CONCERT PROGRAMME
Arias and duets from operas by W. A. Mozart, J. Offenbach, L. Delibes, C. Monteverdi, G. Bizet, L. Bernstein and others
The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra's Valentine's Day concert features two shining stars of Lithuanian opera, Lauryna Bendžiūnaitė and Ieva Prudnikovaitė. Together with the orchestra, the soloists have prepared an intriguing and unexpected program for the celebratory evening, which will range from the most beautiful arias of all time by W. A. Mozart to contemporary works specially arranged for soloists.
L. Bendžiūnaitė graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in the singing class of prof. Regina Maciūtė, from the Royal Academy of Music in London in the singing class of prof. Joy Mammen, and later interned at the Cardiff Academy of Voice with Prof. Dennis O’Neill and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa. In 2013, the soloist won first prize at the international competition “Art of the 21st Century” in Kyiv, and in 2010 she was awarded the main prize at the “Pavarotti Prize” competition. Having left for Germany in 2014 to work at the Stuttgart Opera House, L. Bendžiūnaitė quickly put her roots into the German ground. Recently, L. Bendžiūnaitė has been performing at the Potsdam, Hamburg, Strasbourg, Rome and many other opera houses.
Ieva Prudnikovaitė completed her MA studies at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre in 2008, and in that same year became the winner of the International Singers' Competition in Cologne (Germany). In 2008-2014 I. Prudnikovaitė was soloist with the Aalto Opera House in Essen (Germany). One of the most prominent roles created by the singer is Carmen in G. Bizet opera “Carmen” (2009), which I. Prudnikovaitė performed at the German Aalto and Braunschweig Opera Houses, the Latvian National Opera and the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre. It was for this role that I. Prudnikovaitė won the “Operos Švyturiai” award as the Opera Soloist of the Year. In 2022 the singer's star shone brightly on the Swiss stage – I. Prudnikovaitė played the main role in Ástor Piazzolla's tango opera "Maria from Buenos Aires" at the St. Gallen Opera House.
On this evening, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra will be conducted by Julius Geniušas. J. Geniušas has been working at the Kaunas State Musical Theatre since 1986 and has been the conductor with the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre since 2015.