Starting tomorrow, October 2 to October 12, 2013, the Latvian National Opera (LNO) artists will participate in the 27th Macao International Music Festival, performing „Das Rheingold” by Richard Wagner as well as„Messa da Requiem” and two performances of „Aida” by Giuseppe Verdi, honoring the 200th anniversary of both outstanding composers.

Macao, one of the two special administrative regions of China,will be visited by a group of around 250 LNO people altogether. Warren Mok, the renowned Chinese tenor and also the Chair of the Board of the Macao International Music Festival, performed on the stage of the Latvian National Opera repeatedly during the past season. Remarkably, it is the second time that the artists from the LNO participate in the Macao International Music Festival. The first acquaintance with the audience in Macao took place in 2000, when the Latvian National Ballet showcased the productions of “The Sleeping Beauty” and “Tchaikovsky”.

All the expenses related to the tour are covered by the hosting party, the Macao International Music Festival.

The Macao International Music Festival, organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau, will open its 27^th edition with the production of the LNO – Richard Wagner’s opera “Das Rheingold” conducted by Joana Mallwitz - on October 2 at the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium, in commemoration of the 200^th anniversary of the composer’s birth. Interestingly enough, this is the first opera by Wagner ever to be performed in Macao, thus, it is through the interpretation of the LNO artists that the audience in Macao will get to know composer’s artistry. The modern version of “Das Rheingold” as interpreted by the famous Norwegian stage director Stefan Herheim will showcase a strong cast of Ralf Lukas (Wotan), Armands Siliņš (Donner), Andris Ludvigs (Froh), Göran Eliasson (Loge), Krišjānis Norvelis (Fafner) , Rihards Mačanovskis (Fasolt), Oliver Zwarg (Alberich), Bengt-Ola Morgny (Mime), Ursula Hesse von den Steinen (Fricka), Dana Bramane (Freia), Ilona Bagele (Erda), Yulianna Bawarska (Woglinde), Aira Rūrāne (Wellgunde), and Kristīne Zadovska (Flosshilde),and will certainly enrapture the audience. The premiere of this production at the LNO took place in 2007, with a revival in 2013 (Stage Director of the Revival – Therese Schmidt) in preparation for the entire Ring tetralogy which took place during the annual Riga Opera Festival in June 2013.

On October 5, Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” will be performed at the St.Dominic’s Church under the baton of the Polish Maestro Tadeusz Wojciechowski, displaying such soloists as Liene Kinča (soprano), Kristīne Zadovska (mezzo-soprano), George Oniani (tenor), and Rihards Mačanovskis (bass) together with the Latvian National Opera Orchestra and the Latvian National Opera Choir. The audiences in Riga will be able to hear Verdi’s “Messa da Requiem” on October 30, 2013.

On October 11 and 12, the public of the Macao Cultural Centre Grand Hall will be able to explore one the most beautiful and most ambitious opera productions ever – Verdi’s “Aida”, conducted by the Chinese Musical Director Lü Jia, casting Liene Kinča and Yulianna Bawarska (Aida), George Oniani (Radames), Samsons Izjumovs (Amonasro), Kristīne Zadovska and Jovita Vaškeviciute (Amneris), Krišjānis Norvelis (Ramphis), Rihards Mačanovskis (The Pharaoh), Raimonds Bramanis (A Messanger) and Ieva Parša as the High Priestess. In the performances of “Aida” the Latvian National Opera Orchestra will join forces with the Macao Orchestra, the Latvian National Opera Choir, the Latvian Radio Choir, as well as the artists from the Latvian National Ballet and extras.

The current staging of “Aida” has been in the repertoire of the Latvian National Opera since 1998 as envisioned by the Stage Director Māra Ķimele together with the renowned Latvian artist Ilmārs Blumbergs, a Set and Costume Designer. The visually impressive performance has been in the repertoire of the LNO for almost two decades and is beloved by the opera audience, offering a stunning and unforgettable aesthetic experience for spectators. Previously, the current staging of Verdi’s “Aida” has toured to Moscow Bolshoi Theatre (Russia) in 2003 and Dalhalla Opera Festival (Sweden) in 2006.