Mantas Petrauskas
Author
2026-05-10 10:00 • 2 min read
President Gitanas Nausėda has extended his congratulations to actor, theater educator, and National Culture and Art Prize laureate Vytautas Anužis on the occasion of his 70th birthday. The President described Anužis as a “phenomenon” of Lithuanian theater culture and one of the country’s most prominent drama actors.
In his official greeting, President Nausėda referred to Anužis as a “living classic” whose professional mastery has shaped the country’s cultural identity. The President noted that Anužis’s roles in major dramatic works reveal deep insights into the human condition to audiences.
Several of Anužis’s performances are considered part of Lithuania’s cultural heritage. These include his portrayals of King Lear, Nathan the Wise, the Stranger in To Damascus, and Tiresias in The Oedipus Myth. These roles are recognized for requiring both technical skill and the intellectual depth that the actor has cultivated throughout his career.
Beyond his work on stage, Vytautas Anužis is a respected educator, notably at the Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre. The President thanked him for his role as a “generous teacher” who passes on the secrets of the craft to new generations of actors.
By setting a high bar for professional excellence, Anužis has inspired young talents to seek authenticity and meaning on stage. The President concluded his message by wishing the actor continued professional success, health, and a future filled with creatively ambitious roles and inquisitive students.