Day 7. Dali - Picasso Exhibition in ARKA gallery

series of #VilniusINdoors

series of #Vilniusgallery



For the first time famous pieces of arts of two oustanding Spanish artists Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso in Vilnius!
Exhibition was brougt to Lithaunia by a Russian businessman and art collector Aleksandr Sadrin.

Official website of the exposition: http://dalipicasso.eu/
LOCATION: the ARKA gallery http://www.arkagalerija.lt/ (museum #1 mentioned on 365days)
Exposition was shown in Vilnius only during few days 7 October - 31 October, 2015

So, when I have decided to visit it finally on 29 October, and I had extra 7 euros finally, and I have come to Ausros Vartu str. 7, I faced an impressive queue ouside. Since it was 6 pm. and the exposition was opened till 8 pm, with sad expression on my face I left.
Only one question comes: Why pepole are waiting to seen something they want till the last days? Or were such queues to get to the exhibition all the time starting from 7 October? Well, I do not have extra 7 euros to spend it anytime, but what about other people?

The picture respresents perfectly a queue outside the gallery and a crowd of people inside seen through the window.

The ARKA gallery is just nera the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society   and it sould be noted that a statue of Jonas Basanavicius will be erected just opposte this building till 2018. Or maybe next year already).

That's right! And 3 years later, on Day 80 Dr Jonas basanavicius is back in town!

Day 10. New York Club and Urvinis zmogus ( a Caveman)

series of #VilniusINdoors

I would like to talk about a phenomenon called Urvinis Zmogus ( a Caveman) widespread around Lithuania.

picture taken from the official website

What is Urvinis Zmogus? Well, Urvinis Zmogus is a monospectacle about men - women relationship and why all men are such assholes ( or Cavemen). The spectacle had its premiere in 2005. Initially it was played by a director himself - Dainius Kazlauskas. Later by Vaidotas Martinaitis, these days - by Darius Meškauskas and Giedrius Savickas. This season, I guess, it's the 11th season of Urvinis Zmogus. As it is stated on the official webside http://www.idioteatras.lt/index.php?page=urvinis-zmogus , the spectacle has visited all cities and towns of Lithuania. Almost all Lithuanians have seen it and it is enormously popular. It is supposed to be very very funny.

Well, it is supposed. As a beauty is a very subjective thing, a sense of humor is also very subjective. Ok, I admit, Giedrius Savickis is a tallented guy. I love him, I love what he does and I admire his tallent. There were some really good and funny moments. But, here goes my suggestion: the Urvinis Zmogus is for married couples, or for couples who are together for at least two years. This spectacle is for them. For them, I guess, it should be totally funny.

And those 14 eur spent on this!!! OMG. that's far too much!

Well, and one more thing about New York Club (www.newyorkclub.lt ) drinks menu. If you wish to order some hot wine, be very careful. 3 eur sounds a very reasonable prise, but it is for 100 ml of wine (!!!), so when you get a glass of wine ( standart 200 ml), DO BE NOT SUPRISED when you get a check for 6 eur. OMG. 6 eur for a glass of hot wine.

On the whole, 20 eur spent on one night which was not even so funny as it had to be.
oh dear, I could get 2 ticketes to my beloved National Drama Theatre!!!

That's it. That was a post for tourists at all. :)

Day 107. Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania. Vilnius Museums

#VilniusMuseums

series of #VilniusINdoors

Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania - completely rebuilt, partially opened in 2009, and finally opened in 2018.

The Museum offers 4 tour routes.

In order to visit all 4 routes you must have a lot of energy and and a lot of time. Thanks God they have a cafe inside, so when you get really tired and hungry you could have some lunch.
Shortly, you wil need half a day - the whole day to visit all 4 routes on your own.

Routes I and II host permanent exhibitions.

My favourite spot on route I is on the 1st floor - a short 3D movie.
You put on 3D glasses, grab strongly handrails and the adventure begins.
The short movie takes you high above the whole Cathedral Square and you see how the surroundings have been changing during the centuries. You start your journey in acient times when only first people used to live there and you end it in nowadays times. You see how the Palace, the upper castle and the Cathedral have been changing.

