28 ISMF. Opening Concert | PREMIERES. Palestrina 500
Venue:
28th International Sacred Music Festival. Opening Concert | PREMIERES. Palestrina 500
Artists:
State Choir “Latvija”
Conductor Māris Sirmais
Programme:
Jānis Rubiks “Be Here Now” –premiere
Jānis Lūsēns “Pieci Rilkes dzejoļi” – premiere
Irīna Mihailovska “Via Amoris” – premiere
Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina and Lorenzo Donati
The State Choir “Latvija” and its artistic director Māris Sirmais invite all interested parties to the 28th International Sacred Music Festival, which will take place from August 14 to September 5 at St. Peter’s Church and the Riga Congress Hall. Four concert programs will feature a stylistically rich array of sacred music, including gems of late Italian Renaissance vocal polyphony and their echoes in contemporary works, world premieres by Latvian composers, lyrical Scandinavian and French choral music, highlights of modern Estonian classical music, as well as a Latvian premiere – the first Passion to express the teachings of Buddha, merging Eastern and Western cultural traditions through music.
The festival’s opening concert, “Premieres. Palestrina”, will take place on August 14 at St. Peter’s Church in Riga. Under the direction of conductor Māris Sirmais, the voices of the State Choir “Latvija” will create musical bridges spanning five distant centuries. This year marks the significant 500th anniversary of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, the leading composer of the late Renaissance, who was — and still is — revered as a master of impeccably refined vocal polyphony. His masterpieces will be performed alongside motets by contemporary Italian composer Lorenzo Donati, which are based on themes by Palestrina.
The program will also feature the world premieres of three contemporary works: “Be Here and Now” for mixed choir a cappella by Jānis Rubiks — a double bassist, bass guitarist, composer, and arranger; “Five Poems by Rilke”, a cycle for mixed choir and percussion by composer and founder of the Ozoli School of Music, Jānis Lūsēns, and “Via Amoris” for mixed choir and electronics by conductor, ethnomusicologist, composer, and member of the State Choir “Latvija”, Irīna Mihailovska.
More information about the festival concerts: www.sgmf.lv
During the concert, photography, video, and audio recording will take place.
