Chief Conductors Express Discontent with Inactive Ministry of Culture in Riga Project Choir Crisis

The chief conductors are not satisfied with the center’s passive activity in solving the crisis – the case of the Riga project choir. The Ministry of Culture has not yet responded to the letter. The Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis (National Union) promises to look at the substance of the issue only in May, when the shows end.

The chief conductor’s letter to the Ministry of Culture is not shown by the authors themselves, nor by the ministry. It is known that it expresses distrust of the organizers of the Song Festival – the Latvian National Cultural Center, and the writing of the letter was supported by 23 chief conductors.

For the time being, the Ministry of Culture has taken a waiting position and no mediators to reconcile the National Cultural Center with the chief conductors, at least at the moment they do not intend to call for help. In a letter to “Kultūršok”, Minister of Culture Nauris Puntulis writes: “Currently, when choir members throughout Latvia take part in shows with great inspiration and dedication and the jury evaluates choirs every weekend, I have repeatedly called on the media not to escalate this issue at least until the time when the shows are over. Then the question will be dealt with in substance and with the utmost responsibility to the entire wider community.”