Vytautas Juozapaitis



Vytautas Juozapaitis (born December 14, 1963, in Radviliskis, Lithuania) is a Lithuanian opera singer (baritone), a soloist of Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre and Kaunas State Musical Theatre, a professor of Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and a docent of Vilnius College of Higher Education, the recipient of Lithuanian National Prize and all major Lithuanian scene awards.

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 * This Don Giovanni had heat, passion and total commitment from everyone involved under dynamic, dramatic direction of conductor Metodi Matakiev. The Don was Lithuanian baritone Vytautas Juozapaitis, a highly physical, Douglas Fairbanks / Errol Flynn kind of Don. Tall, dark, quite handsome, a really sexy beast possessed of a bronze colored voice of power and some suavity, completely at ease on stage, and finally a Don who actually ENJOYS to the hilt the life of a promiscuous hedonist. He was close to irresistible.
 * William Fregosi, Opera - L (September 24, 2003)
 * Vytas Juozapaitis is simply terrific as the Don; lean, agile, and the possessor of a Zorro-like sexiness, he seemed part old fashioned matinee idol, yet firmly rooted in the here and now a la Johnny Depp. Like the singer, the voice is attractive, lean and powerful. His seduction of Zerlina, smooth as silk. He had the audience in the palm of his hand.
 * Paulo Padillo, Opera - L (September 24, 2003)
 * The greatest credit for the evening's success must be given to the rich-voiced Juozapaitis as Giovanni, and bass-baritone Stefano de Peppo as… Leporello.
 * Boston Herald (September 25, 2003)
 * Lithuanian baritone Vytas Juozapaitis brings presence and a warm, strong voice to the title role. When we first see him, hair flying in mid-rape, he looks like Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean.
 * Richard Dyer, "Teatro's Don Giovanni a rousing production". Boston Globe (September 25, 2003)
 * From his entrance, in medias rape, Vytas Juozapaitis had a compelling presence as both seductive and dangerous Don Juan. He had a dash, swagger, a sense of humour, and a strong, lustrous voice. He's a good actor too. You believed both in the way he was driven by his carnality and in his self possession. In short, he embodied the music.
 * Lloyd Schwartz, "Teatro Lirico's fire breathing Don Giovanni". Boston Phoenix (October, 2003)
 * The slim and agile baritone, Vytas Juozapaitis, portrayed the Don as a self centered nobleman. He sang with a pleasant voice, and unlike most interpreters of the role, he had no trouble tossing off the 'Champagne Aria' at top speed.
 * Opera Japonica (October, 2003)
 * Tuesday's cast was first rate, led by the remarkable Lithuanian baritone, Vytas Juozapaitis, in the title role.
 * T.J Medreck, "Don Giovanni Truly Majestic", Boston Herald (October 2003)
 * Young Lithuanian baritone Vytautas Juozapaitis was well cast as the suave serial seducer with his aristocratic good looks and deep voice. Most women would find him charismatic if not irresistible. From the first moments it became evident that this company, with attractive sets and costumes, is miles ahead of most touring troupes. Theatrically and musically gratifying were the other cast members, all with international experience.
 * Corrine Dunn, "A polished Don Giovanni graces the Phil Stage", Naples Daily News (November, 2003)
 * The performance of Mozart's Don Giovanni Tuesday night at the University of NH, Johnson Theatre, was absolutely stunning. Lithuanian baritone, Vytautas Juozapaitis, (Don Giovanni) not only had the necessary voice, but he played the boastfully lecherous rake to great fanfare.
 * "A perversely stunning Don Giovanni", Portsmouth Herald (February, 2004)
 * The Don's difficult role never seemed to tax Juozapaitis excellent dramatic voice. Throughout the opera listeners were charmed by his great expressive range as he moved with ease from comic exchanges with Leporello to tender love sings.
 * Martha Fawbush, "Bravo Concerts opens with excellent performance of Mozart classic". Asheville Citizen Times (October, 2003)
 * What can I write about Vytautas Juozapaitis? Months ago, a singer with this same name gave one of the most Mozartean accounts of Don Giovanni I've ever experienced: a lean, yet warm sound, exciting and a little on the dangerous side - utterly (and wonderfully) self-absorbed. The man singing Giorgio Germont could not possibly have been this same artist. This was Verdi singing of the highest order - as if to the manor born. A molten, rich expressivity and attention to Verdian line that in its size, detail and musicality recalled the greats: Gorin, Merrill... you get the idea. The name may not trip off American tongues with ease... yet, but in an era often thought bereft of Verdian voices Juozapaitis is the real deal. Every moment of his Germont was filled passion and, like all of the cast members, every word of the Italian was naturally produced and understandable. Mama mia this man's got it!
 * Paolo Padillo, "A Traviata of Note: Teatro Lirico d'Europa". Opera - L (March, 2004)
 * With Vytautas Juozapaitis as a perfectly evil Don Giovanni, the Teatro Lirico d'Europa seduced an audience of about 850 at the Garde Arts Center Monday night. Juozapaitis, a singer with the Lithuanian National Opera, stood out as the despicable title character of this most famous of Mozart operas. He took over the stage with both his supple and strong voice as well as a stage presence that seemed so natural it was hard to look at him without thinking he was Don Giovanni.
