Thursday, July 4
| Time | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Sacred Music Concert Rehearsal | Trinity St. Paul Church |
| 08:00 | Opening Ceremonies Rehearsal | Hilton Toronto Hotel |
| 15:30 | Līgo Group Rehearsal | Bluma Appel |
Friday, July 5
| Time | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | New Choreography Showcase Rehearsal | Bluma Appel |
| 08:00 | State Choir “Latvija” Concert Rehearsal | Koerner Hall |
| 08:00 | Massed Choir Concert Rehearsal | Hilton Toronto Hotel |
| 13:00 | Chamber Music Rehearsal | Koerner Hall |
| 14:00 | Orchestral Rehearsal | Koerner Hall |
| 14:00 | The Cabaret Rehearsal | Hilton Toronto Hotel |
Saturday, July 6
| Time | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Folk Dance Spectacle Rehearsal | Mattamy Athletic Centre |
| 08:00 | Massed Choir Rehearsal | Mattamy Athletic Centre |
Sunday, July 7
| Time | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| 08:00 | Folk Dance Spectacle Rehearsal | Mattamy Athletic Centre |
Events for this year’s festival
These are the events we are hosting during the festival.
LIGO
TDA “Līgo” is one of Latvia’s most-awarded dance groups. The group is led by Jānis Purviņš, an extremely talented and creative individual who has been Artistic and Executive Director for many Song Festivals in Latvia. He is the author of many unique and compelling choreographies. This concert will allow the audience a chance to see new dances and experience the emotional connection Jānis and the group have with Latvian dance.
New Choreography Showcase
The New Choreography Showcase will feature submissions from dance groups from Canada, the U.S.A., Latvia, and elsewhere in Europe. As our country evolves, so do our dances. This showcase will provide an opportunity for the audience to enjoy and support new choreographies and witness the creative process in action. The Latvian dance tradition is alive and well and will be on full display in this Showcase.
The State Choir LATVIJA
Recognized as one of the world’s great vocal ensembles, the Festivals featured guest choir the State Choir LATVIJA with artistic director and conductor Maris Sirmais will have their Canadian debut at Koerner Hall on Friday, July 5 at 7:30 pm. The program will include works by both Canadian and Latvian composers many of which were composed specifically for them.
Cabaret
Another significant event presented by the Festival will be a Cabaret evening on Friday, July 5 at our host hotel, the Hilton Toronto on University Ave., showcasing the best of Latvian popular music.
Mass Choir Concert
Always one of the highlights of the Festival, the Mass Choir Concert, more than 500 voices strong, will take place on Saturday, July 6, 15:00 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (Maple Leaf Gardens) and will bring together Latvian choirs from all over world in a program of Latvian Choral favorites and newly commissioned works by young Latvian composers from Canada, the USA, Australia and Latvia.
Folk Dance Spectacle
Lastly, we have our. It will showcase the many dance groups from all over the world coming together and performing on the same dance floor. They will use the steps of various dances to create beautiful patterns and symbols visible to the audience. There will be a live musical accompaniment to enhance the experience for dancers and audience alike. This Spectacle will show to the world what is most important to the dancers themselves: Friendship – Joy – and a love of Latvian dance!
The Concert of Sacred Music
The Concert of Sacred Music at Trinity-St. Paul’s United Church on Thursday, July 4, 16:00 with Choir and Orchestra will feature Canadian composer Imant Raminsh stunning Ave Verum Corpus and the North American premiere of the Missa Brevis Latviensis by Toronto composer George Juris Kenins. This work, commissioned by the outstanding State Choir LATVIJA in 2017, was first performed by them in Riga, Latvia on August 22, 2017 to great critical acclaim. Dedicated to, and inspired by, the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation, it is a significant addition to the catalogue of Canadian Sacred Choral music. Both of these works will be performed by our principal guest choir.
Other Latvian Canadian composers on the program include Talivaldis Kenins, Arvids Purvs and Erika Yost as well as works by Ella Mačēna (Australia) Brigita Ritmane, Adolfs Abele, Victors Baštiks (USA / Latvia) Andrejs Jurjans, Alfreds Kalnins and Ēriks Ešenvalds (Latvia).
Concert of Orchestral and Chamber Music
The Concert of Orchestral and Chamber Music on Friday, July 5, 16:00 at Koerner Hall will include the works of three major Canadian Composers of Latvian heritage and will serve as a launch party for a new CD being added to the Canadian Music Centre’s catalogue of works by Talivaldis Kenins, Imants Raminsh and Janis Kalnins.
This concert will include a performance of the recently recovered and restored Violin Concerto by Janis Kalnins featured on the new CD. Originally composed in 1946, in a refugee camp in Lubeck, Germany, it was last performed in Canada in 1962 after Janis Kalnins had immigrated to Fredericton where he played an important role in the creation of The New Brunswick Symphony.
The concert will also include Talivaldis Kenins 1953 “Scherzo concertante” for small orchestra, Imants Raminsh “Aria” for violin and piano and an overture by Emmy award winning Latvian-American composer Lolita Ritmane.
Featured artists include pianist Arthur Ozolins, violinist Laura Zarina, flautist Agita Cerusa and the Canadian Opera Company Orchestra lead by conductor Maris Sirmais from Latvia.