So you have decided to spend your winter holidays in Kaunas. Here’s what awaits when it’s dark outside, and the museums are closed. We’ve picked some of the most excellent Christmas and New Year’s Eve concerts for you to enjoy, visit.kaunas.lt writes.
12 01 – 01 06
Cosmic Christmas town
Town Hall Square
This year’s winter celebrations in Kaunas are taking a unique, unexpected and colourful shape. Kaunas is inviting you to immerse yourself in a Christmassy Cosmos. Out-of-this-Earth experiences and long-lasting impressions are waiting ahead.
The square will be adorned with more than just a Christmas tree. Everyone is invited on a free journey to a mysterious planet. A planet where fairy tales are real, smiles are everlasting and the holiday mood never fades. Every day in the Cosmic Christmas Town you will find classes, workshops, books, theatre and music.
The New Year’s Eve celebration “Cosmic New Year in Kaunas” with Lithuanian dance music performers will kick off right before midnight on the 31st of December. Free of charge!
Saturday, 12 21, 5 pm
Concert “The Secret of Christmas”
Kaunas state philharmonic
“The Secret of Christmas” is an exciting musical journey that will feature the songs of the legendary Ella Fitzgerald. On this journey, the jazz icon will be accompanied by Kaunas big-band and an owner of a velvet timbre Sofia Rubina-Hunter. Sofia is a talented Estonian singer, who has released three studio albums featuring different music genres – house, jazz-folk and funk.
Saturday, 12 21, 7 pm
Christmas carols concert “The miracle of Bethlehem”
VMU Great Hall
For the second year in a row, “Awakening Orchestra” invites you to a Christmas carols concert. The carols will be performed by Danas Berlinskas, Gabrielė Gvazdikaitė, Rugilė Daujotaitė, Tadas Daujotas, Raimonda Narsejeva, Simona Mikaliūnienė, Karolina Mint, Kaunas Christian chamber choir “The Great News” (art director Nerijus Šatinskas) and musicians of “Awakening Orchestra”
Thursday, 12 26, 2 pm
Family afternoon “Christmas Music from the Screens”
Kaunas cultural centre
Once again the Christmas sledges are running through mountains, forests and seas. Christmas bells, hilarious storytellers and a bunch of familiar heroes are approaching us. Well-known characters from cartoons and cinema will be stopping by the Kaunas culture centre.
Together with them, the audience members will have to put on their detective hats and solve a mystery. What will they look for? You will only find out when you arrive at this mysterious, thrilling, exciting and very Christmassy concert. Kaunas wind orchestra “Ąžuolynas” will be leading you on this journey through the adventure trails of Christmas.
Thursday, 12 26, 5 pm
Concert “Christmas for everyone”
St. Michael the Archangel’s (Garrison) church, Nepriklausomybės a. 14
Same as every year Kaunas wind orchestra Ąžuolynas invites you to a musical Christmas evening. This time the orchestra will take you on a trip around the world. You will hear English, American, Ukrainian, Flemish, Spanish, German and Lithuanian pieces. The orchestra will perform not only joyful melodies but also compositions of the patriarch of Lithuanian music Juozas Naujalis, whose 150th anniversary we have been celebrating this year.
Thursday, 12 26, 6 pm
Opera “Macbeth”
Kaunas state musical theatre
“Macbeth” is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi, with an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave and additions by Andrea Maffei, based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name. It’s the first time the opera is staged in Kaunas.
Friday, 12 27, 6 pm
Concert “Christmas on the wave”
Kaunas culture centre
In this concert, Jurgis Brūzga and Kaunas big band will be performing the most memorable Christmas songs and melodies. Cheerful and romantic, jazzy and childish tunes together with the refreshing aroma of fir, ornate garlands, homemade cakes and the dearest people around will create the perfect Christmas mood.
Monday, 12 30, 6 pm
Opera “Traviata”
Kaunas state musical theatre
It’s the fourth version of Giuseppe Verdi’s festive work in the Kaunas theatre. It was first shown just before we celebrated 2000. In fact, Traviata was the performance to start the history of Lithuanian professional opera in the first place. It was back in 1920.
Tuesday, 12 31, 4 pm
New Year’s Eve gala concert
Kaunas state philharmonic, L. Sapiegos g. 5
Kaunas state philharmonic invites you to celebrate the upcoming New Year at a gala concert with the city’s favourite ensembles – Kaunas State Choir, Kaunas City Symphony Orchestra and conductor Constantine Orbelian. Talented and charming Lithuanian soloists will create the festive mood – soprano Vida Miknevičiūtė and bass-baritone Kostas Smoriginas, as well as guests – soprano Veronika Dzhioeva and Sergey Stepanyan from Armenia. The program will feature the most beautiful classical pieces for orchestra, choir and soloists.
Tuesday, 12 31, 5 pm
New Year’s Eve concert “Švieski man vėl!”
Kaunas culture centre
Kaunas big-band and singer Povilas Meškėla invite you to say goodbye to 2019 and meet the new year with the legendary songs of the Lithuanian Frank Sinatra – Stasys Povilaitis.
Tuesday, 12 31, 7 pm
New Year’s Eve concert “Seasons”
VMU Great Hall
On the New Year’s Eve VMU Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Vytautas Lukočius, as well as soloists Zbignievas Levickis (violin) and Laimonas Salijus (accordion) will perform a festive concert “Seasons”. In the show, you will hear the masterpieces of classical music including “Four Seasons” by Italian Baroque master Antonio Vivaldi and “Four Seasons in Buenos Aires” by Astor Piazzolla.
Tuesday, 12 31, 8 pm
New Year’s Eve concert with Rondo, Smokie and Suzi Quatro
Žalgirio arena
Can’t imagine your day without singing “Our love is alive, and so we begin / Foolishly layin’ our hearts on the table /Stumblin’ in”? Perfect. See you in the biggest arena in the Baltics.