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Almost all the singers, orchestra and conductor were Italian, but it was local soprano Elīna Šimkus and the Latvian Radio Choir who sang Purcell’s magnum opus as if to the English manner born.

Outdoor concerts are always prey to the vicissitudes of weather. The Festival of Early Music in Lativa is so well organized, unexpected light rain started just at the beginning of the interval and politely ceased before the second half of the programme. 

Local soprano Elīna Šimkus was a fascinating combination of Farinelli and Emma Kirkby.

"Grab ’em by the throat and never let ’em go!" goes the famous quote by legendary Hollywood director Billy Wilder – Sunset Boulevard, Some like it Hot, and Double Indemnity among his masterpieces – who regularly dispensed stellar advice to aspiring, young writers. Unlike good screenwriting, opera’s blood and thunder decree doesn’t need much coaching to bare its jugular.