Rīga Jūrmala Festival Offers Chance to Hear the Symphony Orchestra Concert Programmes Not Performed In Person This Summer

To give people the chance to hear the cancelled concerts planned by the Festival for summer 2020, festival organisers will invite audience members in Riga to hear recordings of the symphony concert programmes outdoors: in Riga’s parks, squares and other spaces previously overlooked by this musical genre. The first events are planned for July 9th to 11th in the heart of Riga, in the square opposite the Latvian National Opera.

Over the course of an evening, each location will become a vibrant, resonant and metaphorical “outdoor concert hall”, offering two meditative hours accompanied by classical music.

Unlike traditional classical concerts which take place indoors, audience members will be invited to attend with their picnic baskets to enjoy audio recordings of symphony orchestras in a relaxed atmosphere. Alongside the audiovisual treats, audiences will learn additional information about the programmes being performed, their history and other interesting facts.

“After several months of caution and cancelling in-person events, most of us are probably waiting impatiently to see how the summer will turn out in comparison to previous years where Riga has hosted various vibrant cultural and entertainment events. Although this summer’s Festival concerts have been cancelled, we believe that locals and visitors to Riga deserve the chance to experience musically beautiful, safe summer evenings in the city this year,” explains Zane Čulkstēna, Executive Director of the Rīga Jūrmala Festival.

“To give people a reason to leave the house and, possibly, see Riga from a completely different point of view, this summer Riga’s parks and other non-traditional locations will offer a special atmosphere through classical music, allowing them to enjoy their surroundings accompanied by a symphony orchestra programme,” she adds.

The events are planned for July and August in various locations throughout the centre of Riga—the square opposite the Latvian National Opera, Kronvalda Park and other Riga parks, Andrejsala and elsewhere. Festival organisers are also planning on organising these events in the city of Jūrmala.

More information on the calendar and locations of planned events will be published soon.

*All visualizations are informative.