Current LatviaTHEME IN FOCUS No. 15, 9 August 2001 EVENTS
CALENDAR
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EVENTSCelebration of the 800th anniversary of Riga to culminate on 17 - 19 August The Latvian capital Riga celebrates its 800th anniversary this year with festive events culminating on 17 - 19 August 2001. The opening ceremony of the celebrations will be held in the evening of 17 August featuring the event "Foundation of Riga" on the Dome Square of the Old Town of Riga, whereas on Saturday, 18 August 2001, Rigans and the guests of Riga will have an opportunity to live through the 800 years of Riga's history in 800 minutes of festive events taking place all over the central part of the Latvian capital. The festive programme "Riga Through Centuries: 800 years in 800 minutes" that will be held from early morning till late night, simultaneously covering various streets and squares of Riga, will include such activities as Riga Sings, Riga Enjoys Food, Riga Watches Comics, Riga Blows the Horns (music by brass bands and orchestras), Riga Measures Strength (dance marathon, karaoke, games, amusement and the history of Latvian rock music), Riga Listens to Ancient Music, Riga Watches and Listens to "The Magic Flute" (show of the movie "The Magic Flute" created for Latvian exposition "Riga 800" at the 49th Venice Biennial in 2001), Riga Dresses Up in the gowns of 33 generations etc. All day long various bright performances from folklore to rock opera will also be held on the Riga Celebration Main Stage in the heart of Riga. The visitors will also have an opportunity to enjoy the Old Riga Tower Music âÀ“ brass music performed from the towers of Riga Dome, St. Peter's, St. Saviour's churches, St. Jacob's cathedral and the Three Star Tower of the Riga Order Castle, the residency of the State President. The day will culminate with the first performance of the vocal instrumental composition "Dream About Riga" dedicated to the 800th anniversary of Riga. The composition by Martins Brauns will be accompanied by light and fireworks performance above the Daugava River. The future of Riga belongs to the part of inhabitants who are children now; therefore one day of Riga's anniversary events will be devoted to the younger Rigans. On 19 August, similar to the previous day, the Old Town of Riga will glitter in the colours of circus, theatre, cinema, dance and songs. The only difference is that the children will be the main participants of the events. Agency Riga 800
Bright performances to entertain Latvian capital during European Cultural Month On 2 August 2001 Latvia's Minister of Culture Ms Karina Petersone officially opened the European Cultural Month in Riga with a speech from a floating gallery on the River Daugava in the centre of Riga. During August and September Riga, will be visited by hundreds of artists from various European countries and the world to participate in countless festivals, exhibitions and other events. During the European Cultural Month the 800-year-old city will be filled with cello opuses and opera music, as well as the best music recently composed in Latvia and music from abroad. The city will also experience poetry reading in almost 40 languages of the world together with video projections; actors, dancers and circus performers will perform in places usually not staging such events. Advertising stands will be covered with artwork from the 90ies, concert halls will be filled with musicians and world class orchestras, opera, ballet, to mention but a few of the events of the European Cultural Month in Riga. In 2001 four European cities have gained the status of European Cultural Capital: Porto and Rotterdam are the European Cultural Capitals for this year, while Riga and Basel are European Cultural Month cities. BNS
Mstislav Rostropovich presides over a unique cello festival in Riga From 3 to 9 August 2001 Latvian capital hosts Riga M. Rostropovich Cello Festival. Knowing the great potential of Riga's cello school, one of the most prominent 20th century cellists, conductor and pedagogue Mstislav Rostropovich agreed to become the festival president and to give his name to the festival. There are many cello festivals worldwide, however this one is unique among them, as it accentuates the collaboration between the cello and symphony orchestra. Apart from the festival president, other participants are also world famous artists. On 4 August 2001 the world-renowned cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich held a press conference in Riga, in which he announced that he would leave his honorarium in Latvia âÀ“ for the organisation of a camp for young cellists. European Cultural Month Bureau, LETA
