As there is more and more good news regarding pandemic management and vaccination progress, the event calendar in Kaunas is beginning to fill up. Of course, there are some restrictions, such as providing specific space for attendees, mandatory seating, and wearing face masks. However, the joy and pleasure of listening to live music and experiencing real art are very much worth it. Here are some of the highlights of the calendar this June – and beyond.
June, traditionally, is when the Pažaislis Music Festival starts its season. Lasting for the whole summer, the festival is known for its concerts with the best orchestras, soloists and conductors, presenting the most exciting and essential classical music works. This year, the Pažaislis Music Festival is back for the 26th time – and, as usual, its opening and closing concerts and a few other shows will be held at the baroque Pažaislis monastery complex.
For the inaugural concert on June 18, The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra will perform Puccini’s Le Villi concert version. Verdi’s Requiem by Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and Kaunas State Choir is scheduled for the final event on August 29.
Throughout the summer, the festival will invite classical music lovers to Kaunas State Philharmonic, VMU Botanical Garden, Kaunas Evangelical Lutheran Church, Žiežmariai manor and venues in Birštonas, Šiauliai and other cities and towns in Lithuania.
Please remember that for attending some events of the Pažaislis Music Festival, including the opening night; one must have the ‘Opportunity Pass’ as proof that you have either been vaccinated or have COVID-19 immunity or a negative test not older than 24 hours. Read more about the ‘Opportunity Pass’ here and contact the organisers to make sure you will be able to attend the concerts.
Tickets for the concerts are available here.
Photo by Jonas Danielevičius
On June 3-28, the contemporary music festival Iš Arti will take place in Kaunas State Philharmonic. In 1997, the event was born out of the desire to promote the work of Kaunas-based composers and encourage relationships between Lithuanian musicians from different regions. Gradually, the modest event grew into a solid annual showcase of modern music, featuring more or less new symphonies, dances, psalms, concertos, rhapsodies, suites, conversations and lectures on history.
Highlights of this year’s edition (moved from November 2020) are performances by Kaunas Piano Trio, Twenty Fingers Duo, Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra, St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra and more.
Tickets for the concerts are available here.
Twenty Fingers Duo. Photo by the duo
Pakrantė
Launched last year by Žalgiris arena, the pop-up open-air live music venue in the Nemunas island is back! It moved to the other side of the arena, by its Sala restaurant, and is facing the other riverside this year.
Last summer, the area hosted a number of concerts from various Lithuanian artists and often drew in the visits of _algiris players. This year, Pakrantė opens up renewed and is set to widen its spectrum of events. Nemunas island is set to be the venue for musicians of various styles and will also invite cinema lovers to watch some highly acclaimed movies on the big screen. It is being considered that the screen would also come to use for basketball fans.
On June 6, the feel-good jazz funk band Saulės Kliošas will provide a positive mood for the attendees; on June 18, the jazz-and-singing-poetry duo Neda Malūnavičiūtė and Olegas Ditkovskis will perform. On June 23, the iconic Lithuanian pop rock ensemble Rondo will invite everyone for the Midsummer night special.
Tickets for Pakrantė events are available here.
Photo by Pakrantė
