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Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy Of Music
Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music (), formerly the Riga Conservatory, is a higher music conservatory in Riga, Latvia. The junior institute is the Emīls Dārziņš Music School. History The Latvian Conservatory of Music was founded in 1919 by Latvian composer Jāzeps Vītols, who became the first director of the Latvian National Opera. He remained director until 1944, excepting 1935–1937 when the director was his choral assistant Pauls Jozuus. Junior and senior courses covered around 9 to 10 academic years. Beginning in 1940, the structure of the conservatory changed: lower junior courses were transferred to the secondary education system and later became a base for Jāzeps Mediņš's and Emīls Dārziņš's secondary schools of music. Higher courses were offered in the conservatory. Beginning 1 October 1951 LPSR Institute of Theater was attached to the conservatory, reorganizing it to a faculty of theater with departments for acting and directing. In May 1958 it w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rīga
Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planning Region, Riga metropolitan area, which stretches beyond the city limits, is estimated at 847,162 (as of 2025). The city lies on the Gulf of Riga at the mouth of the Daugava (river), Daugava river where it meets the Baltic Sea. Riga's territory covers and lies above sea level on a flat and sandy plain. Riga was founded in 1201, and is a former Hanseatic League member. Riga's historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, noted for its Art Nouveau/Jugendstil architecture and 19th century wooden architecture. Riga was the European Capital of Culture in 2014, along with Umeå in Sweden. Riga hosted the 2006 Riga summit, 2006 NATO Summit, the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, the 2013 World Women's Curling Championship, and the 2006 IIHF Wo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Misha Alexandrovich
Mikhail Davidovich Alexandrovich, a.k.a. Misha Alexandrovich (23 July 1914, Bērzpils, Vitebsk Governorate – 3 July 2002, Munich) was a Latvian Jewish tenor, and cantor, internationally acclaimed as a fine performer of classical and popular repertoire in several languages. He performed for nearly 75 years, since his first concert as a 9-year old in Riga, until the last one, in Moscow, May 26, 1997. Biography Mikhail Alexandrovich was born on the 23 of July 1914,in the village of Bērzpils, Vitebsk Governorate (now part of Balvi Municipality, Latvia), in the family of Jewish peasants."Михаил Александрович: Три четверти века на сцене" July 27, 2014, '' |
Raimonds Pauls
Ojārs Raimonds Pauls (born 12 January 1936) is a Latvian composer and a pianist who is well known in the Baltic countries and Eastern Europe. He was the Minister of Culture of Latvia from 1988 to 1993. His songs were performed by such popular singers as Alla Pugacheva, Valery Leontyev, Laima Vaikule, Jaak Joala, Roza Rymbayeva, Svetlana Loboda and others. Biography Raimonds Pauls is the second child of Iļģuciems' glass blowing factory worker Voldemārs Pauls and seamstress Alma Matilde Brodele. His father Voldemārs began his career at the age of 15 years, when he joined his father (Raimonds Pauls' grandfather Ādolfs Pauls) at the factory. Meanwhile, Voldemārs' mother Aleksandra, respectively, Raimonds' grandmother, hired an assistant at her shop – Alma. In 1932, Voldemārs and Alma celebrate their wedding. Unfortunately, their firstborn son Gunārs Voldemārs dies from meningitis at the age of four months. As Raimonds' father has played drums and his grandfather – ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kristīne Opolais
Kristīne Opolais (born 12 November 1979) is a Latvian operatic soprano. Biography Opolais was born in Rēzekne, Latvia, and studied at the Latvian Academy of Music. Opolais started her career as a member of the chorus with Latvian National Opera in 2001, and in 2003 became a soloist. It was there that she met her future husband, the conductor Andris Nelsons. She first achieved wider recognition in 2006, when she made her debut at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, followed by debuts at 2008 at La Scala in Milan and the Vienna State Opera in 2008, and in October 2010 the Bavarian State Opera in the title role of Dvořák's ''Rusalka'' in a new production directed by Martin Kušej. In 2011, Opolais made her debut with London's Royal Opera, singing the title role in Puccini's ''Madama Butterfly'', conducted by Nelsons. In 2013, she made her debut at The Proms in London's Royal Albert Hall, singing arias by Verdi and Tchaikovsky, with the City of Birmingham Symphony ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gidon Kremer
Gidon Kremer (; born 27 February 1947) is a Latvian classical violinist, artistic director, and founder of Kremerata Baltica. Life and career Gidon Kremer was born in Riga. His father was Jewish and had survived the Holocaust. His mother had German-Swedish origins. His grandfather was a well-known musicologist and violinist in Riga. The boy began playing the violin at the age of four, receiving instruction from his father and his grandfather, who were both professional violinists. He went on to study at the Riga School of Music, where his teacher was mainly Voldemar Sturestep (Voldemārs Stūresteps). From 1965, Kremer studied with David Oistrakh at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1967, he won third prize at the Queen Elisabeth Music Competition in Brussels. In 1969, he won second prize at the Montreal International Violin Competition (shared with Oleh Krysa), followed by first prize at the Paganini Competition in Genoa, and first prize again in 1970 at the International Tchai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aivars Kalējs
Aivars Kalējs (April 22, 1951, Riga, Latvian SSR) is a Latvian composer, organist and pianist. Career Aivars Kalējs has written more than 100 opuses of symphonic, organ, piano, chamber and choir music. His works have won several composition awards, e.g. symphonic work "Musica Dolente" - dedicated to the victims of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. His works are included in many CD's of the great musicians and collectives such as Iveta Apkalna, Andris Nelsons, Maxim Novikov and Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. In 2017, Vita Kalnciema released retrospective CD ''Flashes'' of Aivars Kalējs organ music recorded in Riga Cathedral. Aivars Kalējs is a concert organist at the Dome Cathedral in Riga and chief organist for the New St. Gertrudes Lutheran Church. He has performed solo recitals, included participating in dozens of important international organ festivals, and toured with various ensembles throughout North America, Colombia, almost all European countries, an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oleg Kagan
