Valmiera
The splendidly rebuilt Valmiera Theater is the venue for this brand new production of British playwright Patrick Marber's landmark play 'Closer' (Tuvāk) directed by Toms Treinis. You might have seen the 2004 Mike Nichols movie version, but the original stage version is a much more powerul experience.
Also playing this weekend in Valmiera is Krista Burāne's play 'Izdzīvošanas Piezīmes' (Survival Notes) which draws on the experiences of women in wartime. If you want to reach Monday in a state of total emotional exhaustion, you could even go to both plays!
More details: https://valmierasteatris.lv/
Liepāja
The 2027 European Capital of Culture is gradually accelerating its cultural offerings with each month, it seems, and Liepāja's theatrical offerings are now really exciting, not least because of the presence of talented directors such as Valters Sīlis at Liepāja Theater.
This weekend you have several perormances to choose from at the spectacular Lielais Dzintars venue: The Elephant Song by Canadian playwright Nicolas Billon, God is Here by Ludmila Roziņa, and on Sunday what looks like being a memorable 'musical allegory' with the pretty much untranslateable name "GALMS [pa]GALMĀ" described as "a fairy tale for adults about power, the individual, the other" with a basis in the story of the ugly duckling.
More details: https://lielaisdzintars.lv/lv/kalendars
Rīga
The capital of course has several theaters to choose from, including the famous Dailes Theater and New Rīga Theater, both of which have several performances happening this weekend. But it's also worth checking out others including the Dirty Deal Teatro and Mikhail Chekhov Theater. The larger Rīga theaters are also the only places where you're likely to find English-language surtitles, if required.
But our choice for this weekend is the Latvian National Opera and Ballet which has two marvellous perormances: the wonderful and super-Latvian Birds' Opera by Jānis Lūsēns and Māra Zālīte on Saturday, then a ballet version of Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book on Sunday.
