October 12 | 19:00
Martynas Mažvydas National Library of Lithuania
(Gedimino av. 51)
AUTO-DA-FÉ
Contemporary Music Ensemble "Artisans"
Auto-da-fé (Portuguese for “act of faith”) was the name given to a ceremony conducted by the tribunal of the Roman Catholic Church’s Inquisition. During these ceremonies, heretics and apostates were publicly and shamefully condemned. The most severe punishment, of course, was being burned alive.
This historical image serves as a starting point for exploring the classical concerto genre for soloist and orchestra (in this case, an ensemble), deconstructing its romanticized principle—the triumph of the hero-soloist over the greater force of the orchestra—in the context of modern times. Here, struggle is replaced by quiet resignation, while virtuosic gestures evoke only inevitable and all-encompassing helplessness and absurdity. The orchestra has dispersed, yet some cadences remain unresolved, like monuments to the solitude of all soloists.
What is this? An act of faith.
Faith in what? The end of suffering.
Does suffering have an end? Si dixero, non satis est. (If I were to say it, it would not be enough.)
Concept and Composer: Lukas Butkus
Performed by: Contemporary music ensemble Artisans
Featuring: Evaldas Alekna
This work was created with the support of a scholarship awarded by the M. K. Čiurlionis Society.
Performers
Artisans
Lukas Butkus (fortepijonas)
Liepa Vozgirdaitė (smuikas)
Kristupas Gikas (fleita)
Dominykas Snarskis (perkusija)
Contemporary Music Ensemble “Artisans” has been an active presence on Lithuania’s music scene since 2019. The ensemble stands out for its post-ironic perspective on the coded cultural meanings often found in academic music performance. This approach is seamlessly combined with the compositional and performative practices of its members.
In recent years, Artisans have been recognized as potential future leaders of Lithuania’s academic music scene, noted for their sense of humor, interdisciplinarity, and performative elements incorporated into their concerts.
Evaldas Alekna
Evaldas Alekna is a composer, vocalist, and performance artist, actively performing as a member of the vocal ensemble Duodeco and the choir Jauna Muzika. His repertoire spans both early and contemporary music.
In recent years, he has presented original performances such as “Reaching Up” (MAS’23 – Week of Artistic Actions) and “Waggle Dance” (contemporary music festival Druskomanija). He is also a long-standing member of the cast of the opera-performance “Sun & Sea (Marina)”.
