1 – 3 June

1 June, 19:00
Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre
Opening Concert. Panorama of American Modern Dance in the Compositions of Ailey II
Modern Dance Company AILEY II (USA)

The New York-based modern dance company AILEY II was formed in 1974 as the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre studio involving the most talented young dancers from Ailey School. Alvin Ailey (1931-1989), a legendary African-American dancer and choreographer, the founder of the aforementioned dance theatre (1958), is now and then dubbed a revolutionary of the 20th-century modern dance. Today AILEY II is one of the leading American dance companies merging the spirit and energy of the country’s best young dance talent with the passion and creative vision of today’s most outstanding choreographers (Alvin Ailey, Talley Beatty, George Faison, Lar Lubovitch, Robert Battle, Kyle Abraham, Thang Dao, etc.).

Partner of the concert – Embassy of the United States of America

Saturday 2 June, 19:00
Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall
Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra. The Legendary Piano Concerto and the Story of the Protagonist of Lord Byron’s Dramatic Poem

Soloist MŪZA RUBACKYTĖ (piano; Lithuania, France, Switzerland)
TCHAIKOVSKY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA (Russia)
Conductor VLADIMIR FEDOSEJEV (Russia)

Programme:

PIOTR TCHAIKOVSKY – Concerto for piano and orchestra No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23; Symphony Manfred in B minor, Op. 58

The guest of the Vilnius Festival – pianist Mūza Rubackytė, is titled as the ambassador of the Lithuanian music culture in the world. She shares the Philharmonic stage with the Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra, established in Moscow in 1930, and its long-standing artistic director and principal conductor Maestro Vladimir Fedoseyev. The musicians invite you to discover Tchaikovsky’s musical treasures and submerge into a musical embodiment of Lord Byron’s story about the lonely Manfred. In the first half of the concert one of the most beautiful and most popular romantic piano concertos by Tchaikovsky will be performed. After an intermission the musicians will offer a monumental Symphony Manfred, inspired by the romantic hero from Lord Byron’s dramatic poem written in 1816-1817. This symphony is often considered to be the reflection of Tchaikovsky’s personal drama.

Sunday 3 June, 19:00
Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall
Symphonic The Brazz Brothers
Norwegian brass jazz ensemble THE BRAZZ BROTHERS

JARLE FØRDE (trumpet)
JAN MAGNE FØRDE (trumpet)
RUNAR TAFJORD (French horn)
HELGE FØRDE (trombone)
STEIN ERIK TAFJORD (tuba)
KENNETH EKORNES (drums)
LITHUANIAN NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Juozas Domarkas
Conductor MARTYNAS STAŠKUS

Programme:

JAN MAGNE FØRDE – The Wedding March (Bruremarsj)
Norwegian folk tune FantKal’s Dance (Hallingen has FantKal, H. Førde’s arrangement)
JAN MAGNE FØRDE – Cathedral (Domen) for harp and strings; Mountain Åkerneset (Åkerneset)
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM – The Wedding (H. Førde’s arrangement); Homecoming Song
African folk anthem (H. Førde’s arrangement)
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM – Kramat (H. Førde’s arrangement)
Tanzanian traditional tune Ae-ae (R. Tafjord’s arrangement)
Tanzanian traditional tune Masai (H. Førde’s arrangement)
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM – Maraba Blue for strings (H. Førde’s arrangement)
HELGE FØRDE – African Road
ABDULLAH IBRAHIM – African Marketplace (H. Førde’s arrangement)
African traditional tune Kangivumanga

The Vilnius Festival presents the Norwegian brass jazz ensemble The Brazz Brothers praised for setting the brass instruments in focus in a new and refreshing way, and also their sound combination of traditional and modern jazz as well as a panorama of folk tune arrangements. The ensemble involves the Førde and Tafjord brothers, who were born and grew up on the small island of Sula on the western coast of Norway, and drummer Kenneth Ekornes, who joined the team in 2010. With their first album Brazzy Landscapes recorded in 1986 the ensemble entered the jazz scene. Today the musicians give more than 120 annual concerts, take part in various festivals. Tonight the ensemble investigates jazz trajectories with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra led by Martynas Staškus.

Sponsors of the concert: Royal Norwegian Embassy; “Fiskerstrand BLRT AS”