Baltic Christmas Day 20 - Christmas Eve in Wentorf DP Camp

Today, on Day 20 of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, I am delighted in to introduce artist Krista Svalbonas, her husband Lars Alverson, and Dzintra Alverson! I recently met Krista and Lars while Krista’s most recent project, “Displacement” was featured at Spartanburg Art Museum in the exhibit up[route]d, and was fascinated by the work she is doing documenting the displaced-person camps that the Baltic peoples called home for years post-WWII. Please make sure to read on towards the end – Krista and Lars are still seeking DP’s from many of the camps to interview…

“Born in Latvia and Lithuania, my parents spent five years after the end of World War II in displaced-person camps in Germany before they were allowed to emigrate to the United States. In the series “Displacement,” I set out to retrace and re-imagine that history. My parents’ childhood homes were structures appropriated from other civilian and military uses to house thousands of postwar refugees. They had always described this housing as temporary; I never expected to see these buildings myself. But after intensive archival research, I was able to locate, visit, and photograph many of the actual buildings on the sites of former DP camps in Germany. I have documented 47 former Baltic DP camps in Germany and am currently traveling the US and Canada, interviewing former DP’s from these camps.” (Krista)

“Here is my mother’s little story about Christmas in the Wentorf DP camp. The still life below reflect the central objects of her story; the gnome pictured is the original that is described in this story.” (Lars)

(English version follows below)

Ziemas Svetku Vakars Wentorfas Nometne, Dzintra Alverson

      “Šo jauko notikumu esmu bieži stāstijusi un aprakstījusi skolas domrakstu uzdevumos un vēlāk, saviem berniem.  Bija Ziemsvētku Vakars Wentorfas DP nometnē.  Mūsu ceļojāmā koka kaste un brūnais grumbuļainais koferītis no Latvijas bija sapakoti pilni.  Viss mūsu istabā bija sapakots un nokrāmēts, lai agri no rīta mēs varētu doties ceļā uz Gronas nometni, no kuras mēs kāptu kugī, ceļā uz Brazīliju.  Mammiņa bija pat nokristījusies par Baptisti, lai mēs dabūtu sponsorus Baptistu kolonijā. Te pēkšņi pienāca ziņa no nometnes valdības ka viss otrais stāvs ir slēgts ar karantīni, jo vienam zēnam esot masalas.  Nekāda iešana vai braukšana visiem otrā stāva iedzīvotājiem uz divām nedēļām. Tā visa cerība braukt rīt prom zuda. Kuģis uz Brazīliju rīt aizbrauks bez mums.

      Mēs palikām istabā, bez Ziemsvētkiem, dāvanām, svētku priekiem.  Uz tukšā galdiņa stāvēja  stikla pudelīte, kurā Mammiņa bija ielikusi egļu zariņu, lai mums būtu kaut kāda Ziemsvētku sajūta. Zariņā dega viena svecīte.  Mēs sēdējām ap galdu un dziedājām Ziemsvētku dziesmiņas savā ģimenes korītī.  Brālis Vilnis dziedāja basu, māsa Ilga ar Mammiņu otro balsi un mēs abas ar māsu Aiju, pirmo balsi. 

      Te pēkšņi pie loga dzirdam kādu balsi.  Mammiņa piegāja pie loga.  Lejā stāvēja svēša dāma un angļu valodā lūdza lai Mammiņa nolaiž lejā groziņu ar kaut kādu virvi. Tā kā mēs  bijām nupat pakojušies, Mammiņai bija groziņš un virve pie rokas.  Viņa nolaida virvi.  Kad viņa uzrāva groziņu augšā, mums visiem palika mutes vaļā.  Tur bija četri lieli apelsīni, un maza kastīte, kurā bija mazs, trīs collu metāla rūķītis kurš, kad viņu uzgriež ar metāla atslēdziņu aizmugurē, griežās apkārt un tur savās rokās vēl mazāku rūķīti . Izrādijās ka viena angļu dāma no UNRAs bija dzirdējusi ka otrā stāvā esot ģimene ar četriem bērniem, kuri sēž karantīnē, bez Ziemassvētkiem, jo viņiem bijis paredzēts rīt braukt prom. Kas viņa bija par Ziemsvētku enģelīti tai vakarā! Kas tas bija par prieku un pārdzīvojumu mums visiem!!

