Riga - European Capital of Culture 2014 candidate

amber experienceIn the consciousness of the new generation,amber is often connectedwith stereotypes about things relatedto the past or rooted in national traditions.The dance music show “AmberExperience” attempts to break thispreconception.This project offers the new generation a futuristicstory about amber, which looks backat the origins of this mineral through theprism of climate change and examines thehealing properties of amber from the viewpointof scientific discoveries. Today, artworkand cultural experiences inspired by physicsare extremely topical in the world of artand multimedia. Scientist Inga Ļašenko hasdiscovered a way to use amber as a screencoating, which can create an unexpectedeffect. This proves once again that amber isa storehouse of timeless knowledge.World-famous DJs have frequently visitedRiga during their concert tours and dancemusic shows have often been staged inthe city, much to the delight of local audiences.In 2014, “Amber Experience” will bea grandiose dance music show and thefirst original production of its kind in Latvia.The production will feature original decorations,specially designed costumes, anda light show, whose central motif will beamber.Quality performances by local disc jockeysand famous European DJs, combinedwith a psychedelic amber colour spectrumreflected in the lights, costumes, and decorations,will make for an unprecedentedand surprising extravaganza!What: Original dance music show.Where: Arēna Rīga.When: October.Concept authors: Riga’s ECC task group.the organ at theriga dome cathedralresoundsThe organ at the wonderfully acousticRiga Dome has an inimitably beautifultone. The instrument leaves a greatimpression on the listener, enchantsmany visitors, and attracts music loversfrom all over the world. ‘It’s a divineinstrument, which merges acoustically,emotionally, and philosophicallywith the grandiose structure that givesit a home,’ says organist J. Ļisicina.The organ at the Riga Dome is consideredone of the most valuable historic organs in theworld. The instrument was built in 1883/1884by E. F. Walcker & Co., and is counted amongthe greatest achievements in late-Romanticperiod organ construction. The organ is ofthe highest technical and artistic quality, andcan surely be mentioned alongside otherremarkable examples of organ craftsmanshipsuch as the Silbermann organ, at theFreiberg Cathedral, or the Schnitger organ,at St. Jacobi’s Church in Hamburg.The organ at the Riga Dome has 124 registers,4 manuals and pedals, and 6,718pipes of various sizes and materials, whichare arranged on 26 wind chambers. Thepipes were built of various kinds of wood(pine, fir, maple, oak, beech, and pear) aswell as from metal – a tin and lead smeltingin various proportions. The pipes come ina range of sizes: the largest is 10 meters,and the smallest is only 13 mm long. Fiveorganists will be invited to this series of organmusic concerts, along with Latvian organistswho live and work in Europe (suchas Ligita Sneibe and Iveta Apkalna). Theprogramme will include pieces by variousEuropean composers, which are frequentlyperformed at the Riga Dome, and worksby Latvian composers, which are frequentlyperformed in Europe.What: Concert series.Where: Dome Cathedral, www.doms.lv.When: Second half of May.Concept authors: Guntars Prānis, musicaldirector of the Riga Dome, music@doms.lv;Silvija Zaķe, administrator of organ concertsat the Riga Dome, koncerti@doms.lv.Organisers: “Riga Dome Administration” Ltd.riga’s musical amberFor ages, amber has been a valuablematerial brought from the Baltic coastto European cities as far away as Rome.To this day, musical gems are born hereand then travel to European capitalsand cultural centres (Elīna Garanča– Vienna, Milan, London, New York;Mariss Jansons – Munich, Amsterdam;Andris Nelsons – Birmingham, London,Vienna, and others.)For many years now, the State Choir Latvijahas been the leading performer of largescalevocal works in the Baltic States. Thechoir and the “Sacred Music Festival” havebrought to Riga such renowned figures asSir John Tavener, Sofia Gubaidulyina, GijaKancheli, and Douglass Webster, amongothers. The 17 th International “Sacred MusicFestival” will focus attention more on BalticRegion cooperation partners and outstandingpersonalities and, by offering world premieresand performances of renowned WesternEuropean vocal pieces, introduce EuropeanCapital of Culture guests and Riga inhabitantsto the excellent performance skills ofcooperation partners from the Baltic States.WHAT: Concert series.WHEN: August 14 – September 9, 2014.WHERE: Latvian National Opera, St. Peter’sChurch, Riga Dome Cathedral, Great GuildConcert Hall.Concept authors: Māris Ošlejs, MārisSirmais.Organisers: State Choir Latvija.Cooperation partners:Latvian National Symphony Orchestra,www.lnso.lv;Estonian National Symphony Orchestra,www.erso.ee;Estonian Concert Association, www.concert.ee;Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra,www.lvso.lt;Camerata Klaipeda was formed by theworld renowned virtuoso violinist VilhelmasČepinskis. This string orchestra brings togethermusicians who have performed withmany world-class orchestras, such as theEuropean Union Symphony Orchestra, inLondon, and the Gustav Mahler Orchestra,in Vienna. Camerata Klaipeda also featuresmusicians from Gidon Kremer’s famousensemble Kremerata Baltica.amber fantasyWhat kind of cinema is relevant in theterritories of the ancient Amber Route?This question will be answered by the“Fantasy Film Festival”.In 2014, the festival will collaborate withseveral important European film festivals inorder to study what kind of fantasy voyagesare glimpsed by today’s filmmakers andviewers in Europe’s Northern-Southernaxis. A particular partner is the largest fantasyfilm festival in Scandinavia: the LundFantasy Festival. A special film screeningwill be organized, along with guest lecturesand seminars, which will analyze thethemes that are essential to filmmakers inthe region.What: Film screening, guest lectures,seminars.Where: Riga and European cities.When: March.Concept author: Sonora Broka.Organizer: Arsenāls Film Forum.Cooperation partners: Film festivalorganizers in other European countries.114 115