RIGA – THE CULTURAL CAPITAL OF EUROPE 2014
Highlight events of the cultural capital year
2014 Latvia’s capital city Riga will be a European Capital of Culture. With around 200 cultural projects and events, including operas, exhibitions and festivals, the programme ranges from a major cultural history exhibition on the 500 years of the printed book and a contemporary arts festival to one of the biggest celebrations of the summer solstice in Europe. Riga’s 2014 European Capital of Culture programme is called Force Majeure , affirming the positive impact of culture and the ability to swiftly bring positive changes to the city and its residents, at a time when many different forces majeures roam the world. We have carefully selected the top highlight events from the Riga2014 program – showing the dynamic cultural scene of this new yet very old European country – and making the trip to Riga, the European Capital of Culture a real art of traveling…
MUSIC
17.01.2014 OPERA „RIENZI” Venue: Latvian National Opera
Multimedia concert performance of Rienzi, an opera that Richard Wagner began composing during the time that he lived in Riga. It will be performed by the Latvian National Opera under the leadership of acclaimed Danish director Kirsten Dehlholm.
14.-17.02.2014 INTERNATIONAL PROJECT / CONTEMPORARY CHAMBER OPERA „LYSISTRATA” Venue: Latvian Railroad Museum
Musicians from Latvia, Switzerland and Germany will join forces to create a stage performance as a creative team, inspired by the great Aristophanes’ classic of antiquity
12-13.03.2014 OPERA „CHESS” Venue: Latvian National Opera
The new opera by Kristaps Petersons is an innovative contribution to the opera genre with participation of a new generation of performers. The opera is about World chess champion Mikhail Tal, known as the last „chess romantic” and a native of Riga.
MARCH-APRIL 2014 MUSIC PROJECT „WINDSTREAM 2014” UNDER THE AEGIS OF BACH Venue: the Great Guild
The international composers’ competition features a range of concerts, organized by the professional Brass Orchestra Riga. The new compositions will be inspired by the theme „Feel Bach, Continue Bach, Debate Bach!”.
04.04-18.04.2014 MUSIC CONCERT SERIES „BACH. PASSION. RIGA” Venue: Riga Dome Cathedral, St. Peter’s Church, St. John’s Church
Project „Bach. Passion. Riga” will present the most significant passions of the genre of sacred music. Participation of the most prominent European interprets of Baroque music in the project will highlight the placement of Riga as European Capital of Culture in the historic cultural space of the continent. The three largest churches of Riga will host the series of the concerts on three Fridays preceding the Easter.
26.-27.04.2014 THREE MEETINGS Venue: Latvian National Opera
Three exceptional Latvian composers. Three international level choreographers. Three new world-debut ballets. This production is a unique event – the opportunity to observe the characteristic tones of the Latvian mentality and the music typical to the culture, all expressed and experienced by several masters of ballet who hail from various countries.
For more info about Cultural Capital Travel Packages and bookings, please contact: [email protected] For the complete program, please check: www.riga2014.org www.viahansa.com/riga2014
16.05-26.09.2014 CONCERT CYCLE „ORGAN MUSIC IN THE SIGN OF BACH” Venue: Riga Dome Cathedral, Dubulti Church, Liepaja St. Trinity Church
For the first time in Latvia’s concert history, a unified concert cycle is created to bring into one program events planned in Riga Dome Cathedral, Dubulti Church and Liepaja St. Trinity Church. Bach’s music will be played on Latvia’s best church organs over 18 concerts.
17.05.2014 BORN IN RIGA / CONCERT OF INGA KALNA Venue: Latvian National Opera Check the special travel package for this event at www.viahansa.com/Riga2014
The first concert in the cycle of concerts ”Born in Riga” highlights Riga as connecting place – the uniting ground for the contemporary great stars in the musical world. Soprano Inga Kalna, an internationally known soloist will perform on the stage of Latvian National Opera.
03.-15.06.2014 XVII INTERNATIONAL RIGA OPERA FESTIVAL Venue: Latvian National Opera
Riga Opera Festival, the first festival of such scale and intent in Northern Europe, has become a valuable tradition, heartily welcomed by local and foreign opera enthusiasts. The festival concludes the season of the Latvian National Opera, offering to experience the season's new productions, see stellar productions from the past, enjoy large-scale vocal/instrumental masterpieces, meet with local opera favourites and foreign stars, and remember the most emotional moments by savouring the most lilting melodies.
