Algis Zhuraitis |

Algis Zhuraitis

Soviet Lithuanian conductor, People’s Artist of the RSFSR, laureate of the USSR State Prize, conductor of the Bolshoi Theater.

Graduated from the piano department of the Lithuanian Conservatory (1950); Zhuraitis worked as an accompanist at the Opera and Ballet Theater of the Lithuanian SSR. In 1951, he had to replace the ill conductor in Moniuszko’s Pebbles. So his debut took place and the further path was determined. While studying at the Moscow Conservatory with N. Anosov (1954-1953), Zhuraitis was an assistant conductor in the Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra of the All-Union Radio, then he gave many concerts in the cities of the Soviet Union, and since 1960 he worked at the Bolshoi Theater of the USSR. Here he conducted many performances of the ballet repertoire; repeatedly performed with the ballet troupe of the theater also abroad.

Participated in the production of ballets: Vanina Vanini by N. N. Karetnikov, Russian Miniatures to combined music, Scriabiniana to music. A. I. Scriabin, “Spartacus” (all 1962), “Leyli and Majnun” by S. A. Balasanyan (1964), “The Rite of Spring” (1965), “Asel” by V. A. Vlasov (1967), “Vision roses “to the music. K. M. von Weber (1967), “Swan Lake” (1969; Roman Opera, 1977), “Icarus” by S. M. Slonimsky (1971), “Ivan the Terrible” to the music. S. S. Prokofiev (1975), “Angara” by A. Ya. Eshpay (1976; State Pr. USSR, 1977), “Lieutenant Kizhe” on the music. Prokofiev (1977), Romeo and Juliet (1979), Raymonda (1984); as well as Ivan the Terrible (1976) and Romeo and Juliet (1978, both at the Paris Opera).

Along with this, Zhuraitis made many recordings on records with the best orchestras in Moscow. Among these recordings are suites from the ballet The Little Humpbacked Horse by R. Shchedrin, fragments from Laurencia by A. Crane, the cycle Songs of My Motherland by A. Shaverzashvili, and works by Lithuanian composers Y. Yuzelyunas, S. Vainyunas and others. In 1968 Žuraitis successfully performed at the International Conducting Competition in Rome, winning second prize there.