Published: 20240222
Event date: 2024y.March0310 d.18:00 - 19:15 All events
The idea of establishing a Baroque music ensemble at the LNOBT arose when Sesto Quatrini became the theatre's Artistic Director of Opera. In cooperation with the Museum of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, an ensemble was established, which brought together artists of the theatre's symphony orchestra interested in baroque music and the traditions of playing old music, and who had previously performed actively as members of various chamber ensembles or as soloists.
The creative partnership between LNOBT and the Museum of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania is not accidental and has a clear historical basis. At the residence of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania in the 4th and 5th decades of the 17th century, the first operas (dramma per musica) were staged in Lithuania - earlier than in such metropolises as Paris or London. Although the scores of the operas have not survived, it is believed that the music for them was composed by the famous Italian composer Marco Scacchi, the maestro di cappella of the King of Poland and the Grand Duke of Lithuania Władysław Vasa. In 2022, at the concert of the festival organized by the Palace Museum named after him, Capella Concertante Vilnense made its debut.
The ensemble was named Cappella Concertante Vilnense. The word Cappella is often used to refer to musical ensembles belonging to a particular place. Concertante emphasizes that each member of the ensemble can appear as a soloist, which is extremely important in Baroque music. And Vilnense, of course, is the ancient Latinized name of the city.
Dimitris Karakantas was born in 1987 in Larissa, Greece. He graduated from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna as a student of Günter Pichler and Joanna Madroszkiewicz and continued his studies on the baroque violin at the Academy of Music Franz List in Weimar and at the Mozarteum of Salzburg with Midori Seiler.
To describe the performances and playing style of D. Karakantas in one word, one would have to use versatility. Striving to build the longest possible musical bridges in his repertoire, he connects the origins of classical music with modernity. The choice of period instruments crossing over to the contemporary ones, the swift emulsification of modern and popular music with the earliest baroque compositions are all embodied in dynamic, energetic interpretations.
After being the first prize winner of numerous national and international competitions, D.Karakantas launched his career regularly performing worldwide as a soloist with various baroque and modern orchestras in some of the most important international concert halls. Since 2015 he has been the artistic director, soloist and concertmaster of the Orchester 1756, led by the Salzburger Konzertgesellschaft and Konstantin Hiller. In 2018, D. Karakantas founded the youth orchestra Nuovo Barocco. During its debut season, the ensemble already performed internationally in numerous important venues and festivals. His recordings include cooperations with the Greek, Austrian, German, Slovenian and Taiwanese radio as well as several own CD productions.
He performs on modern and period instruments by Paolo Antonio Testore, Marcel Pichler and Ulderikus Eberle.
The concert is free, but due to the limited number of seats, we invite you to register in advance.
