Dance performance "The Tale of the Kings" based on the music of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis and other Lithuanian composers
Director-choreographer and libretto author – Anželika Cholina
Set designer – Marijus Jacovskis
Costume designer – Olga Filatova-Kontrimienė
Lighting designer – Eugenijus Sabaliauskas
Video artist – Tomas Stonys
Hair and makeup artist – Dalia Žakytė-Bučienė
Teacher-tutor – Živilė Baikštytė
The performance features 32 soloists from the Anželika Cholina Dance Theatre, the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, and the Kaunas State Musical Theatre, as well as artists from the A|CH Youth Troupe.
Anželika Cholina's latest work is an epic, poetic, and visually extremely rich dance performance that reveals in a new, sensitive, and dramatic way the extraordinary life story of the great Lithuanian composer and artist, which is still too little known.
"In this work, it is important for me to recreate as accurately as possible the psychological portrait of Čiurlionis the man, his relationship to his work, the women in his life, his early tragic fate, when his soul, unrecognized in time, drowning in poverty and darkness, leaves this world before his body..." - says A. Cholina, the director, choreographer and author of the libretto of the performance.
The main characters of the performance are not only Čiurlionis himself in the three ages of his life and not only the most important women in his life (first love Marija Moravska, patron Bronislava Volman, wife Sofija Kymantaitė), but also Čiurlionis's work, which, according to the author of the performance, was his essence.
In “The Tale of Kings”, the special and deep world of Čiurlionis comes to life, which became for him a gift from God and suffering in one. This inner world is embodied in the performance by as many as 25 artists of the A|CH Theatre Youth Troupe, who together create a separate and integral character that is essential in this performance. “The Tale of Kings” is not the first performance when young talents appear on the big stages of A|CH and other Lithuanian theatres, but for the first time – on such a large scale.
In addition to the magnificent mass scenes, the main roles in "The Tale of Kings" are, as always, created by the brightest stars of Lithuanian professional dance, leading soloists of the A|CH Theatre and other theatres in the country - Jonas Laucius, Nora Straukaitė, Martynas Čiučiulka, Olesia Šaitanova, Beata Molytė, Rokas Spalinskas, Vadimas Krupeninas and others.
The scale and scope of the premiere are also impressive: in total, more than three dozen artists dance in the performance, over 300 costumes have been created for them, the scenes and images dynamically change each other, thus involving the viewer in an almost two-hour journey through the world of Čiurlionis, compellingly narrated through the language of dance - from birth to death.
"It's simply impossible to tell it any shorter or more modestly - the topic itself requires grandiose expression," A. Cholina comments on her determination not to spare any resources for her idea. "There can be no compromises - if you've already set your mind to such a topic, you have to do it to the maximum."
A special musical fabric, full of gentle Lithuanian spirit and "The Tale of Kings" - the soundtrack of the performance features the most beautiful works by Čiurlionis, as well as musical dedications to Čiurlionis by contemporary Lithuanian composers, including works by Mindaugas Urbaitis, Donatas Zakaras, and Jore Bartaškaitė.
"This performance is like a reminder to us about the work of the great Lithuanian genius and its significance. In it, I sought to convey the dramatic life story of Čiurlionis as authentically as possible, therefore I believe that the importance of the national theme, the directorial decisions, choreography, aesthetics and meaning of the work will touch the souls of the audience, and excited hearts will carry the message from mouth to mouth, creating the lasting value of this performance for future generations..." - says A. Cholina.
The premiere of the dance performance "The Tale of Kings" in July 2025 not only crowned the anniversary - 25th - season of the A|CH theater, but also became one of the most important highlights of the cultural program of the Čiurlionis Year - the premiere was included in the plan of cultural events approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, designed to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Čiurlionis' birth on a national and international scale.
ATTENTION! – Continuing to actively promote the tradition of cultural patronage in Lithuania, we invite you to contribute to the future of the independent, self-funded A|CH Theatre and purchase a special, more expensive than usual PATRONAGE TICKET for all our performances. Thanks to your support, our theatre can plan new premieres, maintain a professional troupe of artists, and go on tours throughout Lithuania, even to more remote regions of the country, where professional performing arts are rarely available. Observing the ever-growing sales of these tickets, we are convinced that we are definitely not alone. Thank you to all current and future A|CH Theatre supporters!
Also, in order to create a positive change in society and contribute to the formation of a new approach to cultural patronage in our country, a year ago we took the lead in educating young people and raising a young generation of cultural patrons. Therefore, in the new season, we are continuing a new initiative aimed at all young people aged 15-24 - they will continue to have their own special FUTURE PATRON TICKETS for all A|CH theatre performances, in addition to special Patron tickets. Young people can purchase these tickets with an already applied 50 percent discount, and upon arrival at the performance, we will only ask you to present an identity document proving your age along with the ticket. We have no doubt that by giving a young person the opportunity to see our theatre performances under special conditions, we are contributing to raising a generation of young Lithuanians who are not indifferent to theatre, art and culture!
