This year’s EUROPEAN CULTURAL DAYS of the European Central Bank (ECB) features artists from Latvia – the next country to adopt the euro. Under the motto “Enchanting Latvia”, a range of cultural venues across Frankfurt am Main will host events in a programme compiled in cooperation between Latvijas Banka and the ECB, under the joint patronage of Mario Draghi, President of the ECB, and Ilmārs Rimšēvičs, Governor of Latvijas Banka.
“Enchanting Latvia” – programme highlights
- For the first time in the history of the initiative, the EUROPEAN CULTURAL DAYS will start with an Introductory Event, a panel discussion with distinguished guests who will provide an insight into Latvia today. The event will take place at the Goethe University on 14 October 2013.
MUSIC
- The Latvian State Choir “Latvija”, together with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ainārs Rubiķis, will perform works of Latvian and European romanticism at the Grand Opening Concert on 16 October 2013 at the Alte Oper Frankfurt. With soloists Baiba Skride (violin), Reinis Zariņš (piano) and Aigars Reinis (organ), the programme includes works by Pēteris Barisons, Rihards Dubra, Camille Saint-Saëns and Richard Wagner, as well as a cappella choral songs by Latvian composers. In the international music world, Latvia is renowned as a centre of excellence in choir music, with more than 400 choirs across the country.
- Organ music will be at the heart of this year’s Charity Concert on 26 October 2013 in the Frankfurter Paulskirche. Organist Iveta Apkalna, Inga Kalna (soprano) and German trumpeter Reinhold Friedrich will perform musical pieces from baroque and romanticism to modern. Donations from this charity event will go to the “Mädchenbüro Frankfurt”, an initiative that supports girls from different cultural backgrounds, aged ten and over, by offering extracurricular day care and additional learning opportunities. The concert is organised in cooperation with the City of Frankfurt.
- Two outstanding Latvian contemporary music ensembles, the State Chamber Orchestra “Sinfonietta Rīga” and the Latvian Radio Choir, will perform a range of works by Ēriks Ešenvalds, Pēteris Vasks and the Bulgarian composer Dobrinka Tabakova at the Grand Closing Concert on 15 November at the Gesellschaftshaus Palmengarten.
THEATRE
- The New Riga Theatre, directed by Alvis Hermaniswill give two performances of its play “Long Life” at Schauspiel Frankfurt.
ARCHITECTURE
- The architectural treasures of Riga, a medieval Hanseatic city with an abundance of art nouveau architecture, can be explored in the exhibition “Riga TOP!” at the House of Finance from 24 October until 23 November. The exhibition will be accompanied by two panel discussions, one chaired by Professor Oskars Redbergs, at the Deutsche Architekturmuseum. The exhibition is organised in cooperation with the City of Riga.
The complete programme (including also photography exhibitions, literary evenings and children’s events), as well as the CULTURAL DAYS 2013 PREVIEW TRAILER, is available on the ECB’s website at www.ecb.europa.eu/culturaldays.
Further information about the events can be requested by e-mail to cultural-days@ecb.europa.eu or by calling the Cultural Days hotline on +49 69 1344 5555 (Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.).