Arts & events guide

LATVIA
 
THURSDAY, MAY 19
 
The Immured, opera
19:00 @ Latvian National Opera & Ballet (LNOB)
Maris Sirmais (conductor)
WORLD PREMIERE
Eriks Esenvalds’ “The Immured” is 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.
The opera is based on an idea and original libretto written by Inese Zandere as a poem; Zandere wrote it in honour of and as an ode to poet Knuts Skujenieks, who has also rendered numerous European folktales into Latvian.
 
FRIDAY, MAY 20
 
The Immured, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Maris Sirmais (conductor)

SATURDAY, MAY 21

The Immured, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Maris Sirmais (conductor)

SUNDAY, MAY 22

Anna Karenina, ballet
19:00 @ LNOB
Gintars Rinkevics (conductor)
 
TUESDAY, MAY 24
 
The Riga Choreography School Performance
19:00 @ LNOB
 
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
Raymonda, ballet
19:00 @ LNOB
Janis Liepins (conductor)
 
THURSDAY, MAY 26
 
Le Villi. Gianni Schicchi, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Janis Liepins (conductor)

Sinfonietta Riga Season Closing Concert
19:00 @ Riga, Great Guild
Evelyn Glennie (percussion), Normunds Sne (conductor), Sinfonietta Riga
The Scottish virtuoso percussionist Evelyn Glennie has won both the prestigious Polar Music Prize 2015 and a Grammy Award for her exuberant performances. The New York Times has declared her a musical phenomenon.
Haydn - Symphony in B-flat major, McMillan - Concerto for percussion and orchestra Veni, veni, Emmanuel Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.3 in G major.

FRIDAY, MAY 27

Riga Festival Opening Concert. The London Symphony Orchestra
19:00 @ Riga, Latvian National Opera
Nikolaj Znaider (violin), Sir Antonio Pappano (conductor)
Beethoven - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Elgar - Second Symphony.
 
SATURDAY, MAY 28
 
Swan Lake, ballet
19:00 @ LNOB
Martins Ozolins (conductor)

Riga Festival. Wine and Music: France
19:00 @ Riga, Spikeri Concert Hall
NYX Trio, Anete Toca (flute), Tatjana Ostrovska (violin), Ieva Sarja (piano)
Latvian Concerts director Guntars Kirsis, Garage wine bar co-owner Janis Jenzis, and a professional sommelier in a conversation about wine and music.

SUNDAY, MAY 29
 
Scheherazade and Her Tales, ballet
19:00 @ LNOB
Martins Ozolins (conductor)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE

Riga Opera Festival 2016
Viva Verdi! (June 1-12)
The Riga Opera Festival, founded in 1998 as the first festival of its size and scale in Eastern Europe. Every summer, the festival marks the end of the Latvian National Opera’s performance season. The festival of 2016 will be dedicated to one composer only — to musical genius Italian Romantic Giuseppe Verdi.
 
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Rigoletto, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Martins Ozolins (conductor)

THURSDAY, JUNE 2
 
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
La Traviata, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Tadeusz Wojciechowski (conductor)

FRIDAY, JUNE 3
 
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Macbeth, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Martins Ozolins (conductor)

SATURDAY, JUNE 4

RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Aida, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Gintaras Rinkevicius (conductor)
 
SUNDAY, JUNE 5
 
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Il Trovatore, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Janis Liepins (conductor)

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Il Trovatore, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Janis Liepins (conductor)
 
Riga Festival: The Budapest Festival Orchestra
20:00 @ Riga, Great Guild
Denes Varjon (piano), Ivan Fischer (conductor)
Liszt - Second Piano Concerto, Dvorak - Eighth Symphony, Stravinsky - Jeu de Cartes
 
THURSDAY, JUNE 9
 
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Rigoletto, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Martins Ozolins (conductor)

FRIDAY, JUNE 10

RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
La Traviata, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Tadeusz Wojciechowski (conductor)

SATURDAY, JUNE 11
 
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Macbeth, opera
19:00 @ LNOB
Martins Ozolins (conductor)
 
SUNDAY, JUNE 12
 
RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL
Gala Concert Viva Verdi!  19:00 @ LNOB
 
LITHUANIA
 
THURSDAY, MAY 19
 
Alexander’s Feast, opera
18:30 @ Lithuanian National Opera & Ballet (LNOB)
Vytautas Lukocius (conductor), Handel
 
FRIDAY, MAY 20

Swan Lake, ballet
18:30 @ LNOB
Robertas Servenikas (conductor), Tchaikovsky

SATURDAY, MAY 21

La Boheme, opera
18:30 @ LNOB
Robertas Servenikas (conductor), Puccini

THURSDAY, MAY 26
 
Concert of the London Symphony Orchestra
19:00 @ Lithuanian National Opera & Ballet
Antonio Pappano (conductor), Nikolaj Znaider (violin)
Beethoven - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Elgar - Symphony No. 2

