The fountain of the opera and ballet theater is working again - after a year of reconstruction work, the city fountain near Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre tonight was grandly opened to classical music.
"We are witnessing amazing changes, when various public spaces are reborn in Vilnius after reconstructions, renovated squares experience a renaissance, attracting many people, cultural events, various festivals." The people of Vilnius have been waiting for the revival of the opera fountain for a decade, and many have fond memories of it. I am sure that this newly reborn space will become another object of attraction for the people of Vilnius", says the mayor of the city of Vilnius Remigius Šimašius.
On Thursday evening, those gathered near the Opera and Ballet Theater admired the splash of the renovated fountain, dined and listened to the best music of the world. A recording of R. Castelluci's masterpiece "Salome" can be seen on the screen near the fountain until midnight. This is the version of R. Strauss' "Salome" directed by Romeo Castelluci, shown at the Salzburg Festival, in which the main role of Salome was played by St. Christopher Award-winning artist Asmik Grigorian.
According to Mantvydas Šakalis, director of the company "Poolservice.LT", which implemented the reconstruction of the fountain, the LNOBT access is a special public space of the capital.
"The project evokes special emotions and precious memories for me - in my childhood I lived near the theater, I used to play with a submarine in the opera fountain. It is a great honor that now I myself can contribute to the preservation of the history of this symbol of Vilnius", says M. Šakalys.
The building of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater (LNOBT) was designed in 1974 by Elena Nijolė Bučiūtė, one of the most prominent architects of the 1930s generation. The creator, who is only 30 years old, presented a version of the functionalist-style theater with its accesses. It was a particularly modern building at the time. Luxurious pink granite brought from Ukraine was used for the pavement, fountain, benches, stairs, theater exterior.
The opera fountain, the author of which was the architect Aleksandras Statys Lukšas, stood out for its modernity, its water jets were not high, as was usual in other projects at the time. The aim was to create architectural waterfalls in the urban landscape, providing the effect of a river flow. In the city center, near the theater, you can feel like you are in nature, because the fountain creates its own climate, cools the space and emits the sounds of the waterfall.
Updated while maintaining authentication
During the reconstruction of the fountain, preserving its authenticity, the granite finishing panels were renewed, the worn-out pool bottom tiles were replaced, and the technological equipment. To everyone's surprise, the circulating water pump of 1974, made according to the technology of the time, is still working today. Quality pumps are also being made now, but they last 10 years, not 30-40 years, so this is extremely rare.
The opera fountain is equipped with a new pipeline, electrical installation, water pool waterproofing, filtration, and water level control systems. All this will prevent the breeding of bacteria in the fountain, so children can safely swim or play in it. LNOBT visitors will also be delighted by the underwater colored light installation installed in the fountain.
While renewing the fountain, the granite retaining walls at the intersection of Vilniaus and Tiltas streets, pedestrian paths around the fountain were also repaired. To make them comfortable and safe, the municipal company "Beam". It is estimated that it took about 40 to fix the entrances to the theater. pavement tiles, and about 1 granite slabs were used in the renovation of the retaining walls. The theater access management works will continue.
About 300 thousand was allocated from the city budget for renovation works. euros, another 240 thousand. euros was allocated by LNOBT.
