Name	Vytautas the Great
Title	Grand Duke of Lithuania
Reign	August 4, 1392 – October 27, 1430
Othertitles	Duke of Trakai Postulated King of Hussites
Predecessor	Skirgaila
Successor	Švitrigaila
Royal house	House of Kęstutis
Dynasty	Gediminids
Father	Kęstutis
Mother	Birutė
Birth date	~1350
Birth place	Senieji Trakai
Death date	October 27, 1430
Death place	Trakai
Place of burial	Vilnius, Vilnius Cathedral }}

Vytautas (Lithuanian: '''', , , Rusyn: ''Vitovt'', Latin: ''Alexander Vitoldus'', Italian: ''Vito il Grande''); styled "the Great" from the 15th century onwards; c. 1350 October 27, 1430) was one of the most famous rulers of medieval Lithuania. Vytautas was the ruler (1392–1430) of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania which chiefly encompassed the Lithuanians and Ruthenians. He was also the Prince of Hrodna (1370–1382) and the Prince of Lutsk (1387–1389), postulated king of Hussites.

In modern Lithuania, Vytautas is revered as a national hero and was an important figure in the national rebirth in the 19th century. ''Vytautas'' is a popular male given name in Lithuania. In commemoration of 500 years of Vytautas' death Vytautas Magnus University was named after him. Monuments in his honour were built in many towns in the independent Republic of Lithuania during the interwar period, 1918–1939.

Struggle for power

1377–1384

Vytautas' father, Kęstutis, and his uncle Algirdas, were brothers and did not compete for power. Algirdas was the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and Kęstutis was primarily responsible for defense against the Teutonic Knights. However, after Algirdas' death in 1377, his son Jogaila, became Grand Duke. The harmonious relationship of his father and uncle ended, and a struggle for power between them ensued. In 1380, Jogaila signed the secret Treaty of Dovydiškės with the Teutonic Knights against Kęstutis. When Kęstutis discovered this in the following year, he seized Vilnius, imprisoned Jogaila, and made himself Grand Duke. However, Jogaila managed to escape and raised an army against Kęstutis, and his son Vytautas. The two opposing sides confronted each other but never engaged in battle. Kęstutis was ready to negotiate, but he and Vytautas were arrested and transported to Kreva Castle. One week later, Kęstutis was found dead. Whether he died of natural causes or was murdered is still a matter of debate amongst historians. In 1382, Vytautas was able to escape from Kreva. After the escape, he sought help from the Teutonic Knights. At the time Jogaila was negotiating with the Teutonic Order. They formulated the Treaty of Dubysa, by which Jogaila promised to accept Christianity, become an ally of the Order, and give the Order some territory of Samogitia up to the Dubysa River. However, the treaty was never ratified. In summer 1383, the war between Jogaila and the Order started up again. Vytautas was baptised in the Catholic rite, receiving the name of Wigand (Lithuanian: ''Vygandas''). Vytautas participated in several raids against Jogaila. In January 1384, Vytautas again promised to cede part of Samogitia, to the Teutonic Order, up to the Nevėžis River in return for the title of Grand Duke of Lithuania. However, in July of the same year, Vytautas decided to abandon the Teutonic Knights and reconciled with Jogaila. He then proceeded to burn three important Teutonic castles, and he redeemed all Kęstutis' lands, except for Trakai.

1389–1392

Vytautas participated in the signing of Union of Kreva with Poland in 1385 and he was re-baptised in 1386 in the Catholic rite, receiving the name Alexander. This treaty provided for the marriage of Jogaila to Jadwiga of Poland, and for him to become the King of Poland. He left his brother Skirgaila as a regent of Grand Duchy of Lithuania. However, he was unpopular with the people and Vytautas saw an opportunity to become the Grand Duke again. In 1389 he started a war and attacked Vilnius but failed. Vytautas was forced to ask the Teutonic Knights for help for the second time in the beginning of 1390. Vytautas had to promise to keep the original agreement of 1384, and turn over Samogitia to the Order. His army now attacked Lithuanian lands.

