Conducted by Erki Pehk, directed by Marta Aliide Jakovski and designed by Madis Nurms, this staging has already drawn attention for its bold visual world, emotionally charged performances, and its dramatic aesthetics, reminiscent of 1980s television dramas. Critics have noted how the production highlights the opera’s central themes - ambition, illusion, identity, and the price of fame - through strong visual storytelling and sharply drawn characters.

At the heart of the production is soprano Gabrielė Bukinė in a riveting interpretation of Adriana, a role that demands both vocal brilliance and deep emotional nuance. Her portrayal, paired with Eusebiu Huțan as Maurizio, Jovita Vaškevičiūtė as Princess de Bouillon and Adrian Janus as Michonnet, has been described as “intense and theatrically fearless.”

"This opera - a long-unnoticed gem of the repertory and a rather tough nut for both performers and audience - turned out unexpectedly powerful /.../ Love and hate, fragility and strength, beauty; doubts about present and future choices; the clash between inner and outer worlds - and above all, the uniting leitmotif of freedom."  

Justina Paltanavičiūtė. Kauno Diena

For those who could not attend the performances - or who wish to revisit the drama, music, and spectacle - the complete high-quality recording is now available for streaming free of charge.
The design embraces opulence and theatrical excess: shimmering silhouettes, jewel-toned lighting, sculptural costumes, and the motif of a gilded cage, symbolising lives lived in privilege yet bound by expectation. This visual language underscores the tragic fate of the historical Adrienne Lecouvreur—famed actress and a woman whose mysterious death still fascinates nearly three centuries later.

"Very well directed in its little details, the production went for timeless modern chic, with haute couture and dark glasses much in evidence. The gilded sets had an art deco look -reinforced by an abundance of martini glasses - yet provided an unobtrusive frame for a meta-theatrical staging that didn't strive for realism but rather, true to the piece itself, played with the very idea of theatre."  

John Allison. Opera Magazine

ARTISTIC TEAM

Musical Director - Erki Pehk
Stage Director - Marta Aliide Jakovski
Set and Costume Designer - Madis Nurms
Choreographer - Kristina Želvienė
Lighting Designer - Monika Šerstabojevaitė
Chorus Master - Rasa Vaitkevičiūtė  
Director's Assistant - Svetlana Gudukienė

CAST  

Adriana - Gabrielė Bukinė
Maurizio - Eusebiu Huțan / Tomas Pavilionis
Princess de Bouillon - Jovita Vaškevičiūtė / Gabrielė Kuzmickaitė
Michonnet - Adrian Janus / Laimonas Pautienius
Prince de Bouillon - Žygimantas Galinis
Abbé de Chazeuil - Žanas Voronovas
Madmoiselle Jouvenot - Ingrida Kažemėkaitė
Madmoiselle Dangeville - Rita Preikšaitė
Poisson - Povilas Padleckis
Quinault - Regimantas Gabšys

Orchestra and Choir of Kaunas State Musical Theatre

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