 * Lee Howard, "'Don Giovanni' Delights Opera Fans at the Garde". The New London Day (April 1, 2004)
 * Lithuanian baritone Vytautas Juozapaitis, last year's devilish, dark-toned Don Giovanni, Teatro Lirico has a powerful singer with an impressive stage presence. Sparks flew because Vasileva and Juozapaitis created such emotional tension: she more nuanced than the usual submissive heroine, he more sympathetic than the stock villain.
 * Lloyd Schwartz, "Agonies and Ecstasies". The Boston Phoenix (April 9, 2004)
 * Last night's fierce-eyed Don Giovanni, sung by Vytautas Juozapaitis, was a lean and hungry predator (...) Mozart's dark comedy has been realised with grandeur.
 * Peter Palmer, "The secret is out… so don't miss out". Evening Post (July 22, 2004)
 * This accessible production [of Don Giovanni - ed.] concentrates on the comic delights of the piece and rests heavily on the roguish charms of Vytautas Juozapaitis in the title role. Indeed, he's so delightfully decadent, and so charismatic a performer, that the righteous indignation of those he has harmed makes them seem priggish in comparison.
 * Nigel Powlson, "Womaniser's charms are hard to resist". Derby Evening Telegraph (July 23, 2004)
 * Baritone Vytautas Juozapaitis was perfectly full of himself as Don Giovanni. His hilarious interactions with sidekick Leporello, played by the animated bass-baritone Stefano de Peppo were the highlights of the show.
 * "Mozart Company proves opera can be fun", The Star Press (November, 2004)
 * Most noteworthy was Vytautas Juozapaitis in the title role. He nailed the role with his well projected baritone.
 * "Don Giovanni showcases singers", The Desert Sun (November, 2004)
 * The Mozart Festival Opera's production of Don Giovanni made the three hours fly. The miming between Stefano de Peppo and Vytautas Juozapaitis as Don Giovanni was great physical comedy that had the audience laughing out loud. Juozapaitis possessed the voice, swagger and stage presence to match and dominate Leporello, and his costumes are among the best I've seen. I think Mozart would have approved.
 * Christopher Hyde, "Mozart would have approved", Portland Press Herald (March, 2005)
 * Vytautas Juozapaitis' Don Giovanni filled the performance. The singer won the audience not only with his impeccable impersonation of the gallantly vicious philanderer, but also with his vocal rendition that didn't leave any of the listener's desires unfulfilled.
 * Stephan Thomas, "Laue Sommernacht für Don Giovanni". Solothurner Zeitung (July 16, 2005)
 * Equally up to the task was baritone Vytautas Juozapaitis who's tortured characterization of Rigoletto was near flawless, strong and acted with intelligence and emotional depth. Mr. Juozapaitis has a full baritone that displays nice range and clarity, and coupled with the ease with which he commanded the stage, provided just the right measure of appeal that communicated to the audience the conflict and suppressed rage the character, no doubt, felt toward those who used and mocked him. Nicely done!
 * Paul Walkovski, "If the rest of the season matches this production in artistic quality, it's going to be one hell of a good season for opera in Boston". operaonline.us (October, 2006)
 * In the pivotal title role (Rigoletto - ed.), Vytautas Juozapaitis - fondly remembered for his marvelous performance of the title role in Mozart's "Don Giovanni" with the Lirico here in 2003 - sang with a dark, commanding, tragedy-tinged baritone that vividly conveyed the character's flawed humanity and despair. And he masterfully delivered the role's two big arias.
 * T. J. Medrek, "Players noteworthy in jester's dark tale". The Boston Herald (October, 2006)
 * Charismatic Lithuanian baritone Vytautas Juozapaitis was a spirited, energetic Don Giovanni who held the audience's rapt attention whenever he was on stage. He had an authoritative sound that could be romantically enticing in an attempt to seduce a lady, but could change instantly into a commanding tone when anyone attempted to thwart his will.
 * Maria Nokin, "Mozart's 'Don Giovanni'". Ensemble (November 26, 2006)
 * Bad boys have long fascinated audiences as well as storytellers, whatever the medium. Such rebels, often without causes beyond self-gratification, have been at the center of much of contemporary popular culture. One of the paradigms for such dramatized morality tales is Mozart's magnificent "Don Giovanni," whose musical and theatrical turns evoked awe and laughter and terror from the more that 1,500 music fans who on Saturday night flocked to Lawrence's Lied Center for the Mozart Festival Opera production. The libertine is thoroughly disreputable. Nonetheless, we look on in fascination because of his devilish smile, dashing good looks, ready wit, and the audacity of his hyper-inflated ego. If you can imagine a young Jack Nicholson with mustache, cape and a flair for sword play, you've got it. Lithuanian baritone Vytautas Juozapaitis gave the Don appropriate swagger and voice. He also brought a comic twist that gave the roué a touch of the trickster. Stepping out of character for a second in the midst of a briskly paced recitative, he paused, turned, and looked up at the supertitled English translation as if to check his lines. It was a joke shared by all. The pleasure of performing, even in the opera's most dramatic moments, was evident.
 * Chuck Berg, "Mozart's 'Don Giovanni' triumphs", Topeka Capital Journal (February, 2007)