02.07.2014 BORN IN RIGA / CONCERT OF GIDON KREMER AND „KREMERATA BALTICA” Venue: Culture Hall „Ziemelblazma” and adjacent park
Another concert in the cycle of concerts „Born in Riga” highlights Riga as connecting place – a place where the artists have begun their musical careers. The famous violinist Gidon Kremer and „Kremerata Baltica” will give a concert at Culture Hall „Ziemelblazma” reproduced on video screens in the surrounding park. The event is inspired by the idea of bringing the forms of high art out of the confines of the city centre and to redraw the geographical borders of musical Riga.
03.-06.07.2014 XI „KREMERATA BALTICA” FESTIVAL Venue: Concert Hall „Baltais Fligelis”, the Great Guild Check the special travel package for this event at www.viahansa.com/Riga2014
XI „Kremerata Baltica” festival is an annual event aimed at crystallizing the experience and creative contacts established in festivals and to present the best achievements. A chamber orchestra of soloists from the three Baltic States presents the most essential modern idea – freedom as an impulse for action and creativity.
06.07.2014 BORN IN RIGA / OPEN-AIR CONCERT Venue: the Square of Latvian National Opera
Famous musicians return to Riga, where they started their musical careers, but having gained fame in the world’s concert halls. Gala open-air concert by world famous Latvian music stars, modelled on the Vienna Philharmonic’s concerts at the Schoenbrunn Palace, in collaboration with EBU television channels.
01.-04.08.2014 SIGULDA INTERNATIONAL OPERA FESTIVAL Venue: Sigulda Castle Open-air Concert Hall
Sigulda Opera fete is a unique musical event, when open-air concert hall in the Sigulda Castle complex comes more alive than ever. The Festival features premiere of concert-staging of a world class musical piece interpreted by prominent artists, concerts of chamber music, sacral music and an impressive gala.
For more info about Cultural Capital Travel Packages and bookings, please contact: [email protected] For the complete program, please check: www.riga2014.org www.viahansa.com/riga2014
19.09.2014 OPERA „VALENTINA” Venue: Latvian National Opera
A new two-act opera by Arturs Maskats. The prototype for the central protagonist is widely known cinema and theatre academic Valentina Freimane whose personal life story closely follows the events of Latvian and European history and opens the panorama of the era in all its fullness of colour and controversy.
10.-12.10.2014 FESTIVAL „SKANU MEZS” (SOUND FOREST) Venue: Various
The 12th Sound Forest festival, introducing a more extensive program – traditionally the festival offers its audience novel music and premieres of compositions. The festival doesn’t focus on a certain musical genre or category, but rather on a new sound language, for people seeking new perspectives and context.
16.-23.10.2014 FESTIVAL „TENSO DAYS IN RIGA” Venue: St. Peter’s Church, the Great Guild, and Riga Dome Cathedral
International choir festival „Tenso Days” is held in various cities every year, reflecting on the new choir music achievements in various genres with the main focus to search for the common and different aspects in Western/Mediterranean vocal music. „Tenso Days in Riga” will see the Radio Choir Latvia and various leading European professional choirs offering program to the audience never presented before.
08.-09.11.2014 BORN IN RIGA / CONCERT OF MARISS JANSONS Venue: Latvian National Opera Check the special travel package for this event at www.viahansa.com/Riga2014
World-famous Latvian conductor Mariss Jansons will visit Riga with one of the most highly rated orchestras in the world – the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra for two concerts. One of the concerts is dedicated to Mariss’s father, an outstanding conductor Arvids Jansons.
01.-31.12.2014 FESTIVAL „EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS” Venue: Various
The traditional „European Christmas” Festival offers the uplifting part of the repertoire of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Vivaldi and many other classic composers, as well as their contemporary counterparts and even jazz artists, in the beautiful fortnight around Advent, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, int the most prominent places of worship around Riga. The festival promises enjoyment of professionally exquisite music.
