Media release

Latvian week to take place in Luxembourg

One of the most significant events of the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council cultural programme will be the gathering of Latvian artists, musicians, dancers and actors at the beginning of May in Luxembourg. A Latvian week is taking place in Luxembourg to mark the cooperation between these two Presidency Trio countries, as Latvia hands over the functions of the presiding country of the EU Council to Luxembourg on 1 July 2015.

The Latvian week will be held from 3–9 May. Beginning with a day of dance, it will then include concerts, exhibitions and a theatre performance, before closing with a joint celebration of Europe Day on 9 May. The Latvian Minister for Culture, Dace Melbārde, will take part in the official opening on 7 May.

One of the central events will take place on the first evening: the Latvian dance day from 19:00 on 3 May at the BananneFabrik contemporary art centre. The evening programme features several dance performances: Dive by Dmitrijs Gaitjukevičs, Research in dance by Elīna Gaitjukeviča and the Šķērsām (Across) cooperation project by Latvian choreographer Krišjānis Sants and dancers from Luxembourg and Latvia.

Across
Across. Photo by Marcin Oliva Soto. Malta Festival Poznan, 2014.

Two exhibitions by Latvian artists will be on display during the week, with textile artist Iveta Vecenāne and photographer Andris Zēgners presenting their visions of amber. Both exhibitions will be open to the public in the Neumünster Abbey Cultural Centre from 4 May. An exhibition dedicated to Latvian national costumes and the Song and Dance Celebration tradition will also open during the week.

The wide range of outstanding events during Latvian week in Luxembourg includes several concerts. The Trio Colorato will perform at 20:00 on 5 May at the Luxembourg City Conservatoire, while the Neumünster Abbey Cultural Centre will host two more concerts when the Laima Jansone Trio presents its Zarbugans project at 20:00 on 4 May and the Art &Valt duo takes the stage at 20:00 on 8 May.

laima_jansone
Laima Jansone. Photo: EU2015.LV

The guest performance by the Valmiera Drama Theatre will be one of the sparkling highlights of the week as August Strindberg’s Miss Julie is performed at Neumünster Abbey on 6 May. This one-act play about a love triangle is directed by Vladislavs Nastavševs and stars Mārtiņš Meiers, Inese Pudža and Anta Aizupe.

The lively week of events will close on 9 May with the Europe Day celebrations on the Place de Clairefontaine in Luxembourg city. This year, Latvia will be the guest of honour. Visitors will be able to obtain information about the country and enjoy traditional Latvian food and drink. Musical performances will be given by the Dzērves folk band and the Meluzīna choir, both of which are made up of Luxembourg-based Latvians and friends of Latvia.

pastalas
Foto no Briseles latviešu dejotāju arhīva

As a continuation of the week, the famous Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra will perform in concert at 20:00 on 11 May at the Philharmonie Luxembourg.

Latvian week in Luxembourg is organised by the Secretariat of the Latvian Presidency of the EU Council in cooperation with the Embassy of Latvia to Belgium and Luxembourg, the Neumünster Abbey Cultural Centre, the Representation of the European Commission in Luxembourg, the Luxembourg City Conservatoire, the Philharmonie Luxembourg and the Trois C-L choreography centre.

The Latvian week forms part of the Latvian EU Council Presidency cultural programme which has contemporaneity, uniqueness and excellence as its core values. 

Contact
Linda Jākobsone
Head of Presidency Communications and Public Relations Department