The musical “The Legend of Žygimantas Augustas and Barbora Radvilaitė” celebrates its 10th anniversary and invites you to solemn and exclusive anniversary performances – this December!

Musical record holder

“The Legend of Žygimantas Augustas and Barbora Radvilaitė”, which debuted on the big stage in 2014, became a real sensation: the biggest and most expensive Lithuanian musical of all time.

He resolutely raised Lithuanian musicals to a new level and set the quality bar high.

For a whole decade, he struggled to match him in terms of size, professionalism and audience impact. As soon as someone managed to get close, “The Legend of Žygimantas Augustss and Barbora Radvilaitė” surprised again with a new impressive achievement.

The musical became the first Lithuanian work of this size, which was shown in the USA, on the stage of a historic theater in Chicago. He was the first in Lithuania, for the performance of which in 2019 in Kaunas, in the “Žalgirio” arena, the full composition of the American Lithuanian choir “Dainava” came to Lithuania. Then as many as 105 participants appeared on stage. “The Legend of Žygimantas Augustas and Barbora Radvilaitė” became a record holder – the indoor performance with the largest number of performers in the entire history of Lithuanian music and theater.

High fashion by Juozas Statkevičius

Traditionally, 50 soloists, dancers and choristers appear on the musical stage. Behind the scenes, a second as many serving staff, technicians, and stage workers toil. The whole piece works like a well-oiled complex mechanism where every detail is important and must be in its place.

Thanks to extremely careful and professional work, the shocking 16th century is revealed in the eyes of the audience. The love story of Lithuanian kings. In the musical lasting more than two hours, it is told sensitively, joyfully, and dramatically.

With the music of Kipras Mašanauskas echoing and the libretto of Romas Lileikis playing, the 210 costumes designed by Juozas Statkevičius take your breath away. The designer of haute couture put his whole soul into the clothes of the performance, as if into a separate collection of his own. The construction of the stage, which symbolically depicts the historical connection between Lithuania and Poland, was created by one of the most talented Lithuanian scenographers today, Marijus Jacovskis.

Legendary arias and famous soloists

One of the best musical actors in Lithuania – the expressive Jeronimas Milius – will play the role of Žygimantas Augustas in the 10th anniversary performances. His powerful voice and vocal prowess suggestively reveal the complex character of young Žygimantas.

While watching the play, you want to laugh with the comedians (Rafailas Karpis and Dominykas Vaitiekūnas) and get excited, seeing how Barbora Radvilaitė is weakening. Karina Krysko embodies her extremely talentedly. From the very beginning, the actress and singer showed the audience the fragile outwardly, but incredible strength of spirit, Barbora.

Mr. Tvardovski’s aria “The sky gave you height” performed by Kost Smorigin touches the heart, which has long since outgrown the framework of the musical and has become a popular work.

The scene of the meeting between Barbora and her mother-in-law Bona Sforza is extremely moving. Opera soloist Gitana Pečkytė-Vilkelienė plays the role of Queen Bona Sforza.

The musical organically combines very different genres of music: opera, pop music, rock and even elements of an original song.

A dramatic love story

The story of Barbora Radvilaitė and Žygimantas Augustas is dramatically comparable to the love saga of Romeo and Juliet.

The young king Žygimantas Augustas sits on the throne while still a child. In Vilnius, he uses the power, which he did not desire at all, to win the attention and attention of women. The only person who can advise him is the spiritual teacher Mr. Tvardovskis.

Žygimantas does not fully live up to the expectations of his mother, the queen residing in Krakow, Bona Sforza. She would like to see her son domineering and callous – like herself. The Italian queen considers herself a bearer of Western culture. No one can influence her decisions, not even her husband – King Žygymantas Senasis (Tadas Girininkas).

Unexpectedly, a real feeling is born in the heart of young Žygimantas – love for the noble Lithuanian Barbora, from the famous and influential Radvil family. The marriage of Barbora and Žygimantas seems like a real tragedy in the eyes of the queen.

Barbora’s cousin Radvila Juodasis (Česlovas Gabalis) and brother Radvila Rudasis (Tadas Juodsnukis) no longer know whether to rejoice at the impending crown or to fear for Barbora’s health and even life.

Yesterday, Žygymantas Augustas, who was light-hearted, finds the true ruler in himself, elated by love. Barbora Radvilaitė becomes his legal wife. But it is too late – the young queen’s life is barely fluttering, and the rage of the old queen Bona affects her like poison.