The first edition of In Situ insight, a new initiative by the European Festivals Association (EFA), took place on 4-5 November 2017 in Vilnius, Lithuania. Five engaged and creative EFA members’ directors participated in the first In Situ Insight kindly hosted by the Vilnius Festival (founded and organized by the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society). 

The Vilnius Festival created a rich two-day programme introducing the participants to the thriving artistic scene, the artists themselves, the venues, the teams and stakeholders of the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society. Besides a one day working session and face-to-face inspiring conversations, the participants were invited for two concert evenings including AquaSonic: the underwater concert, as well as a children's opera during the day.

During the programme the participants had the opportunity to:

• Meet part of the Vilnius Festival team: Rūta Prusevicienė (Director General), Danas Skramtai (Senior Producer), Julijus Grickevičius (Head of Public Relations Department), Ieva Tamutytė (Deputy Director)
  
• Visit the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society (concert and offices guided tour)
  
• Participate in a working session including an introduction and in-depth conversations and exchanges on the Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society and its working (in particular with the Vilnius Festival), focusing on the In Situ Insight theme “Cross-festival, cross-arts collaboration: a possibility or a necessity”.
  
• See performances: Lukas Geniušas performing the piano concerto by Arvo Pärt (at Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society), the children’s opera: Five miracles of Mary Popins by Raminta Šerkšnytė (at Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre) and Aquasonic, a unique underwater concert (at Lithuanian National Drama Theatre)
  
• Meet artists: composers Justina Repečkaitė and Tomas Kutavičius; dinner with composer David Lang (USA), Sō Percussion (USA) group members, pianist Lukas Geniušas, pianist and professor Petras Geniušas, conductor Christopher Lyndon-Gee, composer Remigijus Merkelys (Head of GAIDA Festival) and others; lunch with composer Loreta Narvilaitė
• (Artistic Director Klaipėda Concert Hall)Visit the Lithuanian National Gallery and the exhibition Académie de Vilna, welcomed and guided by Lolita Jablonskienė (Chief Curator)
• Visit the Lithuanian Composers' Union (LCU) / Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre (MICL) welcomed and guided by composer Mykolas Natalevičius (Chairman LCU) and Asta Pakarklytė (Director MICL)
• Record a Festival Faces portrait (Veerle Simoens, Leelo Lethla and Ondřej Sikora)

The In Situ Insight Cross-festival, cross-arts collaboration: a possibility or a necessity.

4 November 2017

o   Arrival & Check in at the Radisson Blu Royal Astorija Hotel Vilnius

19:00 National Philharmonic Hall | Performance in the frame of the collaboration with the contemporary music festival GAIDA

Conductor Christopher Lyndon-Gee (USA), Soloist Lukas Geniušas, piano (Russia-Lithuania), So Percussion New York (USA)

Programme:

Justina Repčenkaitė. Premiere of new piece (2017)

Tomas Kutavičius. Premiere of new piece (2017)

David Lang. man made (for 4 percussion players and orchestra)

Arvo Pärt. Concerto for Piano and Orchestra Lamentate

o   Dinner offered by EFA

5 November 2017

11:00 Introduction / welcome / First exchanges

12:30 Departure to the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre for the 2nd act of the contemporary children’s opera – “Five miracles of Mary Popins” by Raminta Šerkšnytė

14:00 Lunch

15:00 Visit of the Lithuanian National Gallery

16:00 Visit of the Lithuanian Composers’ Union and Lithuanian Music Information and Publishing Centre

20:00 National Drama Theatre | Performance in the frame of the collaboration with the contemporary music festival GAIDA - Aquasonic, a unique underwater concert – performance

Project producer – Aarhus 2017 European Capital of Culture

Laila Skovmand, artistic director, composer and performer; Robert Karlsson, director and performer; Morten Poulsen, performer; Dea Marie Kjeldsen, performer; Nanna Bech, performer

o   Dinner

6 November 2017

o   Departure

For detailed information about Vilnius Festival and their crossborder collaboration, click here.