To further advance his influence, Vytautas married his only daughter Sophia to Vasili I of Russia in 1391. The Polish nobility was unhappy that Jogaila, their new king, now Władysław II Jagiełło, spent too much time on the affairs of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. It was clear that the war could continue for years and would not bring any benefit to the country. In 1392, Wladyslaw II Jagiełło's envoy, Henry of Masovia, offered Vytautas to become his regent instead of Skirgaila. Vytautas accepted and once again burned three Teutonic castles and returned to Vilnius. Jagiełło and Vytautas signed the Astrava Treaty in which Vytautas redeemed all Kęstutis' lands, including Trakai, and was given more. He could rule Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the name of Wladyslaw II Jagiełło. After Vytautas death all lands and powers were to be returned to the King of Poland.

Grand Duke of Lithuania

Policy towards the East

Vytautas continued Algirdas' vision to control as many Muscovy lands as possible. Many lands were already under the Grand Duke's rule, but the rest were controlled by the Mongols. Tokhtamysh, Khan of the Golden Horde, sought Vytautas' help when he was removed from the throne in 1395 after his defeat by Timur. An agreement was reached that Vytautas would help Tokhtamysh to regain power, and the Horde would cede more lands to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in return. In 1398, Vytautas' army attacked a part of the Crimea and built a castle there. Now Lithuania spanned from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. A number of Tatar captives were brought to the ethnic Lithuania.

Inspired by this successful campaign, Vytautas and Wladyslaw II Jagiełło won support from Pope Boniface IX for organising a crusade against the Mongols. This political move also demonstrated that Grand Duchy of Lithuania had fully accepted Christianity and was defending the faith on its own, and that the Teutonic Knights had no further basis for attacks against Lithuania. The campaign resulted in total defeat at the Battle of the Vorskla River in 1399. Over twenty princes, including two brothers of Wladyslaw II Jagiełło, were killed, and Vytautas himself barely escaped alive. This came as a shock to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Poland. A number of territories revolted against Vytautas, and Smolensk was retaken by its hereditary ruler, George of Smolensk and not re-conquered by Lithuanians until 1404. Vytautas waged a war in 1406-1408 against his son-in-law Vasili I of Moscow and Švitrigaila, a brother of Jogaila who with the support of the Teutonic Order had declared himself grand prince. A major stand-off between the two armies ended without a battle in the Treaty of Ugra, by which Velikiy Novgorod was granted to Jogaila's brother Simeon Lingwen, and the important city of Pskov to Jogaila's envoy Jerzy Nos, the latter settlement a clear violation of the treaty of Raciąż. The war with Muscovy ended in December 1408, on terms which made further conflict with the Teutonic Order inevitable, despite Hermann II of Celje's attempt to negotiate a solution.

Wars against the Teutonic Order

In 1398 in preparation for the crusade against the Golden Horde, Vytautas had signed the Treaty of Salynas with the Teutonic Knights and transferred Samogitia to them. Samogitia was especially important for the order because it separated Teutonic Knights, based in Prussia, from the Livonian Order, based in Latvia. The two orders desired to unite and form a mighty force. However, the knights ruled Samogitia only for three years, because in 1401 the Samogitians, supported by Vytautas, rebelled and burned two castles. The knights received support from Švitrigaila, brother of Jagiełło, who desired to take Vytautas' title. In 1404 Peace of Raciąż was signed which, in essence, repeated the Treaty of Salynas: Samogitia was transferred to the Teutonic Knights. Poland promised not to support Lithuania in case of another war. The knights promised to support Vytautas in the east and not to support any Gediminid who could have claims to the Grand Duke of Lithuania title. However, the treaty did not solve the problems, and all the parties prepared for a war.

In 1408 Vytautas reached peace in the east and returned to Samogitia matters. In 1409 the second Samogitian uprising, backed by Vytautas, against the Teutonic Knights started. The rebels burned Skirsnemunė castle. Since both Poland and Lithuania supported the rebels, the war started. Vytautas gathered a large army from 18 lands under his control. The army joined Polish forces and advanced towards the Teutonic headquarters at the castle of Marienburg (present-day Malbork). In 1410 Vytautas himself commanded the forces of the Grand Duchy in the Battle of Grunwald (also called the Battle of Tannenberg). The battle ended in a decisive Polish-Lithuanian victory. Even though the siege of Marienburg was unsuccessful, the Teutonic Knights never regained their strength and from then on posed a reduced threat to Poland-Lithuania.

