| Performers |
Judita Leitaitė, a winner of international competitions and a soloist with the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, is one of Lithuania’s most active chamber musicians. She has made successful appearances at numerous international festivals in Poland, Denmark, Vilnius and London, as well as “Palaces of St. Petersburg” in Russia and “Music on the Water” held at the Palace of the King of Sweden. Her performance at the Baltic Music Fest in Sweden was a true sensation: “Audience was charmed not only by the beauty of the voice of fabulous vocalist Judita Leitaitė, but also by her compelling musical rendering.” She became the Summer Star of Newport Music Festival (USA). “The North American debut of Lithuanian mezzo-soprano Judita Leitaitė was greeted by thunderous ovations,” wrote Newport Music Festival press.
Leitaitė toured in Scandinavia, the USA, Canada, the South African Republic, Israel, France, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Georgia, Belarus, Poland. As a dedicated performer of Lithuanian contemporary music, she has premiered vocal works by Vytautas Laurušas, Osvaldas Balakauskas, Anatolijus Šenderovas, Mindaugas Urbaitis, Feliksas Bajoras, Vidmantas Bartulis, Algirdas Martinaitis, Jonas Tamulionis, Algimantas Bražinskas, and Algimantas Raudonikis.
Leitaitė has presented special programmes such as “Music by Women Composers”, “Musica Sacra” and “Musical Portraits of Famous Singers”, as well as programmes featuring Russian, German, French, Norwegian and Finnish art songs. The soloist has collaborated with 4 Tango and Baltic Guitar Quartet. She appeared as St Claire in oratorio Hymn to St Francis by Algirdas Martinaitis at the Sacred Music Festival “Pax et Bonum” and gave Lithuania premiere to Barber’s Hermit Songs.
Her latest projects include “The Most Beautiful Film Songs” with Čiurlionis Quartet, “Carmen, Carmen, Carmen”, Christmas carols from around the world, evenings of Russian romances, works by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Legrand. She is a regular participant of various charity events, including those for oncologically ill children.
Her record credits include a number of LPs, 12 CDs and well over 300 recordings for the Lithuanian Radio. Noteworthy recordings: music for film Vilniaus getas (Vilnius Ghetto), Balakauskas’ Requiem in Memoriam Stasys Lozoraitis, Russian romances, 20th century hit programme Renkuosi meilę (I Chose Love), CDs of Christian songs Tau, mano angele (For You, My Angel). Mano mėgstamos Skandinavijos dainos (My Favourite Scandinavian Songs), recorded in original language, received Finnish and Swedish critical recognition. Recently she has recorded Menu kerinčius valso garsus (I Recall Enchanting Sound of Waltz) and Nuoširdžiai jūsų (Sincerely Yours).
For contributions to Lithuanian culture Leitaitė was decorated with the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great; in 2005, she was awarded the State Culture and Art Prize; in 2007, she received the Gold Disc.
