Raimonds Pauls and Elīna Garanča will give concerts at the National Theater / Article

On July 23 and 24, the Latvian National Theater will host a concert by the world-famous Latvian mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča and composer Raimonds Pauls “If You Weren’t…”, which is intended as the 85th anniversary concert of Maestro. The chamber orchestra “Sinfonietta Rīga” with Normunds Šnē at the conductor’s desk and an instrumental group led by Raimonds Macata will also take part in the concert, the theater representatives informed.

In anticipation of her anniversary, Maestro has invited the outstanding opera singer Elīna Garanča, dedicating two cycles of songs to her – with poetry by Vizma Belševica and Ojārs Vācietis. “Meeting with Elīna Garanča is very welcome, it is like a holiday. The first part will be the premiere of several songs written especially for Elīna. We were looking for the works of outstanding Latvian poets together, but there are also some that I had already intended for myself, thinking about Elīna’s voice, ”revealed Raimonds Pauls.

The second part of the concert includes songs from movies and theater performances with the music of Raimonds Pauls, for which composers Lolita Ritmane, Rihards Dubra, Jēkabs Jančevskis and Raimonds Macats have specially arranged.

“I can call the second part of the concert the fulfillment of my dreams – theatrical and cinematic music, which I once dreamed of singing, which I listened to at home when I was a very small jade, or where I once fell asleep in my ward’s ward waiting for the show to end. It’s time to go back to the beginnings, “said Elīna Garanča.

After the concerts in Riga, the singer will go to Salzburg, where he will perform the opuses of Mahler and Berlioz with the “Vienna Philharmonic” under the direction of conductor Christian Tyleman. Garanča is preparing new roles – the Duchess of Buñón from the opera “Adriana Lekuvre” and Venus from Wagner’s opera “Tanheizers”, a new song program is being prepared.

Garancha reveals: “I have an intense ten years ahead of me – a lot needs to be done. But a reunion with Maestro is like an emotional spark when it seemed to the two of them – it’s time to meet again in music. Our first concert was remembered with nice emotions and feelings. I want to experience something like this again! ”

The director and producer of the concert are Ojārs Rubenis, set designer Aigars Ozoliņš, lighting artist Oskars Pauliņš, choreographer Olga Žitluhina, executive producer Ilona Matvejeva.

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