As a result of the Peace of Thorn of 1411, Vytautas received Samogitia for his lifetime. However, the parties could not agree on the border. Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, agreed to mediate the dispute. In 1413, it was declared that the whole right bank of the Neman River was Samogitia and therefore belonged to Lithuania. The Teutonic Knights disagreed and a new war started in 1414. The war lasted for just a couple of months and the dispute was brought to the Council of Constance. Even though the dispute was not resolved, the Samogitians had a chance to present their case to the leaders of Europe. It is seen as an important event in the diplomatic history of Lithuania. Several other mediation attempts failed and yet another war with the Teutonic Order started in 1422. After a couple of months of fighting, the Treaty of Lake Melno was signed. Samogitia was returned to Lithuania in perpetuity, while the city of Memel (present-day Klaipėda) and surrounding territories stayed with the Order. This border, as established by the treaty, remained stable for some 500 years until the Memel Territory dispute of 1923. With peace established, Vytautas could now concentrate on reforms and the relationship with Poland.

Relationship with Poland

In 1399 Jadwiga of Poland and her newborn died in childbirth. Jogaila's power in Poland was jeopardised as he was a foreigner king with no other ties to the throne but his wife. Also, the defeat at Vorskla forced a re-evaluation of the relationship between Poland and Lithuania. The result was the Union of Vilnius and Radom in 1401. Vytautas was granted wide autonomy, but after his death the title and powers of Grand Duke of Lithuania were to be transferred to the king of Poland or vice versa. In case Jagiełło died first without an heir, the Polish nobility agreed not to elect a new king without consulting Vytautas. The unique feature of this union was that the Lithuanian nobility presented their own document: for the first time somebody other than dukes played a role in the state matters.

Vytautas was one of the creators of the Union of Horodło with Poland in 1413. According to the act of the union, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was to retain a separate Grand Duke and its own parliament. At the same time both the Polish and Lithuanian Sejms were to discuss all the important matters jointly. This union was important culturally as well as politically because it granted Lithuanian Christian nobles the same rights as the Polish szlachta. This act did not include Orthodox nobles. This paved the way for more contacts and cooperation between the nobles of Poland and of Lithuania.

In January of 1429 Vytautas already had received the title of King of Lithuania with the backing of Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor, but the envoys who were transporting the crown were stopped by Polish magnates in autumn of 1430. Another crown was sent, but Vytautas died in the Trakai Island Castle several days before it reached Lithuania. He was buried in the Cathedral of Vilnius. The knowledge about his remains has been lost.

According to 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vytautas "was certainly the most imposing personality of his day in Eastern Europe, and his martial valour was combined with statesmanlike foresight."

Reforms

Vytautas backed the economic development of his state and introduced many reforms. Under his rule the Grand Duchy of Lithuania gradually became more centralised, as local princes with dynastic ties to the throne were replaced by the governors loyal to Vytautas. The governors were rich landowners who formed the basis for the Lithuanian nobility. During Vytautas' rule, the influential Radziwiłł and Goštautai families began their rise.

Family

Born in 1350 in the castle of present-day Senieji Trakai, Vytautas was the son of Kęstutis and his second wife Birutė. Vytautas was a cousin and childhood friend of Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło), who became King of Poland in 1386. Around 1370, he married Anna, who gave birth to Sophia of Lithuania, the only child of Vytautas. She was married to Vasily I, Grand Prince of Moscow. After Anna's death in 1414, Vytautas married her niece Juliana Olshanska, daughter of Ivan Olshanski.

See also

Gediminids

House of Kęstutis – family tree of Vytautas

Order of Vytautas the Great

Notes

References

Inga Deidulė, Vytauto Didžiojo įvaizdžio genezės mįslė, - "ieškokite moterų", Vartiklis. Accessed May 20, 2006. Andrius Mingėla, Vytautas Lietuvos didysis kunigaikštis, Juventa high school. Accessed May 20, 2006.

Oscar Halecki, Borderlands of Western Civilization: A History of East Central Europe, 2nd edition, Chapter 8, Simon Publications, July 2001, ISBN 0-9665734-8-X

Vytautas and Karaims, Lithuanian Karaims Culture Community. Accessed May 20, 2006.

