Photos – courtesy of Artūras Morozovas © Glaistas
On March 6 at 6 PM, the Event Space of the Martynas Mažydis National Library of Lithuania will host the launch of the vinyl record Glaistas – a unique sonic experience exploring the fragmented memory of the Holocaust in the Vilnius Ghetto. The event will bring together the creative team behind Glaistas, including playwright Rimantas Ribačiauskas, director Mantas Jančiauskas, composers Jūra Elena Šedytė and Andrius Šiurys, as well as producer Ana Ablamonova. The discussion will be moderated by Rasa Stakauskaitė, a researcher from the National Library’s Judaica Research Center.
Originally conceived as an opera, Glaistas evolved into a deeply immersive auditory experience—an intimate walk through the former Vilnius Ghetto. Since its inception, this project has been performed over 500 times, offering participants a chance to step into the echoes of the past. Through a blend of survivor testimonies and site-specific musical compositions, Glaistas guides listeners through courtyards, stairwells, and streets that once bore witness to tragedy and resilience.
The voices featured in Glaistas belong to those who lived through the horrors of the Holocaust in Vilnius but later emigrated to Israel: Frida Sohat (b. 1929), Joshua Zak (1929–2024), Sore Voloshin (1928–2020), and Baruch Shub (1924–2020). Their recorded words, interwoven with an evocative musical landscape, uncover layers of memory and imagination, allowing participants to engage with a past that is often hidden beneath the surface of the modern city.
With the release of the Glaistas vinyl record, this profound work transcends its original format, becoming an enduring sonic document of the Jewish history of Vilnius. Accompanying the record is a multilingual libretto, providing deeper insight into the narrative and musical compositions. Additionally, renowned Lithuanian humanist photographer Artūras Morozovas has contributed a striking photo essay, inviting audiences to visually journey through the spaces of Glaistaswhile listening to the haunting soundscape.
More than just a recording, the vinyl release serves as an archive of remembrance, preserving the voices and stories of the Vilnius Ghetto from 1941 to 1943. The fusion of survivor testimonies with music reconstructs the atmosphere of vanished places—courtyards, homes, halls—transforming them into living memory.
As Glaistas returns to the streets of Vilnius on March 19, it will be accompanied by a special exhibition of Morozovas’ photographs at the Jewish Culture and Information Center (Mėsinių g. 3). The limited-edition prints will also be available for purchase, offering visitors a tangible piece of this powerful exploration of history.
By preserving these echoes of the past, Glaistas ensures that the stories of those who lived through the Vilnius Ghetto remain present in our collective consciousness. Whether experienced as a soundwalk or through the intimate crackle of a vinyl record, Glaistas continues to bridge the gap between history and contemporary reflection, inviting each listener to bear witness.
