Today : world première of Eriks Esenvalds's 'The Immured' in Riga

Today, the Latvian National Opera presents the world première performance of The Immured, an opera in two acts composed by Ēriks Ešenvalds with a libretto by Inese Zandere.

It is the composer's second opera after Joseph is a Fruitful Bough (2007).

The opera about the construction of a library, and the sacrifices without which nothing great can ever be created. It’s a modern-day legend, whose sources are found in the folklore of various European cultures, as well as in modern Latvian society. The heroes of this tale are artists and masons, librarians and politicians, their love and betrayal, faith and responsibilities. (reproduced from the Latvian National Opera website)

The cast includes tenor Raimonds Bramanis (Architect), baritone Jānis Apeinis (Builder), mezzo Laura Grecka (Poet), soprano Inga Šļubovska (Librarian), bass Rihards Mačanovskis (President) and soprano Kristīne Gailīte (Minister). Māris Sirmais conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the Latvian National Opera. Laura Groza-Ķibere directs.

The performance should last about 3 hours. The first performance will be broadcast live by the Latvian National Radio.

Today : world première of 'Valentina' by Arturs Maskats in Riga

Today, the first opera of Latvian composer Arturs Maskats, Valentina, will be performed by the Latvian National Opera in Riga.

The libretto (2 acts), written by Liana Langa and the composer, celebrates film historian Valentina Freimane through pages of national chronicle from 1939 to 1944.

Valentina Freimane’s childhood was divided between Riga and Berlin where her father worked as an attorney for UFA film-studios and her mother was an enchanting society lady entertaining the elite of the cinema world the family virtually lived in under their roof. On their return to Riga, future film historian’s intelligentsia family is surprised by the Holocaust unprepared. It claims lives of Valentina’s parents and husband, and the young woman is forced to hide from authorities till the end of the war.

‘Valentina Freimane’s life story is inextricably inter-twined with events of Latvian and European history opening for the eye a panoramic view of the era in all its richness of color and in all its contradictions. The most dramatic moments of Valentina’s life have coincided with the notable events of the 20th century history : the loss of independence of Latvia when an enormous spiritual force was required in order to survive physically and morally; however, our opera is more than just about politics: a love story and deep feelings shoot through all of its events,’ says Arturs Maskats. (reproduced from the Latvian National opera website, where a detailed synopsis is available)

Today, Valentina Freimane lives and works in Berlin as well as in Riga. The cast includes Inga Kalna (soprano, Valentina), Janis Apeinis (baritone, Dima), Raimonds Bramanis (tenor, Aleksey), Rihars Macanovskis (baritone, Valdis), Ieva Parsa (mezzo, Alma). Modestas Pitrenas conducts and Viestur Kairish directs.

The first performance will be broadcast live on Latvijas Radio 3 Klasika.

Wanted ! 2014-2015 season programs of opera houses

To complete my collection, I am still expecting paper copies of the 2014-2015 season program for the following opera houses :

- Canada : Calgary, Victoria (BC) ;
- Croatia : Zagreb ;
- Finland : Helsinki ;
- France : Caen, Compiègne, Lille, Monte-Carlo, Montpellier, Reims ;
- Germany : Staatstheater Darmstad, Theater Erfurt, Mittelsächsisches Theater Freiberg, Theater Magdeburg, Staatstheater Nürnberg, Opernhaus Wuppertal ;
- Hungary : Budapest ;
- Italy : Bari, Bolzano, Cagliari, Catania, Firenze, Genova, Milano, Palermo, Parma, Roma, Trieste, Venezia ;
- Latvia : Riga ;
- Netherlands : Enschede, Maastricht ;
- Poland : Warsaw ;
- Portugal : Lisboa ;
- Slovenia : Ljubljana ;
- Switzerland, Bern : Konzert Theater ;
- USA : Anchorage, Central City, Charlotte (Opera Carolina), Dallas, Denver (Opera Colorado), Detroit (Michigan Opera Theatre), Honolulu (Hawaii Opera Theatre), Houston, Indianapolis, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Louisville (Kentucky Opera), Miami (Florida Grand Opera), Milwaukee (Florentine Opera Company), Minneapolis (Minnesota Opera), New Orleans, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Sacramento, Saint Louis, San Diego, Sarasota, Washington (DC).

I hope I will receive them before the end of the year. I guess I will have to write to them again.