FRIDAY, JUNE 3

Vilnius Festival 2016
Festival Opening Concert with Angela Gheorghiu
19:00 @ Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre
Angela Gheorghiu (soprano, Romania), Marius Brenciu (tenor, Romania), Ciprian Teodorascu (conductor, Romania),
Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre Symphony Orchestra
Verdi, Boito, Cilea, Puccini, Donizetti, Bizet, Tchaikovsky, Catalani, Lehar
 
SUNDAY, JUNE 5
 
Vilnius Festival 2016
Faustas Latenas. Music as Theatre
19:00 @ Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall
Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra
Indre Baikstyte (piano), Ruta Lipinaityte (violin), Tomas Petrikis (viola), David Geringas (cello), Giedrius Gelgotas (flute), Renata Marcinkute-Lesieur (organ), Fortvio Piano Trio, Artvio String Quartet, Ciurlionis Quartet Vilnius State Choir, Robertas Servenikas (conductor)

TUESDAY, JUNE 7
 
Vilnius Festival 2016
Budapest Festival Orchestra: Greetings to Vilnius
19:00 @ Lithuanian national opera and ballet
Denes Varjon (piano), Ivan Fisher (conductor)
Stravinsky, Liszt, Dvorak

THURSDAY, JUNE 9
 
Vilnius Festival 2016
Symphony in Memoriam Mstislav Rostropovich
19:00 @ Lithuanian National Philharmonic Hall
Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Zilvinas Brazauskas (clarinet), Keri-Lynn Wilson (conductor, Canada)

ESTONIA
 
THURSDAY, MAY 19
 
Modigliani - The Cursed Artist, ballet
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera
 
Nordic Symphony Orchestra 18
19:00 @ Johvi Concert Hall
Gutierrez Arenas (cello, Spain), Anu Tali (conductor)
Brahms - Academic overture, Dvorak - Concerto for cello and orchestra, Schumann - Symphony no 1
 
FRIDAY, MAY 20

Aida, opera
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera
Nordic Symphony Orchestra 18
19:00 @ Tallinn, Estonia Concert Hall
Gutierrez Arenas (cello, Spain), Anu Tali (conductor)
Brahms - Academic overture, Dvorak - Concerto for cello and orchestra, Schumann - Symphony no 1
 
Season closing concert of Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra
19:00 @ Tartu, Vanemuine Concert Hall
Aleksandra Kovalevitch (mezzo soprano / Helikon Opera, Moscow)
Paul Magi (conductor)
Elgar - Enigma variations , Martucci - The Song of Memories, Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 5
 
SATURDAY, MAY 21
 
Karlsson on the Roof
12:00 @ Estonian National Opera
For young people

Swan Lake, ballet
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera

Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra
19:00 @ Tallinn, Estonia Concert Hall
Aleksandra Kovalevitch (mezzo soprano / Helikon Opera, Moscow)
Paul Magi (conductor)
Elgar - Enigma variations , Martucci - The Song of Memories, Tchaikovsky - Symphony No. 5
 
 SUNDAY, MAY 22

Aida, opera
17:00 @ Estonian National Opera

Concert series “The Ringing Masterpieces in Kadriorg”
17:00 @ Tallinn, Kadriorg Palace
The concert introduces Laurent Cars’ drawing “The Venetian Festival”
 
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
Rigoletto, Opera
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera
 
THURSDAY, MAY 26

Swan Lake, ballet
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera
 
FRIDAY, MAY 27

Tosca, Opera
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera
 
SATURDAY, MAY 28

Modigliani - the Cursed Artist, ballet
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera
 
SUNDAY, MAY 29
 
Tallinn Ballet School 70 - Anniversary Gala
17:00 @ Estonian National Opera
 
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1
Tosca, Opera
19:00 @ Estonian National Opera
NO40: A Midsummer’s Night Dream
Only five performances!
01.06 @ 19:00, Estonia Concert Hall
02.06 @ 19:00, Estonia Concert Hall
03.06 @ 19:00, Estonia Concert Hall
05.06 @ 19:00, Estonia Concert Hall
06.06 @ 19:00, Estonia Concert Hall
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Olari Elts (conductor), On stage NO99 Theatre actors, Ellerhein Girls’ Choir

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

Opening Concert of the Parnu International Choir Festival
19:00 @ Parnu Concert Hall

THURSDAY, JUNE 30

Great Summer Gathering. Friends
20:00 @ Estonia Concert Hall
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Silvia Ilves (cello), Neeme Jarvi (conductor)
The concert’s patron is President of the Republic of Estonia Toomas Hendrik Ilves.
Weiner - Divertisments; Tchaikovsky - Pezzo capriccioso for cello and orchestra; Eller - Prelude in G minor; Gershwin - Walking the Dog, from Shall We Dance; Duke Ellington - Solitude; Ferde Grofe - The Grand Canyon Suite