GALA GALANTE. Viva La Musica!
On August 22, the concert “GALA GALANTE. Viva La Musica!” – one of the most significant musical events of the summer – will take place at the Dzintari Concert Hall in Jūrmala. The festive evening is dedicated to the laureates of the prestigious international Baltic Awards.
At the invitation of opera diva Inese Galante, a constellation of Latvian and international stars will join her on stage. Staying true to tradition, the concert will bring together world-renowned vocalists, outstanding instrumentalists, and and leading representatives of the contemporary music scene to create a truly exceptional musical experience. The programme will feature both famous arias and beloved masterpieces of world music across various genres – from opera to jazz – presented in original arrangements and performed in unexpected duets and ensembles, a hallmark of the GALA GALANTE concerts.
This year, the concert will be imbued with a distinctive Italian flair, as the special guest will be the Italian opera singer Giorgio Berrugi — one of the leading tenors of our time, named by Plácido Domingo as his artistic heir. The gala concert will feature charismatic tenor Dmytro Popov (Ukraine), expressive vocalist with a wide vocal range Elina Nechayeva (Estonia), renowned pianist Andrejs Osokins, the dynamic and highly expressive NICO Ensemble (Lithuania), one of the brightest sopranos of the younger generation Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone, deep-voiced bass Edgars Ošleja, young piano virtuoso and true wunderkind Gustavs Kalējs (12), as well as other artists. The orchestra will be conducted by renowned conductor Ekhart Wycik (Germany). All these distinguished artists will be brought together on one stage by the opera diva and Chair of the Selection Committee of the Baltijas Balva / Baltic Awards, Inese Galante (Latvia).
The event will also be attended by Matīss Kaža, producer of the Academy Award-winning animated film Flow (Straume), Baltic Awards laureate, and member of the Baltic Awards Honorary Selection Committee.
Traditionally, the evening will open with a ceremonial red carpet reception, welcoming prominent figures from the worlds of culture, business, and politics.
The gala concert, celebrating outstanding achievements of the Baltic states in science, architecture, art, and music, will unite honoured guests from around the world in the audience – including the 2026 Baltic Awards laureates, members of the Awards Committee, as well as representatives of partner organisations from Lithuania, Estonia, and other European countries.
Talented artists, brilliant performances, and an elegant audience will create an unforgettable atmosphere, once again transforming Jūrmala into a symbol of refined cultural summer – the Latvian Riviera.
The evening promises to be filled with musical surprises, unexpected artistic ideas, and vivid, uplifting emotions that will stay with the audience long after the final note.
Inese Galante
The incomparable opera diva Inese Galante became a soloist of the Latvian National Opera while still a student. Possessing a rare, velvety soprano, she has performed at prestigious opera houses and concert halls around the world, collaborating with outstanding conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Yehudi Menuhin, Antonio Pappano and Evelino Pidò, and sharing the stage with renowned artists including José Carreras, Andrea Bocelli, and many others. Her voice has been heard at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, at the festivals of Montpellier and Saint-Denis, London’s Barbican Centre, Wigmore Hall, the Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Palace, and many other distinguished venues. Inese Galante’s album Debut received Gold and Platinum status, while her recording Arietta was named BBC Album of the Year in the Classical Music category. Her recordings have topped music charts in the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and other countries worldwide. Inese Galante regularly performs in support of UNICEF, UNESCO, and other charitable initiatives. She is the founder of the Inese Galante Charitable Foundation, as well as the patron and mentor of the “Inese Galante Talents” competition, which for more than 12 years has been discovering young performers for the world. Many of its alumni now perform successfully on the world’s leading stages, including the legendary La Scala, and have become soloists of the Latvian National Opera and Ballet and musicians of the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra. Inese is the muse of the international music festival Summertime – Inese Galante Invites in Jūrmala, as well as the initiator and Chair of the Selection Committee of the international Balijas Balva / Baltic Awards. The opera diva has been honoured with Latvia’s national award, the Order of the Three Stars (Commander), recipient of the Dante Alighieri Prize for her significant contribution to fostering and strengthening cultural relations between Italy and Latvia, and is a laureate of the Latvian Grand Music Award (1994).
