This year, Dzintari Concert Hall celebrates an important anniversary – 85 years since the opening of the Small Hall – the first closed-use concert hall in Latvia – in 1936. In honor of this event, Dzintari Concert Hall invites listeners to the magnificent “Jurmala Festival”, which will delight listeners in person from July 27 to 31 with five outstanding concerts.
In order to inform about the planned events and meet the stars of the festival in person, today, July 22, a press conference was held in Dzintari Concert Hall with the participation of Maestro Raimonds Pauls, opera singer Aleksandrs Antonins, opera singer Zanda Švēde, Dzintari Concert Hall director Guntars Ķirsis, Junturs Ķirsis “Olainfarm” board member Jānis Leimanis, conductor Ainārs Rubiķis, singer Dināra Rudāne and pianist Agnese Egliņa. In addition, those present had the opportunity to enjoy performances prepared especially for the press conference by Raimonds Pauls, Dināra Rudāne, Aleksandrs Antonenko and Agnese Egliņa.
Opening the press conference, the director of Dzintari Concert Hall Guntars Ķirsis said: “This year the“ Jurmala Festival ”will take place for the seventh year in a row, and for several reasons it will be special. Due to the general situation, we did not know for a long time whether the festival would take place at all. Therefore, it is even more gratifying that in the year of the 85th anniversary of Dzintari Concert Hall, we are able to organize a special program so quickly. “Jūrmala Festival” has already become a legend and the most visited academic music event in Latvia, offering a world-class repertoire of academic music with outstanding talents, and they are all ours – Latvian talents! “
In his turn, the Chairman of Jūrmala City Council Gatis Truksnis emphasized: “I am pleased that, despite the difficult situation, the annual“ Jūrmala Festival ”of Dzintari Concert Hall will once again feature excellent music and applause from the audience. In order for life to continue in the concert hall and for artists to have the opportunity to perform, we support the cultural life in our city and will continue to do so. It is a special pleasure that in the 85th anniversary year, which is celebrated this year by both Maestro Raimonds Pauls and Dzintari Concert Hall, at the opening concert of the festival, our anniversaries will be able to be welcomed and delighted by a full hall. ”
Maestro Raimonds Pauls has a special relationship with the Dzintari Concert Hall, as both the historical acoustic hall of the concert hall and the Maestro itself are celebrating a round 85th anniversary this year. Commenting on this, Maestro said: “How annoying it is! It’s about entertainment! My goal was to bring together my friends – singers and musicians – to entertain the audience. My rule was simple – everyone had to choose the one song that was sung the most and that had fallen on the nerves the most. So very quickly we had a special repertoire and the feeling that we could smile on our own. Also, the name – “4 waves” – has only one meaning – the desire to entertain, to smile about ourselves and that we are alive! “
The “Jūrmala Festival” of 2021 and the 85th anniversary celebrations of the Dzintari Concert Hall will be opened on July 27 at 20.00 with Raimonds Pauls music program and a parade of gorgeous soloists, which will be dedicated to the 85th anniversary of Maestro. Listeners will have an exclusive opportunity to hear the most outstanding Latvian pop musicians of the moment in one concert – Intars Busulis, Daumants Kalniņš, Siegfried Muktupāvels, unique Maestro stage music Laima Vaikulis, Anci Krauzis, Dinārs Rudāni, strong voice owners Aija Vītoliņš and Agija Vītoliņš ”, Igo and Aivars Hermanis (Ex Remix), Latvian Radio Big Band and other artists.