Latvian National Opera to offer Riga its best and most modern performances From 10 to 17 August 2001, during the European Cultural Month in the framework of Riga's 800th anniversary celebrations, the Latvian National Opera will perform the best and most modern performances of this season with the participation of renowned local and guest performers. The Opera and Ballet Showcase at the Latvian National Opera will include Juris Karlson's ballet "The Silver Veil" (the first collaboration the Latvian National Opera has had with the distinguished choreographer Krzystof Pastor (the Netherlands) who has translated the Latvian poet and playwright Aspazija's drama of symbols into the language of modern dance), Bizet's opera "Carmen", Sergei Prokofiev's ballet "Romeo and Juliet" (conducted by Mstislav Rostropovich), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "The Magic Flute" (an improvisation based on the theme of the future opera, which has evoked active discussion and debates in the public), the ballet "Tchaikovsky" and Giuseppe Verdi's opera "Aida" (thanks to the powerful music and Ilmars Blumberg's impressive stage design and costumes, this is the most colourful and majestic opera master production on Riga's opera stage). European Cultural Month Bureau
International Theatre Festival "Homo Novus" invites to step over boundaries in performing arts From 14 to 23 September 2001, as part of the European Cultural Month in Riga, the New Theatre Institute of Latvia organises the 4th International Festival of Contemporary Theatre "Homo Novus". The Festival aims to create a dialogue between performing arts projects and city surroundings exposing Riga as an open space for diverse cultural events. "Homo Novus 2001" will offer Scandinavian, Russian, German, French, Dutch as well as Baltic drama performances, circus, modern dance and Internet theatre, addressing also those who may have never even been to the theatre. The fourth festival "Homo Novus" wishes to provoke a dialogue between performing arts projects and city surroundings, therefore the theatre performances will mainly be held outside traditional theatre premises âÀ“ in petroleum stations, Spilve Airport, Daugavgriva Fortress, E.Smilgis Theatre Museum, Riga Film Studio, Railway Museum of Latvia, apartment etc. One of the creation goals of the International Festival of Contemporary Theatre "Homo Novus" in 1995 was to unite and mobilise people for whom overstepping boundaries in performing arts is an every day event. That was the impulse for the foundation of the New Theatre Institute of Latvia, who has been active concerning innovations in performing arts since 1998. European Cultural Month Bureau
Swedish theatre company to show in Riga its version of Rainis' classic On 9 and 10 September 2001, in the framework of the European Cultural Month in Riga, Sweden's "Orion" theatre company will present its production of Latvian playwright and poet Rainis' play "Joseph and His Brothers", in honour of the author's 136th birthday. The performances will be held in the premises of the Riga Film Studio. Director Lars Rudolfsson has created this production with the sensibility of a seasoned multicultural artist. "Joseph and His Brothers" is a humane, modern and vital production, in which Rainis' symbolic allegory becomes a moving experience. The production's affirmation of humanity is accentuated by the ensemble âÀ“ a multiracial, multiethnic mix of actors from Poland, China, Iran, Uganda, and Chile. Rainis' philosophical tragedy of the Biblical hero Joseph, written in the early 20th century, is played in 21st century Sweden as a poignant drama of personal choice on man's relationship with his fellow men. The play will be shown for the final time and it has been revived after a six-month pause especially for audiences in Latvia. LETA
Vassily Sinaisky to conduct a special programme in Riga The former conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Vassily Sinaisky, will visit Riga in August in order to conduct the concert programme "From Richard Wagner to Imants Kalnins". Music from Wagner's operas "Lohengrin", "Valkyre", "Tristan and Isolda" and "Rienzi", created while he lived in Riga, will be included on the programme. Latvian composers Imants Kalnins' Fourth Symphony will also be performed, as well as Emils Darzins' "Melancholy Waltz", Janis Medins' "Vidzeme", and excerpts from works by Adolfs Skulte, Romualds Kalsons and Andrejs Jurjans. On 17 August, Sinaisky will conduct at the Great Guild, but at the peak of Riga's 800th anniversary on 18 August âÀ“ on Dome Square. Sinaisky is now residing in Amsterdam and is the chief guest conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. LETA
Cinema "Riga" screens a film parade of world best creations in the history of cinematography During Riga's 700th anniversary events a hundred years ago the citizens were given the chance to watch the first film in the world âÀ“ "Arrival of the Train" by brothers Lumieres. Riga 800th anniversary programme enabled the Rigans and their guests to enjoy the world best creations in the history of cinematography. The film programme "Cinematography Highlights of the Century" took place on the screen of the Cinema "Riga" from May to August 2001. Ten days for each participating country was the time for this kind of retrospection. One part of the film programme was devoted to world documentaries. From 28 July to 16 August the Riga 800th anniversary film programme features a review of the time-tested values in Latvia's cinematography. Agency Riga 800
