The building of the Latvian National Opera is located in the most visited place for tourists in Riga – in the city center surrounded by parks on the embankment of the city canal.
The theater is the center of cultural life in the Latvian capital. It presents the best examples of ballet and opera productions of the European level.
When asking the question of the year in which the Latvian National Opera was built, one must remember the one and a half century history of the majestic building.
Construction of the theater building
In the XVIII century. wandering musicians roamed the expanses of the Duchy of Courland, to which Latvia belonged, they gave performances. Local residents highly appreciated musical talents, so at the end of the 18th century they opened the building of the city theater, built at the expense of the community. For two years (1837-1839), the composer Richard Wagner worked as a bandmaster in the city theater, this gave impetus to the active development of opera art.
There is a decision to build a full-fledged opera house, under which city architectsJohann Felsko and Otto Dietze single out a place - the territory of the former Pancake Bastion.
Latvian National Opera considers 1856 to be the year of construction, when the construction of the building of the first Riga theater begins in the center of the old city.
The St. Petersburg architect Ludwig Bonshtedt was invited, the project developed by him was personally approved by the Emperor of Russia Alexander II. In Riga, local architects G. Schel and F. Hess were involved in the construction.
In 1863 the building was completed, in August the grand opening of the theater took place. It presented to the public the musical work "Apollo Cup" and "Great Holiday Overture", composed by Kapellmeister Carl Dumont.
Architectural features of the first Riga theater
Architect Ludwig Bonstedt used the traditions of building and decorating theater buildings adopted at that time in Europe. The Latvian National Opera is like the opera houses in Berlin, Wroclaw and Hannover, embodying the unity of cultural ties.
The theater is designed in the classical canons:
- an Ionic colonnade is placed along the facade;
- allegorical statues installed in niches;
- muses are located on the upper balustrade;
- on the pediment stands a statue of Apollo holding a mask in one hand and a fantasy personified by the figure of a lion with the other.
The theater hall accommodated 2000 people, there were 1300 seats in it. Exquisite wood carvings, many curtains, statues decorated the interior.
Recovery afterfire
Latvian National Opera has been successfully operating for 19 years.
In June 1882, a fire broke out at noon. Presumably the cause was a malfunction of the gas lamp. The luxurious interior decoration, the hall and the stage quickly burned out, the ceiling and roof were damaged, only the walls of the building were saved.
Reconstruction began three years later, this was done by the chief architect of Riga, Reinhold Georg Schmeling, who studied with Ludwig Bonstedt.
Schmeling, an adherent of the neo-Renaissance, rebuilt the building for 2 years. He added an extension that housed a steam power plant. For the first time in Riga, the theater shone with electric light.
Schmeling thought about fire safety: after the performance and at night, the stage and the hall are separated by a metal curtain.
The height of the ceilings was increased, they received a magnificent decorative painting and a luxurious bronze chandelier with 128 lights was hung.
The pride of the theater is the auditorium, which consists of a stalls, mezzanine and a two-tier balcony decorated with gilding. The hall has a capacity of 1240 seats and 150 standing places.
The renovated Latvian National Opera was opened in September 1887.
The theater during the Civil War
Revolutionary events almost did not affect the opera, although in 1918 there was another small fire that destroyed the outbuilding, and in 1919 the portal and part of the facade were damaged during shelling.
Established in 1912, the opera troupe received the premises of the theater in Riga, which has since been called the Latvian Nationalopera. The first performance was, of course, R. Wagner's The Flying Dutchman.
Reconstruction of the Latvian National Opera
The old building was renovated in 1957-1958, but gradually the years took their toll, and in 1995 a large-scale restoration began, which lasted five years.
During this time, an additional building was added, where the box office, a rehearsal room and a new stage are now located.
Renovations have improved the acoustics of the hall, which hosts about 250 performances annually and also hosts the Riga Opera Festival.
The orchestra pit is made almost invisible: its walls, floor, furniture are painted black. Only for the conductor there is a white platform.
Two buffets during the intermission and before the performance welcome visitors, their interiors correspond to the spirit of the theater with a century and a half history.
But the foyer is made in a modern style, it housed an exhibition of photographs depicting the history of the theater. Portraits of famous singers and dancers, who conquered not only Rigans, but the whole world with their art, look from the walls.
Interiors
The building of the Latvian National Opera was built in 1856, today it is an architectural monument. During the season, which lasts from September to June, in the theater you can see not only performances, but also go on tours of the interior, behind the scenes, admire the beautiful interiors.
Restorers carefully preserved numerous elements of the last century: bronze handles, chandeliers, decorations and parquet. Restored ceilingpainting.
Tourists are taken to the presidential box with a boudoir, which is located almost on the stage, to the dressing rooms, they are allowed to stand on the old stage.
Square in front of the theater
In 1887 (during the reconstruction of the theater after a fire) the area in front of the building was changed. The opera was surrounded by boulevards and parks, and in front of the pediment they made a flower alley and a square decorated with the Nymph fountain. The fountain was made by the Riga sculptor Foltz.
Years have had no control over the theatrical surroundings, where landscape design of the 19th century has been preserved almost unchanged to this day.
Recently, a sculpture dedicated to Maris Liepa, who glorified the Latvian Opera with his performances, was installed near the opera.
