Notre-Dame de Paris by Liepiņš, ven. 04 nov. 2022, Du (2022/2022), Dirigé par Ramūnas Kaubrys,, Chef d'orchestre Ilmars Lapins, Žvejų Rūmai, Klaipéda, Lituanie

The opera "Paris Cathedral" was created by the Latvian composer Zigmars Liepinis (b. 1952) - one of the brightest, even the most scandalous, contemporary Latvian artists. The premiere of "Paris Cathedral" took place in the Latvian National Opera Theater in April 1997. For the creation of this opera, Z. Liepinis was awarded the Grand Latvian Music Prize, awarded the Order of the Three Stars of Latvia. Based on Victor Hugo's novel of the same name, the opera tells about the opposites fighting in the world and in the individual: beauty and ugliness, good and evil, divine and beastly beginnings. The main driving force of the work is love for the young and beautiful, pure and innocent, weak and fragile, but brave and virtuous sixteen-year-old gypsy Esmeralda. Esmeralda is depicted in the opera as a flying milk fuzz: "Is this a human being, or a fairy, or an angel?" Many people envy Esmeralda's beauty and grace. Men are captivated by her indescribable beauty, everyone wants to have her. A woman is also fascinated by her beauty, as if she came from hell to earth to torment everyone who gets tangled under her charming legs. Esmeralda's black eyes shining like a full moon charm everyone, her grimaces drive everyone crazy, and a sarcastic way makes it easier to endure the already difficult life on the street. Four men fall in love with Esmeralda. Each of them has different values, attitudes towards life and love and the means to achieve it. The success of the opera-melodrama was determined not only by the original and attractive musical language of the opera, but also by the 19th century. the longevity and fame of the French romantic V. Hugo's novel. Impressive direction, sincere acting of the artists shocks everyone.