      Mēs lēnām un ar lielu baudu lobījām katrs savu apelsīnu vaļā, kur beigās viņa izskatījās kā udensrozīte. Šo lobīšanas veidu mums tikko bija iemācijis viens ļoti jauks un laipns kungs no nometnes, jo apelsīni mums bēgļiem bija nesen atklāts jaunums. Viņš bija bijis muzikas skolotājs Latvijā, un bieži arī nāca pamācīt mums dziesmiņas. Man liekās ka viņu sauca Janis Lubinš. Ar viņu arī iemācījāmies dziedāt uz balsīm ”Tec saulīte tecēdama”, “Saulīt vēlu vakarā” un “Trīcēj kalni skanēj meži”.  Lietojot viņa iemācīto apelsīna lobīšanas veidu, sēdējām ap galdu, lēni ēdām dārgo apelsīnu, pa gabaliņam vien, un katrs gaidījām savu reizi uzvilkt mazo rūķīti, lai viņš mūs iepriecina ar savu griešanos. Pēc tam manā dzīvē ir bijuši daudz Ziemas svētki, bet nevieni nekad vairs neatstāja tik lielu iekšēju iespaidu un prieku kā šie.”

Christmas Eve in Wentorf DP Camp, Dzintra Alverson

            “I have often narrated and described the following event in school assignments and later to my children. It was Christmas Eve at Wentorf DP Camp. The steamer trunk and the little brown suitcase we traveled with from Latvia were packed full with our belongings. Everything in our room was packed away so we could head out to Grohn Camp early in the morning, from where we would board a ship to Brazil. Mommy had even allowed to be baptized in order to get sponsors in the Baptist colony there. Suddenly a message came from the camp government that the entire second floor was quarantined because a boy had contacted measles. There was no travel for all upstairs residents for the next two weeks. All hope for leaving in the morning was gone. The ship would embark for Brazil without us. 

            We stayed in the room, without Christmas, presents, or any celebration. There was a glass bottle on the empty table where Mommy had placed a sprig of a evergreen tree to give us some Christmas feeling. A single candle burned on one of its twigs. We sat around the table, singing Christmas carols in our family choir. Brother Vilnis sang bass, sister Ilga with Mommy sang alto, and my sister Aija and I sang soprano.

            Suddenly we heard someone calling at the window. Mommy walked to the window. Down below stood a unfamiliar woman, who, speaking in English, asked us to lower a basket with some rope. Having just completed our packing, Mommy had a basket and a rope accessible. She lowered the rope. When she pulled up the basket, our mouths were agape in astonishment. There were four large oranges, and a small box containing a small, three-inch metal gnome who, when wound-up with a metal key in the back, marched in a circle as he held an even smaller gnome in his hands. It turned out that the English lady was from UNRA and had heard that there was a family on the second floor with four children, in quarantine, without Christmas, and stranded as they were supposed to leave the next morning. What a Christmas angel she was that evening! What a joy and experience for all of us !! 

            Slowly and with great pleasure, we meticulously peeled the orange rinds back like flower petals, making it look just like a waterlily. This skill had been taught to us very recently by a very nice and kind gentleman in the camp, for the delicacy of oranges was a recent discovery for us refugees. He was a music teacher in Latvia and often came to teach us songs. I believe his name was Janis Lubin. With him, we also learned to sing in harmony songs like "Tec saulīte tecēdama", "Saulīt vēlu vakarā" and "Trīcēj kalni skanēj meži". We sat around the table, slowly eating the precious oranges, piece by piece, and each of us waited for his turn to play with the little gnome, watching as he would delight us with his animated march. Since then, there have been many Christmas holidays in my life, but none have ever left such an inner impression and joy as this.”

