Arturs Maskats, Liāna Langa
VALENTINA
Opera in two acts

Guest performance of the Latvian National Opera under the patronage of Minister for Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, and the Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Music Director and Conductor Modests Pitrens
Conductor Normunds Vaicis
Stage Director Viesturs Kairišs
Set and Costume Designer Ieva Jurjāne

Valentina - Inga Kalna

The first opera by the internationally renowned Latvian composer Arturs Maskats, Valentina, celebrates a cultural legend – film historian Valentīna Freimane. The opera reveals dramatic pages from the national chronicle between the years 1939 and 1944 with remarkable mementos of Latvian history and culture for the varied ethnic groups that live in Latvia.

Valentīna Freimane’s childhood was divided between Riga and Berlin, where her father worked as a lawyer for UFA film studios, while her mother was an enchanting society lady. On their return to Riga, this future film historian’s family was shocked by the ongoing Holocaust there. It claimed the lives of Valentīna’s parents and husband, and the young woman herself was forced to hide from the authorities until the end of the war.

The opera is staged in Latvian with subtitles in German and English.

Valentina was created as part of the Riga 2014 European Capital of Culture programme. The world premiere was held on 5 December 2014 at the Latvian National Opera House.

Tickets available on the Deutsche Oper Berlin webpage.