A Creator Evoking Empathy

An Interview with Opera Soloist Gabriele Bukinė
By Elvina Baužaitė

Marking the 100th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s passing, the Kaunas State Musical Theatre (KVMT) will premiere the opera La Bohème on November 23 (musical director and conductor: Gintaras Rinkevičius; director and choreographer: Anželika Cholina). Meanwhile, on November 29, the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre (LNOBT) will present the triptych of one-act operas Il Tabarro, Suor Angelica, and Gianni Schicchi (musical director and conductor: Ričardas Šumila; director: Michael Capasso).

Exploring the intricate narratives of Puccini’s operas and delving into their ideas and the meanings of inner resonance, we speak with Gabriele Bukinė, who portrays Mimi in La Bohème at KVMT and Suor Angelica in the LNOBT productions...

Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème – An Opera About the Longing for Love

2024-11-18, menufaktura.lt

Gabrielė Bukinė, the soloist portraying the central character Mimi, shares her thoughts:

"Stepping into the role of a simple, earthly character like Mimi may seem easy at first glance. However, when the character is as well-known and deeply familiar as she is, the challenge lies in truly understanding who she is. I was fortunate to work with director A. Cholina, as we delved into Mimi’s inner motivations and the reasons behind her actions—analyzing what is left unsaid and avoiding superficiality or the straightforward assumption of how any other person, or even I myself, might behave in similar situations.

Although I’ve seen multiple productions of La Bohème, I strive to maintain a certain distance so that my interpretation is influenced as little as possible by previous impressions. I am delighted that the director views Mimi not just as a fleeting yet beautiful ‘flower’ of love but rather places the emphasis on the search for connection, unity, and identity..."

From a Small Town to Prima Donna: An Opera Soloist’s Dreams Come True as if by Magic Wand

By Asta Andrikonytė, “Lietuvos rytas”

Just a few years after completing her vocal studies, Kaunas State Musical Theatre soloist Gabrielė Bukinė is already stepping into the roles of prima donnas on the stage of the country’s largest theater...