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XXVI NATIONWIDE LATVIAN SONG AND DANCE CELEBRATION PROGRAM
26.08.2018


30 June

10.00

 

Choir Competition Finals “Battle of the Songs”

 

University of Latvia Great Hall

Latvia’s best amateur choirs compete in the final competitions in the mixed choir, men’s choir, women’s choir, and senior choir categories. The competition will be judged by an international jury. Once the competition is over, and the jury has finished their deliberations, the winners of the Song Wars will be announced on the spot in the presence of the participants evoking unforgetable emotions in the particpants and the spectators! All are invited to come hear Latvia`s best amateur choirs in person and enjoy the special competition atmosphere. Free entry.

1-8 July

10.00

Latvian Craft Fair, Masterclasses

 

Vērmanes Garden, Esplanade Park

During the entire week of the Song and Dance Celebration, craft fairs will be operating in Vermanes Garden and the Esplanade Park. Here you will have the opportunity to admire and purchase the work of craftspeople from all regions of Latvia and enjoy a wide-ranging concert programme.

1 July

08.30

Song and Dance Celebration Flag Ceremony

 

Riga Latvian Society House

Dievs, svētī Latviju, the Latvian National Anthem, was sung for the first time at the first Latvian Song Festival in 1873. The Baltic teachers’ seminary choir led by Jānis Dreibergs performed the song under the flag of the festival. This tradition honoring the ‘Līgo Flag’ with a rendition of the national anthem will be renewed at the 2018 Latvian Song and Dance Celebration.

1 July

10.00

Ceremony Honouring the Chief Directors and Conductors of the Song and Dance Celebration

 

Song Festival Park

This is a traditional Song and Dance Celebration ritual in which the chief conductors and directors of the XXVI Song and XVI Dance Celebration, and honorary chief conductors and directors, will be recognised.

1 July

12.00

Sacred Music Concert “I Am…”

 

Riga Cathedral

The opening of the Song and Dance Celebration traditionally includes a concert of sacred music.  This year the motif is ‘I AM...’. This idea can be found in both the Old and the New Testaments and is a fundamental element for discovering God in the Holy Scriptures.

1 July

14.00

Celebration Process

Freedom Street – Stabu Street - Celebration Square (Skonto Stadium)

1 July will be dedicated to the Celebration and to honouring the Celebration participants. A colourful procession will make its way through Rīga, along Freedom Street, this time ending at the special Celebration Quarter prepared for Celebration participants in Skonto Stadium.

1 July

21.00

Celebration Opening Event

 

Celebration Square - Skonto Stadium

The Opening events serve to honour each and every participant and thank them for what they have invested in making the Celebrations a reality!

2 July

11.00

World Latvian Day. “Conference Latvians Around the World – We Belong to Latvia. Preserving and Developing the Traditions of the Song and Dance Celebration”

 

Riga Latvian Society House

Latvians living abroad, invited experts, and representatives of Latvian institutions and Latvian society will come together at this annual conference—held since 2011—to listen to each other and share their accomplisments from the past year. The theme for this year’s conference is the Song and Dance Celebration as an event that unites Latvians around the world.

2 July

11.00

Vocal Ensembles Competition

 

Riga Culture and Folk Art Centre—the Small Guild

The Finals of the Latvian Choir Competition will take place in 5 categories—men’s choirs, women’s choirs, mixed choirs, seniors, and semi-professional vocal ensembles. The competition will be judged by an international jury.

2 July

12.00

Latvian Amateur Theatre Performances—plays by Ādolfs Alunāns

 

Vērmanes Garden

This day marks the 170th birthday of Adolfs Alunāns, Latvia’s first professional actor, director, and playwright! The father of Latvian theatre will honoured with perfromances of his work by Latvian and Latvian diaspora amateur theatre ensembles. 

2 July

16.00, 20.00

 

Dance Concert “Another Hundred Years of Dance”

Arena Riga

More than 18 000 dancers will tell the story of Latvia from the 12th to the 21st century through movement and dance creating a fascinating show of patterns, energy, rythms, and colours.

2 July

18.00

Foreign Latvian Artistic Ensemble concert “The Cycle of Life”

 

Riga Latvian Society House

This concert programme includes pieces performed at Latvian Song and Dance Festivals abroad over the past few years, the singers’ best-loved songs, and the XXVI Song and XVI Dance Celebration repertoire. 500 singers will participate!

2 July

18.00

Senior Choir Concert “Shimmering Rose the Sun”

 

Esplanade Park

The theme of this concert is the celebration of life through song. Songs from various periods about the sun and the earth, and songs about ourselves will be sung by a joint senior choir—1000 members strong!