Amazing experience! I really recommend it! Price - 2 eur (well, in 2019 used to be :))

Routes III and IV are newly opened in 2018 and host temporal exhibitions.

One of the newest exhibitions is The Radziwills. History and legacy of the princes.

As usually, I have visted the exhibition with a musuem tour guide (on Thursdays with prior registration)
Although most of the facts were known to me, exhibition is really interesting.

It may be more interesting to those who are at least intermediate in history of Lithuania and especially interesting to those who are fans of The Radziwills history.

                                           

The Radziwills coat of arms

The Mace of Janusz Radziwill (1612 - 1655) 

the portrait of Mikolaj Radziwill Amor Poloniae (1470-1522)

(uncle of Radziwill the Black)

WOW! First Travel Guide in Lithuania!

Mikolaj Krzysztof Radzwill Sierotka 

decribes his travel to Jerusalem!

(translated into Lithuanian at the end of 20th cent) 

What a book! The Radziwill Bible 

printed by the Radziwill printing house

portrait of 

Karol Stanislaw Radziwill Panie Kochanku (1734-1790)

The Lands of the Radziwills across the GDL

Day 169. Žaislų muziejus (Toys Museum) for little and big kids

A great idea to spend few hours with kids it to visit Žaislų muziejus (Toys Museum).

In the end of 2025 we paid in total 17 eur for: 1 kid, 1 senor & 1 unit of workforce. 

Notice! 1 hour is to short to spend in the museum, you should leave for visiting at least 2 hours.

And you should come there in a good mood. 

#VilniusMuseums

#VilniusINdoors

Day 120. MO and 1990s DNA

series of#VilniusINDoors

#MO

As I've mentioned almost  a year ago  - MO was opened in Novemeber 2018.

And I've visted it only in July 2019!

It was a visit with their guide Gabrielė of Exhibition: Human. Animal. Robot.
Admission fee: 7eur.


This time, I've visted MO once again in the end of February.

These were the last days of exhibition:

The Origin of Species. 1990S DNA.

The first decade of independence from the USSR shaped Lithuanians into who they are today. The decade of chaos, freedom, scarity and the unofficial discovery of state. Memorable artifacts of regular people brought together in an exhibition demonstarting teh shift to a more structured and civilized existence. WHY LITHUANIANS TODAY AS THEY ARE?

This exhibition will uncover the confricting mood of the society, euphoric nature of new beginnings and THE COMPLEXITY OF CHANGE. A glimpse of art, culture and ourselves, Bundled with stories of eveyday life. Music, Fashion, amrket economy, a newly born mafia  and pop culture will itself alongside the artworks of MO collestion.

Curators: Vaidas Jauniškis, Rimantas Kmita, Mantas Pelakauskas, Miglė Survilaitė, Aurimas Švedas, Tomas Vaiseta, Renata Valčik
Architects: Renata Valčik, Joris Šykovas
Designer: Liudas Parulskis

(info from official leaflet of the exhibition)

February 29-March 1 was the closing weekend of the exhibition.

Admission - still 7eur, but on Thursdays you get 50% discount if you buy Žmonės 
And for people with Tour Guide Certificate - admission for free. (!!!)

And one more absolutely great thing is an audio guide absolutely for free. And information about almost all artworks from the exhibitions you can hear on your phone.
And that's why you get totally involved in visting the exhibition!

Day 50. Visit to the Centre for Civil Education

series of #VilniusINdoors

On July 10 I've visited the Centre for Civil Education located in the Presidential palace.It's such an interesiting educational place.
Not only you will get to the inner courtyard of the Presidential Palace, which is usually closed for visitors, but you will lear how the Lithuanian state functions.
You will learn about institution of the President, its history, about the Parliament, parties, muniscipalities and much much more.
Everything is in Lithuanian, but I guess some information could be found in Enhlish as well.
Just make sure you have at least 3-4 hours and you can spend them here. Although I thisnk that I can spend here the whole day.
The Centre for Civil Education has opened on March 10 and it's quite a new educational place.

First presidents of Lithuania

Presidents of Lithuania starting from 1990

The executive branch in Lithuanina

The Parliament of Lithuania

Check how civivally engaged you are

I've never seen 1000 litas banknote in my life!

