Gintas Žilys (Artistic Director) was born in Šiauliai on September 2, 1941. He studied at J. Janonis Secondary School. In 1963 he graduated from the Lithuanian State Conservatory (present Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre), the specialty of actor’s mastery. In 1971 he finished the High Direction Course in Moscow where direction was lectured by the famous artist of Russian theatre A. Efros. Gintas Žilys staged the first fifteen performances at Vilnius Youth Theatre. The most impressive of them are: “Glass Menagerie” by T. Williams (1969), “Three Sisters” by A. Chechov (1971), “Kite of Race” by R. Rastauskas (1972), “Fire in Bosom” by G. Kanovičius (1972), “Childish Mirror” by Sh. Sh. Toto (1973), “Anecdotes of Province” by A. Vampilov (1975).

The musical “Mary Popins” of R. and R. Shermans was staged by him at Kaunas Academic Drama Theatre in (1977) and received the prizes of the ministries of culture of the former Soviet Union and Republic.

Gintas Žilys related his activity with the music scene later. He staged musical performances of almost all genres at Kaunas State Musical Theatre, among them being: musical comedy “Love is not a Game” by G. Gobernik (1978), opera “Don Juan” by W.A. Mozart (1980, with the conductor, professor S.Sondeckis and artist R.Gibavičius), rock opera “Nordic Girl” by R. Kangr (1983), musical “I’m Sending You Hello” by G. Kuprevičius (1986), and others.

In 1987 he established Klaipėda Musical Theatre. Heading this theatre, the director staged performances, the most famous among them being the opera “Mažvydas” by A. Žigaitytė (conductor G. Rinkevičius), opera “Bell” by G. Donizetti, opera “Italian Woman in Algeria” by G. Rossini, one-act operas “Telephone” and “Medium” by G.C. Menotti.

From 1991 to 2005 he worked as the head of Kaunas State Musical Theatre. Working in Kaunas, he continues the traditions of this theatre to stage musical performances of various genres; still, he restructured the repertoire leaving works of rather high artistic level. Gintas Žilys developed international creative relations with artists and stagers of Germany, Hungary, Poland, Estonia. As a result, the repertoire of the theatre was replenished by performances created, conducted by foreign artists. In 1996 and 1997 the director collaborated with Chicago Lithuanian Opera and staged operas “Jūratė and Kastytis”, “Marta”.

From May of 2005 he is the artistic director of Kaunas State Musical Theatre.

Major stagings

Operas:

Ch.Gounod “Margarita” (1994, the best performance of the year in Kaunas – Fortune prize).
K.V.Banaitis “Jūratė and Kastytis” (1996).
F.Flotowo “Marta” (1997).
U.Giordano “Andre Shenier” (1999).
G.Verdi “Traviata” (1999).
G.Kuprevičius “Queen Bona” (2002, diploma of Kaunas theatrical people awards Fortune).
Ch.Gounod “Romeo and Juliet” (2003).
B.Dvarionas opera "Dalia", dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the composer (2004).
G.Bizet "Carmen" (2005).
Opera by G. Rossini "Barber of Seville" (2007).

Operettas:

I.Kalman “Silva” (1992).
J.Strauss “Bat” (1993) and “A Night in Venice” (2001).
P.Abraham “Victoria” (1996).
J.Offenbach “Orpheus in Hell” (1997).
F.Loewe musical “My Fair Lady” (1998).
F.Lehar “Count Luxemburg” (2002).
I.Kalman “Bayadere“ (2004).
Opera for children “Dwarf Nose” (2005).
Operetta by Franz Lehar "The Merry Widow" (2008).

In 1995 Gintas Žilys was granted the name of Docent of Humanitarian Sciences.

In 2002 the director was awarded with the Great Duke Gediminas Order for the merits to Lithuanian culture and theatre art.

In 2004 he was awarded with the White Star Order of the Republic of Estonia for the successful participation of Kaunas State Musical Theatre in Kurressare festival “Opera Days” in which two operas directed by the artistic director “Traviata“ by G.Verdi and “Romeo and Juliet” by Ch.Gounod were shown.