On November 17, in Liepāja Concert Hall “Lielais dzintars”, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra will play for the first time under the direction of conductor Ainārs Rubiķis. The musical director of the Berlin Comic Opera has included music by Latvian composers in the national holiday concert “Latvia 102”.
The concert will be opened by Ādolfs Skulte Overtīr, pianist Daumants Liepiņš’s solo will feature Peteris Barisons ‘”Latvian Rhapsody”, Jānis Mediņš’s “Five Latvian Folk Songs” will be sung by soprano Liene Kinča, the program also includes Mārtiņš Brauns’ ballad customary songs ”and Imants Kalniņš“ Rotāju, dancoju ”.
The live broadcast of the concert will be available free of charge on the website of the concert hall “Lielais dzintars”, on the “Youtube” channel of “Lielā dzintars”, on the public media portal LSM.lv and on Latvian Radio 3 “Klasika”.
Ieva Zeidmane: Congratulations to the Russian Theater Award “Golden Mask”, which has been awarded to you in the category “Best Conductor” for the production of Antonin Dvorak’s opera “Mermaid” at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. The premiere took place in March last year – a year and a half ago. What are your memories of making this production?
Ainars Rubikis: The award came as a surprise, especially in this gray time, both physically, emotionally and morally. Memories of the staging process are undoubtedly the best, because, thanks to the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow, I gathered around me old friends from Novosibirsk. The production process itself was extremely smooth. It wasn’t quite that working with director Timofey Kulabin, I had to be on every try. On the contrary, he drives me away from trying. At the same time – when we had several ensembles, I had the opportunity to work musically with the other ensemble.
Liepaja Symphony Orchestra and conductor Ainars Rubikis
Photo: Valters Pelns
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After the premiere, the comments were contradictory. Among them – Timofej Kulabin without understanding anything from music. However, the result was musically strong.
Ainars Rubikis: There will always be someone who will say “it’s not Rainis”. Or – “it is not Dvorak”. But I will say that Timofey is very familiar with music, and he has a very rich imagination and very extensive knowledge. For example, what he has learned in the field of opera in such a short time is 10-15 years since he started directing opera. He has pierced through many things, seen many, heard many. This is amazing. As for the musical side – yes, we had a discussion with Timofey, because this show was staged at the Bolshoi Theater for the first time. Of course, Timopheus wanted to shorten a lot. I told him, “Once we both have the honor of staging this show here, we have to show it as one.” Of course, there are some cuts, but they are minimal and mostly refer to the last act. However, it was difficult for us to stick to what the master had written in the sheet music and not to overflow too romantically into sentimental things.
So you are happy with the “Golden Mask” award. We, in turn, are glad that you are currently in Latvia and will conduct the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra on November 17. Are you a person who adapts well to the circumstances?
It must be said that with each stage of life lived, its adaptation becomes more and more difficult. But it seems to me that it is for anyone.
I was a sprinter 10-15 years ago, I was able to adapt quickly, but now it’s harder.
This has already been proven by the first so-called lokdaunswhen I returned from Berlin. Then for about a month Rēzija (Kalniņa, wife of Ainārs Rubikis – ed.) Was holding me back all the time, because I was trying to grab everything I had to do. Then Rezia said, “You’re not in a hurry, you don’t have to go to Berlin tomorrow, calm down.” Two months later, there was such peace that I could look out the window: spring, the birds are coming back. That, in my view, was such an exclusive situation.
You don’t have to go to Berlin right now – though to Liepāja. To what extent did the program of this concert have to be adjusted?
We did not adjust this concert program. It seems to me that a year ago Baiba Bartkeviča came up with a proposal: “Ainār, I would like to invite you to Liepāja.” With pleasure! I have not been with the Liepaja Symphony Orchestra since the second year of the orchestra class. We moved something, canceled something and finally agreed on this holiday concert. Baiba gave it to me flames, and I had to think about what I want, what my feelings are.
Thinking about what I would hear in this concert if I were a listener.
I create the concert according to my essence and my emotions. When Resia and I returned from Novosibirsk, leaving Riga Airport on a nice spring day, we smelled freshly cut grass. That was its emotion and value. This is how this November 17 concert was born: very Latvian, national, romantic. Completely unconsciously, another sub-level was formed, because I wanted to play Adolf Skulte’s Overture. And then a large part of Adolf Skulte’s class students gathered together.
Liepaja Symphony Orchestra and conductor Ainars Rubikis
Photo: Valters Pelns
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What else did you want to hear at this concert?
Of course, Imants Kalnins – it is Liepaja, like a glove with a hand, a pot with a cap. Let’s play part of his suite “Rotāju, dancoju”.
Together with Daumants Liepiņš, we will play Pēteris Barisons’ “Latvian Rhapsody” – an abbreviated version, which we once created together with Orestas Silabriedis and Reinis Zariņš. Many thanks to Solvita Sējane, Andris Sējāns and “Musica Baltica” for putting together his symphonic ballad “Tālavas taurētājs” from the orchestral voices and fragments of master Mārtiņš Brauns’ score, which was a great find for me, I would even say that space . We met Mārtiņš in the recent past, and he asked me: “Why did you choose this piece that way, why did you highlight it after 45 years?” I said:
“When I first listened to it, I had the feeling that you, Mārtiņš, had written this piece ahead of time.”
I was addressed by both drama and Mārtiņš’s writing techniques. And more – Romualds Kalsons. Without Romuald Kalsons, in my opinion no Latvian holiday or Latvian big concert can take place. There will be no “Wedding Song” or “Retrospections” here, but there will be “Songs of Seasonal Customs” here, which is a very close piece for me – we played it two years ago together with the Latvian Centennial Youth Orchestra. This piece is extremely close to me and very closely related to their emotion – the smell of freshly cut grass. And Jānis Mediņš’s “Five Latvian Folk Songs” for soprano with orchestra, where Liene Kinča will participate. As soon as I found these five beads, it was clear to me that Liene would sing.
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