Kristīne Opolais in concert in Rēzekne

On 2 October, the Embassy of Latgale GORS will host a solo concert by the world-famous opera singer Kristīne Opolais, who was born in Rēzekne.

On 19 September, the opera singer visited Rēzekne to sing at the GORS Great Hall. “Returning to the Latvian stage after five years, I can already tell that the most excitement will be in my hometown of Rēzekne. There will be people who remember me from my childhood. A teacher will probably sit in the hall and think – she was not a good student, but she sings quite well,” joked Opolais. Kristīne Opolais’ Latvian solo concert tour will open on 30 September in Liepāja “Lielais dzintars”.

The next concert will take place on 2 October in the soloist’s hometown of Rēzekne on the stage of the Embassy of Latgale “Gors”, while the Gala concert of the tour will take place in Riga on 4 October at the Latvian National Opera. The star of the New York Metropolitan Opera will perform in Latvia with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, led by the young and talented Italian conductor Sesto Quatrini, who, as a rising star, will have an excellent opportunity to broaden his experience.

Last season, Quatrini was the second conductor for two new productions at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In Giacomo Puccini’s Manon Lescaut, in which Opolais sings the title role, he assisted Grammy Award-winning conductor Fabio Luisi, and in Gaetano Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux, conductor Maurizio Benini. Quatrini is also the Principal Guest Conductor of the Abruzzo Symphony Orchestra, the Music Director of Les Voix Concertantes in Paris, the Principal Conductor of the Bare Opera in New York City, and the Music Director of the latest French opera festival, Nuits de Salses. Opolais has prepared an extensive solo programme for Latvian audiences, including works from operas by Giuseppe Verdi, Arrigo Boito, Giacomo Puccini, Pietro Mascagni, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Alfredo Catalani. The concert programme to be performed in Latvia is said to be ambitious, with many new works. She promises that it will be different from the repertoire performed around the world.

“There will also be time to cry, think about love, and answer some questions, which is what the crying Italian programme is for,” says Kristīne.