Category:1350 births Category:1430 deaths Category:Lithuanian nobility Category:Belarusian rulers Category:Gediminids Category:People of the Hussite Wars Category:Grand Dukes of Lithuania Category:Kings of Lithuania Category:Pretenders to the Bohemian throne Category:Burials at Vilnius Cathedral Category:People in the Battle of Grunwald Category:People from Vilnius County

be:Вітаўт Кейстутавіч be-x-old:Вітаўт bg:Витовт cs:Vytautas da:Vytautas den Store af Litauen de:Vytautas et:Vytautas es:Vitautas el Grande eo:Vytautas fr:Vytautas le Grand id:Vytautas yang Agung it:Vytautas il Grande ka:ვიტოვტი la:Alexander Vitoldus lv:Vītauts Dižais lt:Vytautas Didysis hu:Vitold litván nagyfejedelem nl:Vytautas ja:ヴィータウタス pl:Witold Kiejstutowicz ru:Витовт sco:Vytautas the Great sk:Vytautas fi:Vytautas Suuri tr:Vytautas tk:Beýik Witautas uk:Вітовт bat-smg:Vītauts Dėdlīsės zh:维陶塔斯

Name	Vytautas Babravičius
Birth name	Vytautas Babravičius
Background	solo_singer
Origin	Lithuania
Born	10th of March 1952
Genre	country music, folk rock
Occupation	Vocalist, journalist
Years active	since 1967 }}

Vytautas Babravičius, stage name Simas, is a Lithuanian country and folk rock musician. He is often described as a founder of Lithuanian country music scene.

Musical career

Babravičius began his musical career while studying engineering at a university and playing at student's parties since 1967. In 1979 he founded a country music band Deficitai, that quickly became popular for being different than officially allowed music of the time. Group was dissolved in 1983. Later Babravičius pursued solo career under stage name Simas while working as journalist. In 1987 he founded band Runos and released a LP ''Vyturėliai jūs mano''.

Simas' solo songs were popular during the Singing Revolution.

1996 Simas' issued first country music CD in Lithuania called ''Ąžuolams, liepoms''. Many times he did participate in Visagino Country music festival.

In 2007 he celebrated his 40th season on the scene

Awards

Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas

References

Category:Lithuanian musicians Category:Lithuanian journalists Category:Living people Category:1952 births

lt:Vytautas Babravičius

Name	Vytautas Kernagis
Birth name	Vytautas Kernagis
Background	solo_singer
Origin	Vilnius, Lithuania
Born	May 19, 1951
Death date	March 15, 2008
Genre	Sung poetry, pop, rock, folk
Occupation	Vocalist, actor, television presenter.
Years active	1966–2007 }}

Vytautas Kernagis (May 19, 1951 – March 15, 2008) was a Lithuanian singer-songwriter, bard, actor, director, and television announcer. He is considered a pioneer of Lithuanian sung poetry.

Career

Vytautas Kernagis attended M.K.Čiurlionis and Vilnius 23rd schools. In 1973, he graduated from the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. He was a member of the pioneering Lithuanian big beat bands ''Aisčiai'' (1966–1968) and ''Rupūs miltai'' (1969–1972). Kernagis recorded his first album of sung poetry in 1978. Kernagis also took part in the first Lithuanian rock opera ''Velnio nuotaka'', first Lithuanian musical ''Ugnies medžioklė su varovais'' (1976), and first Lithuanian musical for a puppet theatre ''Šokantis ir dainuojantis mergaitės vieversėlis''.

Kernagis suffered from gastric cancer and died March 15, 2008. He was cremated and interred in the Antakalnis Cemetery in Vilnius.

Filmography

''Kai aš mažas buvau'' (When I was little) (1968)

''Mažoji išpažintis'' (Little confession) (1971)

''Atsiprašau '' (I'm sorry) (1982)

''Kažkas atsitiko'' (Something happened) (1986)

''Anastasija'' (Anastasia) (2006)

Discography

''Akustinis'' (1978 LP album, 1994 CD ir MC, 2006, Vilniaus plokštelių studija)

''Baltojo nieko dainelės'' (1979, Vilniaus plokštelių studija; 2000, „"Čiki Piki")

''Vytautas Kernagis'' (1979 LP, Melodia C60-10889-90)

''Kabaretas „Tarp girnų“'' (1982 small vinyl, 1984 LP, Vilniaus plokštelių studija)

''Vytautas kernagis Čikagoje'' (1985, Cassettes studija)

Dainos teatras:

