Messiaen, Tavener and LETTERS by Ešenvalds | Reinis Zariņš, Māris Sirmais and State Choir LATVIJA
Venue:
Concert in Two Parts
Works for choir and piano by Olivier Messiaen and John Tavener
Ēriks Ešenvalds’ Symphony “Letters” for choir and piano
Performers:
State Choir Latvija
Pianist Reinis Zariņš
Conductor Māris Sirmais
The concert programme “Letters” was performed for the first time on 11 May 2024 at the Cēsis Concert Hall.
In the first part of the concert, pianist Reinis Zariņš joins forces with the State Academic Choir Latvija in alternating works by Olivier Messiaen and John Tavener.
The second part of the concert features Ēriks Ešenvalds’ symphony “Letters”, an unusual and original work in which the pianist reads letters written by mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, young women and elderly women. These letters are multifaceted, embodying a woman’s perspective on life—on dreams, longing for love, everyday concerns and the eternal, as well as responses to inner and outer impulses. In this musical composition, the choir functions like a symphony orchestra, seated unlit at the back of the stage, weaving a rich tapestry of harmonies.
