Organizer:
SIA "Hermaņa Brauna fonds", Reģ. Nr.40003377814, Jāņa iela 3, Rīga, tel. 67205444, e-pasts: hbf@hbf.lv
The Festival Opening Night
CHOPIN & EUROPE
European opera stars and legendary musicians paying their homage to Chopin!
The patroness of the festival Inessa Galante (she was awarded Gold and Platinum discs for the continuing sales of her CDs) performs on the greatest opera stages of Europe and USA. In 2010 she appears in Verdi's Un ballo in maschera at the Helsinki Opera. Due to the huge success singing in Germany, Netherlands, at the Paris Opera and the La Scala Inga Kalna is well-known as the exceptional interpreter in the field of the Period music. She frequently appears under the baton of René Jacobs. Irina Dolzhenko is the primadonna of the Bolsnoi Theatre. Undoubtedly, the modern Russia's opera art may boast with her unique mastery. Aleksander Antonenko, one of the world's talented tenors, sings at the Metropolitan Opera and München. Now he is the most demanded Othello: Salzburg, Dresden, Rome, Vienna and Paris (2011). The successful artist of the highest level Mikhail Agafonov will appear in Latvia for the first time. Egils Silins, the first of Latvian singers to perform at the La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera, is widely demanded Wagner vocalist in Europe. An outstanding international musician of our time, Dang Thai Son was propelled to the forefront of the musical world in 1980, when he was awarded the First Prize and Gold Medal at the 10th International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. On Chopin's 200th birthday, March 1st, he performed Chopin's Concerto at the much-anticipated Warsaw Gala Concert. The frequent guest in Latvia maestro Tadeusz Wojciechowski is one of the most remarkable Polish conductors.
www.hbf.lv
A new tradition has come to Latvia's musical life in 2005. The famous musicians have taken part in the festival, among them Inessa Galante, Irina Dolzhenko, Antra Bigaca, Lili Larina, Sergej Larin, Anatoly Safiulin, Egils Silins, Mischa Maisky, Victoria Postnikova, Muza Rubackyte, Baiba Skride, Janine Jansen, Vadim Gluzman, Henk van Twillert, Inna Davidova, Josif Feigelson, Marcis Kulis, Aleksandr Rozhdestvensky, Intars Busulis, Victor Ritov, The Real Group, Cosmos, BRATSCH, Pepe Justicia and his ensemble of flamenco, Die Deutsche Kammerphilarmonie Bremen (conductor Paavo Järvi), the Latvian National Symphony orchestra (conductors Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Andris Nelsons and Aleksandrs Vilumanis), European Union Youth Orchestra (conductor Andrej Borejko). In 2005, December, Jurmala City Council rewarded Herman Braun Foundation with the Prize of the Year for successful realization of the first festival and valuable contribution to culture of the city.
The diversity of genres is one of the indispensable conditions of the festival. Famous opera and concert singers, jazzmen, soloists-instrumentalists, choirs, orchestras, folk dancers and vocal groups are coming here to enjoy the audience.
The second condition is the patronage of Inessa Galante, the brilliant Latvian singer, whose art is well known all over the world. She invites the participants personally; therefore the touch of intimacy has to make the mood of the festival more friendly and easy.
The organizers of the festival intend to give more than one concert daily. Some guests have agreed to meet with young musicians and give master-classes during the period of the festival.
Due to long-standing traditions, new ideas and high musical culture Jurmala has become a birthplace of this unique festival, which can get similar to such prestigious musical festivities as these ones in Salzburg, Glyndebourne, Kuhmo, Bregenz etc.
