Inga Kalna. Christmas Under Candlelight

The RIX piano quartet is a unique ensemble in which the violinist travels the world with various orchestras, the violist is a senior musician at the Bergen Symphonic Orchestra in Norway, the cellist is a member of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra in Finland, and the pianist is a professor at the Latvian Academy of Music.  The quartet comes together in Latvia twice a year, and that is a source of joy for the musicians and their audiences.  This time the experienced ensemble of chamber musicians will be joined by another voice – that of the opera soprano Inga Kalna, who lives in Germany.  Along with music by Artūrs Maskats, the exciting and joyful music of Lekeu and the romanticism of Saint-Saëns, we will visit secretive and masked Venice, which for many centuries has tempted composers, poets, those who are disappointed in life, and lovers.  “During several autumns I have had the fortune to experience the special power of Venice,” Maskats has said in describing his recent vocal cycle, Lines from Venice.  “I think about the flow of time, architecture and bridges are reflected in the water, nights are foggy, and church bells peal in the morning.  These emotions cannot be confused with anything else in the world.  Each person gets an indescribable amount from Venice, exactly as much as he can absorb.”

Programme

Kamils Sensānss (Camille Saint-Saëns, 1835-1921) "Barkarola" klavieru kvartetam

Gijoms Lekē (Guillaume Lekeu, 1870-1894) Klavieru kvartets

Participants

Inga Kalna, soprano
Piano quartet RIX:
Sandis Šteinbergs, violin
Ilze Kļava, viola
Reinis Birznieks, cello
Jānis Maļeckis, piano