3 July

12.00

Latvian Amateur Theatre Performances—plays by Ādolfs Alunāns

 

Vērmanes Garden

This day marks the 170th birthday of Adolfs Alunāns, Latvia’s first professional actor, director, and playwright! The father of Latvian theatre will honoured with perfromances of his work by Latvian and Latvian diaspora amateur theatre ensembles. 

3 July

14.00,

19.00

Musical “The Firebird”

 

VEF Culture Palace

More than 60 young singers, dancers, and musicians from America, Canada, and Latvia will perform in this heartwarming musical theatre show.

3 July

19.00

Wind Orchestra Concert of Latvian Music “To Touch Time”

 

Great Guild Concet Hall

Concert-goers will have the opportunity to hear pieces composed for wind orchestra by Latvian composers of various eras performed by Latvia’s best wind orchestras.

3 July

19.30

Minority Folk Ensemble Concert “With the Sun”

 

Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre

The theme for this concert is a celebration of the many forms of friendship between Latvians and representatives of other ethnic groups Around 300 participants from various minority choirs and dance ensembles, vocalists and folk singer will participate. Video materials showing success stories from bilingual families will also be shown.

3 July

20.00

Folk Music Concert All My Fair Songs

 

Palladium Concert Hall

Enjoy new folklore-inspired compositions, modern arrangements and interpretations, and the exploration of new tembres, sounds, and harmonies!

4 July

19.00

Wind Band Concert Series in the Churches of Riga

 

 

Our Lady of Sorrows, St. Jacob Cathedral, St. Martin’s Church, Church of Jesus, Church of Luther in Torņakalns, St. Gertrude New Church

The playing of wind instruments in churches and church towers is an ancient tradition. Its inclusion in the Celebration programme allows audiences to fully appreciate the wide range of possibilities for wind orchestras—from the characteristic subtlety of chamber music to the bright sounds of a big brass band!

4 July

21.00

Vocal Ensemble Sacred Music Concert “Close to You”

 

St. John’s Church in Riga

The heart of Latvian sacred vocal music—a unique blend of the musical traditions of Latvia’s historically most popular denomenations, Catholic and Lutheran. The six best Latvian vocal ensembles together with the Mägi Ensemble from Seattle, WA in the US will perform at the concert.

5 July

12.00

A Day for All “Morning Dawns”

 

Vērmanes Garden

Various ethnic groups that have long lived withing the territory of Latvia will introduce onlookers to their traditions on three specially-built stages throughout the day.

5 July

12.00

Latvian Amateur Theatre Performances              

 

Dailes Theatre Small Hall and Chamber Hall

Over the course of a single day it will be possible to see up to ten performances of works by Latvian playwrights interpreted by Latvia’s best amateur theatre ensembles.

5 July

19.00

Latvian Traditional Costume Show

 

The Palladium Concert Hall

The Latvian folk costume is a symbol of Latvian culture and national identity. For the fifth time since 1998 this Latvian Folk Costume Show will take place, engendering pride in our national culture, enriching our knowledge of the most successful folk costume reproductions and ensembles, and enhancing the folk costume culture of celebration participants.

5 July

19.00

Kokle Concert “Play, Brother! Play, Sister!”

 

Dailes Theatre Great Hall

More than 400 kokle players from various ensembles will particpate in this traditional kokle concert.

5 July

20.00

Latvian Vocal Symphony Music Concert

 

Arena Riga

Vocal symphonic music concerts are a traditional part of the Latvian Song and Dance Celebration—another colour in the Celebration’s rainbow through which Latvia’s best amateur and professional choirs, professional orchestras, and soloists display their talents.

5 July

20.00

Vocal Ensembles Concert “Weaving the Ring of Time”

 

Mikhail Chekhov Riga Russian Theatre

11 vocal ensembles from all corners of Latvia will perform the rythms of day and night, light and dark, throughout the four seasons.

5 July

22.00

Great Dance Concert “Mara’s Country” Dress Rehearsal

Daugava Stadium

More than 18 000 dancers will tell the story of Latvia from the 12th to the 21st century through movement and dance creating a fascinating show of patterns, energy, rythms, and colours.

6 July

12.00

Folk Music Ensemble Day

 

Vērmanes Garden

Vērmanes Garden will be filled with the sounds of Latvian instrumental folk music ensembles. You will be able to hear many different styles of folk music on multiple stages, see performances by diaspora folk dance ensembles, and participate in the folk dancing yourself or enjoy the atmosphere of an open-air country dance.

