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Andris Straumanis

July 03, 2008

If you can’t be there in person for the 2008 Latvian Song and Dance Festival in Rīga, you can still be there virtually by listening to or watching some events on radio, television or the Internet.

Organizers of the July 5-12 festival have announced a schedule of live and recorded presentations of events beginning with the July 5 sacred music concert and concluding with the final concert on July 12.

Live and recorded broadcasts on Latvian State Television will only be viewable within in Latvia, but those on Latvian State Radio may be listened to over the Internet at www.latvijasradio.lv. In addition, the official song festival Web site, www.dziesmusvetki2008.lv will provide live and recorded streams of some of state television’s broadcasts.

Song festival events to be offered by the various media include:

• July 5: The sacred music concert in the Dome Church.
• July 6: The song festival parade through downtown Rīga, the dance program “Deju svētkiem - 60” in Arēna Rīga and and the opening festival concert “Dziedot dzimu, dziedot augu” at the Mežaparks open-air stage.
• July 8: The choir competition in the Great Hall of the University of Latvia, the symphonic music concert in the Latvian National Opera and the dance celebration concert in the International Exhibit Center at Ķīpsala.
• July 9: The vocal ensemble concert “Mīlestības dziesmas” in the Dome Square.
• July 10: The folk music concert in the Great Hall of the University of Latvia and the concert “Veltījums tautasdziesmai” in the Congress Hall.
• July 11: The grand dance performance “Izdejot laiku” in the Daugava Stadium.
• July 12: The kokle concert in the Large Guild and the closing festival concert at the Mežaparks open-air stage.

A full schedule of coverage is available by visiting www.dziesmusvetki2008.lv.

Andris Straumanis is editor of Latvians Online.