Lithuanian showbiz legend Aleksas Lemanas celebrates 85th birthday on stage

Aleksas Lemanas marked his 85th birthday the way he has spent much of his life: singing. After more than six decades on stage and with more than 1,000 songs in his repertoire, the legendary Lithuanian popular singer celebrated in Birštonas alongside performers from several generations.

Saturday’s event at the Birštonas Kurhaus was filled with music, memories and humor. Among those who came to honor Lemanas were Igoris Jarmolenka, Radžis, Asta Pilypaitė, Aušrinė Gerikienė, Nijolė Tallat-Kelpšaitė, Rūta Morozovaitė, Svetlana Bagdonaitė, Vladas Daugytis, Rolandas Petrikis, Antanas Pociūnas and Arvydas Vilčinskas. Birštonas Mayor Nijolė Dirginčienė also congratulated him.

Lemanas began performing in 1964. He became a laureate of the Vilnius Towers competition in the 1970s and later received the Antanas Šabaniauskas Prize. During his career, he performed with various ensembles and released several solo albums. His repertoire includes Lithuanian pop classics, romances, schlager songs and international works. Songs such as “By the Abandoned House,” “The Fairy’s Rainbow,” “Echo of Love,” “Youth,” “Seagull,” “Forgotten Homes” and “Queen of the Dance” became familiar to generations of Lithuanian listeners.

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Aleksas Lemanas is a legend of Lithuanian popular music. He is someone whose songs several generations of Lithuanians know and sing together. I wish Aleksas would keep his energy for a long time yet, the energy he has shared with people from the stage throughout his life.

Jarmolenka called him “a legend of Lithuanian popular music” and praised his energy. “Aleksas Lemanas is a legend of Lithuanian popular music. He is someone whose songs several generations of Lithuanians know and sing together. I wish Aleksas would keep his energy for a long time yet, the energy he has shared with people from the stage throughout his life,” Jarmolenka said.

Radžis brought a lighter moment to the celebration. After Lemanas explained that he was sitting because of his joints, Radžis joked, “I want to say that you look even better sitting down than standing. And lying down, probably even better. I didn’t bring you sweets or money, but I’m giving you a song from my broad Gypsy heart.” Lemanas has previously said that a good voice alone is not enough for a performer, arguing that 90 percent of success comes from work and sweat.

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I want to say that you look even better sitting down than standing. And lying down, probably even better. I didn’t bring you sweets or money, but I’m giving you a song from my broad Gypsy heart.