6 July

12.00

Latvian Amateur Theatre Performances              

 

Dailes Theatre Small Hall and Chamber Hall

Over the course of a single day it will be possible to see up to ten performances of works by Latvian playwrights interpreted by Latvia’s best amateur theatre ensembles.

6 July

17.00

The Great Wind Band Concert

 

Esplanade Park

This event has been surprising audiences with its qualitative innovations and new methods and expression since 2003, when the tradition of staging a Great Concert for Wind Orchestras began. The Joint Wind Orchestras from all regions of Latvia will be participating, and the grand finale will be perfromed by a Great Orchetra of 500 musicians!

6 July

19.00

Children`s Vocal Ensembles Concert “The Wolf has Such Spirit”

 

Dailes Theatre Great Hall

Children’s vocal ensembles from all over Latvia—about 150 singers—will sing the story of two separate worlds—the world of people and the world of wolves.

6 July

22.00

Great Dance Concert “Mara’s Country”

Daugava Stadium

 

More than 18 000 dancers will tell the story of Latvia from the 12th to the 21st century through movement and dance creating a fascinating show of patterns, energy, rythms, and colours.

6 July

22.00

Kokle Music Night Concert “Signs of Sound”

 

Rīga Cathedral

Concert-goers will have the opportunity to enjoy the performances of Latvian kokle ensembles, duets, and the multi-faceted performances of the soloists. The concert will culminate in an all-encompassing, tembrally rich performance by a joint kokle emsemble of 120 kokle players.

7 July

11.00

Folklore Day Regions of Latvia Sings Together

 

Vērmanes Garden

Vērmanes Garden will be filled with the voices of more than 60 folklore groups and ethnographic ensembles from Latvia and Latvian communities abroad.           

7 July

11.00

Vocal Ensembles Street Concerts

 

Riga Old Town streets and squares

Vocal ensembles will sing throughout the streets and squares of the Riga Old Town—the sounds of the Old Town and the voices of the singers will weave together to create a unique experience.

7 July

12.00

Folklore Day Build “Tall Doors for the Bride”

 

Latvian Ethnographic Open-air Museum

More than 60 folklore groups and ethnographic ensembles will perform marriage and wedding songs from various regions of Latvia, and two young people—Zane and Kristaps—will be married in a real Latgalian wedding ritual according to the ancient traditions.

7 July

12.00

Children's Folklore Ensemble Concert “Playtime, Hand in Hand”

 

Esplanade Park

Children are the inheritors of our traditions, they breath new life into them and, together with their parents and grandparents, they reveal the colours and culture of their regions through their own particular creative style. Both individually and in small groups they will sing together, and join in games and dances. Come enjoy together with them!

7 July

20.00

Closing Concert “Following the Starry Path” Dress Rehearsal

 

Mežaparks Open-air Stage

This three-hour Final Concert—Following the Starry Path—will be performed by 12 000 singers at the Mežaparks Open-Air Stage.

Works by Latvia’s foremost professional choral composers make up the concert programme.

7 July

22.00

Great Dance Concert “Mara’s Country”

Daugava Stadium

 

More than 18 000 dancers will tell the story of Latvia from the 12th to the 21st century through movement and dance creating a fascinating show of patterns, energy, rythms, and colours.

8 July

20.00

Closing Concert “Following the Starry Path”

 

Mežaparks Open-air Stage

This three-hour Final Concert—Following the Starry Path—will be performed by 12 000 singers at the Mežaparks Open-Air Stage.

Works by Latvia’s foremost professional choral composers make up the concert programme.

8 July

23.30

Sing Along Night

 

Mežaparks Open-air Stage

Every five years, once the Final Concert has come to a close, the participants of the Song and Dance Celebration, the audience, and the festival coordinators all join together in song! This great joint choir sings the most beloved songs of the Latvian people until dawn breaks. It is an unforgettable event to which one and all are invited!

29 June–

26 August

 

Folk and Applied Art Exhibition “The Joy of Creation”

 

Riga Art Space Exhibition Hall

This exhibition will be created integrating a number of different themes—the crafstmanship embeded in Latvian folk and applied arts, their variety, and the personal nature of this kind of art. The exhibition will be displayed using modern technological solutions, with an emphasis on interactivity. Enjoy this brethtaking journey through the heart of Latvian Folk and Applied Arts.

Artists from Latvia’s Folk and Applied Arts studios, as well as individual working artists will participate in the exhibition.




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