Krista is still seeking Estonians, Latvians and Lithuanians from the following DP camps, with the hopes of interviewing and photographing them: Altenstadt, Braunschweig, Dillingen, Braunschweig, Detmold, Emden, Erlangen, Eutin, Ingolstadt, Insula, Itzehhoe, Kleinkotz, Lauingen, Lubeck Riga, Lubeck Waldersee, Memmingen, and Paderborn. Krista invites anyone interested in this project to please contact her!

Krista Svalbonas, Newtown Square, PA, USA

www.kristasvalbonas.com

krista51@me.com

You can also find Krista on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For a limited time you can purchase a painting by Krista, with all proceeds going to funding her refugee/DP project; she has interviewees scheduled next year in Seattle, Portland, LA, Grand Rapids, Chicago, Cleveland, Minneapolis, Winnipeg (Canada) and Toronto (Canada)… Click here to go to the store!

Mīļš paldies Krista and Lari, for sharing your project and your family Christmas story! If you have the opportunity to see Krista’s art in person, do it – she currently has work on exhibit at The Art & Design Gallery at FIT in NYC as part of “Picturing Space: artists imagine architecture." Coming next year, a "Displacement" solo exhibition at Latvijas Fotogrāfijas Muzejs in Rīga, followed by a European tour of Kaunas, Vilnius and Germany!

Tomorrow, on Day 21 of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, winter solstice budēļi with the Krišjāņa Barona Latvian School of Chicago and artist Lāsma!

Baltic Christmas Day 18 - A Rīga Winter

Very excited to have Māra McLaughlin-Taylor on 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas today, with her thoughts on winter in Rīga!!!

Often when someone asks me about what Riga is like in the winter, they assume that it’s too cold and too dark and by association, miserable. Truthfully, I find it delightful!

Although I spent much of my childhood in Latvia, it fell during those light-filled summer days of school vacation. Having just moved to Riga from Asheville, North Carolina on a permanent basis, this is my very first winter and Christmas season here. [Disclaimer: I grew up in the tundra of the Midwestern United States, so my context is set against that. This also means that I already own some of the innate skills of those who have grown up in colder climates (like walking on ice in proper footwear).]

It seems as though the “trick” to a joyful winter season is to fully participate in both the inside and the outside life and the traditions that come along with them. So today, I’m sharing the ways I’ve found to enjoy this time:

Inside life

Rigans are already big on houseplants, so greening up your apartment or home isn’t much of a stretch (The Capital R blog writes about this phenomenon beautifully). I love the tradition that each Latvian is entitled to chop down their own tree in a state forest (there’s an app for that), but given that I’m without a car, and the nearest forests in which it is legal to cut down trees is a good 40km away, I’ve settled for decorating my houseplants. A more motivated version of me would go out to any local Christmas market and buy greenery. I might get around to it yet, before December 24th! But, I more than make up for it in the next area…

Lights are essential! There aren’t many hours of daylight in the winter and compared to where I used to live much closer to the equator, the daylight you do get is like lukewarm tea--cloudy and watered down. Candles, already revered in Latvian culture, are a must (check!), and many Latvians additionally opt to get electric candelabras for their windows (check!). The tradition of lighting advent calendars is popular here, and you can double both your greenery and light by having or making one (check!). I’ve also noticed that small LED light strings are becoming a popular and energy efficient way to decorate (check!). And, at the risk of going overboard, we have a plant light (which mimics sunlight) under which we sun ourselves (and wait for longer days).

Winter seems to be the season for fragrant spices, and here is no different! We especially like the fresh blends from Spicehouse to add to our gingerbread, oatmeal, and fruit. I start every morning with a cup of strong coffee to let my body know it’s time to wake up even though it’s dark outside, and these days it is made much better with a liberal dash of masala chai spice from my local zero-waste store Turza. An evening option is mulled wine, commonly found this time of year, but also easy to make at home with your own spice mix. 

