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Jan

9

Gabriele Salvatores - “La Lituania mi piace”

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Il famoso regista italiano Gabriele Salvatores, Vincitore del premio Oscar per il film “Mediterraneo”, ha girato per alcune settimane in Lituania molte scene del suo prossimo film “Educazione Siberiana” nel cui cast spicca il nome di John Malkovich. “Mi piace la Lituania, basti pensare alla grande tradizione teatrale e a Nekrošius“. Ma non è solo il teatro ad affascinarlo della Lituania.  “Il centro storico di Vilnius è davvero speciale, qualcosa di simile a quello di Vienna”. Quando Gabriele Salvatores venne a Vilnius per cercare i luoghi adatti per il film, il suo occhio artistico fu catturato dal quartiere di vecchie case di legno che gli abitanti stessi chiamano “Shangai”. Il quartiere si trova dietro il centro commerciale “Europa” e i cittadini di “Vilnius” non lo considerano affatto un  attrazione turistica.

“Siamo molto lieti che un regista italiano famoso come Gabriele Salvatores abbia deciso di girare un film in Lituania. La Lituania sta facendo tutto il possibile per cambiare le norme della legge sul Cinema e rendere più vantaggiosa la produzione di film stranieri, ma non è tutto. Nel mondo ci sono più di 100 milioni di appassionati di cinema e siamo certi che il turismo cinematografico (cineturismo) attirerà in Lituania più di un viaggiatore, che durante l’anno viaggia per il mondo con lo scopo di visitare i luoghi resi famosi dai film.” - Sostiene Kristina Šarkyte, il direttore dell’Ente Nazionale Lituano di Turismo in Italia.

Dec

29

Vilnius was rated as one among 15 destinations on the rise!

