“The versatile and dynamic program of the Grand Ballet Gala Concert, in which classical dance will combine with modern dance repertoire, undoubtedly promises a real feast for your eyes,” said Gajus Žmavacs, artistic director of the Klaipėda State Musical Theater Ballet Troupe.
A concert in the country’s newest and most modern musical theater awaits you on May 17 at 6:30 p.m.
– The ballet gala concert is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Lithuania’s membership in the European Union, the opening of the Klaipėda State Musical Theater and the beginning of a new stage of development of the theater’s ballet troupe. How important is this for theater ballet artists?
– The opening gala concert of the theater is important not only for the artists of the ballet troupe of this theater, who very much want to perform on stage together with world-famous performers, but also for the audience watching the concert. For her, it is an opportunity to enjoy the versatility of ballet artists and, of course, the quality of their performance.
Gaius Žmavacs. M. Aleksa’s photo.
For ballet artists, the gala concert is a unique opportunity to share, communicate and explore, learn, and most importantly enjoy the unique opportunity to do so on the stage of our new theater. The ballet troupe was very much looking forward to its new home – its own space, its own studio, dressing rooms, its own stage. Dancers spend most of their lives at work, it is not for nothing that we say that the theater is the second home of ballet artists. That’s why it’s important to have your own space to create and grow.
– Many guests arriving at the concert?
– We tried to invite as many famous dance performers as possible. We aim to present to the audience as many famous names of the international dance scene as possible, to show performers from different countries representing different ballet schools and dance techniques.
Netherlands Dance Theater (NDT) legends Chloé Albaret and Olivier Coëffard will be in attendance, as well as Barcelona-based dance artists Clémentine Telesfort and Lisard Tranis.
On the stage we will see the leading soloists of the ballet troupe of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater Kristina Gudžiūnaitė and Igna Armalis, Olesias Šaitanovas and Jonas Laucias. Pairs of soloists from the national theaters of Riga and Tallinn will dance: Yuliya Brauer and Darius Florianas Catana from the Latvian National Opera, Laura Maya y Rosiers and Jevgenijus Gribas from the Estonian National Opera.
Two contemporary choreography numbers will be presented by the chief ballet master of the Kaunas State Musical Theater Aleksandras Jankauskas: soloist Ana Buchovskaja-Zamulskienė and Roman Zavgorodnij of the Kaunas VMT ballet and a young dancer of Finnish origin currently working in the Kaunas VMT ballet troupe Laura Annika Lehtonen will dance.
All the guests immediately responded to the invitation and were happy to present the works of their troupes on the stage of the new theater. I want to especially thank Aivars Leimaniis (Artistic Director of Ballet of the Latvian National Opera) and Linnar Looris (Artistic Director of Ballet of the Estonian National Opera) for agreeing to participate.
With this concert, we want to unite the great ballet representatives of the theaters of the Baltic countries. I hope this will be the beginning of a new collaboration between our ballet companies. I travel a lot and I am glad that more and more people from the wider dance community are interested in what we do in Klaipėda and the Baltic countries. We are becoming interesting to the wider world dance community, which was one of my most important aspirations when I became the artistic director of the ballet troupe of the Klaipėda State Musical Theater last year. I’m glad!
– What works will the Musical Theater Ballet troupe present?
– You will see an excerpt from “Cactuses” by the world-famous choreographer Alexander Ekman, which has become the pride of KVMT. By the way, “Kaktusai” was staged for the first time by A. Ekman with the NDT II troupe in 2010. An excerpt from this witty, humorous performance will be performed by sixteen dancers of the KVMT ballet troupe.
The audience of the ballet gala concert will be the first to see my two completely new choreographic works (I also wrote the music myself): a duet specially created for the troupe’s soloists – last year’s “Golden Stage Cross” nominee Anna Chekmarova and this year’s laureate Yana Malaki, and a miniature for seven dancers. Two other nominees of the “Golden Crosses of the Stage”, soloists of the KVMT ballet troupe – Oleksandra Borodina and Roman Semenenko, together with other troupe dancers, will perform an excerpt from Edward Clug’s dance performance “Stabat Mater”.
– What will the audience enjoy at the ballet gala concert?
– We will present a very colorful repertoire – both classical and contemporary numbers, so everyone will definitely like it. One of my priorities is to combine past and present, traditions and new directions. Today’s classical ballet works with modern forms, while modern dance uses elements from the classics. I think the whole evolution of dance has led to where we are today. We live in an era of great change and inspiration, where all styles merge, intertwine and enhance each other. This is truly inspiring! I invite all Lithuanian and foreign dance enthusiasts to come and enjoy this beautiful evening. And, of course, to see our new theater.
– The ballet gala concert is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of Lithuania’s membership in the European Union. What does being European mean to you?
– I was born in Slovenia. I am from the transition generation, because at that time my country had not yet separated from Yugoslavia. Today I am proud to be a citizen of the European Union and I am happy that Slovenia and Lithuania are members of the European family.
M. Aleksa’s photo.
