The Pažaislis Music Festival invites you to immerse yourself in the world of French Romanticism and enjoy colourful orchestrations and the sound of a royal mezzo-soprano. Sarah Connolly, a world-renowned singer, is coming to Lithuania for the first time! She has made a name for herself with her interpretations of Baroque music, which have opened the door to the stages of Teatro alla Scala in Milan, the Metropolitan in New York, the Royal Opera House in London and the prestigious Glyndebourne Opera Festival.
Hailed as one of the best mezzo-sopranos in the world today, she is a frequent concert hall performer, performing solo parts in large-scale works and evenings of song. Her performances have been critically acclaimed: “Each time her interpretation is deepened and broadened by a new shade of voice or nuance of phrasing. She captivates the audience with her warmth and strength.”
The concert, which will be presented exclusively to Lithuanian music lovers, will feature Hector Berlioz’s vocal cycle Summer Nights, one of Dame Connolly’s favourite concert opuses. This six-song cycle was forgotten for some time after its composition, but later became one of Berlioz’s most frequently performed works. Critics have commented on Dame Connolly’s interpretation: “The performance was very intimate and the singer was captivated by her narrative. The interpretation is intense but stylish, with beautifully shaped phrases, sometimes full of seriousness. What is striking is not only the soloist’s attention to the text, but also the sense of colour she brings to the words.”
The Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Gintaras Rinkevičius, will have one more excellent partner on stage with the famous soloist – the Kaunas State Choir. Both ensembles will perform a beautifully harmonious work – Maurice Ravel’s Suite No.2 from the ballet Daphnis and Chloe. The ballet was commissioned by the famous impresario Sergei Diaghilev, and the composer, who christened the work a choreographic symphony, described it as “a huge musical fresco, in which I have tried not to recreate the ancient atmosphere, but to create the Elad of my dreams.” The orchestra will open the concert with another exceptional work, Berlioz’s concert overture “The Roman Carnival”, set to the music of the same composer’s opera “Benvenuto Cellini”.
Edgaras Montvidas, Artistic Director of the Pažaislis Music Festival, who personally knows the distinguished singer Dame S. Connolly, said: “I was immediately captivated by her ‘chocolate with aged cognac’ voice. As well as performing on stage, she is a high-profile campaigner for the preservation of English National Opera. I would not be wrong in saying that she has indeed deservedly received the title of Dame, bestowed by HM Queen Elizabeth II herself. So I invite you to a royal evening of music!”

After the festival, you will find a recording of the concert here: