GALA GALANTE. Viva La Musica! concert held in Jūrmala as part of the Baltic Awards

On 22 August, the legendary Dzintari Concert Hall in Jūrmala hosted the grand festive concert GALA GALANTE. Viva La Musica!, dedicated to the laureates of the Baltic Awards 2026. The concert was sold out and concluded with prolonged standing ovations from the audience. The distinguished guests included the award laureates, honorary members of the Selection Committee, representatives of the diplomatic corps, as well as prominent figures from Latvia’s and other countries’ cultural, business and public life. 

For the second consecutive year, GALA GALANTE has become one of the highlights of Baltic Awards, bringing outstanding representatives of the Baltic and international music scene together on one stage. This year’s concert once again offered audiences a distinctive musical journey, where classical music intertwined with works by contemporary composers, beloved melodies and original musical interpretations. 

This year’s GALA GALANTE programme was infused with a distinctive Italian atmosphere, adding an elegant charm to the evening. The stage of Dzintari Concert Hall featured one of today’s leading tenors Giorgio Berrugi, acclaimed Ukrainian tenor Dmytro Popov, charismatic Estonian soprano Elina Nechayeva, distinguished Latvian pianist Andrejs Osokins, expressive Latvian bass Edgars Ošleja, brilliant tenor Artjoms Safronovs, young piano virtuoso Gustavs Kalējs, innovative Lithuanian ensemble NICO Ensemble, and the true star of the evening - world-renowned Latvian opera diva Inese Galante. Maestro Ekhart Wycik from Germany took the podium. The concert also featured the young laureates of the Ineses Galantes talanti competition — the dynamic percussion ensemble Ekho and talented young violinist Sofija Poļiščuka. The evening was hosted by Elina Nechayeva and Mārtiņš Kapzems.

The concert unfolded in two parts, taking the audience on a diverse and emotionally rich musical journey. The evening opened with the elegant overture to Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, performed by the Baltic Awards Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Ekhart Wycik, and greeted with enthusiastic applause from the very first moments. Particularly moving was the trio interpretation of “Parigi, o cara” from Verdi’s La Traviata: alongside Inese Galante, the piece was performed by Giorgio Berrugi and Dmytro Popov. One of the evening’s surprises was the unexpected appearance of Artjoms Safronovs, who walked onto the stage directly from the audience and, accompanied by 12-year-old pianist Gustavs Kalējs, performed Lucio Dalla’s legendary song “Caruso”. 

The second part of the concert gained particular depth and delicacy through Andrejs Osokins’ luminous and nuanced interpretation of the Larghetto from Frédéric Chopin’s First Piano Concerto. Particularly theatrical and visually striking was Elina Nechayeva’s performance of Olympia’s aria from Jacques Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann, bringing a playful lightness and vivid theatricality to the programme. A special place in the evening was given to Raimonds Pauls’ “Kerijas dziesma”, brilliantly performed by Inese Galante. Recognisable from its very first notes, the piece sounded especially warm and sincere, becoming one of the evening’s most memorable moments. 

Meanwhile, the musicians of Lithuanian NICO Ensemble took the evening’s sound into an entirely different, contemporary dimension with Ludovico Einaudi’s “Nightbook” and a work by Lithuanian composer Gediminas Gelgotas, inspired by Antonio Vivaldi’s “Le quattro stagioni”. In the finale, the energetic “Samba Tico Tico” by percussion ensemble Ekho provided a vibrant and thrilling conclusion to the concert. 

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Project partners: Jūrmala City Municipality, Embassy of Estonia in Latvia, Embassy of Lithuania in Latvia, Embassy of Italy in Latvia, Rödl & Partner, SIA Tilts, RIX Riga Airport, Porsche Latvia, LeverX, Latvian National Opera and Ballet, Latvian National Museum of Art, Latvian Association of Performers and Producers, Art Academy of Latvia, Latvian Association of Architects, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Lithuanian Academy of Sciences, Estonian Academy of Sciences, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Estonian Association of Architects, Estonian Performers’ Association, Riga Investment and Tourism Agency, Jonquil, piano.lv, Pūre, Venden, Radisson hotel, SIA Snowflake, Stockmann, The Dune by Jūras Pērle.