The opening concerts of this festival season together with the newly formed festival orchestra dedicated to Maris Janson, which included leading orchestral musicians from the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra have joined together, performed by outstanding pianists Yuidia Van and Sir Andrew Schiff. The orchestra’s debut under the direction of conductor John Eliot Gardiner was a huge success, evoking audience enthusiasm and standing at the end of both concerts.
The festival was attended by lovers of classical music from Latvia, other Baltic countries, America, the Netherlands, Finland, Great Britain and other countries.
“I feel extremely happy and fulfilled. We were kindly welcomed and received here, and I have had the great honor of being together and performing with an orchestra that has had to make a difficult choice to come to Latvia at all. We, the musicians, have been have been thirsty to perform as much as possible, “said conductor John Eliot Gardiner. “In music, the composer, performer and listener form a kind of special triangle, and if there is no listener in this triangle, it is not a full synergy. The festival audience was very warm and open, and I think it inspired the orchestra to play better.”
The vocal group also performed in concerts at the opening weekend of the festival The King’s Singers, Icelandic pianist Vikingurs Olafsson and baritone Matthias Gerne.
“We are ungrateful to all the musicians, festival goers, partners and like-minded people who have been able to experience the incredibly beautiful opening of the festival together. On behalf of the whole team, we would like to say special thanks to Mariss Jansons, and for the first time in such an ensemble performed on the stage of Dzintari Concert Hall. The performance of the musicians and the general atmosphere of the festival was really excellent, and we are inspired for the next weekends of the festival, “says Zane Čulkstēna, Riga Jurmala executive director.
Also, within the framework of the festival, in cooperation with the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, full-time master classes were held for the first time, in which music students from all over the Baltics took part under the direction of pianist András Šifs.
Festival Riga Jurmala three weekends are planned: from 6 to 8 August, from 27 to 29 August and from 2 to 5 September, with the participation of the outstanding Royal Royal Concertgebouw orchestra, pianist Jefim Bronfman, violinist Reno Capison, Bayreuth Festival orchestra and Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons, and other outstanding musicians.
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