* ''Žvilgsnis nuo kalno'' (1986, Vilniaus plokštelių studija)

* ''Eik savo keliu'' (1987, Vilniaus plokštelių studija)

* ''Povo link...'' (1989, Vilniaus plokštelių studija)

* ''Apie medžioklę'' (1990, Vilniaus plokštelių studija)

''Keistumas'' (1991 m., "Lituanus")

''Dainos teatras – Abėcėlė'' (1993, "Bomba")

''Vaikai vanagai'' (1994, "Bomba")

''Kabaretas „Tarp girnų“ 1979–1994'' (1994 m., "Bomba")

''Baltas paukštis'' (1998, Vilniaus plokštelių studija)

''Teisingos dainos'' (2003, "Tigris")

''Dainos teatras'' (2006)

''Klasika'' (2007, 5 CD collection):

* ''Akustinis''

* ''Baltojo nieko dainelės''

* ''Dainos teatras''

* ''Teisingos dainos''

Awards

1995 - Antanas Šabaniauskas' musical award

2000 - "Bravo" award

2002 - Officer's Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas

2008 - National Award of the Culture and Art for the professionality of modern creation and artistry.

References

External links

Vytautas Kernagis Fund

Category:1951 births Category:2008 deaths Category:Deaths from stomach cancer Category:Recipients of the Lithuanian National Prize Category:Songwriters Category:Lithuanian pop musicians Category:Lithuanian television presenters

es:Vytautas Kernagis lv:Vītauts Ķernaģis lt:Vytautas Kernagis bat-smg:Vytautas Kernagis

Sergej Larin or (; ) (March 9, 1956 – January 13, 2008) was one of a number of operatic tenors from the former Soviet Union to achieve success in the West. His vocal talent was acknowledged by some of the world's leading conductors including Riccardo Muti, Claudio Abbado and Zubin Mehta Larin was also a recitalist, with several programs of songs preserved on disc.

Larin was born in Daugavpils, Latvia. After completing a degree in French philology in Gorky and undergoing voice training in Lithuania under the well-known Lithuanian tenor Virgilijus Noreika, he made his debut at Lithuania's opera and ballet theatre in 1981, singing Alfredo in ''La Traviata''. Nearly a decade of performances at various Soviet venues passed before Larin made his debut in the West. Larin's international career started after he signed a contract with the Opera Theatre of Bratislava and moved to Slovakia, following which he made a sensational debut at the Vienna State Opera. His Covent Garden debut took place in 1991, where he sang Don José in Bizet's ''Carmen'', while Cavaradossi in Puccini's ''Tosca'' served for his debuts at both Paris and the Metropolitan Opera.

Still, the prevailingly lyric impact of his strong tenor made him the choice for important Russian roles at several theatres. His experience with ''Boris Godunov'' began with the Fool, took him next to the role of the wily Shuisky, and finally to the False Dmitri. The Metropolitan Opera heard his first performances of the Pretender when the Kirov visited in 1992. In 1994, Larin sang Dmitri with Abbado at the Salzburg Festival, a production recorded and honored critically as an important achievement by all participants. Salzburg audiences heard Larin's Don Carlos in 1998.

Another Italian role in which Larin received positive attention was Calaf, sung in a production of Puccini's ''Turandot'' mounted in China and recorded, video-taped, and distributed globally. Within the respectable cast, Larin received some complimentary notices and benefited (as did other cast members) from the extensive publicity surrounding the event.

In addition to Boris Godunov and Turandot, two other recordings feature noteworthy work by Larin in the company of other commendable singers. His Andrei in Neeme Järvi's recording of Tchaikovsky's ''Mazeppa'' placed him in the company of Sergei Leiferkus, Galina Gorchakova, Anatoly Kotcherga, and Larissa Diadkova, the top Russian singers in the 1990s. Similarly, his Sergei in Shostakovich's ''Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District'' cast him with exemplary singers save for a somewhat over-parted protagonist.

Larin recorded several discs of Russian songs for the Chandos label, exploring Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky in discs entirely devoted to their works and offering another recital devoted to songs of "The Mighty Handful" (Rimsky-Korsakov, Cui, Balakirev, Borodin, and Mussorgsky) as well as two discs of miscellany, including Medtner, Gretchaninov, Rubinstein, and Kalinnikov. His accompanist in the project was Eleonora Bekova.

