Where to Go, Where to Head: Five Events in Riga's Cultural Life 0 5

Classic of the Genre: Ballet

On November 27, the Georgian National Royal Ballet will perform the dance show "Georgian Magic" at the VEF Culture Palace. The ensemble has been led by Gela Pochishvili and Maia Kiknadze for over 47 years. More than 40 million people in 80 countries around the world have applauded the dancers, who amaze audiences with their outstanding skill, unique artistry, boldness, and unrestrained expression, which is characteristic of Georgian dances.

The Georgian National Royal Ballet has performed in almost every country in the world: Austria, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Greece, India, the USA, Spain, Egypt, France, Japan, more than 10 times in Italy, England, New Zealand, Australia, Turkey, Israel, and others.

The dance show "Georgian Magic" features 370 costumes, unique Georgian music, and each corner of Georgia is described in such a way that the audience travels through authentic Georgian cities and villages for almost two hours, witnessing the life and customs of Georgians.

Film Music

Who doesn’t remember the music from the film "The Country of the Deaf"? Its author, violinist and composer Alexei Aigi, has long been living in France, from where he is coming to Riga to perform on November 29 at the Latvian Academy of Culture. This is the premiere of the musical performance Perdre le nord, created in France. The project also features artist and performer Maxim Isaev, co-founder of the Akhe theater, who actively worked in Europe in the 1990s – Germany, the United Kingdom, and participated in festivals around the world. After an anti-war performance at the "Golden Mask" festival (he actually received this main theatrical award in Russia), he left Russia in March 2022. The premiere in Riga will open the Baltic tour: the performance will then be shown in Vilnius, Tallinn, and Helsinki.

The French expression perdre le nord ("to lose the north") means to lose one’s bearings. In the performance, this metaphor becomes a starting point for reflections on movement, loss, and the search for support. It is a stage dialogue about how an artist can express emotions without words – through sound, movement, and image. Aigi will play his own music on the violin, while Isaev will create an engineering theater from his fantasies, props, and his own body.

"Inese Galante's Talents"

On November 30, from 9:30 AM to 10:00 PM, the final of the XII competition for young classical music performers "Inese Galante's Talents" will take place in the small hall of the Dzintari Concert Hall, along with the award ceremony for the winners. Attention: entry is free all day.

The competition is held in four categories: vocal art; keyboard instruments; string instruments; wind/percussion instruments. The duration of each competition category is approximately 1.5 hours (with a break of 15–40 minutes).

This prestigious International competition traditionally attracts vocalists and instrumentalists from around the world. The project is organized by the Inese Galante Foundation in collaboration with teachers from the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music and with the support of the Nākotnes Atbalsta Fonds – inviting everyone to attend the concluding event of the competition, which essentially represents a vibrant concert where talented young performers perform beautiful works by famous composers.

"The final of our creative competition is primarily a beautiful concert, but for young performers, live communication with the audience and jury members is always bright emotions and valuable experience. I am convinced that we are in for a wonderful musical celebration that will conclude with the awarding of the winners," noted the muse of the competition and chair of the jury, opera singer Inese Galante.

Painting Exhibition

This summer, a new art space, Art Space Jomas 86, opened in Jūrmala, where until mid-December, you can visit the solo exhibition of Marina Lapteva "Inspired by Latvia." Marina is well-known to the Riga art public as an artist and organizer of vernissages. Today, Marina is not only an artist but also a singer in an Orthodox church choir and a curator in an art space called "Ark," located in the hall of the Church in honor of all saints (Riga, Katolu Street).

"Painting itself is undoubtedly therapy," says Marina Lapteva, "you elevate yourself, you go into completely different thought forms, visualizations, images. And you detach from the things that weigh you down – conflicts and situations that you cannot let go of."

Festival of National Minorities

The 23rd Festival of Creativity of National Minorities of Latvia "United in Diversity" is taking place at the house of the Association of National Cultural Societies of Latvia (ANKOL) named after Ita Kozakevich. Its leader is professor and pianist Raffi Harajanyan. Currently, an exhibition of embroidered paintings is open in the fireplace hall, created by Tatiana Drobchik from the Belarusian society, who we knew more for her passionate performance of folk songs. In the upper hall, there is another exhibition – from the "Union of Belarusian Artists of the Baltics," which presents a photo exhibition of Leon Zhukovsky's shots. Its title is "Moments of 2025."

In the large hall on November 29, the youth music team "Berendeyka" (led by Violetta Nikolaenko) and the Jewish song choir "Shofar" (led by Joseph Tsiser) will perform. On November 30, a collective exhibition of painting and graphics titled "They Are Inspired by Latvia" will open. The paintings will be presented by Vyachka Telezh, Babken Stepanyan, Anatoly Borodkin, Karine Paronyants, Olga Yakubovskaya. The opening ceremony of the exhibition will be adorned with a concert of works by Latvian composers.

The festival will conclude on December 6 on the spacious stage of the Riga Polish School named after Ita Kozakevich (this is the only program of the festival outside the ANKOL House), when Germans and Roma, Georgians and Jews, the Bharata Indian dance ensemble, and the Dnipro Ukrainian choir will perform in one program...

Entry to all events is free!