A fusion of classical music, vocals and art in prisons
Traditionally, the Canadian-Lithuanian Charitable Foundation Looking at the Stars has organized a series of concerts in Lithuanian prisons, featuring world-renowned classical music performers. This year, the events, held in various prisons, uniquely combined music and art.
Founder Dmitrijus Kanovičius highlighted that this year's spring concert series held particular significance, marking the inaugural inclusion of vocalists in the performances. "I am grateful to the talented soprano Elena Sverdiolaitė from Theater Münster, Germany, and the incomparable tenor Rafailas Karpis, a renowned Lithuanian Opera and Ballet Theatre soloist, for agreeing to open a new chapter in our program's history. I am sure their performances were a pleasant surprise to our audiences," said Mr. Kanovičius.
Mindaugas Kairys, Director General of the Lithuanian Prison Service, emphasized the importance of artistic and cultural activities in prisons for the resocialization and constructive engagement of inmates. "We are delighted to have established a partnership with the Foundation, which annually surprises us with the opportunity to enjoy world-class performances, benefiting both inmates and prison staff," said Mr. Kairys.
The four-concert series, held from May 21 to 24, commenced at Pravieniškės Prison No. 1 with a performance by soprano Elena Sverdiolaitė and pianist Gustas Raudonis. Their repertoire included works by W.A. Mozart, J. Brahms, F. Schubert, R. Schumann, F.J. Haydn, G. Puccini, F. Liszt, and B. Dvarionas. They repeated their performance at Panevėžys Prison, attended by the Canadian Ambassador to Lithuania, Jeanette Sautner.
Pravieniškės Prison No. 2 hosted a concert featuring tenor Rafailas Karpis, a recipient of multiple "Lighthouse of Opera" prizes and the prestigious Golden Stage Cross, alongside Darius Mažintas, one of the most distinguished pianists in Lithuania and the artistic director of the Looking at the Stars Foundation. Mr. Mažintas, who has previously performed in numerous prisons, and Mr. Karpis presented a diverse program, including works by G. Giordani, A. Stradella, G. Handel, C. A. Bixio, F. Mompou, G. Gershwin, and Benjaminas Gorbulskis.
The series concluded at Kaunas Prison with violinists Ieva Pranskutė from Austria and Mislav Brajkovič from Croatia, performing works by J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart, G. Battista, M. Ravel, and J. Handel/Halvorsen.
A new feature of the concerts was the live painting by S. Gordon Harwood, the founder, and a member of the Board of Directors of the Looking at the Stars Foundation. Harwood created artworks in response to the music, which were subsequently donated to inmates.
Looking at the Stars, founded in Toronto in 2015, is a unique charity that brings classical music events to vulnerable audiences, including inmates, seniors, and refugees. The Foundation's program features performances by world-class artists and discussions with the audience. Since the beginning, the Foundation has organized over 100 events in Canada, Lithuania, and Ukraine, reaching more than 7,500 attendees. The Foundation plans to hold its first events in the United States this October and expand to the European Union in 2025.
In 2022, the Foundation established a branch in Jonava, continuing the successful activities initiated in Canada. Nearly 40 events have been organized in Lithuania, aiming to restore dignity and hope to those in need while building bridges between the target audiences and society. Concerts have been held in Lithuanian prisons since 2019.
More about the Foundation - www.lookingatthestars.org
Last updated: 28-05-2024
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