In 1927, Karnavičius returned to Lithuania, which had only regained its independence as a sovereign nation less than ten years earlier. In addition to teaching at the Conservatory of Music in Kaunas, he opted to play the viola with the orchestra of the State Opera for a number of years. Having a personal desire write a new opera himself, and under the influence of the renewed national pride released by Lithuania's regaining its independence, Karnavičius began to write his first opera, Gražina (opera), which premiered on February 16, 1933 as the first Lithuanian national opera in the independent state.
In 1927, Karnavičius returned to Lithuania, a nation that had only regained its independence less than ten years before. He taught at the Conservatory of Music in Kaunas and played the viola with the State Opera orchestra for several years. Motivated by his desire to compose an opera and inspired by Lithuania's renewed national pride after regaining independence, Karnavičius began writing his first opera, Gražina (opera), which premiered on February 16, 1933 as the country's inaugural national opera.