Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
On September 30, Filmhuis De Spiegel hosted a special screening of Letters to Sofija, presented in collaboration with Festival Vocallis. The film, directed by Robert Mullan (UK, 2013), portrays the complex love story between the Lithuanian composer and painter Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis (1875–1911) and his wife, the political activist Sofija Kymantaite.
The lead role of Čiurlionis is played by Rokas Zubovas, who is also the artist’s great-grandson, lending the film a deeply personal resonance. The cast further includes Marija Korenkaite, Arturas Aleksejevas, Rugile Alytaite, and Rimvydas Ambrazevicius. The screening was presented with English subtitles, making the story accessible to a broad international audience.
From right to left: Gert Geluk, artistic director of Festival Vocallis and Aloys Bruggeman, Honorary Consul of Lithuania. © Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
A Prelude to Festival Vocallis 2025
The evening opened with an introduction by Gert Geluk, artistic director of Festival Vocallis, who spoke about Čiurlionis’ significance as both a composer and painter. He emphasized how Čiurlionis continues to inspire new generations, and why he will be the central figure of Festival Vocallis 2025, which will mark the 150th anniversary of the artist’s birth.
Čiurlionis: composer and visionary painter
Čiurlionis created around 300 compositions for choir, piano, organ, string quartet, and orchestra, and is recognized as the first composer of Lithuanian symphonic and chamber music. At the same time, he was a groundbreaking painter whose works are often mentioned alongside those of Gustav Klimt, Edvard Munch, and Wassily Kandinsky.
His art reflects a fusion of Lithuanian mythology, fairy tales, and nature, enriched by influences from ancient Egyptian, Indian, and Asian cultures. While his name remained largely unknown in the West during the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, his works began to receive international recognition after the country regained independence in the early 1990s. Today, Čiurlionis’ paintings are exhibited worldwide — from the United States to Japan, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and France — with the largest collection preserved at the M. K. Čiurlionis National Art Museum in Kaunas, Lithuania.
A growing legacy in the Netherlands
In 2024, a landmark exhibition of Čiurlionis’ works was held at Museum Belvedere in Heerenveen, in partnership with the National Čiurlionis Art Museum in Lithuania. The September 30 film screening in Filmhuis De Spiegel built upon this momentum, offering Dutch audiences another way to engage with the Lithuanian genius’ life and art.
On March 18, 2025, the Royal Conservatory of The Hague hosted a remarkable gala concert that marked two significant milestones in Lithuania’s history: the 35th anniversary of the restoration of its independence and the 150th anniversary of the birth of Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis, one of the country’s most celebrated composers and artists. Organized by the Embassy of Lithuania in the Netherlands and the Royal Conservatory, the event drew an esteemed audience of diplomats, political, cultural and business leaders, members of the Lithuanian diaspora, and Lithuanian students.
The journey continues this autumn with a series of concerts during Festival Vocallis in Limburg, dedicated to Čiurlionis’ music and legacy on the occasion of his 150th anniversary:
- October 17 – Grand Opening Concert at Theater aan het Vrijthof, Maastricht, featuring the Symphony Orchestra of the National M. K. Čiurlionis School of Arts.
- October 18 – Piano recital in Meerssen by Čiurlionis’ great-grandson Rokas Zubovas together with Sonata Deveikytė-Zubovienė.
- October 22 – Storytelling concert in Maastricht with renowned Dutch author Jan Brokken, pianist Marcel Worms, and violinist Ursula Schoch.
With film, concerts, and exhibitions, the Netherlands is increasingly embracing Čiurlionis as both a national treasure of Lithuania and a figure of enduring international significance especially poignant in this celebratory anniversary year.
A Filmhuis de Spiegel, an iconic egg-shaped building dating back to 1938, is one of the oldest cinemas in the Netherlands and a national monument. Designed by Frits Peutz, it originally housed 1,180 seats and was once the largest cinema in Limburg. Today, it offers a platform for high-profile film programs, education, and debates. The theater has hosted renowned film festivals and celebrated actors, contributing significantly to the cinematic culture in the region.
Photos: © Beata Bruggeman-Sekowska
