About

The Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra and its artistic director, violinist and conductor Sergej Krylov, begin tonight’s programme with Faustas Latėnas’ Bolero, the composer’s last opus, which he sadly did not live to hear. His musical idea was embodied and orchestrated by the composer’s long-time collaborator, Tomas Petrikis, violist with the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra. “In fact, the only theme is the theme of human existence. It is eternal (...) What does one live for? Does one love? Does one not love? Love relationships are very interesting. But in this case, you are only an assistant. You need a good script and a good director who thinks deeply,” said Latėnas, Man-Theatre, Man-Music, in one of his last interviews.

Ástor Piazzolla’s Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas (The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires), based on elements of classical music and tango, was composed as four independent tangos. Although the composer did not plan them as a suite, he performed them with his ensembles as a single cycle. The renowned Argentine, Piazzolla fundamentally changed the traditional concept of tango, enriching this dance with elements of jazz and classical music, and is therefore considered the founder of the tango nuevo style and the most famous Argentine musician. In his homeland, he is known as ‘El Gran Ástor’ (The Great Ástor).

Together with the Giunter Percussion ensemble, the Orchestra will perform Bizet–Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, which Shchedrin called ‘a free transcription of Bizet’s music for strings and percussion.’ The masterly emphasized melodic line makes the work particularly choreographic, and the leitmotif running through the entire Suite fills the music with passion, momentum, and tragic tension. The work is distinctly virtuosic – a multitude of percussion instruments form a separate orchestra (about 30 instruments). The score includes 5 timpani, 2 vibraphones, 2 marimbas, bells, castanets, tambourine, bass drum, triangle, chimes, several small drums, tam-tam, maracas, wooden blocks, and others.