Food is another essential cozy element for time indoors. As it was when we lived back in the States, this is the time for warm stews and casseroles. Latvians are masters of soup and eat it on a daily basis! When I grow tired of native root vegetables, however, I feel lucky to be in proximity of other goodies from the rest of Europe. It is citrus season, and Spanish mandarin oranges are in plentiful supply to keep my Vitamin C boosted. Surprisingly, in Riga I’ve also discovered a love for persimmons. I’ve never seen them as large, firm, and sweet as they are here.

Finally, the dark weather is perfect for reading. I’ve never found myself more Latvian than when I’m curled up inside in the dark thoroughly engrossed in a good book (why do you think the mascot for Latvian literature is an introverted writer?). I’ve already joined two different book clubs (one started by Expats in Latvia and the other generously sponsored by the American Embassy). When I run out of something to read, bookshops in Riga are like nail salons in my old Brooklyn neighborhood--there’s one on every block. The wonderful Roberts Books is a tucked-away piece of magic, full of English-language books old and new. Zvaigzne ABC is a major book retailer, and their outlet in the Old Town holds some reasonable treasures and kind cashiers.

Outside life 

I don’t know who originally said, “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing,” but it’s absolutely true. One thing that I learned about Riga matches another quote: “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.” In going outside, you must be prepared for rapid changes in wind, precipitation, and temperature. A good pair of waterproof boots might be the most essential way to stay grounded and warm on slippery cobblestones, other uneven surfaces, and random giant puddles (my pair of Columbia Ice Maidens haven’t let me down yet). Generally, some combination of layers (shirt, sweater, vest, outer down shell) allow me to adjust to most anything Mother Nature throws my way. Of course, you’ll also have a scarf or shawl, because no Latvian would be caught dead with a “naked” neck, lest the fearsome “wind” touch it (a good number of Latvian ailments involve wind and breezes touching exposed skin). A brilliant tip I’ve picked up from the locals to navigate the frequent misty, but not quite rainy, weather is to ditch struggling with an umbrella and simply wear a thick hat. Once this is all on your person, you’re ready to transition to the outdoors!

Beginning on the last weekend of November/first weekend of December, there are Christmas markets around every corner and for every taste--from traditional crafts, to homemade foods, to social entrepreneurship, to zero waste, and beyond. It is enjoyable as a destination to walk to, and of course helpful if you still have presents on your list! One of my favorite locations is the Rabbit Kingdom, set up in Esplanade park, where a mini set of castles and houses with stained windows sit atop a straw base for a whole host of rabbits to hop around in. And of course, the main Christmas Market in the center of Old Town, offers a daily romantic view of small houses and lights against the backdrop of Riga’s famed church spires.

Along the way, you’ll be treated to lights on most major streets and even a trail of public art Christmas trees. This is the THIRD public art and light display across the city since I arrived in August. This city loves their art and lights and admittedly, it is a compelling way to battle the darkness!

Event-wise, there is something happening constantly. Facebook events and Riga.lv have kept us apprised of a constant slew of Christmas parties, decoration making, tastings, films, and other things to do. Perhaps all of these events are geared toward the less introverted Latvian (they do exist!), but as a new resident I’ve found that you won’t know as much unless you get out there. A few weekends ago, the Rotary held their annual Santa Fun Run benefiting children in hospital. The hundreds of running Santas, some with creatively embellished costumes (and many dog-like reindeer), were as fun to watch as the confused faces of Old Rīga’s tourists.

This is also the time to think of others. Because we won’t be with our own families this year, our goal has to been to gift to someone else each week of advent. Each year Laima chocolates sets up a picturesque small house next to their famous clock that features the Christmas wishes of children across Latvia. One simply goes in, picks a card, and delivers the gift back within five days or so (we hope little Peter enjoys his set of Hot Wheels!). Other worthwhile causes include Engelu Pasts, which fulfills the Christmas wishes of over 8000 seniors across Latvia, the young folks of Latvijas Kustiba par Neatkaribu Dzivi making 1,000,000,000 candles to open their own group home, and local animal shelters. The gift of giving can also be applied to walks around town. The Kurts coffee huts, recognizable by their name written in big-bulbed lights, is run by a family whose proceeds go to their disabled son’s needs. Recently opened RB Bakery, is one of the few public places that employs people with disabilities. This week’s highlight will be the semi-annual craft fair in the Riga Central Railway station that features exclusively disabled and elder artisans.

