From Verdi to San Remo: World-Famous Harpist to Give a Unique Concert 'Virtuoso Italy' in Riga 0 7

Few people know that Boldachev has Latvian roots — his paternal grandparents lived in Daugavpils, and the boy spent his summer vacations in that city every year.

Boldachev also has romantic memories of his youth connected to Latvia. "When I started studying in Zurich, I flew there from St. Petersburg via Riga. It was the cheapest option: I had little money and had to save. I arrived in Riga late in the evening and flew to Zurich early in the morning. I had a few hours left, which I spent walking around the Old Town. I think that during those night walks, I got to know Riga better than many locals," recalls the musician.

Alexander Boldachev is convinced that it is not the musician who chooses the instrument, but the other way around. He comes from a musical family; his mother is a professor at the conservatory. By the age of three, the boy began playing the piano, but after a couple of years, he was advised to switch instruments. According to Alexander's recollections, as soon as he was introduced to the harp, he sat down at it, and since then, his life has been connected with this instrument. Moreover, he started learning to play on a large, pedal harp right away. There were no small Celtic harps, which are now used to teach children, at his school back then.

At the age of 5, Boldachev was already performing as a harpist on stage. And at 6, he began composing music himself — his first piece for harp was inspired by the book "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

Today, Alexander Boldachev is a global celebrity, one of the most charismatic harpists in the world. He is an improviser, arranger, and composer, combining classical virtuosity with rock, jazz improvisation, and electronics. His repertoire includes cross-genre projects, such as "Orpheus," where his partner was actress Chulpan Khamatova. He performs and composes music for films, games, and anime.

Alexander Boldachev is a citizen of Switzerland. He has performed in 50 countries around the world, conquering the most prestigious concert halls — New York's Carnegie Hall, Vienna's Musikverein, Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie, and others. His harp has received applause at the Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert and at the opening ceremony of the FIFA World Cup.

His recordings have received international recognition, including a nomination for the ICMA (International Classical Music Awards) and awards such as the Prix Walo (Switzerland), Aoyama Award (Japan), and Akademia Award (USA). Boldachev teaches at Azusa Pacific University (USA) and is a visiting professor at the Royal Academy of Music (London), Milan Conservatory, and the University of Arts in Belgrade.

Thanks to Boldachev, a new holiday has emerged in the world — World Harp Day. He is also the founder of the Zurich Harp Festival.

The opportunity to hear this musician in Riga is a rare chance.

For his Riga concert, Alexander Boldachev has chosen Italian music, in the broadest spectrum — from Baroque to San Remo. The first part of the evening will feature a solo program for harp — Vivaldi, Paganini, and Rossini. In the second part, Alexander Boldachev will be joined by soloist of the Latvian National Opera Julia Vasilieva — the owner of an incredibly pure, bright, and expressive soprano. Recently, she can be heard more often in Italy and Germany than in Latvia. Together, they will perform famous arias from the operas of Verdi and Puccini, as well as hits from contemporary Italian pop stars.

The enchanting music of Italy, the virtuosic harp, and the operatic voice — a rare combination that can be heard in Riga for just one evening. Italian music will come alive in the grandeur of the cathedral, where the play of light and impressive visual effects will further enhance the emotions, providing a unique experience for every listener.

The concert organizer is the company okoncert.

Alexander Boldachev and Julia Vasilieva.