Sunday, October 16th at 1pm…

By joekulys on October 14, 2016

 

A concert not to miss in a beautiful shrine parish of Our Lady of Siluva and Blessed Archbishop Jurgis Matulaitis, MIC…

Mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaite is our guest at Nativity B.V.M. Parish.
Judita Leitaite will perform Sunday, October 16, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Nativity B.V.M. Parish, 2700 West Lithuanian Plaza Court in Chicago’s Marquette Park community. Three children’s choirs of Darius Polikaitis “Vyturys”, Alinos Simkuvienes “Svajone”, and Dalia Gedviliene “Chicago Lithuanian School” will help our soloist.
This is the fifth “Under The Angel’s Wing” concert. The purpose of this conert is educational. We are trying to unite the best Lithuanian musicians with emigration youth so they will learn how to love and cherish their rich musical haritage. The concert will be in one of the most beautiful churches of Chicago, already known by top world musicians like Ariana Kim, Ieva Jokubaviciute, Richard Budginas, Virgilijus Noreika, Ciurlionis Quartet, Avalon Quartet and others.
Mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaitė is among the most exciting, creative, and widely recognized soloists of Lithuania. Her concert career started when she was still a student. Success at international competitions – M.Glinka Vocal Competition in Baku (1987) and the International Vocal Competition in Finland in 1991 – prompted her further career.
Judita Leitaitė studied with renowned masters such as E.Schwarzkopf and T.Kraus (Germany), C. Bergonzi (Italy), J. Goldberg (USA), prof. S. Maltsev (Russian).
Judita Leitaitė performs regularly throughout her native Lithuania. She is on demand not only on the main concert stages, but also various radio and TV programs, schools, orphanages, churches, benefit concerts, as well, as jazz concerts and religious events.
She has made successful appearances at numerous international festivals in Poland, Denmark, Vilnius and London, as well as “Palaces of St. Petersburg” in Russia and “Music on the Water” held at the Palace of the King of Sweden. Her performance at the Baltic Music Fest in Sweden was a true sensation: “Audience was charmed not only by the beauty of the voice of fabulous vocalist Judita Leitaitė, but also by her compelling musical rendering.” She became the Summer Star of Newport Music Festival (USA). “The North American debut of Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaitė was greeted by thunderous ovations,” wrote Newport Music Festival press.
Judita Leitaitė has toured Scandinavia and the former Soviet Union, Germany, France, Holland, Poland, Israel, Great Britain, USA, and the South African Republic. Among Leitaite’s concert partners are the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Vilnius String Quartet, Čiurlionis String Quartet, and Lithuanian and international pianists and organists. She has studied and collaborated with conductors such as Lord Yehudi Menuhin, Saulius Sondeckis, conducting Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Juozas Domarkas, and Leo Botstein (USA) conducting the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, and Constantin Orbelian conducting the Moscow Chamber Orchestra.
Her record credits include a number of LPs, 12 CDs and well over 300 recordings for the Lithuanian Radio. Noteworthy recordings: music for film Vilniaus getas (Vilnius Ghetto), Balakauskas’ Requiem in Memoriam Stasys Lozoraitis, Russian romances, 20th century hit programme Renkuosi meilę (I Chose Love), CDs of Christian songs Tau, mano angele (For You, My Angel). Mano mėgstamos Skandinavijos dainos (My Favourite Scandinavian Songs), recorded in original language, received Finnish and Swedish critical recognition. Recently she has recorded Menu kerinčius valso garsus (I Recall Enchanting Sound of Waltz) and Nuoširdžiai jūsų (Sincerely Yours).
For contributions to Lithuanian culture Leitaitė was decorated with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great; in 2005, she was awarded the State Culture and Art Prize; in 2007, she received the Gold Disc.
During the concert you will hear pieces by American and Lithuanian composers. Tickets can be bought at The Nativity B.V.M. parish, “Old Vilnius” cafe or before the concert for $15 for adults, $10 for students and children under five are free.