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World's most trusted travel advice®
15 destinations on the rise -- See why travellers rave about them.
Tallinn’s atmospheric Old Town is an enthralling hodgepodge of medieval streets and spires. It’s a small city, and the tourist areas are safe and easily explored on foot. Buy a Tallinn Card if intending to use buses, trolleys or trams. For a look into Tallinn’s past, visit Rocca-al-Mare Open Air Museum’s typical rural Estonian taverns, windmills and watermills, see the onion-domed 1900 cathedral or join the bustle in historic Town Hall Square. St. Olav’s spire was once the tallest in the world.
2. Riga, Latvia
The Latvian capital, the largest city in the Baltics, is a fascinating mixture of proud Latvian tradition and influences of the various countries that have occupied it. Independent once again since 1991, Riga’s Art Nouveau center has won it UNESCO World Heritage Site designation. Opened up to mass tourism with the advent of budget air travel, Riga’s Old City and its abundance of bars and restaurants can be explored on foot. The New Town is easily reached by an efficient and modern bus and tram network.
3. Moscow, Russia
The political, scientific, historical, architectural and business center of Russia, Moscow displays the country’s contrasts at their most extreme. The ancient and modern are juxtaposed side by side in this city of 10 million. Catch a metro from one of the ornate stations to see Red Square, the Kremlin, the nine domes of St. Basil’s Cathedral, Lenin’s Mausoleum, the KGB Museum and other symbols of Moscow’s great and terrible past, then lighten up and shop Boulevard Ring or people watch in Pushkin Square.
4. Zurich, Switzerland
The largest city in Switzerland is a major contemporary art and shopping destination. Important artworks are displayed in the Kunsthaus and the Rietberg Museum. Those who consider shopping an art can hone their skills along Bahnhofstrasse and Niederdorf. Chagall’s stained glass windows in the Fraumünster amaze. Zurich’s 500 clubs and bars, including several in swimming pools, pulse with life ’til the early hours. This city on Lake Zurich has excellent public transit and a free bike rental system.
5. Fethiye, Turkey
Prepare to be enchanted by this lively Mediterranean seaside town and working harbor. Travelers report it’s less touristy than other nearby towns, though with shops, restaurants, and fascinating ruins all around, there’s plenty to see and do. Hike to nearby Kayaköy, an abandoned “ghost village,” or visit the magnificent beach at Ölüdeniz, where you can bask in the sun or paraglide over the turquoise waters.
6. Seminyak, Indonesia
Located in the south, Seminyak has some of the nicest beaches in Bali. Be sure to catch the legendary sunsets and enjoy the tranquil beauty. Watch authentic Balinese ceremonies on the beach, complete with gamelan players and offerings to the gods.
7. Vilnius, Lithuania
Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, contains one of the largest surviving medieval quarters in Europe. Included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, Old Town contains almost two thousand medieval, gothic, renaissance, and baroque buildings, all centered on the neo-classical cathedral and town hall. Other popular attractions include the KGB Museum, located in a former Soviet prison, and the 13th century Higher Castle, which affords a glorious view of the city center.
8. Austin, TX
It seems like everyone knows someone who’s moving to Austin. In the past decade the capital of Texas has grown steadily, attracting everyone from young urban professionals to artists and students. This rapid evolution is noticeable everywhere from the busy downtown area to trendy and pricey neighborhoods. Despite the growth, Austin has managed to maintain its mellow, small-town appeal. A perennial “Best Place to Live” winner, it’s also a great place to visit, offering a range of attractions and activities. Austin offers recreational activities from golf to walking trails in beautiful parks. The shopping, restaurants and nightlife offer world-class appeal with a down-home Texas feel.
9. Chania Town, Greece
You’ve found Little Venice - or something very close indeed. Chania, on Crete’s west end, was under Venetian rule in the 13th century, and much of the town’s architecture still reflects that influence. The Venetian Harbor is the place to enjoy an afternoon sipping coffee and watching the world go by. Explore the old town’s shops and narrow alleys, and be sure to rent a car for day trips to nearby beaches.
10. Chaweng, Thailand
Dance the night away at the bars and pubs of Chaweng. On Samui Island’s east coast, Chaweng attracts a youthful crowd to its beach and dive shops by day, and to every kind of music and nightclub you could want by night. All this in a brilliant island setting some call paradise on earth.
11. Bordeaux, France
Controlled by the British for 300 years, Bordeaux is one of the most un-French cities in France. What was once a sleepy city (literally nicknamed “Sleeping Beauty” in French) is now a thriving tourist destination and mecca for wine enthusiasts. The city’s boundless energy is supplemented by the spirited university population. That is, unless you’ve been wine-tasting all day… in which case you’ll probably sleep quite well.
12. San Sebastian - Donostia, Spain
San Sebastian is a seaside city in the north of the Basque Country. It is no wonder why surfing is so popular in San Sebastian. The picturesque city looks out to La Concha bay and two beautiful beaches, Ondarreta and Zurriola. Bike to the many seafood restaurants and traditional “pintxos” (Basque tapas) bars, plus take in the views from Mount Igueldo. Walk up Monte Urgell to visit the Statue of Christ and see even more spectacular views.
13. Lyon, France
A UNESCO World Heritage site, Lyon has 2,000 years of history imprinted on its streets. Originating as Lugdunum under the Roman Empire, it evolved into a center of silk production and later a Haussman-style industrial city. Travel through the ages with stops at the Roman theaters and Temple of Cybele on Fourvire Hill, the 19th-century Basilica of Fourvire and the cathedral Primatiale St-Jean. With notable sausage, poultry and other specialties, Lyon makes a delicious base for exploring the Rhone region.
14. Essaouira, Morocco
Portuguese, French and Berber architecture frame the maze-like streets of Essaouira, a western Moroccan city hugging the Atlantic Ocean. With its long beach, abundant seawater spa treatments and dramatic sunsets over the Purple Islands just offshore, relaxation is as easy to find as the northeast trade winds that create ideal kitesurfing conditions. For total cultural immersion, stay in a riad, a traditional home-turned-guesthouse, and attend the annual Gnawas and World Music Festival.
15. Mendoza, Argentina
Mount Aconcagua, the Western Hemisphere’s highest summit, lords over this tranquil capital city, which shares its name with the Cuyo region province in which it resides. Although it draws its share of adventure travelers, drawn by the climbing, skiing, hiking and rafting opportunities within an easy drive of downtown, Mendoza is also embraced by oenophiles for its wines, especially Malbec. Tours and tastings at the area’s more than 1,000 vineyards are a local highlight.

Dec

23

The Curonian Spit in midsummer

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Stars and Stripes Logo

By KAREN BRADBURY

Published: December 22, 2011

The darkest days of the year are upon us. But we can take solace in the fact that as the winter solstice passes, the hours of daylight will slowly begin to increase. To get through these days, I find it helps to fall back on memories of a time when it remained light late into the evening. So I recall a journey I took to an area known as the Curonian Spit.