ART
17.01-20.04.2014 PROJECT „1914” Venue: Latvian National Museum of Art – Arsenals Exhibition Hall
Project „1914” is one of the focal points of „Riga 2014” cultural program. It will highlight the influence of WWI on culture demonstrating art work, which it serves as testimony of this period, and interpretation of war by contemporary artists.
13.03-25.08.2014 RE: VISITED Venue: Latvian Railway Museum
Re: Visited is a large-scale exhibition featuring the most significant and notable works selected from the most influential art biennales of modern art.
For more info about Cultural Capital Travel Packages and bookings, please contact: [email protected] For the complete program, please check: www.riga2014.org www.viahansa.com/riga2014
30.04-30.10.2014 CULTURE REINVENTS FORMER KGB BUILDING / IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING Venue: Corner House on Brivibas Street
The building on the corner of Brivibas and Stabu streets lays abandoned for several years. In spring 2014 the atmosphere reigning in the walls of this Corner House – as it has been popularly called – will be vented by exhibitions and variety of cultural events. The exhibition of naive art will reflect the impact on history of art of creative personalities whose lives relate to the consequences of occupation, deportation and simple artistic impulse to resist an inhuman regime.
22.08-26.10.2014 GUSTAVS KLUCIS. ANATOMY OF AN EXPERIMENT Venue: Latvian National Museum of Art – Arsenals Exhibition Hall
The most extensive exhibition to date of this world-renowned constructivist in his home country with over 200 exhibits from Latvian National Museum of Art and other European museums. The exhibition will pose the questions regarding the possibility of choosing the sides for the individual in times of historic change.
04.-21.09.2014 CONTEMPORARY ART FESTIVAL „SURVIVAL KIT” Venue: Cityscape
The exhibition of the festival of contemporary art „Survival Kit” and impressive city environment objects will invite to take a look on urban conglomerate as utopia. The exposition will be three-fold – a historic reflection on architectonic, social and political urban utopias, ranging from the work of French architect , to association „Archigram” from the UK, to representatives of kinetic art in Latvia and other projects. The contemporary segment of the exposition will feature local and foreign artists playing with changes the modern city undergoes. The largest part of the event will be art work placed in the city environment.
CINEMA & AUDIO-VISUAL ARTS
22.04-31.12.2014 CINEMATIC TROPHIES Venue: Film Theatre „Splendid Palace”, Riga Film Museum
Project „Cinematic Trophies” is a two-part process to include and exhibition about the film theatre repertoire shortly after the WWII and film screenings to represent the „Splendid Palace” program of years 1940 and 1950, where entertaining films captured minds and imaginations of the viewers and added the missing light accents to the repertoire.
15.05-03.08.2014 EXHIBITION „FIELDS” / FESTIVAL Venue: Latvian National Museum of Art – Arsenals Exhibition Hall, RIXC Media space, “Spikeri” creative quarter
International exhibition of media art „Fields” will introduce the viewer to parallel lines of development in art and technological science. The audience will be able to observe the latest trends in the search for new approaches and forms in the XXI century art practices in Latvia, Baltic states, Europe and wider world. The exhibition will go hand in hand with performances, workshops, program of experimental films, a conference and artistic presentations of the festival „Art + Communication 2014”.
03.09.2014 PREMIERE OF SOCIO-ANTROPHOLOGICAL DOCUMENTARY „FORCE MAJEURE. RIGA” Venue: Film Theatre „Splendid Palace”
The documentary is a story of the city which it has never seen itself before and we have never perceived ourselves. Episodes about Riga, created by seven classics of contemporary European documentary cinema, are merged into a full-length feat, whose stories are rooted in anthropological research on neighbourhoods and citizens of Riga.
For more info about Cultural Capital Travel Packages and bookings, please contact: [email protected] For the complete program, please check: www.riga2014.org www.viahansa.com/riga2014
28.11-31.12.2014 RIGA – SIX VERSIONS Venue: Film Theatre „Splendid Palace”, Forum Cinemas, Film Theatre „k.Suns”, Cinnamon, Multikino
Riga is the first in Europe to present a short film collection reflecting the cityscape in 3D technique. The project includes six sci-fi short films in stereoscopic 3D format. Their stories take place in Riga in near or further moved future, playing with themes of time-travel, virtual reality, single world government and stealing of dreams.
