Owl Drūlija 2

"The 'Lietuva' ensemble has long been carrying out this mission – to introduce children to folk art. And not only through performances for children, but also through educational programs, which a large number of Lithuanian schools attend. And the emergence of this Owl is special; I knew the writer Inga Narijauskienė very well because I attended the classes she led for toddlers with my daughter. While raising her son Pijus, Inga began telling stories about Drūlija the Owl, so the character's stories have been growing for over twenty years. The performance was also nurtured a lot at home – by me, while raising my daughter, by Inga, while raising her son, and by Pijus himself, while raising his own son," says director Giedrė Kriaučionytė-Vosylienė, who works at the "Lietuva" ensemble.

"For me, Drūlija the Owl is about my childhood and those evenings when both parents would come to wish me goodnight and tell a story. There is so much warmth and nostalgia in those memories. I will admit – when I was invited to create the music, I didn't agree immediately. I realized that this work is emotionally important both to me and to my mother. I was afraid that I might not be able to handle the expectations I set for myself. But now I am glad that director Giedrė persuaded me after all.

The performance turned out to be truly beautiful and warm, and creating music for the 'Lietuva' ensemble is an exceptional experience, a great privilege, and an honor. The ensemble is valued throughout Lithuania, and gaining the trust of these performers is a great gift. Creating music for a folk instrument orchestra is an extraordinary task that requires getting to know each instrument – kanklės, birbynės, skrabalai, their specific sound... I am glad that 'Lietuva' is very modern and willingly embraces innovations. The musical will feature music of various rhythms, styles, and moods, which I believe will get both children and their parents moving from their seats," says the composer, writer Inga's son, Pijus Narijauskas.

The very first premiere performance, "Drūlija the Owl," was successfully presented in December 2024 and is now returning to the repertoire. The second series of the performance, "Drūlija the Owl and the Yawns," was shown in December 2025 and continues its tour in 2026. This December, the third part awaits – "Drūlija the Owl and the NO Day." Traditionally, children's classes and groups are invited to attend performances at the "Lietuva" ensemble's premises during the Christmas period every year.

"Themes come with personal experiences. I always create about what I feel and experience myself. The second series will touch on the topic of listening to one's body – when you want to do everything, manage to do a lot, and you stop listening when your body says NO – it's time to rest. This is relevant for both children and adults – a positive relationship with rest. It is fun when children come to the performances already knowing the literature, having read the books, in this case, about Drūlija the Owl. I remember it was very sweet in Marijampolė when, after the performance, a child brought a Drūlija and Taputapas they had made from cardboard, fabric, and buttons – so creatively crafted – and gave them to the actors," the director recalls.

"I really like the performance myself, and the audience leaves the shows with the biggest smiles, uplifted. Both the small, the very small, and the big. After the performance, many warm reviews arrive. I see with what love and joy all the creators of this performance work. It is a huge pleasure to see that the musical 'Drūlija the Owl' is liked by the entire 'Lietuva' ensemble team and that dancing, playing, singing, conducting, creating, and organizing are done with great desire. If adults are happily playing on stage and inviting children into their game, and the children are watching with their mouths open, clapping, and rejoicing – can it be any better?" shares writer Inga.

Drūlija the Owl is a character created by therapeutic story author I. Narijauskienė, who only much later, after the Lithuanian author became an early childhood education specialist and a grandmother, was written down and released to live her own separate, authentic life through stories told at home. Drūlija's fairy tales are fun and engaging stories that foster values and help children grow. They are easy to understand, so the little ones quickly identify with the characters, discover important life lessons, develop their imagination, and strengthen their emotional and social intelligence. The witty and multi-layered narrative allows both the little ones and their parents to find a way out of sometimes not-so-simple stages of child development.

Creative team:

Author of the book – Inga Narijauskienė

Director – Giedrė Kriaučionytė-Vosylienė

Librettist – Daiva Čepauskaitė

Composer – Pijus Narijauskas

Arranger – Viktoras Rimša

Choreographer – Aušra Krasauskaitė

Scenographer and costume designer – Antanas Dubra

Conductor – Egidijus Kaveckas

Drūlija the Owl – Gintarė Kulikauskytė / Eliza Bondarenko

Performers – the choir, orchestra, and dance group of the state ensemble "Lietuva" and soloists:

Umba the Squirrel – Justina Kaminskaitė

Taputapas the Elephant – Zenius Sakalauskas / Saulius Vasiliauskis

Magagas the Duckling – Smiltė Murencevaitė-Janušienė

Pompocė the Frog – Aušra Kiuraitė-Svilainienė / Viktorija Šedbaraitė

Woodpeckers – Jevgenijus Kovalčukas, Donatas Kaikaris, Elzita Girčytė-Snapkauskienė, Ingrida Siemaškienė