The Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre Season 2010-2011
2010-2011 The Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Vilnius Lithuania
Opera arts in Lithuania were born in the beginning of the 17th century. 36 years have passed as opera genre was born in Florence, and on September 4, 1636 the first opening night of the opera Il ratto di Helena by playwright Virgilio Puccitelli and unknown composer was produced at the Vilnius Lower Castle. The merit of an early appearance of the opera in Lithuania first of all belongs to Wladislaw Vasa. The opera and ballet revived in the middle of the 18th century at the court theatres of the residences in the province of the nobles, the great officers of the state Radvilos, Oginskiai, Sapiegos and existed till the beginning of the 19th century. In 1785 public town theatres started their work in Vilnius and Klaipeda. From 1975 till the beginning of the 20th century, when Lithuania was occupied by Germany, Poland and Russia, national culture in the country was banned. Then, permanent Polish, German, Italian, Russian troupes were functioning. After the ban was lifted in 1904, the first Lithuanian opera Birute by Mikas Petrauskas and Gabrielius Landsbergis Zemkalnis was produced in 1906.
New performances included in the repertoire:
7th November, Sunday, 12 p.m.premiere of “Cipollino”, a ballet for children;
10th November, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. – “Zorba the Greek”, a ballet;
11th November, Thursday, 6:30 p.m. – “La Juive”, an opera;
12th November, Friday, 6:30 p.m. – “La Traviata”, an opera;
13th November, Saturday, premiere of “Cipollino”, a ballet for children;
6th February, Sunday, premiere of “Cipollino”, a ballet for children;
26th February, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. – “Rigoletto”, an opera;
18th March, Friday, 6:30 p.m. – premiere of “Otello”, an opera;
19th March, Saturday, 6:30 p.m. – premiere of “Otello”, an opera;
20th March, Sunday, 6:30 p.m. – premiere of “Otello”, an opera.