Event description
CONCERT CYCLE "From St. CHRISTMAS TO THE NEW YEAR"
December 26-31
Performers:
VDU CHAMBER CHOIR
Chief Conductor Vytautas Lukočius, Principal Conductor Rita Bieliauskaite
Kaunos State Choir
Minister of Music, Artistic Director and Principal Musician. Conductor Robertas Šervenikas
Programme:
Johann Sebastian Bach - "Christmas Oratorio" ("Weihnachtsoratorium")
Dr.1. "Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben" ("Let's Worship and Give Thanks")
DV. "Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen" ("Glory, O Lord, to Thee we sing")
II d.
VI d. "Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben" ("When Proud Enemies Rise")
The Kaunas State Philharmonic invites everyone to a festive and unique Christmas spirit concert, a continuation of the concert series that aims to give a different interpretation to the works belonging to the golden fund of music.
How do brilliant works come into being? Bach's Christmas Oratorio was born out of a completely pragmatic motivation. In order to become a composer for the Saxon-Polish royal court, the then cantor of St Thomas's Church in Leipzig composed a series of secular cantatas specifically for the royal court. To prevent the best numbers of these cantatas from perishing in the dust of oblivion, the composer decided to use many of them for a new endeavour: a monumental work in six movements celebrating the story of the birth of Christ.
The history of the Christmas Oratorio, which began almost three centuries ago, has given the work immortal status. During the Christmas season, the work is heard in churches and concert halls in many countries, new recordings of the oratorio are constantly being released, and the oratorio itself has deservedly come to be known as one of the most monumental and beautiful of Bach's masterpieces.
One year ago, the Kaunas Philharmonic presented the first three movements of the oratorio, and this year, the audience will be treated to a sequel with the following three movements. And can Bach be played or sung, but also danced? The dancer Stefanija Nosovaitė would certainly say yes. Her interpretation of Bach's Christmas Oratorio, based on body plasticity and original choreography, will be a real intrigue and a Christmas surprise for the audience of the Kaunas State Philharmonic.
