Featuring
Kristīne Balanas (violin)
Lucas Debargue (piano)
Liepāja Symphony Orchestra
Conductor:
Guntis Kuzma
Programme
Jules Massenet (1842–1912) Symphonic Intermezzo “Meditation” from the opera Thaïs
Georges Bizet (1838–1875) Farandole
Pablo de Sarasate (1844–1908) Carmen Fantasy
George Gershwin (1898–1937) Symphonic Poem An American in Paris
Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) Piano concerto
Liepāja’s summer has a special sound — in the evening, when the sun sinks lower and the air carries the nearness of the sea, the city inhales its refreshing breath. The leaves of the Jūrmala Park trees tremble in eager anticipation, and birdsong ripples through the air.
Just a moment more, and in the symphony of sounds infused with a touch of French elegance at Jūrmala Park, together with the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Guntis Kuzma, violinist Kristīne Balanas and pianist Lucas Debargue will shine.
The Times has described Latvian violinist Kristīne Balanas as musician of “eye-popping virtuosity” while critics highlight her for her “savage, bold, dramatic playing” (The Strad).
The central event of the evening will be Pablo de Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasy. This virtuosic piece, inspired by melodies from Georges Bizet’s opera, weaves together passion and irony, the impulse of Spanish dance and operatic drama. The violin part can transform in an instant—from a delicate whisper to a fiery climax. In Kristīne Balanas’s interpretation, Carmen gains an elegant brilliance that dazzles and dissolves into the breeze of a Liepāja summer night.
The violinist’s stage charisma and mastery have earned significant recognition among music professionals.
In the autumn of 2025, Kristīne Balanas and her sister, cellist Margarita Balanas, became the first Latvian musicians to sign a collaboration contract with one of the world’s most prestigious recording labels — Decca Classics.
Equally intriguing is French pianist Lucas Debargue — a musician whose interpretations are often described as intellectually profound. They are at once spontaneous and sensitive, revealing a special ability to illuminate the inner architecture of the score.
Maurice Ravel’s Piano concerto seems tailor-made for such an artistic personality: a sparkling, colourful and witty masterpiece of the 20th century, where classical form naturally blends with jazzy rhythms and a light, urban elegance. Precise impulses alternate with delicate poetry; radiant orchestral colours meet a singing, expansive lyricism. In the finale, the music gathers a playful, electrified momentum, leaving an impression of joyful, vital motion.
On this summer evening, the open-air concert garden “Pūt, vējiņi!” invites listeners to a vivid, multicoloured musical experience, where the glow of sunset lends the symphonic soundscape a rich mood of summer romance.
Discounts:
Students, disabled persons, pensioners – 5 euros
Pupils - 50%
Family 3+ card holders - 30%
For a companion of a person with a disability of group I or II - 50%
Groups (10 or more people) – 20%
When purchasing group tickets online, please send an e-mail to sales@lso.lv
When attending the concert, the visitor must present a document certifying their eligibility to a discount.
The Concert is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia and the Liepāja City.
