The tour will take place with the support of the Latvian Ministry of Culture and Rietumu Bank.
The February performances of the Latvian National Opera in Moscow will be the third tour of the theatre in the Russian capital in modern history. This time, the event is especially remarkable: since the fundamental reconstruction completed in 2011, the only guest tour the Bolshoi Theatre had was by the famous La Scala from Milan.
During the last decade, the Latvian National Opera headed by Andrejs Ћagars has earned the reputation as one of the most interesting and original musical theatres in Europe, which is distinguished by its pronounced individual style, originally and effectively combining classic and modern art. Practically every premiere of the theatre becomes an event that is widely discussed and invariably causes response among the musical public, critics and opera art fans.
The current principal director of the opera, Andrejs Ћagars, is now well-known and popular in Russia, where he is invited to stage performances and participate in juries of opera and ballet competitions.
As Member of the Council of Rietumu Bank Alexander Gafin noted, ‘I often say to my friends from Russia – if you arrive in Riga, but don’t go to the opera, you miss a lot of what it is worth coming here for. Latvia is deservedly proud of its opera theatre, and the current tour is a really remarkable event in the cultural life of our countries.’
Commenting on the bank’s support of the tour, Mr Gafin emphasises, ‘Rietumu is one of a few banks which traditionally participates not only in developing economic relations and business links between Latvia and Russia, but also invests funds in bilateral programmes in the field of art. We are convinced that apart from business contacts, it is no less important to also support cultural and human contacts. For instance, for many years Rietumu Bank has been the Latvian partner of the Russian festival Golden Mask in Latvia. We sincerely wish the current tour to enjoy the success that our theatre undoubtedly deserves!’
At the Bolshoi, the Latvian National Opera will show its presentation of Donizetti's most brilliant opera Lucia di Lammermoor, the premiere of which took place in Riga in May 2012. The soloists are Latvian soprano Sonora Vaice, who is well-known on the opera stages of Dresden, Stuttgart, Sydney, Moscow and other cultural capitals, and the soloist of the State Opera and Ballet Theatre in Ankara, the Turkish tenor Murat Karahan, who has started a promising career in Europe.
Moscow opera lovers will also be able to see the original presentation of the Russian classics – Eugene Onegin, which has been a big success in Riga for two seasons. Tatyana’s part will be played by the crowd puller Kristоne Opolais, who performs in leading opera theatres – the Vienna Opera, the Berlin Opera, the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, La Scala in Milan, London’s Covent Garden, the Hamburg Opera, the Zurich Opera Theatre, and other theatrical stages.
Onegin’s part is played by Latvian National Opera’s baritone Jвnis Apeinis, who has been awarded ‘The Best Soloist of the Opera’ prize three times. Earlier Jвnis Apeinis performed Onegin’s part at the Tyrolean State Theatre in Austria, and last year at the Mikhailovsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg.
Eleonora Gailisha Mass Media and Public Relations
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