On the opening night of the 23rd season, one of Lithuania’s most prominent opera soloists, bass-baritone Kostas Smoriginas, will take the stage alongside the Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra.

Since his debut at the Berlin State Opera, his career has spanned the world’s most prestigious stages: London’s Royal Opera House at Covent Garden, Milan’s La Scala, Dresden’s Semperoper, and other international theaters. In 2023, the performer was named Opera Soloist of the Year and received the Golden Stage Cross for his portrayal of Amonasro in Giuseppe Verdi’s opera *Aida*.

Alongside major opera roles, chamber music holds a special place in K. Smorigino’s repertoire, where not only the beauty of the voice but also the words, the character, and the story being told are important.

The opening program of the new concert season, “A Musical Mosaic of Lithuanian Songs,” will feature vocal and instrumental music by Lithuanian composers. The Lithuanian song will be the focus of the evening. The program includes works by Stasys Šimkus, Vytautas Klova, Algimantas Raudonikis, Jurgis Karnavičius, and other composers, reflecting the melodies, stories, and traditions of Lithuanian music across different generations.

The vocal portion of the program will be complemented by instrumental music for string orchestra by Lithuanian composers. Works by Mikalojus Kleopas Oginskis, Bronius Kutavičius, Faustas Latėnas, Tomas Makačinas, Nijolė Sinkevičiūtė, and other composers will offer a glimpse into the evolution of Lithuanian music—from folk music traditions, the ideas of Romanticism, to the various 20th-century aesthetic movements that shaped Lithuanian professional music.

Klaipėda Chamber Orchestra
Artistic Director Mindaugas Bačkus

Soloist Kostas Smoriginas (bass-baritone)

Program: A. Raudonikis, V. Klova, J. Tallat-Kelpša, J. Naujalis, J. Indra, and others.