On November 12 the tenor Tansel Akzeybek from Komische Oper Berlin will perform count Almaviva in Gioachino Rossini's The Barber of Seville. Akzeybek has sung in a number of operas, such as that of Lyon, in Toulouse's Théâtre Capitole, in Théâtre des Champs-Elysées Paris, Teatro Municipal Santiago, Semperoper Dresden, La Monnaie Brussels, Liverpool Philharmonic Hall and the Suntory Hall Tokyo, to name but a few.
He'll be joined on the stage by Inga Šļubovska-Kancēviča, Kalvis Kalniņš, Krišjānis Norvelis, Rihards Mačanovskis un Ilona Bagele. The opera will be conducted by Andris Veismanis.
While on November 14 a staging of Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly will feature the Japanese soprano Hiromi Omura, who has has appeared in the role of Madama Butterfly in numerous theaters beforehand. Mārtiņš Ozoliņš will be the conductor.
While Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto will see the acclaimed LNOB soloist Armands Siliņš as the protagonist, while Gilda will be performed by the Russian soprano Olga Pudova and Ukrainian tenor Dmytro Popov will be the Duke. Mārtiņš Ozoliņš will be the conductor for this opera as well.
"Many things tie me to the Latvian National Opera - my debut in La Traviata, The Mermaid, and Madama Butterfly took place here. I like the high level of organizing in the German opera houses, while in Latvia the reception and attitude is the warmest. I like working with Latvian colleagues, and their attitude towards me has always been wonderful. I feel very well here," said Popov.
On November 26 the title role at Puccini's Manon Lescaut will be played by the Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian. In the 2014/15 season she can be heard as Judith in Bluebeard's Castle in Wiesbaden and at the Vlaamse Opera and also with the title role in Halévy's La Juive in Ghent and again in Antwerp. She'll be accompanied by soloist from the Moscow New Opera Sergey Polyakov and Jānis Apeinis as Lescaut.
