opening its history to the entire city. For four evenings, “bohemians” performances preserved in the LRT archives are shown in the Town Hall Square. A huge screen, high-quality sound, and meetings with the creators allow not only to remember the productions seen but also to discover them for the first time.
This celebration is not only for loyal opera fans. The organizers especially invite those who are still waiting for the right opportunity to get acquainted with opera: to bring friends, relatives, or just drop by during a walk through the old town. This time, no ticket or special preparation is needed – just curiosity and a warmer garment.
Today – a conversation about Vilnius and feelings that have no simple answers
On September 18 at 7 p.m., a discussion “The city as a stage: what cultural rituals does Vilnius need?” will begin. It will feature musician and songwriter Andrius Mamontovas, culture communication specialist and advertising creative Stefanija Jokštytė, and “Go Vilnius” director Dovilė Aleksandravičienė. The conversation will be moderated by radio and television host Richardas Jonaitis.
When does an event become a city tradition? What makes people return every year to the same square, concert, or festival? It is symbolic to discuss these questions exactly where the city square becomes an opera hall for a few evenings.
At 8 p.m., Jules Massenet’s “Werther” will be shown on the big screen. Before the screening, the work will be presented by theater critic Sigita Ivaškaitė.
The young poet Werther falls in love with Charlotte, but she has promised her dying mother to marry another. The feelings are mutual, but duty, a given word, and societal expectations stand between the two. The opera based on the novel “The Sorrows of Young Werther” asks: what to do when the life you must live does not match the one you desire?
Presented in 2008, Dalia Ibelhauptaitė’s “Werther” stood out from previous large-scale “bohemians” works. Here, the focus was not on the external spectacle but on the inner drama of the person. Edgaras Montvidas won the “Golden Stage Cross” for the main role, and Charlotte was portrayed by Liora Grodnikaitė, later by Asmik Grigorian.
Jonas Morrell’s restrained scenography, Peter Mumford’s subtle lighting, and Juozas Statkevičius’s costumes, whose gray tones hide intricate details, cutouts, and textures, allow the characters’ feelings to be revealed even more vividly. This is a different opera experience: not a wealth of decorations, but a gaze, a voice, and the growing tension between two people.
Saturday – behind the scenes of patronage and the macabre world of “Sweeney Todd”
On September 19 at 6 p.m., a discussion “Behind the scenes of patronage: why does business need art?” will take place. It will bring together businessman and cultural patron Tomas Kučinskas, Gabriela Burbienė, head of companies owning radio stations “M1” and “Ultra Vires,” and director and producer Dalia Ibelhauptaitė. The conversation will be moderated by communications consultant Kristinas Taukačikas.
At 7 p.m., viewers will await Stephen Sondheim’s “Sweeney Todd – the Demon Barber.” Before the screening, the musical will be presented by musicologist Julijus Grickevičius.
A wrongly convicted barber returns to London and decides to take revenge on the judge who ruined his life. Nearby, Mrs. Lovett, a pie baker, sees a macabre business opportunity in his revenge. Thus begins a story where horror meets dark humor, and behind the attractive pie shop facade lies something better left unknown to customers.
The VCO production required almost acrobatic precision from the performers: fast speech, singing, and every movement had to merge into a theater working with second accuracy. Asmik Grigorian won the “Golden Stage Cross” for the role of Mrs. Lovett, and the complex changes of Dick Bird’s decorations were managed by a team of ten technicians and show managers. Juozas Statkevičius’s costumes were thought out down to the last button and even specially cut “moth-eaten” holes. This is a show where even chaos is carefully directed.
Sunday – the attraction power of Vilnius and Verdi’s drama of passions
On September 20 at 6 p.m., viewers are invited to a discussion “How powerful is Vilnius’s attraction? How capable is our capital of competing for talent in Europe and the world?”
It will feature Rolandas Valiūnas, managing partner of “Ellex Valiunas,” Rūta Gaudiešienė, partner at “Civitta” and chair of the Lithuanian Marketing Association board, and a representative of Vilnius city municipality. The conversation will be moderated by journalist, writer, and television show author Rytis Zemkauskas.
At 7 p.m., the four-evening marathon will conclude with Giuseppe Verdi’s “Il Trovatore,” which will also be presented before the screening by musicologist Julijus Grickevičius.
Two rivals – Count di Luna and troubadour Manrico – love the same woman, Leonora. But their fight is not only driven by jealousy: family secrets lie in the past, and Azucena, who raised Manrico, carries a painful story of revenge. Love, war, and unknown origins intertwine into a drama whose climax is best left unrevealed in advance.
In this D. Ibelhauptaitė production, Verdi’s musical power met Marius Jacovskis’s Icelandic mountain-inspired scenography, Jonas Morrell’s costumes, and Eugenijus Sabaliauskas’s lighting. The cold, monumental space became a contrast to the passions boiling on stage. Leonora’s role also marked an important step for Asmik Grigorian into the great Verdi parts: her heroine transformed from a free dreamer into a fighter, whose costume increasingly featured armor.
The remaining three evenings – three very different theater worlds: an intimate love drama, a dark and witty musical, and a grand Verdi passion story. The organizers invite you to choose your own or experience all three – together with friends, relatives, and the whole city.
All discussions, work presentations, and show recordings take place in Vilnius Town Hall Square. Admission is free, seating is limited, so it is worth arriving early.
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