Today, the representatives of the State Chamber Orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga and State Limited Liability Company Latvijas Koncerti introduced the new artistic director of the orchestra, Estonian conductor Olari Elts, to the general public.
The press conference, attended by minister of Culture, Agnese Lāce, the Ambassador Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Estonia to Latvia, Eerik Marmei, the Acting Board Member of State Limited Liability Company (VSIA) Latvijas Koncerti, Zanda Strumpe, the founder and current artistic director of the orchestra, conductor Normunds Šnē, the newly appointed artistic director of the orchestra, Olari Elts, the director of the orchestra, Anete Toča, as well as invited media representatives, music industry professionals and Sinfonietta Rīga musicians, was held in the Large Hall of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
During the opening of the press conference, minister of Culture Agnese Lāce emphasised:
“I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Normunds Šnē for his invaluable contribution to promoting the development of musical language and understanding in Latvia while leading the State Chamber Orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga for many years, as well as for bringing Latvia’s name to the international stage. I am confident that Olari Elts, who will soon take over the reins, will continue on the path laid out by Šnē and will further promote the name and outstanding musical talents of Latvia and the Baltics.”
Normunds Šnē, the founder of Sinfonietta Rīga, will hand over the reins of artistic leadership of the orchestra to his Estonian colleague shortly after the closing of the 20th anniversary season, which will be held in three Latvian cities – on 21 May at Ventspils Concert Hall Latvija, on 22 May at the Great Hall of the University of Latvia in Riga, and on 23 May at the Latgale Embassy GORS in Rēzekne.
Upon assuming his new position, Olari Elts informed the audience about the artistic vision and development of the orchestra, and underscored:
“It is my great pleasure and honour to assume the artistic leadership of Sinfonietta Rīga. It is an orchestra that only yesterday was in its childhood and youth, yet has become one of the most significant ensembles of the Baltics. Normunds has created something that cannot be measured by ordinary means. He has built an orchestra that sets the standard for contemporary music; one that many others, near and far, aspire to emulate.”
The repertoire of Sinfonietta Rīga will continue to follow the foundations and traditions established over the years by Normunds Šnē. Under the leadership of Olari Elts, Sinfonietta Rīga promises to keep nurturing the musical heritage of Baroque and Viennese Classicism, to explore the musical currents and styles of the 20th century, and to search for striking phenomena in the world of contemporary music. The orchestra defines the promotion and development of new Latvian music, and the performance and recording of premieres, as its most important tasks.
Structural changes in the plans of the season are expected as soon as for the new, 21st concert season, which will be opened with a concert at the Great Hall of the University of Latvia on 2 October.
Olari Elts outlined the upcoming concert season of Sinfonietta Rīga, with the main concerts of the orchestra organised along three thematic lines. The Great Beethoven, the thematic line that will open and close the concert season of the orchestra and will be dedicated to the works of the German composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. The opening concert of the season will feature the Fifth Symphony by the great composer of the Classical era, and the closing of the season will be marked by the monumental Ninth Symphony, with the participation of the State Choir LATVIJA and an ensemble of outstanding soloists. A series of concerts with the resonant title Rīga rada, Rīga klausās (Riga creates, Riga listens) will offer music by foreign composers born in Riga or inspired by Riga, as well as by outstanding Latvian soloists and guest conductors, thus emphasising the importance of Riga as a city of global music tradition in the context of European music. Meanwhile, Franču mūzikas maigās svārstības (Gentle Oscillations of French Music) is the thematic line during the orchestral season that will be exclusively dedicated to the unique character and inimitable charm of French music.
Olari Elts elaborated on the programmes, where he himself will be at the podium of Sinfonietta Rīga.
- 2 October 2026, SINFONIETTA RĪGA SEASON OPENING. INAUGURAL CONCERT OF OLARI ELTS. Soloist – Finnish violinist Elina Vähälä. Thematic line – THE GREAT BEETHOVEN
- 28 November 2026, SINFONIETTA RĪGA AND JEAN GUIHEN QUEYRAS. SAINT-SAËNS CELLO CONCERTO AND FAURÉ ELEGY. Soloist – French celloist Jean-Guihen Queyras. Thematic line – GENTLE OSCILLATIONS OF FRENCH MUSIC
- 30 January 2027, SINFONIETTA RĪGA AND OLARI ELTS. DEBUSSY, POULENC, SATIE. Soloist – Moldovan cimbalom player Iurie Morar. Thematic line – GENTLE OSCILLATIONS OF FRENCH MUSIC
- 17 April 2027, SINFONIETTA RĪGA, GEORGIJS OSOKINS, OLARI ELTS. CHOPIN PIANO CONCERTO AND A PREMIERE BY ZARIŅA. Soloist – pianist Georgijs Osokins. Thematic line – RIGA CREATES, RIGA LISTENS
- 28 January 2027, SINFONIETTA RĪGA AND OLARI ELTS. THE CLOSING CONCERT OF THE SEASON. Participants – State Choir LATVIJA, solo ensemble (to be announced separately). Thematic line – THE GREAT BEETHOVEN
Anete Toča, Director of Sinfonietta Rīga, told the audience about the concerts of the orchestral season, where the leadership of Sinfonietta Rīga will be handed over to guest conductors or performance leaders.
- 22 October 2026, SINFONIETTA RĪGA, REINIS ZARIŅŠ, ANDRIS POGA. SCHUMANN PIANO CONCERTO AND PLAKIDIS MUSIC. Guest conductor – Andris Poga, soloist – pianist Reinis Zariņš. Thematic line – RIGA CREATES, RIGA LISTENS
- 19 December 2026, SINFONIETTA RĪGA CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION. BACH, MÜTHEL, HAYDN. The performance will be led by early Austrian music expert, violinist Alexander Janiczek, and soloist – harpsichordist Ieva Saliete. Thematic line – RIGA CREATES, RIGA LISTENS
- 13 February 2027, SINFONIETTA RĪGA AND ADRIEN PERRUCHON. PARIS – VERSAILLES. Guest conductor – French conductor Adrien Perruchon. Thematic line – GENTLE OSCILLATIONS OF FRENCH MUSIC
- 20 March 2027, SINFONIETTA RĪGA AND FLORIAN DONDERER. BEETHOVEN’S SYMPHONY NO. 1 AND ROMANCES. Performance leader – German violinist Florian Donderer. Thematic line – THE GREAT BEETHOVEN
In addition to the new content of the season, Anete Toča also briefly announced the plans for the ticketing strategy of the orchestra. With the closing of the 20th Anniversary Season, four types of subscriptions will be released – three thematic line subscriptions (3 concerts per subscription), and a total season subscription that includes all nine major concerts of the season. All concerts of the 21st Concert Season are scheduled in the Great Hall of the University of Latvia. The director of the orchestra pointed out that the concert subscription was created with the orchestra’s most loyal listeners in mind, and ensures concert attendance at a particularly favourable price.
The assumption of the new position by conductor Olari Elts is a special event for Sinfonietta Rīga and for the entire family of Latvian academic music. Olari Elts has conducted Sinfonietta Rīga on several occasions, and from 2001 to 2006, he was the Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra.
Information prepared by
Gints Ozoliņš,
Public Relations Manager of the
State Chamber Orchestra Sinfonietta Rīga
Tel./fax +371 67215018, mob. +371 28338875
E-mail: gints@sinfoniettariga.lv
www.sinfoniettariga.lv