13.12.2014 EUROPEAN FILM ACADEMY AWARDS Venue: Latvian National Opera
The ceremony of European Film Academy awards will be one of the highlights of Riga’s year as the European Capital of Culture, bringing together around one and a half thousand world-class cinematographic professionals and celebrating the highest achievements in film making and the most outstanding screen personalities.
INTERDISCIPLINARY & SOMETHING SPECIAL
15.-19.01.2014 INAUGURATION OF THE YEAR OF RIGA AS THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE Venue: Various Check the special travel package for this event at www.viahansa.com/Riga2014
Riga will inaugurate the year of the European Capital of Culture with several exhibitions, special actions and events in different venues around the city offered to the widest possible audience, which will highlight and evoke the promises of the entire year and the content of its program awaiting the public. One of the highlights of the inauguration is a fire sculpture championship on the 18.01, where about 15 teams of professional fire sculpture artists from all over the world will create and unforgettable fire sculpture show.
15.02.2014 RIGA WINTERING Venue: Bastejkalns
The whole-day event will feature activities and conclude with Winter ball in the end – opening of the Carnival with a presentation of Riga Wintering’s symbol the Beaver of the city channel, a masque parade, sportive entertainment and competitions, art workshops, music and dancing „conducted” by the most popular Riga DJs.
01.-09.03.2014 WINTER FESTIVAL Venue: Sigulda
Sigulda – the official partner town of Riga, the European Capital of Culture 2014 – offers more sports, more arts, more entertainment. Sigulda offers themed exhibitions, invites the public to watch skiing and snowboarding competitions, winter fishing and bathing, car show on ice, special championship in sledging on spades and frying pans, unique concert of musicians who have been successful in sports, a winter party and Winter Olympics in ten athletic disciplines, combining professional sports competitions with project of art and music.
18.05.2014 RIGA MARATHON AND FREEDOM RUN Venue: Cityscape
In 2014, when Riga becomes European Capital of Culture, the annual marathon will be open by Freedom Run, expected to take its route on the main street of Riga – Brivibas (Freedom) Street.
21.-23.06.2014 SUMMER SOLSTICE Venue: Turaida and Riga
The shortest night of the year will light up in thousands of bonfires inviting to experience the traditions of Summer Solstice. Drawing on the most ancient Latvian celebration traditions the Midsummer Night will take the everyone into the circle of celebration of light, involving many choirs, dance groups, brass orchestras and folk groups.
For more info about Cultural Capital Travel Packages and bookings, please contact: [email protected] For the complete program, please check: www.riga2014.org www.viahansa.com/riga2014
15.-17.08.2014 RIGA CITY FESTIVAL Venue: Various Check the special travel package for this event at www.viahansa.com/Riga2014
Riga City Festival is a kaleidoscope of musical, artistic, theatre and dance performances, sports events and attractions. Various events are held on the city's streets and squares, on the water and in the air, in museums, concert halls and cultural centres. The festival lasts three days, during which Riga is filled with joy. Numerous concerts, dances, athletic competitions, an air show and a channel regatta, fairs, taste- testing and magnificent fireworks take place throughout the city.
14.-18.11.2014 LIGHT FESTIVAL „STARO RIGA” Venue: Cityscape
The largest light festival in Northern Europe is an exhibition of urban environment installations over several days during which the landscape of Riga is transformed by means of modern light and video technologies. Displays may involve buildings, squares, lifts, monuments and various other places in the urban environment.
06.12.2014-10.01.2015 RIGA CHRISTMAS MARKET Venue: Cityscape Check the special travel package for this event at www.viahansa.com/Riga2014
The traditional Christmas Market of Riga, with sweet-smelling mulled wine, roasted almonds, glittering glazed gingerbread and local handcraft. Everyone will have a chance to find their Christmas miracle here every day. Various concerts and workshops are on the programme, with Santa Claus entertaining kids and adults alike.
For more info about Cultural Capital Travel Packages and bookings, please contact: [email protected] For the complete program, please check: www.riga2014.org www.viahansa.com/riga2014