The Curonian Spit is a splinter of land tracing the coastline of the Baltic Sea for some 60 miles. It is separated from the mainland by a lagoon, and its territory is shared by Lithuania and the Russian Federation. As this geographical phenomenon lived in my memory, it was a sparsely touristed place. Thus it came as a huge surprise when, after a nearly three-hour bus ride from the Lithuanian city of Kaunas, followed by a 20-minute ferry ride from Klaipėda, and another half hour in a mini-van doubling as a taxi, I arrived in the town of Nida only to find all accommodation booked solid.

Nida, the largest of the four villages on the Lithuanian part of the spit, was bursting at the seams in large part due to its role as host of a folklore festival, one of the reasons I had planned my trip on this particular weekend at the end of June. But to me, folklore festivals are for those, shall we say, a bit less mainstream, rather than events to pack in the crowds.

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Oct

20

Winter Vacation in Lithuania

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The fact that there are no mountains in Lithuania winter holidays here seem to nave low importance. The only exception can be made for the season of Christmas holidays. In this very season tourists basically from neighboring Russia, Belarus and Poland come here to celebrate the New Year in Vilnius or Kaunas and to have fun in numerous cafes of the Old City. Moreover as a rule the tourists are offered standard excursions round the main sights of these cities in addition to shopping in the biggest supermarkets.

However Lithuania is able to offer a tourist more ways of having rest in winter rather than usual dance round the New Year tree or a shopping fever. It’s is known that more and more tourists prefer a week holiday somewhere in a quiet place near the forest to a noisy and very often tiresome tour.

Lithuania offers several variants of such vacation. Its most popular health resort of Druskininkai is attractive not only in summer but also in frosty January. The season here is not restricted to summer months, it continues all the year round. Skiing along the outskirts of the resort is also as attractive as cycling.
Another famous resort of Birshtonas has done more to attract tourist’s attention and except for some skiing tracks it has organized a real downhill track. It begins at the top of a hill which is 40 meters high and its general length is 160 meters. It’s clear that Birshtonas is not the Alps. But this track is able to diversify a quiet rhythm of this spa-resort.

A good winter tour round Lithuanian cities can become a bright event. A tourist can make it either alone or using the service of any tour agency. In any case such excursions as the one along the town Anikschai (an old railway, the Museum of horses, the downhill track on the hill of Kaletos) or another one round an old Lithuanian capital Kyarnava which is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Lithuania are really good and can suit anybody’s taste.
Written by www.litauen-netz.de

Aug

14

Europe du Nord - Lituanie

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Couverture du N° 18

Aug

14

Le méconnu Ciurlionis sous les projecteurs de l’Europe.

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LITUANIE. Vilnius, capitale européenne de la culture en 2009, expose le plus illustre des peintres et musiciens du pays, figure du symbolisme.

Vilnius, envoyé spécial.

Qui connaît Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis (1875-1911) ? Les amateurs du Musée d’Orsay se rappelleront, qui sait ? de la première rétrospective consacrée à un obscur peintre balte à la fin de l’année 2000. Mais rien n’est moins sûr.

Le peintre et compositeur lituanien Ciurlionis reste encore très méconnu en dehors des frontières de son pays où il est considéré comme un « héros », un « génie » ou bien encore un « trésor national ». « Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis devrait être une figure de légende. S’il n’était né dans une Lituanie opprimée par l’occupation russe, puis soviétique, si la quasi-totalité de son oeuvre n’était conservée par le musée des Beaux- Arts de Kaunas – d’où elle n’est guère sortie jusqu’à l’indépendance de son pays natal –, il occuperait dans l’histoire du symbolisme européen la place qui lui revient : celle du possédé foudroyé », affirmait en novembre 2000 le critique d’art Philippe Dagen.

Désignée capitale européenne de la culture pour l’année 2009, Vilnius a décidé de braquer cet été les projecteurs européens sur son artiste le plus illustre. Celui qui influencera des peintres comme Kandinsky, qu’il croisera à Saint- Pétersbourg en 1908, est la figure centrale de l’exposition « Dialogue des couleurs et des sons » dans la toute nouvelle galerie nationale des Beaux- Arts de Vilnius, inaugurée pour l’occasion. Né en 1875 à Varéna, il intègre l’École des beaux-arts de Varsovie en 1904. Installé à Vilnius en 1906, il organise la première exposition d’artistes lituaniens. Il se rend à Saint-Pétersbourg où ses toiles seront exposées ainsi qu’à Moscou. Travaillant jusqu’à l’épuisement, il est lâché par ses nerfs. Envoyé en 1910 au sanatorium de Pustelnik, près de Varsovie, pour y soigner une dépression nerveuse, il y meurt un an plus tard d’une pneumonie.