He died in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Notes and references

Erik Eriksson, Allmusic,

External links

Official website of Sergej Larin

Category:1956 births Category:2008 deaths Category:Operatic tenors Category:People from Daugavpils Category:Russian opera singers

fr:Sergueï Larine it:Sergej Larin pt:Sergejus Larinas

name	Vytautas Juozapaitis
background	solo_singer
birth date	December 14, 1963
origin	Radviliskis, Lithuania
real home	Vilnius, Lithuania
instrument	Vocals, piano, drums
genre	Opera, operetta, musical, classical music
occupation	Vocalist, opera singer, theatre actor, pedagogue, TV host
years active	1986–present
website	http://www.vytautasjuozapaitis.lt }}

Vytautas Juozapaitis (born December 14, 1963 in Radviliskis, Lithuania) is a Lithuanian singer (baritone), recipient of Lithuanian National Prize, a soloist of Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre and Kaunas State Musical Theatre, a professor of Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and a docent of Vilnius College of Higher Education, and a television personality. He has performed in many international venues and is considered the most famous contemporary Lithuanian baritone.

Biography

After graduating Lithuanian Academy of Music (class of prof. V. Prudnikovas) in 1989, V. Juozapaitis debuted in the role of Freddie in ''My Fair Lady'' and soon moved on to prominence, becoming one of the leading opera soloists of Lithuania.

A soloist at the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (since 1990) and Kaunas State Musical Theatre (since 1989). Also collaborates with Klaipėda State Musical Theatre and appears in other subsidiary projects.

1992-1993 he studied at the European Center for Opera and Voice (ECOV) in Belgium, then with Marlene Malas in New York, USA and baritone Tom Krause in Finland. He sang in ''Don Giovanni'' at the Czech National Opera Theatre in Prague, and toured with his company in Japan during 1994 and 1995, as well with company "Teatro Lirico D'Europa" in USA, 2003. In 2005 worked in the Barcelona Gran Teatre del Liceu (Spain) as the opera manager.

In addition to working as a performer, prof. Juozapaitis has been teaching vocal performance since 1996 at his alma mater, now Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, from 2006 - also in Vilnius College of Higher Education. Among his graduate students are some prominent Lithuanian opera singers like tenor Edmundas Seilius or baritone Dainius Stumbras. In 2009, Juozapaitis opened his personal educational centre of culture and art "Vytauto Juozapaičio kultūros ir meno centras".

He continues to perform in Lithuania and abroad: he has toured in Austria, the Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, India, Nepal, Norway, Poland, United States, Spain, Russia, Germany, Latvia, Estonia, Finland or Canada. He participated in many Lithuanian and foreign music festivals such as Savonlinna Opera (Finland), „Classic Openair Solothurn“ (Switzeland), Beijing international music festival (China), Salzburger Festspiele (Austria), Wrozlaw Oratory Music (Poland), Symposium-Festival of French Composers of Contemporary Music Montpelior or F. Schubert - J. Haydn festivals, and cooperated with all Lithuanian and famous foreign conductors: Mstislav Rostropovich, Justus Franz, Pinchas Steinberg, Eduard Müller, David Agler, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Krzysztof Penderecki, and many others; directors - Anthony Minghella, Chen Shi-Zheng, Emilio Sagi, Francesca Zambello, Monika Wiesler, Silviu Purcarete, Jurij Aleksandrov, Jonas Jurašas, Gintaras Varnas, Dalia Ibelhauptaitė, Raimundas Banionis, Gintas Žilys and others.

V. Juozapaitis took first prize at the 1980 competition "Dainų dainelė". In 1992 won the 1st Competition of Lithuanian Vocalists. In 1993, he was awarded a diploma at the International Luciano Pavarotti Vocal Competition in Philadelphia (where the chairman was Pavarotti himself). Later he won all the major prizes of Lithuanian theatre scene, including 3 Opera soloist of the Year awards, 2 "Public's Favorite", "Kipras", "Kristoforas", "Auksinis scenos kryžius" (The Golden Cross of Scene) or the Officer's Cross of the Order "For the Merits to Lithuania". In recognition of his achievements, he was awarded the Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Arts in 2003.

