Specifically Latvian Vol. 3
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Specifically Latvian Vol. 3 Dreams of Rainis The Latvian Theatre Showcase is back after a break in with two shows, have polished to perfection his unique Koen Augustijnen and Latvian dancers created in the 2014. Last year Riga was the European Capital of Culture, style where all the elements – set, sound, lights, neighbourhoods of Riga and now adapted for the stage. a perfect frame for introducing Latvian performing props, performers create an integrated universe of the The two independent venues that work with arts to international professional audiences. Yet the performance. Valters Sīlis in ongoing collaboration with contemporary performing arts – Dirty Deal Teatro and previous theatre season turned out to be not sufficient dramaturg Jānis Balodis continues to explore urgent Ģertrūdes ielas teātris, are still in unfavourable position to put together a good showcase programme. The most topics such as geopolitical turmoil and climate issues and comparing to state repertoire companies. They don’t remarkable events in the performing arts field in builds direct and profound dialogue with the audience receive guaranteed state subsidy and therefore cannot 2014 were the excellent guest performances, as well as in independent venues, as well as repertoire theatres. produce international work with the same intensity. collaborative projects such as “Blackmarket for Useful He feels equally comfortable on a very intimate scale of However, during recent years both have introduced a Knowledge and Non-Knowledge” devised by Hannah Dirty Deal Teatro and on the big stage of the National programmatic, conceptual approach and develop specific Hurtzig and local experts, “100% Riga” by Rimini Theatre, because his primary interest lies in questions thematic programmes and series of works. Protokoll, city-specific dance productions created by local raised by the performance rather than aesthetic There are few performances that were selected for dance artists in cooperation with Koen Augustijnen, choices. Elmārs Seņkovs has created a set of works where the Showcase programme before they were actually Contact Gonzo and Willi Dorner. Among Latvian performances may radically differ from one another as premiered: “Martyr” by Viesturs Meikšāns, “The Idiot” by repertoire and independent companies only the National he never stops experimenting with dramaturgy, media Vladislavs Nastavševs, and “My Blaster Has Discharged” Theatre devised a special project for Riga – European application, visuality, and the acting method. Recently by Konstantin Bogomolov. This decision was based on our Capital of Culture: the festival “The Glory and Shame of his work has evolved towards minimalism, highlighting confidence that this festival is not a presentation of the Schengen” curated by director Valters Sīlis and dramaturg actor’s presence on stage. After a short sabbatical another perfect productions but an introduction of individuals Jānis Balodis invited young artists from the Netherlands, noteworthy director Viesturs Meikšāns is back in theatre who are the driving force in the contemporary theatre Iceland, Lithuania and Portugal to create new works with determined to introduce the work of dramaturg Marius of Latvia, their position and artistic path. This is also actors of the National Theatre. The shows were presented von Mayenburg by staging three different plays in three the reason why in this publication instead of theatre only during the festival and not included in the season different theatres – New Riga Theatre, regional Valmiera scholars we invited artists to write essays and reflect on repertoire, yet this small festival managed to reveal new Theatre and independent Dirty Deal Teatro. their experience of working together with the Showcase potential of the cast and the audience of the National A few years ago it was still unusual for Latvian directors and choreographers. Theatre. repertory companies to invite directors from abroad. We hope you will enjoy your time in Riga and will In 2015 Latvian theatre is formally structured around After first successful collaborations it turned into a kind come back next spring for the Showcase 2016 to see just theatre houses and fixed companies. Its identity, however, of trend with a slightly competitive touch. Nowadays released and highly appreciated performances “Wit” by is increasingly defined by personalities. With a few foreign directors and choreographers working in Latvia Valters Sīlis, “Antigone” by Elmārs Seņkovs, and the big exceptions, directors, set designers and even actors work is a reality. Several of the invitations has grown into surprises of the next season – return of the theatre, film in different theatres and have possibility to collaborate a long-term commitment (“Dreams of Rainis” is the and opera director Viesturs Kairišs on the big stage of with several