Things to see. Things to hear. Things to enjoy.
This year the festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary. This is an historical moment that must be experienced, enjoyed and remembered. Come to the festival so that you can then return to it for time eternal. The gala concert of the festival will be held on June 28, featuring compositions from previous Nordic-Baltic Choral Festivals, new songs from all participating countries, as well as a joint Nordic and Baltic choir that will perform movements from Carl Orff’s famous Carmina Burana. This promises to be the grandest performance of the cantata in the world.
This is worthy experience for participants and audiences alike. The period of the festival will be rich with other entertainment, leisure and information opportunities in Latvia as the presiding country of the Council of the European Union.
Being together
More than 10,000 singers from the Baltic and Scandinavian countries will come together to join in song. Just imagine thousands of voices soaring into the heavens, with your own voice leading the pack!
The repertoire
You will enjoy hundreds of outstanding compositions and an unforgettable gala concert on July 28 featuring the best songs from member states and a part of the legendary Carmina Burana!
The Summer Solstice
Do you want to experience true Latvian magic? This is your chance, because this year the festival is being held during the Summer Solstice, when people all over Latvia celebrate, sing, leap across campfires and disappear into the ferns for some magic of their own.
The presidency
During the first half of 2015, Latvia will be the presiding country of the Council of the European Union, and we will inform the world about Latvia’s culture, history and traditions. The grand gala concert is being planned as a concluding event for Latvia’s presidency.
Imants Kokars
The originator of the festival was the legendary Latvian conductor Imants Kokars (1921-2011). The festival was born in 1995, has toured the Nordic and Baltic countries, and this year is returning to his homeland.
The Baltic Sea
The nations which surround the Baltic Sea all have songs about the body of water that links all of them. One sea, several languages, a joint song. Listen to the humming of the waves on this side of the horizon.
The year of choir music
This year we are marking the 120th anniversary of the Latvian Song Festival in Jelgava, the 145th anniversary of a Song festival in Dobele, and the 180th anniversary of the birth of Kārlis Baumanis, who composed Latvia’s national anthem.
Treasures of nature
Use your free time to visit some of the miracles of Latvia’s natural world. Wild horses? Absolutely! Blue cows? No problem. The widest waterfall in Europe? Wow! It turns out that it’s in Latvia! Who would have thought?
The Rundāle Castle
Just restored, this jewel from the 16th century is sparkling once again. You have to see it! Please be warned that you will find it hard to leave the venue!
The circle is closed
This festival has been held in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland, and this year it is returning to Rīga – the place where it started!
Fell the chills
An epic feeling when thousand voices merge into one.