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New Exhibitions
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FROM
THE COLLECTIONS OF THE THEATRE, MUSIC AND FILM MUSEUM
from the 19th C to the first half of the 20th C
Vilnius, 2000
I.
The beginning of exposition
II.
The movement of Lithuanian West
III.
Une Babickaite-Graiciuniene (Une
Baye)
IV.
Memorial things and art works of different styles and periods
collected by Une Babickaite-Graiciuniene
V.
The collection of Eastern Theatre costumes, souvenirs, china
and art works
I.
The beginning of exposition
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112 years ago
V.Kudirka announced the founding of the society“Lithuania”
in Cracow (1888). Its statute read “…means would be
allocated to develop arts and theatre in Lithuania”. That
was the first programme of Lithuanian national theatre.
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All Vincas
Kudirka’s activities related to theatre and music show
distinctly Lithuanian traditions, which arose from national
folklore, mythology, legends, customs, rites that are
dominated by life experience, ethics, optimism and the
social phenomena of the epoch.
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We are
opening the exhibition with such famous names as Vincas
Kudirka and the great Lithuanian painter and composer M.K.Ciurlionis.
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This is our
first long-term exposition in which we present the most
interesting exhibits which are carefully stored in our
museum. We have already got 252.285 exhibits which reflect
the most interesting glimpses of our history.
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A hundred
years ago the first public Lithuanian performance was staged
in Palanga (1899). This date was announced a national
festival (G.Petkevicaite-Bite).
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A hundred
year anniversary of “Song” society is approaching.
In this Lithuanian society such famous and gifted artists as
J.Naujalis, A.Sutkus, J.Karosas, P.Adomavicius,
A.Vitkauskas, A.Galauniene, V.Nacevicius,
Maironis, S.Simkus, J.Tumas-Vaizantas used to work.
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In the
exhibition we will see the distinct steps of such famous
Lithuanian artists as J.Vaickus, K.Glinskis, A.Sutkus,
O.Rymaite, B.Dauguvietis, A.Oleka-Zilinskas. The
impression will be enlarged by watching the spiritual and
material world of a famous actress and stage-manager
Une Babickaite.
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Concentrating
the attention on the most important points of the
development of our national theatre, the exhibition will
bring us to the musical world of Lithuania. The visitor will
see the creative works of the composers, conductors, singers
and ballet masters as J.Naujalis, M.Buksa, V.Jonuskaite, O.Karveliene,
J.Mazeika,
K.Petrauskas, O.Malejinaite, B.Kelbauskas.
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We have
accumulated a
lot of art works, musicals, composers' memorial things of
different styles and periods which give the meaning to the
life and creative works of famous Lithuanian artists.
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Musical
instruments occupy a particular place in the exhibition.
Such exhibits as harmoniums, pianoes, gramophones etc. can
be seen there. Some of
them have their own legends. For example, there is a piano
which Maryla Puttkamer-Wereszczakowna used to play while
entertaining Adam Mickewicz. Probably her playing
inspired him for new poems.
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The
collection of mechanic instruments is interesting as well. It
shows the evolution of instruments which are very rarely
found nowadays.
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The
collections of film makers St.Uzdonas, S.Vainalavicius,
J.Vaiskus, St.Usinskas show the specific features of film
technology, the complexity of film apparatus, the first steps of
Lithuanian film
production.
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The library
collection comprises 30.000 books. The collection is
represented by exibits of such gifted people as U.Babickaite,
B.Sruoga, V.Maknys, V.Zadeika and others who wrote about
the culture and arts in Lithuania.
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The exhibits
show the spiritual world of our artists, the values of
ancient culture which, we hope, will enrich the knowledge of
our history and serve as the perspective of creative works.
II.
The movement of Lithuanian West
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The movement
of Lithuanian West (Lietuvisku Vakaru sajudis) (1885-1917)
spread in various regions of Lithuania and was crowned with
first public performance in Palanga - “Amerika
pirtyje” by Keturakis in 1899. This performance announced the beginning of
the professional national theatre in Lithuania.
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“Song”
society occupies a particular place in the exhibition. It
was founded in 1899 and such gifted musicians, theatre and
chorus art masters as J.Naujalis, V.Nacevicius,
G.Landsbergis-Zemkalnis, A.Vitkauskas, A.Sutkus, A.Zilinskas, U.Babickaite, O.Rymaite and others
used to create there.
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Lithuanian
Creators' Society initiated the foundation of National
Theatre in Kaunas (1920). Famous stage-managers:
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Juozas
Vaickus (1885-1935)
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Antanas
Sutkus (1892-1968)
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Borisas
Dauguvietis (1885-1949)
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Andrius
Oleka-Zilinskas (1893-1948)
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Konstantinas
Glinskis (1886-1938)
III.
Une Babickaite-Graiciuniene (Une
Baye)
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Une
Babickaite-Graiciuniene (Une Baye) (1897-1961)
- a famous theatre and cinema actress and stage-manager.
In
1914-1918 she studied in St. Petersburg, during 1918-1919 she worked as
an actress and stage-manager in “Song” society in Kaunas. In 1919
she left for the USA. The next year U.Babickaite-Graiciuniene organized drama courses in
Chicago, in 1923 played in movies, and worked in
Washington and New York theatres in 1924-1925. In 1936 she returned to Lithuania
and created in theatres.In 1951 she and her husband were
deported to a concentration camp near Volga, from which she
returned two years later.
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U.Babickaite
used to associate with famous people from Europe, USA, Russia,
Lithuania. Inspired by Balys Sruoga and Vincas Kreve,
who were the founders of the museum of national theatre, Une
Babickaite collected various exhibits during her lifetime.
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Her collection is
presented by the works of folk and Christian art.
IV. Memorial things and art works of different styles and
periods collected by Une Babickaite-Graiciuniene
V.
The collection of Eastern Theatre costumes, souvenirs, china,
and art works
Prepared by Janina
Stankeviciene.
Translated by Rima Grasiene
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