13. Panevėžys Music Theatre

About

The Music Theatre of Panevėžys can tell two stories from the rich cultural life of the city. The first one is about the architect and its original project. The other one talks about the century-long saga of “musical performances” – operettas.

Back in the 70s, when people were quite literally flooding cinemas, the city came in need of yet another 400-seat cinema. The competition for the best proposal was won by Viktoras Skokauskas, a diligent architect who, by that time, had not completed any significant project. “Versmė” cinema had to become the essential part of one of the most important squares of the city and, at the same time, perform its function as well as possible. Skokauskas’ unique project was quite different from the generic architectural solutions which were widely used for the cinema buildings in Panevėžys and other cities at the time. The form and volume of the building were designed with acoustics in mind. The ceiling of the hall goes downwards from the screen to the projector room at a certain angle; furthermore, this structural decision subtly reflects on the fragmented lines of the external façade. The cherry interior finish highlighted the view on the screen when lights were off.

The other story begins back in the times of the Russian Empire, when the famous composer Vladas Paulauskas staged his first musical act “The Chimney Sweep and the Miller”. In 1993, the operetta culture came back to life when the orchestra pit and the stage were built in “Versmė“ theatre. Almost thirty years later, it continues to flourish “by playing all the strings of the human soul”.

Upon visiting the theatre, you will have the chance to go to the orchestra pit and behind the stage curtains. You will also find out the link between the two strange chains hanging from the façade and the title “Versmė”.