IRENA MILKEVICIUTE is a soloist of the Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre since 1976; she spent a training period in La Scala from 1978 to 1979. Her numerous distinctions at the international singing competitions include the 1st Prize at the Glinka Competition (1977), diploma at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow (1978), 2nd Prize at the Madama Butterfly Competition in Tokyo (1986). She was awarded the 3rd Class Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas in 1996, bestowed the title of the best Lithuanian singer in 1997, and Lithuanian National Award in 2000. In 2002 she received the "Beacons of Opera" Prize as the "Best Opera Soloist of the Year".

 

Her repertoire includes Violetta (La Traviata), Tosca (Tosca), Aida (Aida), Elisabetta (Don Carlos), Abigaille (Nabucco), Amelia (Un ballo in maschera), Turandot (Turandot) and others. She has performed at the Theatr Wielki in Warsaw, Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Mariinsky Theatre in St.Petersburg, Latvian National Opera, Accademia Nationale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, La Scala in Milan, Metropolitan Opera in New York, Savolinna Opera Festival in Finland, Split Festival in Croatia, as well as in numerous countries in Europe and South America.