Culture

Meet Milda De Voe by Jurate Kazickas I first met Milda De Voe about ten years ago. A mutual Lithuanian friend introduced us. “You’ll like her. She’s interesting and fun,” he said. “Plus, she’s a great writer.” True on all counts! We’ve had lunch a few times, but I mostly …

At the end of July, the Chicago Sun-Times published a six-part series on Lithuania that drew wide attention among Lithuanian Americans. Readers shared the stories on social media, read them closely, and discussed them throughout the community. Over two intensive weeks, reporter Stephanie Zimmermann and photographer Ashlee Rezin traveled across …

Gabrielius Alekna brings the music of Čiurlionis, Bacevičius, and other modernist visionaries to U.S. stages this fall.  This fall, pianist Gabrielius Alekna brings his recital „Visionaries and Trailblazers: From Čiurlionis to Messiaen” to audiences in Chicago, Portland, Seattle, and New York. The program honors the 150th anniversary of M.K. Čiurlionis, …

by Klemensas Jūra Since the time of the press ban, the Lithuanian has been known as a lover of his own Lithuanian press and a tenacious defender of it. Even in the most difficult material conditions, Lithuanians sacrificed for their printed word. The love of the press was also evident …

by Miltiades Varvounis The Baltic Origins of Homer’s Epic Tales is an essay written by Felice Vinci, an Italian nuclear engineer, published for the first time in the mid-90s. The book, which has been translated into German, Danish, Estonian and French, sets out a new perspective about the geographical setting …

by Tom Gregg (Grigonis) Prologue A modern five-year-old Amer ican child’s exposure to the world is often confined largely to family, children’s picture books and television kid shows. Supplementing my personal mix back in the early Jet Age, from halfway across another continent came an adult’s book kept in the …

by Tom Gregg (Grigonis) Eons ago in his prime he depicted the country’s elite, including Arvydas Sabonis senior, Valdas Adamkus, Jonas Mekas and Vytautas Landsbergis. He chronicled demonstrations in Kaunas following Romas Kalanta’s self-immolation in 1972. For this he was arrested, sentenced to 15 days in jail, and expelled (temporarily) …

Birutė Vaičjurgis Šležas Couples stepping smartly on the dance floor to the sounds of a foxtrot, the bandleader directing black and white musicians in jazzy renditions of the latest hits, the haughty diva strutting through a glittering crowd to the posh table reserved for celebrities. Is this London, New York, …

Liepa Boberienė. Few moments in history capture the essence of human determination and solidarity as vividly as the Baltic Way. On August 23, 1989, this momentous event not only hastened the demise of our Soviet occupiers but also sparked a worldwide movement for freedom. It serves to this day as …

Julius (Jay) Sakas. In the early hours of July 15, 1933, a heavily laden airplane, the Bellanca 300 christened the Lituanica, lifted off from Floyd Bennett Field in New York City. Two Lithuanian aviators had just taken to the air in pursuit of their dream. Steponas Darius and Stasys Girėnas …