This week, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) invites lovers of both chamber and symphonic music to its concerts. On Thursday, 26 October at 19:00 at the Great Guild, a chamber music concert will take place featuring French opera singer Perrine Madoeuf and the LNSO piano trio – violinist Indulis Cintins, cellist Dace Zalite-Zilberte and pianist Martins Zilberts. Then on Friday, 27 October at 19:00 at the Great Guild, symphonic music audiences will be treated to a concert with young Finnish conductor Emilia Hoving and pianist Vestards Simkus, performing works by 20th-century Czech composers never before heard in Latvia.
The LNSO piano trio’s 26 October concert programme, “Songs of the World,” invites the charismatic French soprano Perrine Madoeuf to join them, offering audiences a varied programme centred on masterworks of the piano trio genre, works by Latvian composers, and rarely performed examples of the genre in Latvian concert halls.
The 27 October concert, “LNSO, Emilia Hoving and Vestards Simkus,” will bring listeners several surprises, featuring never-before-heard, rarely performed works. The Latvian premiere will be given to a work by 20th-century Czech composer Vitezslava Kapralova, Suita Rustica. Audiences will also have the chance to hear the Third Piano Concerto by another Czech composer – incidentally, Kapralova’s teacher – Bohuslav Martinu. The programme also includes Sergei Prokofiev’s suite from the ballet “Cinderella.” Making her debut on the LNSO podium will be the young, talented Finnish conductor Emilia Hoving, joined on stage for the piano concerto by pianist Vestards Simkus.
Emilia Hoving began her conducting career in 2019, becoming assistant conductor to Hannu Lintu at the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and has since worked with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and several others.
The solo part in Martinu’s Third Piano Concerto will be performed by audience favourite pianist Vestards Simkus. Over the course of his career he has won laurels at international competitions and performed across Europe, the USA, the Middle East, China and Japan, appearing with the world’s most renowned orchestras and chamber ensembles. The pianist has worked with world-famous conductors including Andris Nelsons, Vasily Sinaisky, Karel Mark Chichon, Eri Klas and many others. Vestards Simkus is also active as a composer and has twice received the “Lielais Kristaps” award for his film scores for “Ausma” (2016) and “Elpa marmora” (2018).
Both concerts are financially supported by the State Culture Capital Foundation.
Tickets for the concerts can be purchased at the Great Guild box office, at Bilesu Paradize outlets, and online.