This week, the capital city with the motto "Sound, Riga!” (“Skani, Rīga!”) offers concerts in Dzegužkalns, Dauderi Park and Vērmanes Garden, as well as a programme for families with children "My Riga – Playful” (“Mana Rīga – rotaļīga”) in Nordeķi Park. Riga Municipality has prepared a wide programme of cultural events for the month of Riga's birthday, which both residents and visitors are invited to attend.
Latvian chamber music and Italian arias at Dzegužkalns
Academic singers Brigita Reisone and Mihails Čuļpajevs, accompanied by outstanding musicians from the Latvian National Opera and Ballet, will open this year's Dzegužkalns musical programme on August 6 at 19.00. The concert will feature Latvian and international opera gems from various periods.
Brigita Reisone is one of the most outstanding young opera singers of the moment, whose voice will lead the audience through the most striking and well-known musical compositions by Latvian and Italian composers in the first part of the concert.
The second part of the concert will feature the audience's favourite leading tenor of the Latvian National Opera, Mihails Čulpajevs. He will perform the most brilliant bel canto opera arias and piano interpretations by Gaetano Donizetti, Vincenzo Bellini, Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni and Ruggero Leoncavallo. They will be interwoven with the fine piano works of Fryderyk Chopin – Nocturnes, Mazurkas and Etudes.
80s Latvian music in Dauderi Park
In the evening of August 7 in Dauderi Park, Sarkandaugava, listeners are invited to immerse themselves in the mood of Latvian music of the 80s, experiencing the band "Kopā Reti Esošu Draugu Organizācija" or "K.R.E.D.O." concert. The band is a group of musicians led by Valdis Skujiņš, who were once active in the band "Credo" in the 1970s and 1980s. The concert will therefore feature many of the band's well-known songs in a sound close to the original. DJ Mareks Ameriks will also provide a stimulating musical background and atmosphere.
On August 7 from 18.00 in Kalnciema Quarter, the band "Jaunība", which has just released its debut album "Some Rational Considerations” (“Daži racionāli apsvērumi”) in June, will perform. It contains 14 songs with contemporary Latvian poetry by authors such as Inga Pizāne, Elvīra Bloma, Inga Gaile, Agnese Krivade, Agnese Rutkēviča, Henriks Eliass Zēgners, Alise Zariņa, and Marija Luīze Meļķe. "”Jaunība” consists of Edgars Mākens (composer, keyboardist, singer), Agnese Budovska (singer), Edgars Rubenis (guitar), Paula Kronentāle (viola), Emīls Dreiblats (drum machine and modular synthesizer), and Klāvs Lauls (bass guitar).
Shipsea in Vērmanes Garden
On August 8 from 19.00 the programme of musical evenings in Vērmanes Garden will be continued by one of the brightest and best-loved contemporary Latvian musicians – Shipsea or Jānis Šipkēvics. The evening promises to be emotionally charged and musically nuanced, as a number of other outstanding and charismatic musicians will also take to the stage – guitarist Miķelis Putniņš, percussionist Rūdolfs Dankfelds, bass guitarist Kārlis Josts and singer Una Daniela, whose voice will give the songs a special tenderness and power.
The concert will feature compositions from Shipsea's debut album "Apgaismo mani", including the classics "Tavi viļņi", "Pie upes", "Dunka" and "Siltā gaismā". The audience will also have the opportunity to hear tracks from the latest album "Lielās cerības". It will be an evening in which Vērmanes Garden will be transformed into a warm and poetic meeting place for music and listeners.
"My Riga – Playful"
On August 9 from 12.00 with the motto "Wonder, Riga!” (“Brīnies, Rīga!) families with children will be welcomed in Nordeķi Park for the event "My Riga – Playful". During the event, everyone will enjoy a varied stage programme, rhythm and musical improvisation workshops for children, Riga Circus School workshops, big wooden games, a cinema tent, creative workshops for children, a Border Guard information tent, a Futurimo experiment show and a market of delicacies.
On the main stage, visitors will have the opportunity to hear and see concert programmes for visitors of all ages: the musical programme for the very young "Ukulele", a show by Andžejs Grauds’ drum school, as well as a musical performance by the event host and singer "Katō".
A cinema tent showing Latvian cartoons will ensure the joy of watching, while the Riga Circus School workshops will help younger and older visitors to try and learn various circus skills.
This year, Riga's Summer Program is united under the motto "RakstuRīga", celebrating also the five hundredth anniversary of a Latvian book, which invites everyone to discover and appreciate Riga's rich cultural heritage and look for characteristic features of contemporary urban cultural life, both in the neighbourhoods and at the central events celebrating Riga's birthday.
More information about Riga Summer and birthday events is available on the website rigasvasara.lv, as well as on the Riga City Council social media pages “Rīga” and “Rīgā notiek”.
Information was prepared by Ineta Miglāne, Project Coordinator, External Communication Division of the Communications Department of the Riga City Council, e-mail: ineta.miglane@riga.lv.
Further information: Tatjana Smirnova, Project Coordinator of the Department of External Communication of the Communication Department of the Riga Municipality, e-mail: tsmirnova11@riga.lv