Christmas with Ąžuoliukas

Performers:
Boys and Youth’ Choir ĄŽUOLIUKAS
Artistic director and principal conductor VYTAUTAS MIŠKINIS
(Choirmasters: Neringa Sidaugaitė, Gitana Trimirkaitė, Romas Skapas, Gabrielius Gaidamavičius)
Šiauliai Boys and Youth’ Choir DAGILĖLIS
(artistic director and conductor Remigijus Adomaitis)
Klaipėda Boys and Youth’ Choir GINTARĖLIS
(director Tomas Ambrozaitis)
MUSICA HUMANA Ensemble
(artistic director and conductor Robertas Beinaris)
Soloists: KATAŽYNA DUDAREVA (soprano), SKIRMANTĖ VAIČIŪTĖ (mezzo-soprano), VAIDAS BARTUŠAS (contralto), VYGANTAS BEMOVAS (tenor), GRANTAS ŠILEIKIS (baritone), MIGLĖ SAKAVIČIŪTĖ (harp), RIMVYDAS MITKUS (organ)

Programme:
CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS – Oratorio de Noël (Christmas Oratorio), Op. 12
JUOZAS NAUJALIS – Songs: Tyliąją naktį (Silent Night), Sveikas, Jėzau gimusis (Hail, Born Jesus)

Traditional festive concerts of Ąžuoliukas have a particularly loyal connoisseurs, who for many years have not missed a single Christmas performance of the choir. It is a special celebration for both the performers and audience.

This year, Ąžuoliukas has invited a group of friends, ensembles and soloists to perform French composer Camille Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio. He was an artist of extraordinary talent – not only a composer, but also an organist, pianist and conductor. Saint-Saëns wrote music effortlessly. As organist at the Church of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Paris, he composed Christmas Oratorio in 12 days, and it was completed 10 days before Christmas 1858, when it was first performed. It is a work in 10 short movements.

The concert also includes traditional Christmas carols Tyliąją Naktį (Silent Night) and Sveikas, Jėzau gimusis (Hail, Born Jesus) by the patriarch of Lithuanian music, Juozas Naujalis.