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The Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theater (LNOBT) plans to build a new annex with rehearsal rooms and a ballet company by 2028.
According to theater director Jonas Sakalauskas, the theater has been toying with the idea of rebuilding the current building and constructing an annex on the site of the adjacent parking lot for at least four decades.
“The theater does not fit in the existing premises, because it was built for a group of 300 people. Our now – 620. There were many different projects until it was finally decided to build an annex in parking lot of the Ministry of Agriculture. There would be a chamber room, additional rehearsal rooms, commercial premises, so that the building would be more attractive to citizens, there would be additional public spaces on the roof ”, said J. Sakalauskas.
However, last year’s plans bogged down with the Vilnius municipality not solving the problem of building a new underground site; After the municipality abandoned these plans, it was decided to postpone the extension project.
“It just came to our knowledge then. It was decided not to build a subway parking lot, an annex has just been built. An investment project has been approved and new actions are being prepared (…). The total volume is up to 20 million. investments until 2028, “said J. Sakalauskas.
According to him, a contract has already been signed with the Agency for the Development of Public Investment, according to which it is expected for 2 million. to renovate an existing building.
The annex, according to him, could be 3-5 thousand. kv. meters of surface, no more than four floors, it would be equipped with a chamber room for rehearsals with the orchestra, with a complete set of scenography that could then be easily transported to the main hall.
In the absence of rehearsals, according to the theater director, it could be used for chamber performances or performances by other theaters, independent troupes.
“There will be an additional ballet room, other additional rooms, and we are planning commercial or educational spaces on the ground floor, probably the architects will suggest how it can be developed. We believe that by ordering the accesses, attracting commercial activities, adapting the possibility of people going up to the roof, that space and our theater would receive an influx of people not only during the performances ”, considered J. Sakalauskas.
According to the director of LNOBT, the feasibility study of the annex is currently being carried out, the architecture competition itself should be organized by the Union of Architects of Lithuania.
J. Sakalauskas emphasizes that this place is extremely sensitive, so the objective would be that the extension would not obscure both the current LNOBT building and the surrounding buildings.
“I think by the end of 2022 we will have an idea of how we can do that architectural idea, then it will be possible to say more clearly how and for how long we will do everything,” said the theater director.
Author Ignas Jačauskas