Maestro Juozapaitis is also a well-known television personality: a TV host (show of classical music - ''Tegyvuoja klasika!'' - ''Long live the classics!''), a chairman of judges in 2 music competition shows - ''Žvaigzdžių duetai'' (analogue to ''Celebrity Duets'') and ''Triumfo arka'' (''Triumphal arch'', a contest of opera singers), also one of its formers, on 2 major Lithuanian TV channels LTV and LNK. He has also released 3 successful solo CDs.

Married for the second time in 1988, has 3 daughters - Vaiva, Vaida (adopted daughter from wife's first marriage) and Ieva.

Roles

Lithuanian composers has written some roles specifically for V. Juozapaitis: Count Shemeta - in Broniaus Kutavičiaus opera ''Lokys'', King Mindaugas - in Broniaus Kutavičiaus opera ''Ugnis ir tikėjimas'', Žilvinas - in Audronė Žigaitytė opera ''Žilvinas ir Eglė'' and Žygimantas Augustas - in Giedrius Kuprevičius opera ''Karalienė Bona''.

V. Juozapaitis' repertoire includes almost 50 major baritone roles in operas, operettas and musicals. Most famous of them:

Don Giovanni - in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opera ''Don Giovanni''

Rigoletto - in Giuseppe Verdi opera ''Rigoletto''

Figaro - in Gioachino Rossini opera ''The Barber of Seville''

Escamilllo - in Georges Bizet opera ''Carmen''

Germont, Barone Douphol - in Giuseppe Verdi opera ''La Traviata''

Don Carlos, Marquis of Posa - in Giuseppe Verdi opera ''Don Carlos''

Prince Ypsheim - in Johann Strauss operetta ''Wiener Blut''

Sharpless - in Giacomo Puccini opera ''Madama Butterfly''

Enrico - in Gaetano Donizetti opera ''Lucia di Lammermoor''

Scarpia - in Giacomo Puccini opera ''Tosca''

Gianni Schicchi - in Giacomo Puccini opera ''Gianni Schicchi''

Amonasro - in Giuseppe Verdi opera ''Aida''

Valentino - in Charles Gounod opera ''Faust''

Prince Yeletsky - in Pyotr Tchaikovsky opera ''The Queen of Spades''

Wolfram - in Richard Wagner opera ''Tannhäuser''

Guglielmo - in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opera ''Così fan tutte''

Renato - in Giuseppe Verdi opera ''Un ballo in maschera''

Ping - in Giacomo Puccini opera ''Turandot''

Don Carlo - in Giuseppe Verdi opera ''La forza del destino''

Pilot - in Rachel Portman opera ''The Little Prince''

Paganini - in Franz Lehár operettta ''Paganini''

Freddie - in Frederick Loewe musical ''My Fair Lady''

Homonay - in Johann Strauss operetta ''The Gypsy Baron''

Don Alvaro - in Gioachino Rossini opera ''Il viaggio a Reims''

Duke Guido - in Johann Strauss operetta ''Eine Nacht in Venedig''

Plunkett - in Friedrich von Flotow opera ''Martha''

Delaura - in Peter Eötvös opera ''Love and Other Demons''

Frollo - in Richard Cocciante musical ''Notre Dame de Paris''

Gérard - in Umberto Giordano opera ''Andrea Chénier''

Arnoldo - in Amilcare Ponchielli opera ''I Lituani''

Pontius Pilate - in Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber rock opera ''Jesus Christ Superstar''

Count Almaviva - in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opera ''The Marriage of Figaro''

V. Juozapaitis also has sung in many oratories including ''Carmina Burana'' by Carl Orff, ''Ein deutsches Requiem'' by Brahms, ''Stabat Mater'' by Franz Schubert, ''Era di Aguarius'' by Sofia Gubaidulina or ''War Requiem'' by Benjamin Britten.

Discography

2004 - ''Negaliu Nemylėti'' (I Can't Help Falling In Love)

2005 - ''Baritonas'' (Baritone)

2008 - ''Neprarask Vilties'' (Don't Lose Hope)

References

External links

Vytauto Juozapaičio edukacinis kultūros ir meno centras - The official website

Category:1963 births Category:Lithuanian singers Category:Lithuanian opera singers Category:Operatic baritones Category:Living people Category:Recipients of the Lithuanian National Prize

lt:Vytautas Juozapaitis (1963) ru:Юозапайтис, Витаутас