artistic companies and meet audiences both third production by Kirill Serebrennikov at the National the National Theatre, staging of the Russian classic Ivan in the capital and regional cities. The directors who were Theatre, “My Blaster Has Discharged” is the second Turgenev’s play “A Month in a Country” by Konstantin young and emerging artists during the last Showcase two collaboration between Liepāja Theatre and Konstantin Bogomolov, and last but not least – a solo performance by years ago, have matured and developed their individual Bogomolov), allowing for more risky and experimental Mikhail Baryshnikov based on Joseph Brodsky’s poetry artistic language. As a result Latvian theatre scene is work and ideas that would hardly develop in the Latvian and staged by Alvis Hermanis in New Riga Theatre. now more diverse and contemporary than ever before. performing arts scene otherwise. It also applies to the Vladislavs Nastavševs who is presented at the Showcase site specific work “From Vecmīlgrāvis with Love” by Gundega Laiviņa, director of New Theatre Institute of Latvia 2 new occurred in European art only a few centuries ago. day. I was in my new Kurdish pants, and I went directly Prior to that the objectives of art were entirely different. to the audition. Wim chose me, and suddenly I was at the heart of Belgium’s new wave of contemporary dance, and You often talk about being more a 20th century this whole new world opened up to me. than the 21st century man. You represent a generation that grew up and was educated in one Koen is simple, always a bit dishevelled, smiling system, yet works in another. Does that hold any and energetic. I was fortunate to work with him on meaning? the performance “From Vecmīlgrāvis With Love”. The AH: Yes, because only memories, individual or impression I got of Koen was that for him, anything is collective, and only the past fertilises the soil. Only the possible! He takes stock of the situation, of the resources past has value. How can the future have value? There’s available, and uses them very considerately. He doesn’t nothing in it, only emptiness. get attached to ideas, and, if necessary, is ready to let I am seriously considering a rather radical them go. If he knows that time is limited, Koen prefers development model with the New Riga Theatre – we to work on the quality of performance rather than would love to grow old with our audience. To be blunt, fulfilling his conceptual ambitions. He often says “less on this side of the stage we are not interested in young is more”, and that refers not only to the execution of Alvis Hermanis people. Young people coming to watch our productions the performance, but also his own choices. I am most Fragments from the interview in January 2014 with Gints Grūbe, is great, we are very happy about that. But adjusting fascinated by Koen’s optimism. When an outline of producer and author of documentary film on Alvis Hermanis ourselves to them somehow, having young boys and girls the Vecmīlgrāvis show had already taken shape, he “More Than a Life” running around the stage, solving their issues‥ I don’t often exclaimed “it will be fantastic”. And it was! His think we are going to do that. enthusiasm inspired me and the other dancers. He fully After your first production “Homecoming is Like believes in what he does and wastes no energy or time on a Calm and Peaceful River“ here at the New Riga Why are your productions always so sad? unnecessary self-criticism. Theatre, an actor said: “we did everything ourselves, AH: Well, the audience does giggle fairly often, and we didn’t have a director.” they laugh as well. I’ve always said that the most proper What is a typical day for you as a choreographer Alvis Hermanis: I’ve always said that director’s work yet difficult thing is to achieve a smile and sadness and as a person? is much more productive if the director uses their position simultaneously, at exactly the same time. KA: Meeting and working with people from various only to stimulate the creativity of his colleagues. The The longer you work in this profession, the more backgrounds and with different mentalities. Going to see director only has to push them in the right direction, challenging it is to take the next step, I’d say to move into performances, films, all kinds of art. But sometimes I provide a frame, and then, as a general rule, the result is more subtle vibrations. To an extent this also answers the just need to do something completely different – to travel much more interesting. question about why I have stuck one foot in the door of with friends, to do things which are new for me. For On the one hand, the work of a director is extremely the opera. Because those strange sound vibrations called example, now I have a dream to work with boxers. New rational, yet intuitive on the other. Yesterday I heard music, they are vibrations on a cosmic level, where it’s experiences sustain me.