We know Puccini as a brilliant opera composer, but as a young man he briefly imagined becoming a composer of church music, and the Messa di Gloria was a vivid step in that direction. The mass’s music is vitally Catholic, at times carefree and even wholeheartedly naive – a joy to listen to! Its youthful spirit will suit both brilliant soloists of the Latvian National Opera, Mihails Čuļpajevs and Rihards Millers. The second half of the concert brings the brilliant tone-painter Karol Szymanowski and his captivating Symphony No. 4, which could just as well be called a piano concerto, with the soloist being Elīna Bērtiņa, a wonderful connoisseur of contemporary music. Under Tadeusz Wojciechowski’s direction we always seem to end up in a land of unexpected surprises, so we especially look forward to passionate explorers of unknown territories at this concert!
SOLOISTS
Elīna Bērtiņa – piano
Mihails Čuļpajevs – tenor
Rihards Millers – baritone
The State Choir “Latvija” – choir
CONDUCTOR
Tadeusz Wojciechowski
PROGRAMME:
Giacomo PUCCINI Messa di Gloria
Karol SZYMANOWSKI Symphony No. 4