Works The destruction of Faust the choice turned out to be symbolic: in September 1922 the Opera Liepāja opened with a work by Charles Gounod Faust, and the hundred years since this event will be celebrated with these same images of Goethe in Berlioz’s version. Imants Resnis, former artistic director of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, winner of the Grand Prix of Music and official of the Order of the Three Stars was chosen as conductor.
The show will take place in the Liepāja concert hall Great Amberwhich was born after the persistent encouragement of Imantas Resnis, and this will be the celebratory occasion in which Maestro Resnis will conduct for the first time on the stage of the concert hall.
“One of my goals when designing the concert hall was to foresee the possibility that an opera could be staged from time to time. Although the stage is not huge for an opera performance, the orchestra has a hole in it. in order to realize it. I have always been interested in the theme of Faust in various forms. During my time together with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, I created the Faust cycle with symphonic works, I have been linked to this story also in other projects in some Circulates from time to time in European theatrical repertoires, but as far as I know, there have been several concerts in Latvia, but like the opera, this work was rarely performed – this could also be one of the reasons for staging this work in Liepāja “, reveals the artistic director and production manager, Imants Resnis.
The French heroic romantic genius Hector Berlioz The destruction of Faust it is essentially a work on Faust’s desire, Mephistopheles temptation and Marguerite’s illusion. The composer himself considered this one of his best works. Interestingly, it was written while the composer was on a long journey: the opera was born in a carriage, a train, a steamship, a tavern, an apartment, a cafe, the Tuileries Garden and while sitting on a roadside post on Viale del Tempio.
Led by Imantas Rešņas, this impressive story was sung by world-class soloists: tenor Mikael Spadacini in the title role (Michele Spadaccini)whose executive horizon extends from Europe to Buenos Aires and who sang this role with great success in Saarbrücken under the direction of Frank Hilbrig, and two brilliant soloists of the Graz Opera: Anna Bruļa (Anna Brull) like Margherita and Thomas Essle (Thomas Essl) like Mephistopheles. The small role of Brander will be sung by Pavlo Balakin. The musical frame of the production will be the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, the State Academic Choir Latvia and the mixed choir of the Liepāja Folk Art and Culture Center THE SUN – Choristers will transform into peasants, faithful, pub-goers, gnomes, sylphs, students, soldiers, unbelievers, demons and celestial spirits.
The show of this event will be given by the acclaimed director Juan Ines Cano Restrepo in Germany and Austria (Juana Inés Cano Restrepo) and the artist Anna Heinrichson, who will take care of both the scenography and the costumes. The direction and set design of the production will be inspired by the lives of Rainas and Aspazija.
“I created the stage arrangement in the minimalist tradition, where symbolism, books and light are highlighted as main elements, symbolizing Faust’s desire for enlightenment, fulfillment and power. When concert hall director Timur Thomsons said that my sketches resemble Raina’s studio, I began to study it more thoroughly. To me, to my surprise, when I first saw the portrait of Rainis, I realized that for Faust she is a model in real life, so as I had imagined this character by reading JV Goethe’s work at school. Later in my research, I also discovered Aspasia and, after reading Matthias Knoll’s reinterpretation of the poem in German for stock red flowers, his powerful poems made me feel like I was reading Marguerite’s diary. Discovering that Rainis began translating Goethe Faust, while I was in Liepāja prison I was convinced: Berlioz The destruction of Faust not only will it celebrate the centenary of Opera Liepāja, but it will also honor these two outstanding artists, “says director Juan Ines Cano Restrepo about the inspiration behind the creation of the production.
Berlioza The destruction of Faust Nēme Jervi and Vladimirs Fedoseevs conducted in Riga once, then other conductors as well, recently we listened to this masterpiece at the festival French spring Directed by Patrick Sujo (2007) and in the Great Guild and Concert Hall Cesi Under the direction of Vasily Sinaisky (2016).
This autumn marks the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Liepāja Opera. In the continuation of the anniversary program from October 28 to January 15, concert halls Great Amber in the art room Civita Nova will be on display an exhibition created by Doctor of Art Vēsmas Lövalde, the Liepāja Museum and Kristians Brekte Liepaja Opera – 100, where visitors can familiarize themselves with various historical testimonies. The official inauguration of the exhibition together with its creators is scheduled for 29 October at 19:00 17.00
Tickets are available for paid events Paradises tickets at network tills throughout Latvia, on the website www.bilesuparadize.lv and concert halls in the information center.
More information on all events can be found on the concert hall website www.lielaisdzintars.lv.