The sponsor of the big concert of Maestro Raimonds Pauls is JSC “Olainfarm”, whose board member Jānis Leimanis emphasized at the press conference: “We are honored to support the opening concert of“ Jūrmala Festival ”Raimonds Pauls. Wave 4 ”, especially now that security measures to ease the pandemic are being eased and concert life is beginning to return to normal. The company “Olainfarm” has always been a partner of high-level artists and concerts, so we are especially happy to support the opening concert of “Jurmala Festival” and be a part of it. “
Continuing the tradition established in the centenary of Latvia, on July 31 at 20.00 “Jurmala Festival” will meet outstanding Latvian musicians who have gained wide international recognition. For the fourth year in a row, the conductor of the concert will be the internationally recognized musical director of the Berlin Comic Opera Ainars Rubikis, who said at the press conference: “It seems that the biggest surprise this year is that“ Born in Latvia ”will take place. Many thanks to the chairman of Jurmala City Council, Mr. Trukšnis, and the manager of Dzintari Concert Hall, Mr. Ķiršs. It will be a great pleasure to meet the musicians again, but I especially look forward to meeting the youth symphony orchestra next year. I think it’s very important to let future musicians “touch” our “stars” – it inspires and gives special motivation. “
In this year’s concert, we will enjoy performances by such outstanding Latvian musicians as world-famous tenor Alexander Antonenko, accordionist Ksenija Sidorova, opera singer Laura Greck, violinist Daniils Bulajevs, pianist Agnese Egliņa and percussionist Guntars Freibergs. They will be joined on the big stage of the Dzintari Concert Hall by new Latvian talents and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ainars Rubikis.
July 29 at 20.00 “Jurmala Festival” will feature Gustav Mahler’s monumental opus “Song of the Earth”, which Leonards Bernstein called G. Mahler’s most outstanding symphony. The extensive contemplation of two soloists and orchestras in six parts about the inevitability of the brevity and mortality of life in the thrilling finale takes us to the gates of eternity as only the greatest achievements of mankind can do. The soloists of this outstanding piece will be the internationally acclaimed Latvian mezzo-soprano, soloist of the Frankfurt Opera Zanda Švēde and the world-famous Latvian tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko, who has sung more than 30 roles in the world’s most prestigious opera houses. Andris Poga, the main conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, will take the lead. Commenting on the upcoming performance, A. Antonenko said: “Now I think where I had the mind to choose G. Mahler’s work, because it is complicated and difficult. But I am glad that we will be able to introduce such music material to the audience. ”
The sunrise concert of the world-famous organist Iveta Apkalna by the sea has become a tradition at the Jūrmala Festival. The unusual event gathered hundreds of listeners on Dzintari beach for two years in a row and provided an unforgettable experience of listening to music, the sounds of nature merging with the royal organ pillars and I. Apkalna’s wonderful organ playing. This year on July 30 at At 7.00 am, the majestic timeliness of Johann Sebastian Bach’s music and the compositions of the American minimalist Philip Glass will sound on Dzintari beach in the morning sun, in which the energy of life and the infinity of time pulsate. Free entrance to the concert.
July 30 at 20.00 In the renovated historical small hall of Dzintari Concert Hall, the public’s favorite and internationally recognized accordionist Ksenija Sidorova will invite you to a solo concert. The musician, called the “accordion princess”, with her mastery and personality charm has become the messenger of this instrument in the world. Her performance extends beyond the genre and is acclaimed in the world’s most prestigious concert halls. At the “Jūrmala Festival”, the virtuoso accordionist will delight listeners with compositions from the works of her favorite composers.
The Dzintari Concert Hall has historically been a place where world-famous musicians have performed in the summer, while in the legendary reviews of Emīls Dārziņš we can read about concerts in Dzintari, where 20th century music legends have performed. The historic Dzintari Concert Hall is the first closed-end concert hall in Latvia, and it was opened in the summer of 1936 according to the design of architects Viktoras Mellenbergs and Aleksandrs Birzenieks. The building is a unique example of Jurmala wooden neoclassical architecture with the features of national romanticism, the central entrance of which has wall paintings by the artist Ansis Cirulis.
Dzintari Concert Hall is an architectural and historical monument of national significance and together with the whole complex is included in the canon of Latvian culture. However, the greatest value of Dzintari Concert Hall is the unique acoustics, which have been appreciated by both artists and listeners. Dzintari Concert Hall The small hall with 500 seats after several years of reconstruction and restoration works was opened in May 2015, providing an opportunity for concert activities in Dzintari Concert Hall to take place throughout the year. The Dzintari Concert Hall historic hall reconstruction project, the author of which is SIA “Arhitektu birojs Jaunromāns un Ābele”, has received several architecture, design and construction awards.
Visitors to the “Jurmala Festival” concerts will have to present an interoperable vaccination or Covid-19 disease certificate, as well as an identity document. The rules also apply to children.
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