Oleg Moiseyevich Kagan (Russian: Оле́г Моисе́евич Кага́н; 22 November 1946 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russian SFSR – 15 July 1990, Munich, West Germany) was a Soviet violinist, known for his chamber collaborations with such musicians as pianist Sviatoslav Richter, Eliso Virsaladze and cellist Natalia Gutman, his wife. He was also a significant proponent of modern music, in particular Berg's Violin Concerto. Several recently released concert recordings have added to his posthumous reputation. Biography Born in Sakhalin, Kagan was brought up in Riga following his family's relocation to the Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic in 1953. He began studying at the Latvian State Conservatory in Riga at age eight under Joachim Braun; five years later, he was taken to Moscow by violinist Boris Kuznetsov. During the 1960s, he won the Sibelius and Bach Competitions, while also placing in the top-five of the Enescu and Tchaikovsky Competitions. Upon Kuznetsov's death, Kagan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Olga Jegunova
Olga Jegunova (born 25 May 1984) is a Latvian classical pianist, born in Šiauliai, Lithuania (then Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic), and now living in London. Career After studying music at Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music, concluding with a bachelor's degree, she obtained her master's degree at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. This was followed by studying at the Royal College of Music (Artist Diploma course as an RCM scholar under Dmitri Alexeev) and then at the Royal Northern College of Music where her piano teacher was Norma Fisher. In 2013 she studied at the Samling Academy in the UK. Jegunova has taken part in numerous master classes with eminent pianists such as András Schiff at the Prussian Cove International Musicians Seminar, an annual event, Ferenc Rados, Eliso Virsaladze, Mikhail Voskresensky, Benjamin Zander and Lazar Berman. As a soloist she has worked with conductors such as Saulius Sondeckis, Alexander Soddy, Andres Mustonen and Mu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arvīds Jansons
Arvīds Jansons (10 October 1914 – 21 November 1984) was a Latvian conductor and father of conductor Mariss Jansons. Jansons was born in Liepāja. He studied violin from 1929 until 1935 at the Conservatory of Liepāja, then composition and conducting (under Leo Blech) at the Conservatory of Riga from 1940 until 1944 while working as violinist at Riga Opera. In 1944 he was appointed conductor of Riga Opera, then of the Latvian Radio Orchestra (1947–1952). In 1952 he was appointed reserve conductor, and tour conductor, of the Leningrad Philharmonic behind Yevgeny Mravinsky and Kurt Sanderling. Jansons became principal guest conductor of the Hallé Orchestra in 1965. He collapsed and died from a heart attack in 1984 while conducting a concert with the Hallé in Manchester. He is buried next to Karl Eliasberg in Volkovo Cemetery, Saint Petersburg. Recordings For Melodiya * Antonín Dvořák: Symphony No. 9 in E minor (From the New World) USSR Symphony Orchestra * César ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jānis Ivanovs
Jānis Ivanovs (27 March 1983) was a Latvian composer whose later career took place in the Soviet Union. In 1931, he graduated from the Latvian State Conservatory in Riga. In 1944, he joined the conservatory's faculty, becoming a full professor in 1955. He is regarded as being the most distinguished Latvian symphonist. His love of melody is evident in each of his compositions, and forms the essence of his works. He often drew inspiration from the native songs of the Latgale district in eastern Latvia. His grasp of orchestral color and musical texture were highly regarded by his colleagues. The Latvian composer and music critic Marģeris Zariņš described Ivanovs' symphonies as "like ancient Greek tragedies, filled with ecstasy and purification." He is mostly remembered for his twenty-one symphonies. Nevertheless, he composed in many other fields, including five symphonic poems, concertos for piano, violin and cello, three string quartets, and numerous vocal, piano and various ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inese Galante
Inese Galante (born 12 March 1954) is a Latvians, Latvian soprano opera singer. Galante is known for a great beauty of tone, nuanced pianissimos and sensitive command of dynamics and colour. Her performance of Vladimir Vavilov (composer), Vladimir Vavilov's ''Ave Maria (Vavilov), Ave Maria'' (often attributed to Giulio Caccini), from her "Debut" album (1995) attracted worldwide interest in the piece. Career Galante was born in Riga to a musical family. She entered the Latvian Academy of Music in Riga in 1977. While still a student at the Academy, she became a soloist of the Latvian National Opera. Parallel to her work in Riga she was engaged in opera productions at other theatres, particularly at the Kirov Opera (Mariinsky theatre) in Saint Petersburg, Russia where she had a fruitful collaboration with conductor Valery Gergiev. From 1991 until 1999, Galante was soloist at National Theatre Mannheim and Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf. Since then she has been touring and p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Elīna Garanča
Elīna Garanča (born 16 September 1976) is a Latvian mezzo-soprano. She began to study singing in her hometown of Riga in 1996 and continued her studies in Vienna and in the United States. By 1999 she had won first place in the Mirjam Helin Singing Competition in Helsinki and had begun a career in Europe. Worldwide engagements followed her 2003 Salzburg Festival appearances. Early life and education Elīna Garanča was born in the Latvian city of Riga into a musical family: her father was a choral director, and her mother Anita was a lieder singer, a professor at the Latvian Academy of Music, an associate professor at the Latvian Academy of Culture, a vocal music teacher at the Latvian National Opera, and also a private voice tutor. Career in opera She entered the Latvian Academy of Music in 1996 to study singing with Sergej Martinov. She continued her studies in Vienna with Irina Gavrilovich and in the United States with Virginia Zeani. Garanča began her professional caree ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
