The songs my father sang
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Paulius Rutenis (Rutkauskas) 19 March 1919 – 28 August 1983 Singer, soloist, actor, director, journalist. A man who was seen on and off stage in Adelaide, Melbourne and later Sydney. He was born in Liepaja, Latvia, to Lithuanian parents who travelled there to work. When he was around three years old, the family returned to Lithuania. His father loved to sing and would encourage the whole family to sing together. They would open the windows and hear the applause from their neighbours. His father was tenor, his brother was a strong bass, his mother an alto and sister soprano, in a word, a full choir. Friends, all singers would gather and sing, Lithuanian folk songs in their home. Paulius finished Kaunas Aušros boys school and then studied at Vytautas Didžiojo University. He became a soloist with the Kaunas National theatre. In 1943 he moved to Vienna where he studied at the Theatre Wissenshaft, then the following year moved t...