"Seaside Visions" – a magical evening with the piano duet of Rūta Rikterė and Zbignevas Ibelhauptas, where the past meets the present, nature intertwines with human creativity.

The XIII International M. K. Čiurlionis Music Festival invites you to an unforgettable evening of piano music, "Seaside Visions," where the creative spirit of M. K. Čiurlionis, nature-inspired musical visions, and the compositions of the Romantic era masters will come together. This exceptional concert will be performed by the renowned piano duo – Rūta Rikterė and Zbignevas Ibelhauptas, whose unique interpretations will reveal new shades of classical compositions.

The heart of the program is Čiurlionis’ musical worldview, which permeates the entire concert and is revealed through his Canon in A major and Impromptu in F-sharp minor (arranged by Kęstutis Grybauskas).

The concert will open with Carl Reinecke’s "Festive Overture," which combines the spirit of Čiurlionis' teacher with an academically firm yet subtle and emotionally rich musical style. It will be followed by Edvard Grieg’s "Norwegian Dances," which reflects Čiurlionis’ interest in elements of folk music, with both composers skillfully combining folk motifs with romantic harmony. Robert Schumann's impromptus from "Eastern Pictures" will draw the audience into a colorful, poetic world, while Franz Liszt's "Preludes" will grandly conclude the evening with a wave of emotions, blending the harmony of nature and human life.

The piano duo of Zbignevas Ibelhauptas and Rūta Rikterė is well known to Lithuanian audiences. For many years, they have been a prominent presence in our music scene. Active since 1989, the duo consistently offers exciting and unexpected programs, with a special focus on new music. Ibelhauptas and Rikterė have performed world premieres of works by numerous Lithuanian composers for two pianos, and thanks to them, the most interesting works by foreign composers have been heard for the first time in Lithuania.

PROGRAM:

Carl REINECKE (1824–1910)

"Festive Overture," Op.148

Mikalojus Konstantinas ČIURLIONIS (1875–1911)

Canon in A Major (VL 132)
Impromptu in F-sharp Minor (VL 181)

(arranged by Kęstutis Grybauskas)

Edvard GRIEG (1806–1875)

4 Norwegian Dances, Op. 35

Robert SCHUMANN (1810–856)

4 Impromptus from "Eastern Pictures" (Bilder aus Osten), Op. 66

Franz LISZT (1811–1866)

Symphonic Poem "Preludes"

ABOUT THE PERFORMERS:

The piano duo of Zbignevas Ibelhauptas and Rūta Rikterė, laureates of the Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prizes, regularly performs at prestigious international festivals such as "Warsaw Autumn" (Poland), "Musikhost" (Denmark), "Music Niagara" (Canada), Ljubljana Summer Festival (Slovenia), and the Usedom Music Festival (Germany).

The pianists have participated in all major Lithuanian festivals, including those in Vilnius, Pažaislis, Thomas Mann, Gaida, and others. The duo performs not only solo recitals but also programs with singers, other soloists, and orchestras.

They have performed with the Polish Radio National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Arturo Tamayo, David Geringas, Olivier Grangean, Jose Serebrier, Pavel Berman, Juozas Domarkas, Robert Šervenik, Saulius Sondeckis, and other masters of the baton.
The duo has given recitals in Japan, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, France, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, and other countries.

The XIII International M. K. Čiurlionis Music Festival is part of the anniversary program "Čiurlionis 150".

The festival is organized by the public institution "Klasika LT".

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By purchasing a ticket to the concert, you agree that the event may be photographed and/or filmed, and the visual materials may be published on the "Klasika LT" website, social media, or in the media.