As part of the European Capital of Culture program “Liepāja 2027”, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra will present three significant musical events at the “Opera by the Sea” festival, where they will meet internationally recognized soloists and perform new works.
“2027 will be a landmark year for both the culture of Liepāja and Kurzeme, and for the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra. Within the rich Liepāja 2027 cultural programme, we will weave our city’s long-standing operatic traditions together with new works by Rihards Dubra and Arturs Maskats, alongside a performance by the diva Marina Rebeka,” comments Uldis Lipskis, Director of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, on the upcoming events.
On July 24, 2027, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Guntis Kuzma, invites music lovers to a beautiful Liepāja summer opera gala at the “Pūt, vējiņi!” concert garden.
On this evening, the outstanding Latvian soprano Marina Rebeka – one of Latvia’s most internationally recognized opera stars, whose voice has resounded in the world’s most prestigious opera houses—will shine on stage. She will be joined by French tenor Julien Behr, whose bright timbre and expressive musicality have made him a sought-after soloist throughout Europe.
A magnificent journey into the world of opera awaits on this July evening—from lyrical arias to passionate duets. There will be vivid emotional experiences, as well as stories of passion and love that the opera genre holds. The sound of the sea caught among the leaves of the trees will merge with the orchestra’s music, creating a special Liepāja summer evening atmosphere.
On October 9, 2027, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra invites to enjoy a classical baroque opera music program in the Liepāja Concert Hall "Lielais dzintars" featuring Chilean mezzo-soprano Luciana Mancini in the leading role.
This evening will also feature a special premiere – a song cycle by Arturs Maskats composed especially for this event, set to the poetry of French writer Pierre Louÿs, titled “Songs of Bilitis”.
Luciana Mancini stands out for her intense stage energy and vocally expressive singing. Her repertoire spans music from the Renaissance and Baroque periods to contemporary composers such as Luciano Berio and Astor Piazzolla.
Music lovers in Latvia are well acquainted with Luciana Mancini – in 2024, at the Cēsis Arts Festival, she played the leading role in Astor Piazzolla’s opera “Maria de Buenos Aires.” This event attracted wide public attention and acclaim, also earning the Grand Music Award 2024 nomination for “Performance of the Year.”
On November 5, 2027, the concert hall "Lielais dzintars" will host the premiere of Rihards Dubra's new opera "The Man of the Winds", created in collaboration with playwright Inga Ābeli. This will be an emotional and visually rich experience that invites viewers to immerse themselves in the mysterious world of the Kurzeme coast, to feel the power of nature and the quest of the human spirit. “The Wind Man Pankoks” is a story about creation, loss, hope, and love – about the soul’s journey to freedom.
At the center of the story is Miķelis Pankoks – the son of a fisherman, who, struggling with life's hardships and searching for his identity, discovers within himself a calling as an artist. His journey leads through seascapes, family dramas, artistic triumphs and losses, all the way to refugee paths and a vision of spiritual return. The opera intertwines real and symbolic scenes – the sea, wood, mountains, angels, and the voice of God, which permeates Pankoks’s life and art.
As part of the Liepāja 2027 programme, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra will also perform at the South Kurzeme festival "Rimbenieks" and at the Ēriks Ešenvalds Festival in Priekule. “The orchestra will also feature at the grand opening celebrations, the Europa Cantat festival, and the concert series “Stars in Amber” in the Great Amber Hall. These events give us the opportunity to realise our potential and to represent Latvia’s high-level professional music internationally. We hope Liepāja will shine!” says U. Lipskis.
Tickets for the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra concerts can be purchased at “Biļešu paradīze” ticket offices.
The Opera by the Sea Festival takes its place within the Liepāja 2027 programme, brought to life through the funding of the Ministry of Culture, the City of Liepāja, and the municipalities of South Kurzeme and Kuldīga. The Liepāja 2027 programme is guided by AS CleanR Grupa (JSC) - the lead supporting partner for environmental education and sustainability, the lead supporting partner in the field of mobility and communication AS airBaltic Corporation, alongside the mobility partner - transportation company SIA Lux Express Latvia (Ltd).
