Commemorating the fallen in the Freedom Fights, Lūcija Garūta’s cantata “God, Your Land is On Fire” will be performed in the concert hall “Latvija” / Script

Alatoris Kalniņš, a Latvian composer born in Užava “Brakos” and educated at Ventspils Music High School, will perform the oratorio “Songs of Old Soldiers” by the mixed choir “Ventspils”, Ventspils Chamber Orchestra and vocal soloists – Agnese Pauniņa (soprano), Gund Mārtiņš Zvīgulis (tenor), as well as organist Aigars Reinis and trumpet player Jens Emīls Holms.

The second part of the program will feature the emotionally charged cantata Lūcija Garūta and Andrejs Eglītis “God, Your Land is Burning”, often called the cantata of destiny of the Latvian people. Organist Aigars Reinis, vocalists Rihards Millers (bass) and Mārtiņš Zvīgulis (tenor), as well as singers of the mixed choir “Ventspils” will take part in its performance.

The cantata with the original title “Latvian Prayer to God”, created at the end of the Second World War, experienced its legendary premiere on March 15, 1944 in the Old St. Gertrude Church. The famous Reiter Choir, opera stars Ādolfs Kaktiņš and Mariss Vētra took part in it, and Lūcija Garūta herself at the organ. In Ventspils, the work of Lūcija Garūta was premiered on April 1, 1945 in Ventspils Nikolai Evangelical Lutheran Church. Conductor – Haralds Mednis, soloists Ārija Šīrmane-Majore (soprano), Arturs Vanags (tenor), Elmārs Majors (baritone), joint choir of singers from Ventspils, Riga and other regions, at the organ also at that time – cantata author Lūcija Garūta.

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