Elīna Šimkus, soprano

Rihards Millers, baritone

Latvija State Choir

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra

Conductor Andris Poga

Programme:

Johannes Brahms, German Requiem; Pēteris Vasks, Musica Dolorosa;Mein Herr und mein Gott; Laudate Dominum

In the Easter Week, on Holy Saturday, the lucid and subtle, light and graceful soprano of Elīna Šimkus will meet Rihards Millers’ rich and gentle yet masculine and powerful baritone, joined by the great Latvija Choir to reveal the spiritual strength of Pēteris Vasks’ sacred songs, uplifting and full of hope and light. Alongside Vasks, the programme features Johannes Brahms’ German Requiem, which the composer is said to have wanted to call A Human Requiem, thus making it clear that he considered it a work that could bring together and unite people, giving them strength and inspiration. Many would say that the piece succeeds in achieving that: the sombre mood and sense of doom typical for a requiem is conquered by calm contemplation and serenity.