On April 27, the world premiere of the first multimedia symphony in Latvia “The Northern Lights”, by composer and musician Ēriks Ešenvalds, will take place at the Latvian National Opera. It is a unique event in the history of Latvian music, supported by Nordea Bank.
Head of Nordea Bank in Latvia Jānis Buks: “It is an interesting multimedia project yet unseen in Latvia, in which the composer took inspiration from the Nordic phenomenon, the northern lights, and has immortalized them in a magnificent work of art enjoyable both for its music as for its visual imagery. It gives me great pleasure that Nordea Bank had the honor to support the creation of this work of art, which combines both uniqueness and classic values.”
About “The Northern Lights”
“The Northern Lights” is a story about the aurora borealis, which have been embraced by the legends of the people of the north. This unique folk heritage inspired the composer to go on expeditions to Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland and Alaska to document ancient stories and the nightly voice of nature along with his fellow-travelers — director Renārs Vimba and camera operator Dainis Jurags. The experience of the expeditions has been immortalized in the new symphony, lit by videos and accompanied by nature's sounds as documented during Ēriks Ešenvalds' expedition. The projections of the aurora borealis were created in cooperation with Norwegian photographer Kjetil Skogli, who calls himself an aurora hunter. These projections will blend with the music and nature's sounds, allowing spectators to enjoy authentic tales about the arctic lights, which would be lost to the wider public. The stage setting of the concert was created by director Margo Zālīte and set designer Uģis Ezerietis.
The concert has been included in the public diplomatic and cultural program within as part of Latvia's presidency of the Council of Europe.
An insight into the symphony “The Northern Lights” is available on vimeo.com/117679584