The concert at Estonia’s oldest Vanemuine Theater (founded in Tartu in 1870) will take place as part of the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra’s spring concert series. Expressing support and solidarity for Ukraine, the Ukrainian national anthem will be played at the beginning of the concert, and a lyrical composition by the world-famous Ukrainian composer Miroslav Skorika will be performed at the end. Melody. Skorik has been called an icon of Ukrainian culture and has received the highest title of his country – a Ukrainian hero – for his contribution to culture.
The concert will be opened with an internationally successful composition by the bright contemporary Latvian composer Arthur Muscat. Tango. At the center of the program in the premiere of Lakstīgala for the concert clarinet of the famous Estonian composer and actor Ardo Rana Varres Between Two Blazes/Breezes. Next – the symphonic suite of the Russian giant Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazadewhich listeners around the world are familiar with the wonders of the East and the symphonic storm.
“The collaboration with the Vanemuine Orchestra is special both because this is the first time I have been invited to conduct this orchestra and because the concert program itself is extremely beautiful. I am especially pleased to have the opportunity to conduct Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Sheherazadi, which is one of my favorite symphonic opuses for romantic music. But the biggest intrigue of the concert and my responsibility is the upcoming world premiere – Varresa Concert for Clarinet with Orchestra, in which the soloist will be the outstanding Estonian clarinetist Signe Semere, “Lakstīgala shares his feelings before the upcoming event.
The concert in Tartu is a natural continuation of Lakstīgala’s international success in collaboration with the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Bari Symphony Orchestra, Rome Symphony Orchestra, Istanbul Milli Reinsurance, South Westphalia Philharmonic In Germany and Graubünden Chamber Philharmonic In Switzerland. Atvars Lakstīgala has also conducted Scottish ballet performances in Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, the Izmir Chamber Orchestra in Turkey, the Minsk Academic Orchestra in Belarus, and the Kaunas Symphony Orchestra in Lithuania. With Sao Paulo Symphony Jazz (Brazil) premiered Nicholas Capustin’s Concerto for Orchestra and staged Puccini at the Jerusalem Opera Festival Bohemia.
Atvars Lakstīgala regularly plays music in Latvia as well. On March 8, he will perform at the Grand Music Awards 2021 ceremony, while on March 16 will perform at the operetta theater symphony orchestra concert Love music together with sopranos Sonora Vaici, Anta Jankovska and other artists. On March 25, Lakstīgala, together with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, flutist Dita Krenberg and double bass virtuoso Oskars Bokanovs, will perform another world premiere – Kristaps Pētersons Concerto for flute, double bass and orchestra. Lakstīgala points out that this concert is the biggest of his upcoming challenges and adds that “two major world premieres in one month are a great honor and responsibility for every conductor.”
You can follow the conductor’s calendar on his website: www.atvars-lakstigala.com.
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