Au total, Ciurlionis a peint près de 300 tableaux, essentiellement entre 1903 et 1909. Il a également composé près de 300 oeuvres musicales. Pour lui, ces deux arts ne faisaient qu’un. Les titres de ses peintures sont évocateurs  : Sonate du soleil, Sonate des étoiles, Prélude et Fugue… Son travail le plus connu en Lituanie, Sonate de la mer, est composé de trois tableaux intitulés Allegro, Andante et Finale. Ciurlionis y dépeint une mer agitée, puis calme, et enfin complètement déchaînée. Dans Finale, une immense vague dont l’écume forme les initiales du peintre lituanien est sur le point d’engloutir des embarcations en forme d’ailerons de requins.

À mi-chemin entre le symbolisme et l’abstraction, Ciurlionis est difficilement classable. Les surréalistes n’auraient pas renié certaines de ses toiles. Les amateurs de fantasy apprécieront ses cités futuristes et sa série Contes de fées (les Rois, le Château et la Forteresse). Chez Ciurlionis, qui admirait la brume, la nature revêt des formes humaines inquiétantes. « Je voudrais faire une symphonie du bruissement des vagues, des paroles mystérieuses de la forêt séculaire, du clignotement des étoiles, de nos chansons populaires et de ma langueur infinie », écrit-il en 1908 à sa fiancée Sofija. Ceux qui rateront l’exposition, qui s’achève à la fin du mois, pourront visiter le musée Ciurlionis de Kaunas, deuxième ville du pays, où l’on trouve plus de cent tableaux de ce « prophète en son pays ».

Damien Roustel

Aug

12

La vestale au kanklès.

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Une mezzo-soprano lituanienne installée en France ressuscite les chants et instruments médiévaux de son pays.

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Apriori, un concert de musique médiévale dans une église, inspiré des oeuvres d’une mystique allemande du XIIe siècle et intitulé Extases de Hildegarde de Bingen, n’est pas le genre d’événement propre à déclencher la ruée du grand public. Pas en Lituanie.

Il est près de 23 heures ce 20 juin. La nuit blanche culturelle, un des programmes phares de « Vilnius, capitale européenne de la culture 2009 », bat son plein. Dans le centre de la vieille ville, près de l’université, la foule se presse aux abords de l’imposante église baroque Saint-Jean. Longs cheveux de jais, la Lituanienne Biruté Liuoryté-Gambus tient dans ses mains un kanklès, très vieil instrument à cordes lituanien aux allures de cithare. À côté d’elle, se trouve la Française Catherine Schroeder. Les deux artistes sont accompagnées par deux violonistes. Au fond, des photos des illuminations d’Hildegarde de Bingen défilent sur un écran géant. Succès total. Installée en région parisienne avec son mari français et ses trois jeunes enfants, Biruté Liuoryté- Gambus fait revivre le passé médiéval de la Lituanie à travers sa voix et ses inlassables recherches. Difficile pour elle d’expliquer son amour pour le kanklès. Autrefois, « c’était l’homme qui jouait de cet instrument dans les maisons. Il calmait les esprits. Le son du kanklès est très doux, propre à la méditation », ajoute cette mezzo-soprano.

Pendant ses études de direction de choeur à l’Académie de musique de Vilnius, elle parcourt la campagne lituanienne pour coucher sur le papier tous ces chants transmis oralement depuis le fond des âges. « J’ai rencontré des grand-mères qui connaissaient 500 chansons par coeur », se souvient-elle. Arrivée en France pour étudier la musique médiévale à la fin des années quatre-vingt-dix, elle obtient le premier prix de chant grégorien et de direction de choeur au Conservatoire national de Paris. Puis elle enchaîne avec un DEA de musicologie avant de diriger l’atelier de musique médiévale à l’université de Jussieu (Paris-VI) de 2000 à 2007. « En Lituanie, nous avons un million de chants collectés. J’essaye d’en connaître les origines pour les classifier  », raconte-elle. Au cours de ces dernières années, elle s’est aussi produite dans des groupes tels que les Nymphéales, Discantus ou bien Baltik. Elle a sorti quatre CD dont trois sont disponibles en France. On pourra l’écouter le 15 septembre au Centre culturel syrien de Paris.

Damien Roustel.

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