On 29 May, the international opera platform OperaVision launched the streaming of Amilcare Ponchielli's opera I Lituani (The Lithuanians), produced by the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (LNOBT). The recording is available to watch free of charge for audiences in Lithuania and worldwide.
This offers a rare opportunity to watch a true masterpiece from the comfort of one's home – a work that features the name of Lithuania in its title, concentrating on themes of sacrifice, patriotism, and the fight for freedom. Created by the Italian composer A. Ponchielli, the opera I Lituani is based on Adam Mickiewicz’s poem Konrad Wallenrod. Its premiere took place in 1874 at Milan's Teatro alla Scala, one of the world's most prestigious opera houses.
The opera's plot, which depicts Lithuania’s historic battles against the Teutonic Knights, took on a broader significance in 19th-century Italy, where it was embraced as a powerful symbol of the yearning for freedom. In the autumn of 2025, LNOBT presented this rarely performed opera as a monumental stage production, bringing together an international team of creators. And now, viewers have the chance to witness one of LNOBT's most ambitious operatic productions of recent years without needing a ticket or a trip to the theatre.
LNOBT’s General Manager Laima Vilimienė emphasizes that this streaming places the work into a fresh international context: "The appearance of I Lituani on the OperaVision platform means that Lithuanian history, our theatre's creative capabilities, and this unique gem of the operatic repertoire are becoming accessible to a vast international audience. Today, LNOBT is the only opera house in the world that keeps this opera in its active repertoire. Therefore, its journey from Vilnius to the global stage carries an even greater meaning. It is an important cultural narrative about freedom, identity, and the presence of Lithuania’s name in the history of European opera," – says L. Vilimienė.
OperaVision is an international digital platform that presents productions from European opera houses to the wider public. Including LNOBT's I Lituani in its program opens up the opportunity to experience this masterpiece for both loyal theatregoers and audiences living abroad, as well as those who have not yet had the chance to discover this opera.
The plot takes the audience back to medieval Lithuania during the era of the Teutonic Crusades. Walter, a Lithuanian nobleman, leaves his wife Aldona behind to exact revenge on the Crusaders for devastating his homeland. Under the alias Konrad Wallenrod, he infiltrates enemy ranks and rises to become the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. However, his chosen path raises a dramatic question: can the struggle for one's country completely destroy personal happiness, love, and the hope of redemption?
This production was directed by the renowned Argentine creator Hugo De Ana, who also designed the scenography and costumes. The recorded performance is conducted by Ričardas Šumila. The leading roles are performed by Viktorija Miškūnaitė, Tadas Girininkas, Eugenijus Chrebtovas, Gaston Rivero, and Alfredas Miniotas, featuring the LNOBT Chorus, Orchestra, supernumeraries, and dancers.
A. Ponchielli's score stands out for its grand scenes, powerful choral pieces, dances, and highly melodic solo parts. The OperaVision presentation highlights that this music already foreshadows the stylistic traits of the composer's later masterpiece, La Gioconda.
The recording of I Lituani is available for streaming on the OperaVision platform from May 29 until 12:00 PM on 29 November. The opera is performed in Italian, and viewers can choose between Lithuanian, English, and Italian subtitles.