All in all, I think it would be safe to say that I’ve only scratched the very surface of how to stay sane and actually enjoy the Latvian winter. But if the little bit I’ve experienced thus far is any clue as to the larger whole, life keeps on charging ahead here and I, for one, am glad to be carried along. Here’s to more exploring and discovering!

Paldies Māra! So happy to have you share your thoughts on the Rīga winter!! My brother moved to Latvija some years ago, and while many of his photographs are taken in the darkness of the Baltic “day,” many of them feature all the things you mention, and it does make everything seem merry and bright!

Mara McLaughlin-Taylor is the daughter and granddaughter of Latvian Displaced Persons. A dual citizen of the US and Latvia, it’s only taken her near 40 years to move to Rīga. She is passionate about sharing Latvian culture, which she primarily does through language, food, and as an administrator of the Baltic Imports Facebook community. You can find more of her beautiful photographs on Instagram - instabaltica.

Tomorrow on 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas, please join us for an a guide on how to cut down your very own Christmas tree in Estonia!

First Friday at GCCA // Latvian Mittens

This Friday head for the Village of West Greenville for First Friday, the monthly event at the Greenville Center of Creative Arts!

GCCA has found its home at Brandon Mill, built in 1900 and home to the baseball field that produced baseball hero "Shoeless Joe" Jackson. The beautifully restored mill houses an apartment loft community, as well as the visual arts center that boasts a variety of art classes and workshops, exhibitions of local and regional artwork, summer art camps, artist studios, and multiple special events.

First Fridays are the monthly open house event that allows the public to visit the studio artists on the 2nd floor, view the newest exhibition, create a work of art with your children, and be part of the Greenville arts community. October’s exhibition is "Textiles: A History of Expression and Last Words by Susan Lenz," and the opening reception will be Friday, October 5 from 6 - 9 pm.

Facebook event page here

“Textiles: A History of Expression illuminates textiles through contemporary concepts while reflecting traditional approaches to the medium. The exhibition highlights central themes of memory, fluidity of emotion, multi-sensory experience and reverence. Using natural dyeing, meticulous handwork, embroidery, and quilting techniques, the artists invite viewers into thoughtful engagement with their experience. The artists, Alice Schlein (Greenville, SC), Sasha de Koninck (Santa Monica, CA), Beth Andrews (Greer, SC), Kristy Bishop (Charleston, SC), and Meredith Piper (Greenville, SC) re-energize the rich history of textile by continually informing their contemporary practices.”

In addition to the main exhibit, First Friday will also showcase the traveling exhibit “Latvian Mittens,” a collection of hand-knit mittens from the Latvian folk art collection in New Jersey, which is traveling the U.S. as part of the celebration of the Republic of Latvia’s 100^th anniversary.

The exhibit will be available for viewing Friday at the GCCA event, and Saturday at the Spartanburg International Festival at the Latvia tent. This is a wonderful opportunity to discover the culturally resplendent tradition of Latvian knitting! Featuring the mittens as well as other authentic textiles, information on the Latvian designs and symbolism contained within, and traditional techniques, the exhibit is a celebration of the rich legacy of Latvian folk knitters.

Worldwide, Latvian mittens have become a symbol of the apex of the knitting world. Unique in their folk symbolism and technique, books about Latvian mittens have been published in many languages, and many knitters’ organizations and websites have featured original patterns, contributing to the recent Latvian mitten craze.

GCCA is open to the public and admission is free; come by and see the exhibition!

