LNSO invites to concerts at the Great Guild before its renovation

Next February, the artists of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) will leave their home – the Great Guild – for two years due to reconstruction works. Therefore, audiences are invited to seven special LNSO concerts still held at the Great Guild until the end of February. The first one, Sibelius's First and Rachmaninoff's Second, will take place on 14 January at 19:00. Under the masterful baton of Tarmo Peltokoski, the LNSO will delight its listeners with the majestic overture to Richard Wagner's opera Tannhäuser, Jean Sibelius' Symphony no. 1 and Sergei Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no. 2.

At the age of 21, conductor Tarmo Peltokoski is already a rising star of international repute. In 2018, Peltokoski was named Young Musician of the Year by the Pro Musica Foundation. Several foreign media have pointed out that his name is written in the future of classical music. In his first joint performance with the LNSO, Tarmo will conduct Wagner's powerful overture to Tannhäuser and the breathtaking First Symphony by Sibelius. The first part of the concert will light up hearts with Rachmaninoff's widely known and uniquely beautiful Second Piano Concerto. The solo will be performed by none other than Anton Lyakhovsky, the virtuoso and inimitable Russian pianist based in London and beloved by Latvian audiences.

The LNSO has not forgotten about its younger audiences, and in its second event of the year it will offer a captivating musical experience that will delight not only the ears of the young, but also the imagination of the adults. On 16 January at 18:00, LNSO musicians together with the theatre company ESARTE will introduce youngsters to William Shakespeare's famous play Othello, using everyday objects. The actors will give objects a different meaning, inviting the audience to use their imagination and adopt a new perspective on ordinary items. The story of Othello will take the viewers on a journey of deep love, intrigue, and deadly jealousy. This play has been rescheduled from 26 October 2021. Directed by Elmārs Seņkovs, music by composer Ernests Mediņš.

On 20 January at 19:00, the LNSO will charm with European music in the concert Portraits. Oskars Bokanovs and Tommaso Pratola, focusing on the leaders of two LNSO instrumental groups, joined in chamber ensembles together with masterful pianists. The first part will feature a meeting of flautist Tommaso Pratola and pianist Agnese Egliņa, while double bassist Oskars Bokanovs and pianist Rihards Plešanovs will join forces in the second part – the musicians will enchant the audience with subtle French, rich Italian, and strong Czech intonations. The concert will also delight with opuses by LNSO composer-in-residence Andris Dzenītis.

On 10 February at 19:00, in the concert Four Frames, LNSO musicians and Elīna Bērtiņa, who came up with the idea for the concert, will give a fascinating performance of contrasts. Elīna describes the concert programme as follows: four contrasts, four opposites, four personalities, and four languages. The musicians will captivate the audience with Berg's mysticism, Britten's philosophical depth, Demenga's freshness, and Rota's Italian charm.

To fill the beginning of the new year with romance, on 11 February at 19:00, the LNSO invites audiences to indulge in the melodies of Russian Romantic Pyotr Tchaikovsky, French Impressionist Claude Debussy, and the 20th‑century Hungarian‑American composer Miklós Rózsa in the concert Tchaikovsky, Debussy, and Rubiķis. The musical conversation between three sophisticated and intelligent composers will be performed by the LNSO and three world‑class Latvian musicians – violinist Eva Bindere, cellist Kristīne Blaumane, and conductor Ainārs Rubiķis.

The last concert before the reconstruction – Grieg's Piano Concerto and Norwegian Dances – will take place on 17 February at 19:00 at the Great Guild as part of the series Symphonic Hit with Goran Gora, dedicated to young people and beginners in the world of classical music. It will give listeners a glimpse into the music that introduced people around the world to the unique values of Norwegian culture. Although composer Edvard Grieg honed his skills in Germany, his life's work was dedicated to Norway's untamed nature, extraordinary mythological characters, or simple everyday life and capturing them in musical notation. Together with the romantic style of expression of the 19th century, this has translated into a novel, colourful musical language, unusual rhythmic patterns, and brilliant compositions that continue to live on the world's stages to this day.

For music lovers, the LNSO offers the special LNSO Winter Pass 2022 to attend the following concerts at a more attractive price:

20 January: LNSO Portraits. Pratola and Bokanovs

11 February: Tchaikovsky, Debussy, and Rubiķis

17 February: Symphonic Hit with Goran Gora. Grieg's Piano Concerto and Norwegian Dances

The seasonal pass can be purchased HERE.

Tickets for the LNSO concerts are available at the Great Guild ticket office, Biļešu paradīze outlets, and online at bilesuparadize.lv/en.

Access to the concert is permitted to visitors who are vaccinated or have recovered from COVID‑19, a digital COVID‑19 certificate and an ID document will be required at the venue.