Featuring:
Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone (soprano)
State Choir Latvija
Liepāja Symphony Orchestra
conductor Andris Vecumnieks
Programme:
Agris Engelmanis (1936-2011) Requiem
Ēriks Ešenvalds (b. 1977) “In Paradisum” (premiere)
Andris Vecumnieks (b. 1964) Sinfonia G (premiere)
Agris Engelmanis (1936–2011) is regarded as one of Latvia’s most distinctive and significant composers, whose creative life was deeply connected to the city of Liepāja. His music is marked by profound emotional depth, avant-garde thinking, and a unique ability to combine simplicity with complex musical structures. Engelmanis’ works have been performed at the Latvian Song and Dance Festival, and he is considered a representative of post-war Latvian modernism—an artist whose work often anticipated its time.
In April 2026, we mark the 90th anniversary of Engelmanis’ birth. To honour his legacy as a composer, educator, visual artist, and cultural figure, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra presents a concert featuring his Requiem—a work premiered in 1995 at the Great Guild in Riga, yet left unfinished. At the orchestra’s initiative, the final movement, In Paradisum, has been composed by Ēriks Ešenvalds and will receive its world premiere at this concert.
The concert also features the premiere of Andris Vecumnieks’ latest symphonic work — Sinfonia G, or Symphony in G major. This new composition includes vocal elements based on Engelmanis’ poetry, establishing a poetic and musical dialogue between generations.
Engelmanis’ poetry is lyrical and philosophical, woven with imagery of nature, silence, and reflections on the passage of time. Its simplicity conceals emotional and intellectual depth, where sun, snow, and cranes become metaphors for the human inner world.
The new composition will be performed by the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, the State Choir Latvija, and soprano Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone.
Agris Engelmanis (1936–2011) is regarded as one of Latvia’s most distinctive and significant composers, whose creative life was deeply connected to the city of Liepāja. His music is marked by profound emotional depth, avant-garde thinking, and a unique ability to combine simplicity with complex musical structures. Engelmanis’ works have been performed at the Latvian Song and Dance Festival, and he is considered a representative of post-war Latvian modernism—an artist whose work often anticipated its time.
In April 2026, we mark the 90th anniversary of Engelmanis’ birth. To honour his legacy as a composer, educator, visual artist, and cultural figure, the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra presents a concert featuring his Requiem—a work premiered in 1995 at the Great Guild in Riga, yet left unfinished. At the orchestra’s initiative, the final movement, In Paradisum, has been composed by Ēriks Ešenvalds and will receive its world premiere at this concert.
The concert also features the premiere of Andris Vecumnieks’ latest work — the vocal-instrumental Sinfonia G Sun with Engelmanis’ poetry.
“The main idea and musical foundation of Symphony G is the poetry of Agris Engelmanis. G = Sol = Sun = Engelmanis’ ‘Sun’ poetry,” emphasizes Andris Vecumnieks. “The entire content of these lines—‘I remain misunderstood in the shadow’—is encoded in the orchestra; it is the instrumental music of this content without words, which gives the concert a special depth and invites listeners to discover the world of Engelmanis’ poetry and music from a new perspective.”
The new composition will be performed by the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, the State Choir Latvija, and soprano Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone.
INFORMATION FOR OUR VISITORS:
Discounts:
Students, disabled persons, pensioners – 3 euros
Pupils - 50%
Family 3+ card holders - 30%
For a companion of a person with a disability of group I or II - 50%
Groups (10 or more people) – 20%
When purchasing group tickets online, please send an e-mail to sales@lso.lv
When attending the concert, the visitor must present a document certifying their eligibility to a discount.
Useful:
The concert is accessible to people with hearing impairments, as the induction loop function will be activated during it. Based on the experiences of people with hearing impairments when trying this system, the best listening experience is possible in seats in the center parterre area from rows 5 to 12 - from 6 to 28.
The Concert is supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia, State Culture Capital Foundation and the Liepāja City.
