History of the festival
The International M. K. Čiurlionis Music Festival was first organized in July 2013 in Palanga when the resort town was celebrating its designation as the “European Capital of Culture.” The festival integrated so well into the city’s cultural life that it became a tradition. Later, in addition to the summer event series in Palanga, the festival program was expanded to include an autumn concert cycle in Vilnius. In the capital, the M. K. Čiurlionis Festival is held every two years.
This festival is renowned for its high artistic level, with events presented in prestigious venues across the country, such as the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Vilnius Town Hall, the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, and the Museum of Applied Arts in Vilnius. In Palanga, performances take place at the Palanga Concert Hall and on the historic stage of Palanga Kurhaus, with additional events held in the territory of Birutė Park.
Having celebrated its first milestone anniversary, the festival continues to delight audiences with professional programs and has introduced more than 150 remarkable projects featuring world-class performers from Lithuania, Austria, Australia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Israel, the United States, Cuba, Mexico, France, Sweden, Ukraine, and Germany.
At the request of this festival, unique artistic concepts have been created, bringing M. K. Čiurlionis’ visions to life in the modern art space:
– The ballet composition “The Tale of Kings” – an original project combining music, dance, video projections, musical improvisations, and an actor’s recitations of M. K. Čiurlionis’ texts.
– “Cosmic Čiurlionis” – a world music project inspired by Čiurlionis’ celestial music.
– The theatrical mystery play “Mystical Čiurlionis” – an artistic journey into the world of the creator’s mysticism.
– The solo program “Čiurlionis Differently” – an unexpected perspective on the genius’ work.
– The rock fantasy “Čiurlionis REX” – a bold experiment merging classical heritage with contemporary sound.
– A visual art and music performance based on M. K. Čiurlionis’ music.
– Interpretations and transcriptions of Čiurlionis’ works by foreign artists, offering new dimensions to his music.
Great attention is also given to a deeper understanding of Lithuania’s most renowned composer, with performances of Čiurlionis’ works by Vytautas Landsbergis, public lectures, and concert programs by Čiurlionis’ great-grandson Rokas Zubovas.
For more information on the history of the M. K. Čiurlionis Festival, visit www.klasika.org