XXVI Latvian Song and XVI Dance Celebration 2018

As the XXVI Latvian Song and XVI Dance Celebration 2018 wraps up in Rīga, we are welcoming back to the US all those who flew to northern Europe to sing, dance and enjoy the festival atmosphere. This year was an especially important milestone, as Latvia is celebrating its centennial: 100 years since independence in 1918. 40,000 participants took the stage to celebrate Latvian culture in what is a century-and-a-half-old tradition, and although I didn’t make the trip to Rīga this summer, we have been living and breathing Dziesmu svētki through photographs, videos and broadcasts for the past week.

Photo: Ilmārs Znotinš (copyright Latvian National Centre for Culture Archive)

The official Dziesmu Svētki website is where you’ll find information on the history of the song and dance festival, as well other information and links such as the official numbers of the 2018 festival. According to www.dziesmusvetki.lv, there were 43,000 participants this year: 18,000 dancers, 16,500 singers, 8,500 brass players, kokle players, craftsmen, folk musicians and members of amateur theatre groups. They came from 21 countries worldwide, the youngest participant only 3 years old and the oldest 91! Sunday’s closing concert “Following the Starry Path” (Zvaigžņu ceļā) featured 20,073 participants, while the dance spectacular “Mara’s Land” (Māras zeme) had 18,174.

Photo credit: Agris Tabaks (copyright Latvian National Centre for Culture Archive)

Official photographs can be found on the Dziesmu un deju svētki Flickr feed, among them also albums of photos taken from drone. The Flickr album view shows the sheer number of events that took place over the week, from the svētku gājiens through the streets of Rīga to the dozens of concerts and performances in Vērmanes park and other public spaces. You can also view photographs from previous years.

Photo credit: Ilmārs Znotiņš (copyright Latvian National Centre for Culture Archive)

On the same site where the live broadcasts were shown to viewers across the world you will find concerts, dance performances, and other significant events from the festival. Listen to Latvia’s President Raimonds Vējonis address Latvians worldwide, or try to spot familiar faces among the singers and audience at the final concert Zvaigžņu ceļā. 

Photo credit: Aivars Liepiņš (copyright Latvian National Centre for Culture Archive)

The LTV YouTube channel has a ton of videos, everything from interviews with the conductors and choreographers to clips from various concerts and shows. Adding a bit of color are interspersed news reports such as “Drought has damaged the crops, but rapeseed is blooming.”

For aerial photos of the Dziesmusvētku koncerta ģenerālmēģinājums (final rehearsal for the closing concert) and dress rehearsal of Māras zeme, check out Ocean Multimedia’s facebook page. And drone video footage can be found here (one of my favorites is this one).

Photo: Ocean Multimedia

Immerse yourself in the final concert by getting this 360 degree view from center stage... And one of the coolest videos I've seen from the festival is this 45-second take on the final dance performance by Haris Katlaps.

Looking for a primer on Dziesmu svētki to help explain to friends and coworkers where you’ve been the last few weeks? The Latvia.eu page has a great brochure in English that might help: The Latvian Song and Dance Celebration.

Photo credit: Vil Muhametshin (Copyright Latvian National Centre for Culture Archive)

And finally, while the XXVI Latvian Song and XVI Dance Festival may have come to an end, the celebration is continuing through the end of the year in honor of Latvia’s 100^th birthday. Events across the world can be found on the Latvija 100 website, along with hundreds of projects that have been completed in honor of the centennial.

Photo credit: Evija Trifanova (Copyright Latvian National Centre for Culture Archive)

Previous Femme au Foyer posts on the song and dance festival include:

The Celebration Procession (the opening parade) 

DanceGrand Performance “Our fathers’ piers” (from 2015)

The Final Concert “Līgo!” (from 2015)

Rīga also hosts the youth song and dance festival on certain years

The last song & dance festival to take place in the US was in Baltimore… (Part 1 & Part 2)

… and the next North American festival will take place in Toronto! 

