A Christmas Tale: “The Snowman” | Gintaras Januševičius (Pianist and Narrator)

THE SNOWMAN
A Christmas Tale

Story by: Raymond Briggs
Music by: Howard Blake
Lithuanian translation: Gintaras Januševičius
Performed by: Gintaras Januševičius — pianist and narrator

Pianist, narrator, and radio presenter Gintaras Januševičius is well known to Lithuanian audiences for his innovative themed recitals, in which he combines virtuosic pianism with spoken text, movement, scents, and other elements of theatre. A laureate of the M. K. Čiurlionis International Piano and Organ Competition and a finalist of the prestigious Montreal International Music Competition, Januševičius is one of the pioneers of the narrative recital format in Lithuania. His programmes, including The Little Prince, The New Colossus, and Stories of the Merchant of Venice, have been successfully presented internationally.

Because of the constantly evolving musical repertoire and theatrical elements of his programmes, the German press has dubbed him a “chameleon.” Since becoming a father, Gintaras has increasingly expanded his repertoire to include works intended for younger audiences. In Lithuania, his performance of The Story of Babar the Elephant with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra received particular acclaim, with Januševičius taking on the roles of pianist, narrator, scriptwriter, and music arranger.

His latest theatrical challenge is Howard Blake’s The Snowman—a work composed in 1982 and inspired by the now-iconic book by Raymond Briggs. Written and illustrated by Briggs himself, the story has remained for almost fifty years one of the world’s most beloved and iconic children’s books, capturing the wonder and innocence of childhood with remarkable simplicity. This timeless and magical tale explores imagination and friendship, as well as love and loss. It begins on Christmas Eve, when a lonely boy builds a snowman in his garden, setting in motion an extraordinary nocturnal adventure filled with wonder and enchantment.

The animated film based on the story was selected among the top three most beloved Christmas programmes of all time in the United Kingdom. In this interactive performance, Gintaras Januševičius will perform Blake’s piano version of the work in Lithuanian, while bringing the story to life through engaging narration and song. Throughout the concert, members of the audience will be invited to participate in the interpretation of this adventure-filled tale through pantomime and movement, becoming part of its many playful contrasts and magical moments.

The programme will also include excerpts from Balys Dvarionas’s Winter Sketches.