Programme - excerpts from operas, songs from the repertoire of Maestro Virgilijus Noreika

One of the most prominent voices of the Lithuanian opera, Maestro Virgilijus Noreika, would have celebrated his 90th birthday this year. On this special occasion, his best pupils and colleagues on stage invite you to pay tribute to the maestro's memory in a concert featuring gems from his repertoire and excerpts from his operas.

The stage will be filled with distinguished soloists: tenors Edgaras Montvidas and Kristian Benedikt, and baritones Dainius Puišys, Laimonas Pautienius, and Eugenijus Chrebtovas. They will be joined by soprano Darija Auguštan, winner of the 3rd International Virgilijus Noreika Singing Competition from Croatia. The maestro's spouse Loreta Bartusevičiūtė-Noreikienė will also take part in the concert, which will be hosted by musicologist Viktoras Gerulaitis. Noreika's long-time stage partners, pianists Povilas Jaraminas, Lina Giedraitytė and Rasa Biveinienė, will accompany the soloists in a sensitive interpretation of the legendary tenor's favourite works.

Virgilijus Noreika was not only a legendary operatic soloist, but also a pedagogue who trained a whole bunch of today's opera stars. He was admitted to the Opera and Ballet Theatre while still a student, and later sang on the world's most famous stages, including the Grand Opera in Paris, Hamburg, Berlin, Stockholm, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Bucharest, Warsaw and Prague. His voice has been heard in more than 800 solo concerts in Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

Don't miss this evening - it's not only a concert, but a tribute to a legend who has inspired generations of music lovers.