Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate
Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate
Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate
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the opera <strong>of</strong> goodhumouredfantasiesAny phenomenon has two sides: thevisible and the invisible, the knownone and the imperceptible one. Usuallythey do not dwell on the same plane,but there are exceptions. And the City<strong>of</strong> <strong>Riga</strong> is one <strong>of</strong> such exceptions. In<strong>Riga</strong> there exist two parallel worlds,each only surmising the existence <strong>of</strong>the other. We have a chance to changethis situation and we have to begindoing it today. We have to pull downseveral barriers built by language andsocial differences.The idea has inspired a large-scale performancein Arēna Rīga. It will be a sumptuousfantasy show which will combineelements <strong>of</strong> opera, ballet, modern dance,circus and athletics. But what is evenmore important, this performance will be ateamwork <strong>of</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional artists and varioussocially vulnerable groups <strong>of</strong> society:children with special needs, street childrenand youth, retired pr<strong>of</strong>essional actors,ballet-dancers and opera soloists who <strong>of</strong>tenfeel forgotten once the prime <strong>of</strong> theirlives is over and their brilliant careers havecome to an end.The premises <strong>of</strong> the Arena allow to expandthe opera genre into broad spatial terms,turning it into a multi-dimensional show by,for example, staging the reflections <strong>of</strong> fantasyin Mozart’s Zauberflöte in a new waythat has not been seen in <strong>Riga</strong> yet in orderindirectly to address the most importantaspect: even if only for a moment to mergethe realities <strong>of</strong> our daily lives to change thestandardized concepts. Such dynamic,high-quality show permeated with kindnessand cordiality will appeal to the culturalexperience <strong>of</strong> new audiences.A team <strong>of</strong> high-level pr<strong>of</strong>essionals will beset up to bring to life this grand-scope idea.In 1212 the working group <strong>of</strong> the multimediashow will start addressing the potentialparticipants, trying to identify them in theplaces <strong>of</strong> gathering <strong>of</strong> ‘disadvantage’ childrenand youth in <strong>Riga</strong> dwelling districts.Pr<strong>of</strong>essional choreographers and teachers<strong>of</strong> music will work with these children andyoungsters until September <strong>2014</strong> to trainthe potential participants for the show.Approximately 1200 participants are expectedto take part in the show.Where: Arēna Rīga, video broadcast to alldwelling districts <strong>of</strong> <strong>Riga</strong>.When: Beginning <strong>of</strong> September.concept author and organisation: <strong>Riga</strong>’sECC task group, National Concert AgencyLatvijas Koncerti.Cooperation partners: Latvian NationalOpera, <strong>Riga</strong> Circus.Participants: Artistic manager AndrisNelsons; soloists Maija Kovaļevska,Egils Siliņš, Aleksandrs Antoņenko;head <strong>of</strong> choreographers’ group MikhailBarishnikov; Latvian National SymphonyOrchestra, pr<strong>of</strong>essional Latvian choirs,children and youth <strong>of</strong> <strong>Riga</strong> and otherparticipants.european christmasA Christmas market with culinary wondersfrom various <strong>European</strong> countries;performances by magicians and streetmusicians in <strong>Riga</strong>’s Dome Square duringthe day; concerts by musical ensemblesfrom all over Europe in concerthalls and churches during theevening. These events will signal theopening <strong>of</strong> the “<strong>European</strong> Christmas”festival, which will reveal the colourfulChristmas traditions <strong>of</strong> many <strong>European</strong>countries.It will look like a picture from a storybook: amarket square with wooden stalls, staffedby jovial people <strong>of</strong>fering Christmas toysand roasted chestnuts for sale, with thefragrant smell <strong>of</strong> gingerbread cookies andhot wine in the air... This will be a sure signthat the “<strong>European</strong> Christmas” festival hasbeen launched in <strong>Riga</strong>’s Dome Square.There, one will be able to learn about theChristmas traditions that are practiced inmany <strong>European</strong> countries.In accordance with English traditions, askating rink will be set up in the marketsquare and traditional Christmas carolswill be sung in <strong>Riga</strong>’s Old Town squares.The world’s most famous Christmas song,“Silent Night”, which originated in Austria,will be performed in <strong>Riga</strong>’s Old Town indozens <strong>of</strong> languages.The Scandinavian countries will be representedin full force during a mythologicalmasked parade – complete with Vikings,elves, trolls, goats and devils. The delegationfrom France, for its part, will show howto make tasteful store and <strong>of</strong>fice decorationswith apples, paper blossoms and ribbons.They will also demonstrate a game devotedto the birth <strong>of</strong> Christ, complete with a manger,the Virgin Mary and Joseph, to remindus all about the roots <strong>of</strong> Christianity.At the German Christmas market stalls, onewill be able to try out a glass <strong>of</strong> traditionalwinter hot wine, along with gingerbreadcookies, fried sausages and potatoes.Glass and wood decorations, wooden toysand German Christmas pyramids will alsobe on display.<strong>Riga</strong> has its own, special Christmas legend,which states that the practice <strong>of</strong> decoratingChristmas trees began in <strong>Riga</strong> in 1510and gradually spread around the worldto become an enduring Christmas tradition.Some Latvians still practice anotherancient tradition <strong>of</strong> dragging a log aroundtheir homestead on the day <strong>of</strong> the wintersolstice, thus drawing out all evil, and thenburning the log in a fire.All these <strong>European</strong> traditions and more willbe seen in <strong>Riga</strong>’s Old Town during the day,while during the evening, various pr<strong>of</strong>essionalmusicians and ensembles (“HilliardEnsemble”, the string quartet Euphonia,the <strong>Riga</strong> Dome Boy’s Choir, the baroqueorchestra Collegium Musicum <strong>Riga</strong>, theLatvian Radio choir, the Estonian bell choirArsis) will perform in a number <strong>of</strong> concerthalls and churches. The central musicalevent will be a mixed choir concert,in which two to three singers from eachparticipating country will join together withtheir neighbouring colleagues to form aunited, <strong>European</strong> choir and to sing traditionalChristmas carols.The <strong>European</strong> Christmas festival will providea splendid opportunity for everyone tolearn about the Christmas traditions in theirown and in their neighbouring <strong>European</strong>countries.What: Musical and other performances atChristmas markets and concert halls.Where: <strong>Riga</strong>’s Old Town, Dome Square,concert halls and churches in <strong>Riga</strong> andother Latvian cities.When: December <strong>2014</strong>.Concept author and organiser: NationalConcert Agency Latvijas Koncerti.Cooperation partners: Latvian Ministry <strong>of</strong><strong>Culture</strong>, <strong>Riga</strong> City Council, Department<strong>of</strong> <strong>Culture</strong>, Latvian State Cultural <strong>Capital</strong>Foundation, Embassies <strong>of</strong> Italy, Spain,the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden,Denmark, Germany and the FrenchCultural Centre in <strong>Riga</strong>.102 103