English
Zanda Ķergalve, the Director of the Association of Cultural Institutions of Riga City Council invited representatives of the leading media in Latvia to an informal press conference to introduce the creative team and main sponsors of the gala concert “MASTER. SONG. LEGEND.” of the Riga City Festival 2011. The grand concert, taking place in August, will gather 7000 choir singers, 1000 dancers, and brass band musicians on the Grand Stage at Mežaparks. In the press conference on the ice-breaker VARMA participated Riga Vice Mayor, Chair of the Board of Freeport of Riga Andris Ameriks, Chair of the Committee for Education, Culture and Sport Eiženija Aldermane, Art-director and conductor of the gala concert Romāns Vanags, producer Uģis Brikmanis, composers Zigmārs Liepiņš and Valts Pūce, conductor Sigvards Kļava and officials from the Department of Education, Culture, and Sport of Riga City Council.
Vice Mayor Andris Ameriks stressed that the gala concert “MASTER. SONG. LEGEND.” is a gift from the Freeport of Riga Authority to Riga in its 810th birthday and admitted that the project would not be possible without the cooperation both with the Department of Education, Culture, and Sport, as well with the creative team that guarantees the quality of the Festival. The art-director of the gala concert Romāns Vanags promised that the concert programme on the Big Stage at Mežaparks will contain both the classical repertoire of Song Festival, and joint works of masters — composers and conductors — in order to attract both singers and audience, and promote the culture of Song Festival in Latvia.
230 choirs will perform in the grand concert. Vanags expressed gratitude to STATOIL for the support and provision of 15 000 litres of petrol that will ensure the mobility of chief-conductors during the choir rehearsals and possibility to take part in the concert not only for 90 choirs from Riga, but also for 140 choirs from all over the Latvia.
Special program of the gala concert will be created by nine pairs of composers and conductors who will compose new and previously not known songs. Creative pairs are: Valts Pūce and Mārtiņš Klišāns, Jānis Lūsēns and Andris Veismanis, Juris Kulakovs and Ivars Cinkuss, Arturs Maskats and Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, Uldis Marhilēvčs and Ints Teterovskis, Uģis Prauliņš and Agita Ikauniece, Zigmars Liepiņš and Romāns Vanags, Mārtiņš Brauns and Sigvards Kļava, Imants Kalniņš and Aira Birziņa.
Uģis Brikmanis, the producer of the gala concert “MASTER. SONG. LEGEND.” noted that it is his greatest desire that the word MASTER would be understood by the people of Riga not as a metaphor but as skills perfected over many years that are needed for the city’s development in many fields. Producer also promised that the concert would be coloured and bright in order to make the Riga 810th anniversary celebration event unforgettable for every resident and guest of Riga.
A new festive overture by Ēriks Ešenvalds will be included in the gala concert “MASTER. SONG. LEGEND.” In the classical part, compositions from the Song Festival’s by Pēteris Barisons, Emīls Dārziņš, Jāzeps Vītols, and Raimonds Pauls will be performed, and it will be conducted by the Song Festival’s chief-conductors Arvīds Platpers, Edgars Račevskis, Jānis Zirnis, and Haralds Bārzdiņš.
The Riga City Festival gala concert will honour the city and its masters by celebrating the 90th birthday of the honoured masters – Maestro Imants Kokars and Maestro Gido Kokars.
At the end of the press conference, Eižēnija Aldermane, the Chair of the Committee for Education, Culture, and Sport, thanked the Freeport of Riga for their support.
“Riga expects the gala concert “MASTER. SONG. LEGEND.” to be both a meeting place for residents of Riga, guests, and masters, and a place where festive atmosphere and true emotions prevail. The concert is not only one of the largest events within the scope of Riga City’s 810th birthday celebration but also an endearment to Latvian choir art and national unity,” stressed Eižēnija Aldermane.
The press conference organized by the Association of Cultural Institutions gave an insight into the programme of the Riga City Festival 2011. Most of the events are free of charge. Tickets for the gala concert at Mežaparks can be purchased in the box office Biļešu paradīze www.bilesuparadize.lv.
