In January 13th, 2022, one of the most brilliant Latvian musical compositions will return to the stage of the National Opera: Jānis Kalniņš’s musical tragedy “Hamlet”, a story about strength and fragility, structured as ten scenes with interludes. The new production is the work of its musical director and conductor Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, stage director Kristina Wuss, scenographer Andris Eglītis, costume designer Kristīne Pasternaka and lighting designer Mārtiņš Felmanis. The patron of the production is the Latvian National Opera Guild in the United States.

The leading roles will be performed by the soloist of LNO – Raimonds Bramanis or Andris Ludvigs (Hamlet), Jānis Apeinis or Rihards Mačanovskis (Claudius), Evija Martinsone or Inga Šļubovska-Kancēviča (Ophelia), Ilona Bagele or Dana Bramane (Gertrude).

“It took great courage for a Latvian composer to tackle Shakespeare's famous tragedy. The composer himself created “Hamlet's” libretto, with a clear vision of how the work would come to life on stage, vividly developing the symphonic episodes in the great mass scenes and in the finale. The opera shows the essence of Kalniņš’s signature: a deeply romantic and vivid world of characters, witty and humorous illustrative musical language, and a spiritually fulfilled and deeply philosophical worldview,” Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, the music director of the new production, characterizes the opera.

The premiere of Kalniņš’s “Hamlet”, with Jānis Zariņš as stage director, took place at the Latvian National Opera in 1936, with the composer conducting. Another, musically changed edition of the opera, again with Jānis Zariņš as director, was produced in 1943. In both productions, the outstanding Latvian tenor Mariss Vētra sang the title role and the charismatic baritone Ādolfs Kaktiņš was Claudius. This will be the third production of “Hamlet” at the Latvian National Opera.

“Hamlet was completed in late 1935, with the composer working both in Latvia and Austria. It coincided with the time when the Latvian team claimed victory in the First European Basketball Championship, the Freedom Monument was erected with money donated by the Latvian people, and Latvian crafts were exhibited at the Trocadero in Paris. Soon, VEF began producing its VEF Super Lux MD/37 radio, featuring a picture of the map of Europe. Life was not out of joint quite to the extent as it was in medieval Denmark. Suddenly, a time tunnel emerges, joining moments from different centuries: 16th c. (play) – 1935 (opera) – 21st c.(paintings). The focus of these ten scenes, with interludes of different lengths, is conscience as it balances on the centrifuge of the revolving circle in the LNOB stage floor. While Shakespeare personifies this theme in at least 20 different characters, Kalniņš makes do with fewer. I feel like using white for the story, a situation of melting ice,” tells Kristina Wuss, director of the opera. Spectators of the Latvian National Opera will remember Kristina Wuss as the director of the opera productions “Alcina” (1998) and “Don Juan” (1999).

Set Designer Andris Eglītis has created 8 large-scale paintings – stage hangings – for the opera “Hamlet”. To achieve this, the artist used a variety of home-made tools, large-format brushes, and technical constructions. “It was interesting for me to review the possibilities of painting the stage. What is its function today, when the possibilities of printing and projection are endless? The meaning of painting could be in its physicality. There is color, brushstroke, the expressiveness of the elements. Through transparency it is emphasized, highlighted, and shown. It was important to me to make sure that the paintings are not just enlarged reproductions of sketches but are created through a process in which one layer or line of paint points the way to the next. Surprisingly, everything I imagined beforehand in this process – from the lighting to the tools – works,” tells the artist.

“The Latvian National Opera Guild (USA) congratulates the Latvian National Opera and Ballet on its latest significant contribution to Latvian culture – a new production of Jānis Kalniņš's opera, “Hamlet”. The Guild has the high honor of being the Patron of this production, and we are pleased that, after an 80 year absence, the masterpiece of Jānis Kalniņš will once again be performed on the stage of the Latvian National Opera. The return of the opera “Hamlet” to the Latvian National Opera in a new and dynamic form is a long-awaited event. May Jānis Kalniņš's opera “Hamlet” enjoy a long life on the stage of the Latvian National Opera and elsewhere!” says Ivars Slokenbergs, the President of the Latvian National Opera Guild. The Latvian National Opera and Ballet would like to express its gratitude to the Latvian National Opera Guild, whose support in the creation of the opera “Hamlet” is invaluable.

The following performances will be on January 16, 18, 21, March 24 and April 1. Tickets are available at the box offices of Latvian National Opera and Ballet and “Biļešu paradīze”, as well as online.