Philadelphia – The City of Brotherly Love, opened its heart to Lithuania this November showcasing a weeklong extravaganza of art, craft, cuisine, music, history, and community events. This Lithuanian Festival, which took place November 2-10, was organized by the Lithuanian Embassy in the United States and the Lithuanian Honorary Consulate …
Read More »The Lithuanian Roots of Igor Stravinsky and the Rite of Spring
By William J. Morrison The Riot in the Theater On the evening of May 29, 1913, a riot took place in the newly opened Theatre des Champs Elysées in Paris. In an attempt to restore order, Paris police were summoned. The riot, or scandal as it is sometimes called, took …
Read More »Tribes – People of Lithuania Before Statehood
by Al (Alvydas) Karaša Who were the people that comprised the tribes which Mindaugas united and ruled as their first king? BEFORE THERE WAS A LITHUANIA, AND BEFORE her first Christian king united her people in the 13th century, there were tribes. Made up of clans, and families extended to …
Read More »The Lithuanian-Italian Connection
By Audrone Kasperaviciene It is a myth that both Rome and Vilnius were established by wolves. But it is no myth that the Italians left an indelible mark on Lithuania. For hundreds of years, the spirit of Rome has played a main role in the development ofVilnius, and to a …
Read More »Another View: How Students of Diverse Ethnic Backgrounds See Lithuanian Culture
After the Chair for Lithuanian Studies was endowed in the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 1984, UIC launched a new course under the title “Lithuanian Culture.” Prof. Violeta Kelertas taught the course until 1994. Then I was hired to teach it. During two decades over 700 students …
Read More »‘Gold of the North’
By Leif Brost Amber, a fossilized tree resin millions of years old, has fascinated civilizations for millennia. This fascination continues to this day. LITHUANIANS REGARD AMBER AS THEIR “GOLD.” Others refer to Baltic amber as the “Gold of the North.” While amber can be found throughout the world, the finest …
Read More »Profiles: a Lithuanian Musical Jewel “Mūza the Magnificent”
By Arnold Voketaitis PERHAPS MANY OF LITHUANIAN, HERITAGE readers or opera/concert goers will remember my name from my 45 year international/ national operatic/concert career. Well, this article is not about my career, but about Lithuania’s great internationally acclaimed, honored and brilliant pianist Muza Rubackyte. When Chicago’s premiere classical radio station …
Read More »Museums: Prehistoric Lithuania a New Museum Dedicated to the Past
BY JULIE SKURDENIS Prehistoric Lithuania a New Museum Dedicated to the Past IN THE HEART OF VILNIUS, LITHUANIA’S CAPITAL, rises Gediminas Hill. At 158 feet it towers over the city spread out below. Here — so legend says — King Gediminas founded Vilnius in the 14th century, making it his …
Read More »Folklore: the Musical Heritage of Lithuanian
BY RODERICK TUCK THE MUSICAL HERITAGE OF LITHUANIA Lithuanian music ranges from the most archaic forms of folk music to the more stylistic compositions of today. Throughout the centuries music has accompanied Lithuanians on every sort of occasion. There were songs, called dainos, for the daily tasks of reaping, herding, …
Read More »The Lithuanian Experience: Hurray for Hollywood: Lithuanians On the Silver Screen
A MOVIE IS IN TROUBLE IF THE FINAL CREDITS are as interesting as the picture. But study the closer on Disney’s blockbuster “The Lion King”. In the five long minutes it runs, you will acquire a sense of where today’s $80 million budgets are coming from. And you will see, …
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