Čiurlionis’ path: milestones

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis; Muzika; Tapyba; Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis; Music; Painting.

ENFirst decade of the 20th century was a very important period in the history of Lithuanian culture. On May the 7th, 1904, the ban of the Lithuanian press and public use of the language was lifted (the ban lasted 40 years). Public cultural life became possible. During the last two decades of the 19th century, wherever that was possible, the so called public Lithuanian soirées were held – in the United States, Tilsit and other places in Lithuania Minor, and finally (since 1895) sometimes even in the cities of the Russian Empire – St. Petersburg, Riga, and a couple of other Latvian cities. They were organized by the recently founded societies of culture or by charity organizations, and consisted usually of a drama performance and a concert given by a choir and soloists. Since the summer of 1904, this movement took all over Lithuania with lightning speed; before World War I, approximately 1500 concerts and drama performances were given in about 200 towns and villages, some 1000 amateur actors performed more than 100 Lithuanian and translated plays. The concerts were also taking place wherever there were at least some Lithuanians – in Moscow, Vladivostok, Tbilisi, Odessa, the cities of Siberia, Estonia, and Poland. It was the second wave of the national revival. Of course, Vilnius was a centre of the major political and cultural events. The publishing of newspapers started here. In 1906, the first Lithuanian opera was premiered. In 1907, the Lithuanian Science Society and the Lithuanian Art Society were founded. Before the war, eight exhibitions of the professional and folk art were held; three of them were also shown in Kaunas, one was held in Riga. The Musical section of the Art Society announced the 1st competition for chamber works in 1909. In the autumn 1905, the first meeting of the Lithuanian teachers was organized (it took place in the house of Gabrielius Landsbergis-Žemkalnis). [Extract, p. 229]