Gala concert of the Song and Dance Festival in Riga draws audience of tens of thousands of people The Song and Dance Festival dedicated to the 800th anniversary of the Latvian capital Riga closed on 29 July 2001 with 11,500 singers from a total of 288 choirs performing for the audience of tens of thousands of people. The 2.5 hour-long closing concert featured songs dedicated to Riga, both classic ones and new pieces composed especially for the city's 800th anniversary marked this summer. The gala concert was a multi-media production, where key streets and squares of Riga were described in song. Each part of the concert had its own theme, images and musical development, creating a garland of sonnets for Riga. The creative team behind the grand production say that in cities streets are the link between the past and the future. The Song and Dance Festival, which took place in Riga on 28 and 29 July, was a prelude to series of culture events to be staged in Riga on its 800th anniversary. The celebration is expected to reach its culmination on 17 - 19 August 2001. BNS, LETA Song and Dance Festival "Riga 800": http://www.dziesmusvetki-rigai800.lv
Choirs donate restored bell of St. Jacob's Church to Riga On 25 July 2001 an event took place at the entry of St. Jacob's Church in Riga, where various men's choirs donated the church's restored bell to the city of Riga on its 800th anniversary. The men's choirs "Absolventi", "Auseklis", "Dziedonis", "Frahori", "Gaudeamus", "Justus", Presidium Convent Men's Choir, National Men's Choir, "Tevzeme", Jazeps Medins Music School boys' choir, and the united choir of Latvians residing in the U.S., for whose donations the bell was restored, participated in the event. Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Latvia Janis Pujats consecrated the bell of St. Jacob's Church on 21 June. The original bell was cast to commemorate the victory of Livonian Order over the army of Russian Czar Ivan III in the vicinity of Pskov in 1502. The bell was made in Holland in 1509. Legends say that the bell was rung when someone was being taken to the scaffold. Another legend has it that the bell rang each time an unfaithful wife passed by, which is why the bell was removed not to cause problems in families. The actual reason was the approaching German army in the summer of 1915. According to Russian administration's decree, all valuables were evacuated from Riga, including the bell, monument to Peter I, monument to Bishop Albert, 3,400 silver items from the House of Blackheads, and even the copper roof of the Dome Cathedral. LETA
The restored altar of St. Peter's Church unveiled On 29 June 2001 the restored altar of St. Peter's Church in the Old Town of Riga was unveiled and consecrated. The initiative of restoration came from the Latvian-Baltic German centre "Domus Rigensis". Restoration of the altar was a diploma project implemented by students at the Riga Trade Secondary School. The new altar is made similar to the church's 1853 neo-Gothic altar that was destroyed in 1941. The altar is made of oak, its height is 18 metres, and it weighs 5.9 tons. The altar is a gift to Riga on its 800th anniversary, made by all sides that participated in the project âÀ“ its authors and all supporters. LETA
Latvian capital renovates monument to its founder German Bishop Albert On 9 June 2001 a monument to German Bishop Albert who is regarded as founder of Riga was formally unveiled in the historic heart of the Latvian capital city as part of the Hanseatic Days events. Some 140 people of the bishop's family had gathered in Riga to join the monument unveiling and also to honour Riga's 800th anniversary. The model of the sculpture in Riga was made by Latvian sculptors Oskars Mikans and Aigars Zemitis. The sculpture is nearly two meters high while together with cantilever and a canopy above it, resembling a church tower, the sculpture's total height is 5.3 metres. The original sculpture was erected at the Dome Cathedral in 1897 in honour of the 700th anniversary of the Latvian capital. At the beginning of the WW I the statue, like numerous other non-ferrous metal monuments, was dismantled and carried by a ship to St. Petersburg. Some sources say the ship carrying the monument sank. BNS
800 âÀ“ environmental work of art dedicated to Riga's 800th anniversary unveiled On 9 July 2001, in the centre of Riga, Agency Riga 800 unveiled 800, an environmental work of art dedicated to the city's 800th anniversary. Commissioned by Agency Riga 800, the artist Holgers Elers created two such identical installations 800. One was unveiled at the junction of Brivibas Str. and Elizabetes Str. in the centre of Riga; the second was unveiled later at the crossing between K.Ulmana Ave. and Lielirbes Str., where it now acts as Riga's visiting card to people arriving from Jurmala and beyond. Both identical artworks 800 will fulfil not only an informative function, acting as a reminder of Riga's 800th anniversary, but also an original decorative function. The installation is shaped by curvaceous metal constructions, which form three