In the first half of the concert the LNSO will present its new CD, released by the American label Odradek Records and featuring two masterpieces by Sergei Rachmaninoff: the “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini” with Vestards Šimkus as soloist, and the cantata “The Bells”, recorded with singers Irina Krikunova, Evgeny Akimov and Egils Siliņš together with the State Choir Latvija. On 28 August we will hear the “Rhapsody” – Vestards Šimkus will be at the magnificent Steinway of the Cēsis Concert Hall, and at the conductor’s desk will be the LNSO’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Andris Poga.
The second half brings the lyrical and psychologically searching mono-opera “La voix humaine” by the twentieth-century French composer Francis Poulenc. At its centre is a woman who, in a series of broken telephone conversations, tries to hold together a relationship that has in fact already fallen apart. Poulenc’s work is enormously popular around the world at present, and for this performance the LNSO has invited the outstanding French soprano Karen (Vourc’h, b. 1976), whose velvety, richly coloured voice is matched by extensive experience in this opera. The concert staging of the opera has been created especially for the “LNSO Summer House” by director Andrejs Žagars.
Karen VOURC’H, soprano
Vestards ŠIMKUS, piano
Conductor Andris POGA
Director Andrejs ŽAGARS
Vestards Šimkus – piano
Director Andrejs ŽAGARS