Book shines a light on Latvian lighthouse art and history

Egils Kaljo

October 01, 2011

What could be quainter than the lowly lighthouse? Its simple purpose has always been to shine a light out over the coastline to guide ships.

One might think that such a simple construct would not have much scope to be beautiful or to be a work of art—just a basic tower with a light at the top. In this modern era, with radar, sonar, GPS, satellite and many other navigation tools, shining a light over the water would be a relic of a bygone age.

Compact discs

Labvēlīgais tips delivers basket of band’s popular songs

September 26, 2011

Veteran Latvian satirical and humor ensemble Labvēlīgais tips returned in 2010, after a gap of three years since its last recording, with the studio album Kurvis.

Books

Claiming Latvians are everywhere, sweeping novel proves entertaining

July 18, 2011

When I visited Latvia this spring, where the novel Latvieši ir visur was still a bestseller, I heard that it was something of a parlor game to try guessing the real name behind the author’s pseudonym “Otto Ozols.”

Lithuanian novel for young readers reveals horror of Stalin’s June 14

May 27, 2011

June 14, 1941, marks the Baltic equivalent to Adolf Hitler’s Holocaust—Josef Stalin’s deportation of Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians and others to Siberian prison and labor camps. This story of exploitation, starvation, terror and death of hundreds of thousands is largely untold. Between Shades of Gray by Lithuanian-American writer Ruta Sepetys is an accessible account of a family’s experience of this atrocity.

Pre-war Latvian settlers in Australia revealed in imperfect collection

May 11, 2011

It would be fair to say that few libraries in Latvia or Australia have had their shelves overburdened by the weight of publications detailing the history of Latvians in Australia. However, this is not to say that such shelves would be bereft of books.

Choir’s madrigal album enjoyable, but lacking in romantic appeal

April 24, 2011

The youth choir Kamēr…, which with visionary conductor Māris Sirmais at the helm is almost consistently considered the best amateur choir in Latvia, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2010. In addition to a sold-out performance at the Latvian National Opera, the choir released the compact disc Mīlas madrigāli, a collection of choir songs that in some manner are all related to the theme of love.

Compact discs

Unlike most Latvian metal bands, Heaven Grey makes nice music

March 18, 2011

Heaven Grey, which last year released a new album called Falling Mist, describes itself as a “doom gothic metal” band. That usually means aggressive guitars and drums are joined with keyboards and deep, often growled, vocals. The group compares itself to such venerable ensembles as Paradise Lost and My Dying Bride.

Books

Powerful biography traces mother’s life through prose, photos

March 12, 2011

Portrait of a Latvian Beauty, a book of 113 pages and more than 120 photographs, presents a powerful visual odyssey of a Latvian refugee family after it is forced to leave Latvia for Germany and then Canada.

Compact discs

Mezzo-soprano Bigača ably interprets five decades of chamber music

February 20, 2011

Mezzo-soprano Antra Bigača, along with distinguished and award-winning pianist Ventis Zilberts, last year recorded the album Laikam pāri… Latviešu vokālā kamermūzika 1950-2000. The compact disc is an overview of Latvian classical vocal chamber music on a decade-by-decade basis, with a cycle of works from each period.

Compact discs

Skyforger’s gruff lyrics tell the story of Latvian warrior Kurbads

February 02, 2011

By far the most successful heavy metal band from Latvia has to be Skyforger. Last year, the band released Kurbads, its first album on the Metal Blade Records label and its sixth album overall.

Compact discs

Recording featuring works by Pelēcis is quite a revelation

January 10, 2011

While browsing through the latest releases at the record store one day, I encountered a compact disc entitled Revelation and containing works by Latvian composer Georgs Pelēcis.

Books

Latvian refugee’s memoir captivates reader at many levels

December 17, 2010

Sometimes the best way to absorb the events and flow of history is through autobiography, especially one that manages succinctness with an elegant style. The Amber Coast: A Latvian Family’s Journey by Ilse Zandstra, née Ilze Zālīte, is captivating at many levels.

Compact discs

Retrospective CD provides satisfying overview of folk ensemble Kolibri

November 21, 2010

While other Latvian-American ensembles of the late 20th century performed popular and traditional tunes, Kolibri made its mark by performing Latvian folk songs, often with its own arrangements.

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