signs of infinity. Artist Holgers Elers: "Looking at the 800 installation from several points of view, it surprises and captivates because it does not repeat itself as a result of each viewing suggesting a new sign of infinity and because the number 800 can be viewed from various angles. It contains encoded information, which simultaneously permits each viewer to submit to his/her individual fantasies as well as to create a field of reference related to the city's anniversary. Riga is like a sign of the future, a symbol of infinite change, versatile and yet at the same time self-sufficient. This installation is symbolic to the balance discovered and maintained by Riga today. Prior to now, Riga has during the course of its history succeeded in maintaining this balance." Agency Riga 800
Reconstruction of Riga Dome's clock completed Several years ago, the Riga Dome's clock began to show wrong time, before stopping completely. On 10 August 2001 the clock will start telling time again. Reconstruction of the clock included replacing parts, setting a control system, and replacing the clock's hands with replicas resembling the originals. LVL 10,000 for the repairs were donated by "Procter & Gamble Marketing Latvia". The donation was a gift for Riga on its 800th anniversary. It is believed that the first clock was placed in the Riga Dome's tower in 1596, when the tower was reconstructed following a fire. In 1779, the clock's mechanism was replaced by a sundial, which was then replaced by a mechanical clock at the end of the 19th century. In 1970s, an electronic control system was fitted into the clock. LETA CALENDAR
Forthcoming culture events in Latvia in 2001 1 May - 31 August, exhibition "The Riga That Does Not Exist. Sand Way - Alexander Street - Freedom Street - Adolf Hitler Street - Lenin Street - Freedom Street", Latvian Museum of Architecture, Riga 1 May - 30 September, exhibition "Archaeology of the Hanseatic Cities of Riga, Bremen, Braunschweig", Museum of Riga's History and Navigation 5 May - 16 August, film programme "Cinematography Highlights of the Century", cinema "Riga", Riga 18 May - 31 October, exhibition "The Livs in Ancient Times", Latvian History Museum, Riga 6 July - 25 September, exhibition "Riga in the 16th - 20th Century as Seen by Riga Artists and Craftsmen", House of Blackheads, Riga 6 July - 25 September, exhibition "Riga Silver of the 17th - 19th Century" from a private collection, House of Blackheads, Riga 12 July - 28 October, photo exhibition "Rigans", Latvian Photography Museum, Riga 18 July - 15 August, Riga 800 exhibition of photographic art, Riga Congress Centre 18 July - 30 September, exhibition "Riga 100 Years Ago", Museum of Riga's History and Navigation 28 July - 28 August, exhibition "Riga in Colour Reflection and Atmosphere" by students of the Janis Rozentals Riga Art College, Janis Rozentals Riga Art College 1 August - 31 August, exhibition "Riga Architecture of the 20th Century", Museum of Decorative and Applied Art, Riga August - September, European Cultural Month in Riga: http://www.riga2001.lv/
9 August - 9 September, "Riga's Motifs", a collective exhibition of paintings by representatives of Latvia's ethnic minorities dedicated to the 800th anniversary of Riga, Slokas Str. 37, Riga 10 - 12 August, International Rock Music Festival "Liepaja Amber 2001": http://www.dzintars.remix.lv/ 10 August - 30 September, exhibition "Academician Vilhelms Purvitis. 1872 - 1945. Landscapes", State Museum of Fine Arts, Riga 16 - 30 August, Riga Sacral Music Festival, Dome Cathedral, St. John's Church, Riga 17 - 19 August, culmination of celebration of the 800th anniversary of Riga: http://www.riga800.lv/ 17 August - 3 December, "Three Stars - Three Crowns", joint project by Latvia and Sweden, dedicated to Riga's 800th and Stockholm's 750th anniversaries, exhibition hall "Arsenals", Riga 17 August - 17 September, visual arts exhibition "Metropolis Riga", Great Hall of the Riga Stock Exchange 22 - 26 August, 2nd International Festival of Girls' Choirs, Riga 5 September, 75th anniversary concert of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Great Guild, Riga 7 - 9 September, Days of European Cultural Heritage, Riga 27 - 30 September, 7th International Chamber Choir Festival "Riga Dimd": http://www.culture.lv/choirsfestival/ 1 - 9 December, 3rd Jazeps Vitols International Piano Competition, Riga: http://www.music.lv/competition/vitols/ 6 December - 31 January, exhibition "Riga and Rigans in Ex-libris", National Library of Latvia, Riga
CONTACT INFORMATION Agency Riga 800 Address: Ratslaukums 6, Riga, LV 1050, Latvia Telephone: (+371) 7 044 366 Fax: (+371) 7 044 367 E-mail: riga800@rcc.lv
European Cultural Month Bureau Address: Maza Pils 19, Riga, LV 1050, Latvia Tel/Fax: (+371) 7 213 113 E-mail: info@riga2001.lv
USEFUL LINKS Search engine of the forthcoming culture events: http://www.riga800.lv/en/go/events.asp?action=form Information on the repertoire of the Latvian National Opera and the possibilities of booking tickets in the Internet: http://www.opera.lv/ |
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