Finally, Latvia’s Legacy of Singing

Backstage at the Latvian National Opera

The grand 19^th century theater was built on the grounds where a bastion of the city’s defenses had formerly stood; the site went from being a fortification of a military nature to a cultural one, providing a home to theater, opera and ballet for the next 150 years. Today, it stands on the banks of the Rīga canal resplendent not only in architecture but also in its contribution to the cultural scene of Europe: Latvijas Nacionālā opera un balets, home to the Latvian National Opera and the Latvian National Ballet.

August Volz's "Nymph" and the Latvian National Opera

We gathered for our tour on the steps facing the square and Bastejkalna parks, formal gardens with meandering paths, fountains and expanses of lush green grass providing a backdrop to the ornate National Opera. The fountain visible just to the north was created in 1887 by August Volz, and features a maiden balancing a large seashell above her head, four cherubic children frolicking with dolphins at the base. Legend has it that work on the fountain took forever to complete because Volz had fallen in love with the young woman who posed for the sculpture, and only finished it after she agreed to be married. The statue we see today is actually a replica, as the original Nymph was made of zinc – the city could not afford bronze at the time it was commissioned. However, this frugality was what possibly saved the sculpture from being carted off to Russia during WWI along with most of Rīga’s bronze monuments, and in 1986 sculptor Mirdza Lukaža created a bronze replacement, the original removed to Rundāle Palace park. Volz also created the statue of Roland in Ratslaukums and the lions in Vērmanes dārzs.

From the statue we turned our attention to the ornate building before us. When the center of Rīga was redesigned in 1856 a site on the Rīga canal was chosen for the new theater, and in 1860 a design by architect Ludwig Bohnstedt was chosen and construction begun. The neo-classical building was opened to the public in 1863 as the Rīga German Theater. Not even twenty years later a major portion was destroyed by fire, although Rīga's chief architect Reinholds Schmaeling faithfully followed Bohnstedt's original design and completed its reconstruction by 1887.

Soon after Latvia declared its independence on November 18^th, 1918, the Latvian National Opera Company was founded. Joined by the first professional Latvian ballet ensemble in the 1920s, the opera house was a cultural center for the next twenty years. In 1944, following the illegal occupation of Latvia by Soviet Union, the Latvian National Opera became the Latvian S.S.R. State Opera and Ballet Theater and remained as such until 1990.

Backstage with the set

Multiple small-scale renovations to the building were completed in the 1950s, but it wasn’t until 1990 that a complete reconstruction and restoration was begun. The work of architects Imants Jākobsons and Juris Gertmanis to the front of the house and to the stage enabled the National Opera to re-open with the production of Jānis Mediņš’ Uguns un nakts (Fire and Night) in 1995.

Sarkanā zāle

In 2001, a new annex was completed, providing offices and a rehearsal stage, as well as additional performace space. Jaunā zāle (the ‘New Hall’) seats 300 and hosts chamber operas, concerts and lectures. It, along with the main hall, the red hall and the beletāžas zāle are also available for rental; I attending a beautiful wedding reception in the jaunā zāle a dozen years and one week ago (laimīgu laulības jubileju K & A!!!)

Over the course of their September-June season, the Latvian National Opera and Ballet sees more than 200 performances, and many world-renowned musicians have launched their careers in the great hall including conductor Andris Nelsons, operatic sopranos Kristīne Opolais and Marina Rebeka, mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča, and tenor Aleksandrs Antonenko. Mikhail Baryshnikov was born in Rīga, and trained there until leaving the country in 1964 to pursue an international career. In recent years he has returned for multiple projects including a solo show “Letter to a Man” at the Latvian National Opera.

An enormous paldies to our wonderfully knowledgeable guide Mārtiņš, who was so patient with our questions and easily passed on to us his enthusiasm for the history of this grand building. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to take the stage of the National Opera, and I will not soon forget the chance to see the majestic chandelier up close, climb the spiral staircase in the red room, emerge on the Ionic portico for a look over the gardens, or peek into the President’s alcove.

Tours are about 45 minutes in length and are conducted in Latvian, English, German or Russian. For more information on scheduling your tour, please visit the LNO website.