In mid-December, two world-renowned soloists – mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili and tenor Michael Spyres – will visit Latvia for the first time to give solo recitals at the Latvian National Opera.

On December 16, American tenor Michael Spyres, one of today’s leading opera stars, will appear in recital with the distinguished French pianist Mathieu Pordoy. Their program will include Richard Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder, Gustav Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, Richard Strauss’s Vier Lieder, Op. 27, and Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s song cycle Unvergänglichkeit.

Michael Spyres is one of the most versatile and acclaimed tenors of his generation. With over 80 operatic roles across 78 operas, 10 DVDs, and 30 CDs, his career spans Baroque to 20th-century repertoire, specializing in Bel Canto and French Grand Opera. He has graced major opera houses worldwide, including the Metropolitan Opera, Opéra National de Paris, Teatro alla Scala, Salzburg Festival, and the Bayreuth Festival. Recent seasons featured lead roles in Idomeneo, Norma, and Carmen, along with high-profile concert performances and recitals in prestigious venues. Also a committed arts leader, Spyres serves as Artistic Director of Ozarks Lyric Opera, where he produces, directs, and mentors emerging artists. This season, the artist is scheduled to perform at the Opéra-Comique in Paris, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Elbphilharmonie, the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía in Valencia, the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Berlin State Opera, the Vienna State Opera, and the opera houses in Dijon and Lausanne.

On December 18, the acclaimed Georgian mezzo-soprano Anita Rachvelishvili will make her recital debut on the stage of the Latvian National Opera, performing together with pianist Vincenzo Scalera. Their program features songs by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Sergei Rachmaninoff, works by Georgian composer Otar Taktakishvili, Francesco Paolo Tosti’s romantic Neapolitan songs, Manuel de Falla’s cycle Seven Spanish Folk Songs, as well as Dalila’s aria from Camille Saint-Saëns’s Samson et Dalila and Azucena’s aria from Giuseppe Verdi’s Il trovatore.

Anita Rachvelishvili's career began with a spectacular breakthrough in 2009, when Daniel Barenboim invited her to open the season at Teatro alla Scala by singing the title role in a new production of Carmen, alongside Jonas Kaufmann as Don José. This performance marked her debut in the role and was broadcast worldwide. Rachvelishvili quickly went on to debut in this role at various international opera houses. Her repertoire also includes roles such as Amneris in Aida, Azucena in Il Trovatore, Dalila in Samson et Dalila, Marfa in Khovanshchina, Ježibaba in Rusalka, and others. She has frequently performed on renowned stages such as the Metropolitan Opera in New York, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Bavarian State Opera, the Berlin State Opera, Seattle Opera, San Francisco Opera, Teatro Regio in Turin, the Vienna State Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Semperoper in Dresden, the Rome Opera, the Arena Verona, and more. She has closely collaborated with prominent conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Daniel Barenboim, Sir Antonio Pappano, Christian Thielemann, and others. This season, the artist is scheduled to perform at the Greek National Opera, Teatro di San Carlo in Naples, and Teatro Real in Madrid.

Both concerts will take place in the Great Hall of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet, with the iron curtain down, which will provide unique acoustics for the performance of chamber music. Please note that seats on the sides of the balconies and in the back rows have a limited view.

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Tickets for the Recital of Michael Spyres are available HERE.

Tickets for the Recital of Anita Rachvelishvili are available HERE.