Salome in Riga, Winehouse at the Western Wall... with robots

Egils Siliņš (Jochanaan) and Astrid Kessler (Salome)

Astrid Kessler (Salome)

Salome at Latvian National Opera

Zanda Švēde (Herodias) and Thomas Blondelle (Herodes)

By Eleanor Knight, 22 February 2025

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“their toxic partnership proves a welcome area of credibility”

Reviewed at Latvian National Opera, Riga on 21 February 2025

Strauss R., Salome

Latvian National Opera

Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, Conductor

Alvis Hermanis, Director, Set Designer

Jana Čivžele, Costume Designer

Oskars Pauliņš, Lighting Designer

Latvian National Opera Orchestra

Astrid Kessler, Salome

Egils Siliņš, Jochanaan

Rihards Mačanovskis, Jochanaan

Zanda Švēde, Herodias

Thomas Blondelle, Herodes

Andris Ludvigs, Herodes

Raimonds Bramanis, Narraboth

Artem Safronov, Narraboth

Mushroom clouds of fantasy: The Tales of Hoffmann in Riga

Peter Quantrill, 4th October

A new steampunk staging for Latvian National Opera stays true to the fantastical invention of Hoffmann and Offenbach.

****1

Sparkling new L'elisir d'amore from Latvian National Opera

Dominic Lowe, 23rd May

The leafy parks and cobbled streets of Riga’s old town are far removed from the intense heat of the little village in the Basque Country in which Donizetti set his L'elisir d'amore, but a new production at the Latvian National Opera captures much of the spirit of the work, adroitly balancing comedy with the joys and pain of love.

****1

A game of light and darkness: Don Carlo in Riga

Richard Bratby, 5th October

Claus Guth's staging walks a line between atmosphere and audacity, in a powerful company achievement from Latvian National Opera.

****1

Four house debuts in Latvian National Opera's Bohème

David Karlin, 16th March

With four singers making their debuts and two more experienced singers making strong impression, Latvian opera singing appears to be in safe hands.

****1

Youthful style in Latvia National Opera's Fledermaus

David Karlin, 10th December

Edmunds Freibergs and Latvian National Opera give us a Fledermaus that's high on style and sheer entertainment, with a notable Adele from Inga Šļubovska.

****1

Tears of blood among the cherry blossoms

Mark Pullinger, 7th December

A beautiful production by Alvis Hermanis of Madama Butterfly to open La Scala's new season, but it was Riccardo Chailly's presentation of Puccini's original 1904 score which caught the ear.

****1

More reviews...

Eleanor Knight

Eleanor is a writer and librettist. Her work has appeared in all kinds of places from the Royal Opera House to the foot tunnels beneath the Elephant and Castle roundabout, and she has written arts reviews and features for British papers and magazines. Having begun her working life in theatre, she switched to publishing and later taught creative writing at the University of Brighton and Birkbeck. Currently based in the Netherlands, she teaches at the University of Utrecht. Eleanor plays violin and sings, though not usually at the same time, and has recently taken up speed-skating.

Winehouse at the Western Wall... with robots: Salome at Latvian National Opera