Concert Series Marks 70th Birthday of Composer Fausto Latėnas

A concert series will honor the 70th birthday of the late Lithuanian composer Fausto Latėnas, a laureate of the National Culture and Art Prize.

The series will feature the internationally acclaimed Mettis string quartet and pianist Vytis Šakūras, who resides in Germany. They will explore Latėnas's subtle and sensitive chamber music, revealing the unique flow of his musical thought, which blends academic principles with a feel for theatrical and cinematic music.

Latėnas's work, known for its ability to express various states like joy, sorrow, and sarcasm, significantly shaped Lithuania's cultural landscape. His music for theater and film left a lasting impression on his contemporaries and laid foundations for future generations. Musicologist Gerulaitis noted that F. Latėnas's chamber instrumental works are like "small musical performances, where each musical gesture has a certain meaning, often known only to the author."

The program includes String Quartet No. 2 "In Loving Memory," dedicated to his friends who left Lithuania and to all loved ones no longer present. Two sonatas, Sonata for Cello and Piano and Sonata for Violin and Piano, will highlight his deep sense of instrumental theatricality. "Bolero" and "Pasadoblis," arranged by Tomas Petrikis for piano quintet, promise a unique atmosphere combining rhythmic temperament with Lithuanian lyricism.

The Mettis quartet, consisting of violinists Kostas Tumosa and Bernardas Petrauskas, violist Tomas Petrikis, and cellist Rokas Vaitkevičius, shared a close creative partnership with Latėnas. Petrikis performed and arranged the composer's works, and the quartet consistently promotes his chamber music. This concert series offers a rare opportunity to hear Latėnas's chamber music performed by musicians who were part of his creative journey. Concerts are scheduled for August 21 in Anykščiai, September 17 in Palanga, October 25 in Kaunas, and November 20 and 22 in Vilkaviškis and Platelių, respectively, with additional dates in Paliesius and Zarasai. The project is partially funded by the Lithuanian Council of Culture.