PS this guy on 1000 litas is Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis :)

Day 29. Opera ONEGIN by D. Ibelhauptaitė at Vilnius Congress Hall

series of #VilniusINdoors

For the first time in my life I went to the opera. And Iwent not to the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, but to the opera performed by Vilnius City Opera and Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra at Vilnius Congress Hall.

I went to Opera Onegin composed by Caikovsky, story based on the novel in verse by Alexander Pushkin.

 Lensky. Photo taken from http://www.tiketa.lt

Onegin by Vilnius City Opera and Dalia Ibelhauptaitė

Location:

Vilnius Congress Hall.

Creators:

Director - Dalia Ibelhauptaitė
Conductor - Gintaras Rinkevičius
Scenography - Dick Bird
Costumes  - Juozas Statkevičius
Lighting designer  - Peter Mumford

Decoration before 2nd Act

Time: March 18 - 20, 2016
Tickets: starting from 13,20 EUR

As delfi.lt states Onegin creators only few days before the performance faced a seriuos problem concerning the artist who had to permorm the main roles: Onegin and Tatyana. They fell sick therefore new artists had to be found in a very short time. Both perfomers of the roles of Onegin and Tatyana were brought from Germany.

Perfomers:
Onegin - Jurij Samoilov (borrowed from Germany, Oper Frankfurt)
Tatyana - Vida Mikneviciute (borrowed also from Germany, Mainz)
Olga  - Jurgita Adamonyte
Lensky - Edgaras Montvidas
Commander Zaretsky - Tadas Girininkas
Trique - Rafailas Karpis
Mrs Larina - Sigute Stonyte
Nanya - Irena Milkevičiūtė

This season Vilnius City Opera repertoire consisted of 5 perfomances:

The Troubadour  - opera by g. Verdi
Pelléas and Mélisande - opera by C. Debussy
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - muscical by S. Sondheim (as I have heard absolutely amazing show)
Onegin - described here
and
Tosca - opera by G. Puccinni

To sum up everything I can say I've liked the opera Onegin very much.

Day 23. A. Vassiliev exhibitions. Part I. Exhibition Invitation to the Ball 1915 -2015.

series of #VilniusINdoors

On February 25, my work collegues and I have visited one of  Alexandre Vasilyev exhibitions.
This time it was Exhibition Invitation to the Ball 1915-2015 The most glamorous evening gowns from collection of Alexandre Vassiliev.
Location: the Museum of Applied Arts which is a part of the Lithuanian Art Musem.

The Museum of Applied Arts was established in 1987 in the reconstructed historical Arsenal, mentioned in the middle of 16th century annals as a part of the Lower Castle complex. In the middle of 15th century the eastern masonry wall of the Lower Castle was built. The bottom of the wall was mostly large stone masonry. At the confluence of the rivers Neris and Vilnele the eastern wall terminated in a square brickwork tower. The fragments of this tower can bee seen upon entering the museum on the right side the stairs. The eastern defensive wall was found to contain four-meter tall and three-meter wide pointed arch castle gate, which obviously led to the so called Crooked castle. Today thsi gate admits the visitors of the exhibition.

The museum hosts temporary exhibitions as well as international projects, educational sessions, and concerts.  (info taken from a ticket):)

It's not the first exhibition of Alexandre Vassiliev hosted by the Museum of Applied Arts. 

Accessories

My favourite dress <3 <3

and a model Lauren Bacall (on the third photo)

the most expensive gown in the exhibition ( by Dior)

Do you see the what I see? 

Yellow-Green-Red <3 <3 <3 

Three dresses by Lithuanian designers:

From the left ( my left and the left of a reader)

by Juozas Statkevicius, the middle one by Liutauras Salasevicius,

and by Ramune Piekautaite.

More about the opening of the exposition and more photos of the gowns ( in Lithuanian ) here , and here, and a wide comment on the exhibition (in Lithuanian) here.

We had a guided tour ( duration: 1, 5 hour) with a guide Vygintas Malinauskas who was such amazing and funny guide in the world of the gowns. Thank you!

Admission - 1,80  EUR (adults), a guided tour - 10 EUR.

Part III comes here.