Vilnius Festival 2008
VILNIUS FESTIVAL 2008
12th festival
Dedicated to the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue
4 June – 2 July, 2008
For the twelfth year running the Vilnius Festival treats the Lithuanian music gourmands with performances from the world’s music elite and invites you to celebrate music with a myriad of unique artistic experiences. Dedicated to the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue this festival presents a forum for different cultural traditions, styles, schools and ways of thinking.
The twelfth festival, like the previous ones, acts on an ambitious programming strategy, presenting renowned Lithuanian and international performers and dedicates one concert to a single composer, organises one early music concert, invites a cult jazz group or soloist and introduces a prestigious international orchestra.
In addition to the aforementioned objectives, the Vilnius Festival 2008 pays great attention to the orchestral department representing five of them: the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (UK), the Schleswig-Holstein Festival Orchestra (Germany), the Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw (the Netherlands), the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra.
This year’s programme features a wide range of styles and genres ranging from 16ᵗʰ–18ᵗʰ c. Mexican and Spanish music to American and Dutch jazz, from large-scale symphonic works and concertos by Johannes Brahms, Piotr Tchaikovsky, Onutė Narbutaitė, Maurice Ravel, Antonin Dvořák to cyclical music of Franz Liszt, Antonio Vivaldi and Ástor Piazzolla. Pianist Mūza Rubackytė and composer Onutė Narbutaitė represent a Lithuanian share of the festival.
Intriguing programmes, ambitious collectives and lauded participants of the festival continue to support the Vilnius Festival’s unfading intention to be the leader of culture and art events in the Baltic region.
I invite you, the audience, to enjoy some fascinating music and superb performances. I wish the Vilnius Festival to remain an eagerly awaited and joyful annual event for everyone.
Gintautas Kėvišas,
Director of the Vilnius Festival