Lithuania in the News
9th October 2011
Lithuanian Arts Now Feature Prominently at Australian Festivals
“Sandglasses” by Justë Janulytë in performance. Photo courtesy lzinios.lt
The reestablishment of Lithuania’s independence has opened a window to the West, which has allowed Lithuanian artists to achieve well deserved recognition worldwide. Australian Arts Festivals now regularly feature Lithuanian arts groups and artists.
Later this month the renowned Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra (LCO) will make its Australian debut at this year’s Melbourne Festival on October 12-13 at the Melbourne Recital Centre. The LCO was founded in 1960 and has acquired an enviable international reputation with many tours in Europe, the Americas, Japan and Africa. It has been applauded by audiences in many legendary concert halls. Its international career began in 1976 at the Echternach Festival in Luxembourg, when it was one of the first of Lithuanian orchestras to make its début in the West. Included among the many famous musicians who have often appeared with LCO are Mstislav Rostropovitch, Igor Oistrakh, David Geringas and Yehudi Menuhin, amongst many others. Yehudi Menuhin led the LCO in near 60 performances and recorded Handel’s “Messiah” and Haydn’s “The Creation” with the orchestra. LCO’s visit to Australia has been eagerly awaited by music lovers.
The 2012 Sydney Festival at the beginning of next year is set to feature a performance of “Sandglasses” by the young Lithuanian composer Justë Janulytë, who is achieving international recognition. "Sandglasses" is a work for four cellos, video and live electronics, which has been much applauded in many concerts and festivals in Europe. In 2009 Janulytë’s composition for mixed choir ”Aquarelle” was announced as the best work for composers under 30 at the 56th International Rostrum of Composers for contemporary music in Paris.

The Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra. Photo courtesy melbournefestival.com.au

Among past artistic events in Australia involving Lithuanian artistic groups was the appearance by the renowned Oskaras Korðšunovas Theatre (OKT) at the Melbourne International Arts Festival in 2008 to critical and popular acclaim. Korðšunovas and his theatre had also appeared at the Perth Festival in 1995, while in 1992 the famous director Eimuntas Nekroðšius and his theatre appeared at the Adelaide Festival. Not to be forgotten is the appearance at the recent Adelaide International Cello Festival, April 1-10 2011, of the celebrated Lithuanian-born master cellist and conductor David Geringas, who was the was the star attraction at this festival and the Lithuanian eminent composer Anatolijus ŠÐenderovas was the featured composer.

Further Information:
http://melbournefestival.com.au/program/production?id=3836
http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/LCO.htm
http://www.janulyte.info/en/works/sandglasses/
http://www.lrytas.lt/-13081220531306967397-lietuv%C4%97s-koncertin%C4%97-instaliacija-sm%C4%97lio-laikrod%C5%BEiai-u%C5%BEkariauja-pasaulio-muzikos-festivalius.htm

On this website – News & News Archive/ Lithuanians in the News – 29th May 2011, 28th June 2009, 9th November 2008