Despite the pandemic and the disasters that struck the whole world, the 25th Festival invited the audience to meet again and experience the music fiesta together! The events were accompanied by more anniversaries than ever before: the Pažaislis Music Festival was held for the 25th time, the Sisters of St Casimir in residence at the Pažaislis Monastery celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Congregation’s foundation in Lithuania, the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven, the 210th anniversary of the birth of Frederic Chopin, and the 150th anniversary of the birth of Leopold Godowsky as well as the 30th anniversary of the restoration of Lithuania’s independence were celebrated.
The opening concert of the jubilee festival brought together some of the best-known performers of the festival: Edgaras Montvidas, a world-famous tenor, Lukas Geniušas, a pianist who has celebrated Lithuania on every continent, charismatic accordionist Martynas Levickis and his chamber ensemble Mikroorkéstra. The audience was entertained by the incomparable Escamillo – Kostas Smoriginas Jr., celebrating his 40th anniversary, and Kostas Smoriginas Sr., an actor who has created many memorable roles, with the exceptional programme prepared with the Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra and the conductor Vytautas Lukčius. The premiere, dedicated to the memory of the composer Vidmantas Bartulis (1954-2020), was prepared by the Kaunas State Choir, its artistic director and conductor Petras Bingelis and actor Dainius Svobonas.