Vladimiras Prudnikovas, Artistic Director of the Opera
Eligijus Domarkas, Director
Valius Staknys, Director
Mykolas Algirdas Jasiulionis, Inspector of the Opera soloists

Assistants to Directors  Vitalija Kniznikoviene Giedre Rubeziene Laima Saluckaite Joana Virzoniene

Rehearsal Pianists Liudmila Kopyrina Jolanta Silkauskiene Birute Sernaite Olga Taskinaite

Opera arts in Lithuania were born in the beginning of the 17th century. 36 years have passed as opera genre was born in Florence, and on September 4, 1636 the first opening night of the opera "Il ratto di Helena" by playwright Virgilio Puccitelli and unknown composer was produced at the Vilnius Lower Castle. The merit of an early appearance of the opera in Lithuania first of all belongs to Wladislaw Vasa. The opera and ballet revived in the middle of the 18th century at the court theatres of the residences in the province of the nobles, the great officers of the state Radvilos, Oginskiai, Sapiegos and existed till the beginning of the 19th century. In 1785 public town theatres started their work in Vilnius and Klaipėda. From 1975 till the beginning of the 20th century, when Lithuania was occupied by Germany, Poland and Russia, national culture in the country was banned. Then, permanent Polish, German, Italian, Russian troupes were functioning. After the ban was lifted in 1904, the first Lithuanian opera "Birutė" by Mikas Petrauskas and Gabrielius Landsbergis Žemkalnis was produced in 1906.

In 1918 Lithuania gained its independence. However, the Polish have occupied the territory of Vilnius. Kaunas became a provisional capital and the place, where the most promising people of culture and science gathered. Therefore, in Kaunas in 1920 the theatre of opera and drama was founded. In 1925 it was joined by the ballet troupe. The theatre is the present Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre.

The first opening night, which was opera "La Traviata" by G. Verdi, took place on December 31, 1920. Famous Lithuanian singers such as Kipras Petrauskas and Adelė Galaunienė took parts in this production under the baton of Juozas Tallat-Kelpša. Thus LNOBT became the biggest theatre in Lithuania fostering opera and ballet arts.

While reviewing the repertory of the theatre the proportional arrangement of different national schools is obvious. Though the biggest part of the repertory consists of the opuses by Italian and French romanticists and verists (G. Rossini, V. Bellin, G. Verdi, G. Puccini, Ch. Gounod). The theatre constantly introduces the audience to the operas by classical composers (J. Haydn, W. A. Mozart, L. van Beethoven, Ch. W. Gluck, D. Cimaroza). There are also works by composers of the 20th century: S. Prokofiev's "The Love for Three Oranges", R. Shchedrin's "Not for Love Alone", C. Orff's "Die Kluge", more than 20 operas by Lithuanian composers, the most eminent of them V. Klova's "Pilėnai", V. Barkauskas' "The Legend about Love", B. Kutavičius' "The Bear". Today the most remarkable opera productions in the repertory of Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre are G. Verdi's "Aida" (1997), directed by Jonas Jurašas and with great ovation met in Germany, Holland, Taiwan, V. Bellini's "Norma" (1987) with an inimitable Irena Milkevičiūtė in the leading part, J. Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" (1999), directed by M. Wiesler from Austria, who at the theatre has also staged J. Strauss' operetta "Wiener Blut" (1998) and the last premieres of the theatre P. Tchaikovsky's "Queen of Spades" (2001), and G. Bizet's "Carmen", etc. Traditionally every year the theatre performs "La Traviata" on New Year's Eve.

At the present moment the opera company of the theatre consists of 31 soloists. The theatre often invited different soloist from abroad to perform different parts in the productions of the theatre and also receives a lot of guest performers.

A lot of opera soloists have worked on probation in different opera centers in Milan, Sofia. They also are laureates of international competitions, often invited to different world wide famous theatres.

The chorus of the theatre (leader - Česlovas Radžiūnas) and the orchestra of the theatre (chief conductor - Liutauras Balčiūnas) also take part in opera performances.

During the season (September - June) the opera company performs approximately 20 productions and premieres 2 performances at the average. About 10 operas are performed per month.

"The mastery of Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre is hundred-percent", "the orchestra, the chorus, as well as the majority of the soloists are of international standards, equaling to the companies of Sydney or Vienna State Opera Theatres", "the best guest performance in Taiwan this year" - this was the way the Taiwanese press estimated guest performance of LNOBT in Taiwan in the summer of 2000.