Giorgio Berrugi
Giorgio Berrugi is among the foremost tenors of today. Possessing a uniquely warm Italian timbre of rare beauty, exceptional musicality, and remarkable expressive subtlety, he rightfully ranks among the most sought-after opera artists of his generation. Berrugi performs on the world’s most prestigious stages, including Teatro alla Scala, the Royal Opera House in London, the Vienna State Opera, Opéra Bastille, Deutsche Oper Berlin, San Francisco Opera, and the Arena di Verona. He also appears in leading concert halls such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, and other renowned venues worldwide.He collaborates with some of the most distinguished conductors of our time, among them Zubin Mehta, Christian Thielemann, Andris Nelsons, Gustavo Dudamel, and Franz Welser-Möst, among many others. His repertoire encompasses the principal roles of the Italian and German operatic canon, as well as major vocal-symphonic works. These include Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, performed with the Vienna Philharmonic, and Verdi’s Requiem, presented at major festivals across Europe and the United States. In the 2024/25 season, Giorgio Berrugi appeared in a number of significant international productions and concert projects, including the world premiere of Francesco Filidei’s Il nome della rosa at Teatro alla Scala, a production of Les contes d’Hoffmann at the Latvian National Opera, Luisa Miller at the Hamburg State Opera, and Ernani at North Carolina Opera.
Dmytro Popov (Ukraine)
Tenor Dmytro Popov began his professional career at the National Opera of Ukraine, debuting as Lensky in Eugene Onegin. He gained international recognition in 2013 following his debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. He has sung leading roles at the world’s most influential opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro Real Madrid, Bavarian State Opera in Munich, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Hamburg State Opera, Opéra National de Paris, Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, Grand Théâtre de Genève, and many others. As a concert soloist, he has performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Rome), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre de Paris, and the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne. At Wigmore Hall in London, he gave a solo recital together with pianist Iain Burnside.
Andrejs Osokins (Latvia)
Andrejs Osokins is a highly acclaimed pianist and a favourite of audiences, distinguished at some of the world’s most important piano competitions, including the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in Tel Aviv, the Queen Elisabeth International Piano Competition in Brussels, and the German International Piano Competition. Critics describe his playing as possessing “a hypnotic personal charisma, a broad and expressive palette of sound colours, and an unusually convincing sense of stylistic diversity.” He has performed in many renowned concert halls, including the Berlin Philharmonie, National Concert Hall Dublin, Royal Festival Hall, Wigmore Hall, St Martin-in-the-Fields and Kings Place in London, Opéra Comique in Paris, and Symphony Hall Birmingham. In 2018, Andrejs Osokins was awarded the prestigious title of Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, London.
NICO Ensemble (New Ideas Chamber Orchestra) (Lithuania)
The internationally acclaimed NICO Ensemble is an innovative string ensemble from Vilnius, founded in 2006 by renowned Baltic composer and artistic director Gediminas Gelgotas. NICO’s concert programmes combine classical music traditions with contemporary minimalism and pop-rock aesthetics, creating a cinematic and emotionally charged sound world that appeals both to classical music connoisseurs and younger audiences. NICO’s performances are characterised by expressive stage dramaturgy, subtly integrated theatrical elements, and a high level of musical intensity, through which the sound of the strings acquires new artistic nuances. The ensemble regularly performs at prestigious concert halls and festivals across Europe, Asia, and the United States, including Carnegie Hall (New York), Tonhalle Zürich, and the Grand Théâtre de Provence (France), as well as in Leipzig, London, and many other international cultural centres. The repertoire features both works by the ensemble’s artistic director and compositions by contemporary classical composers. In 2024, the ensemble released its album Consonance on the prestigious Warner Classics label, marking an important milestone in NICO Ensemble’s artistic development and international recognition.
Elina Nechayeva (Estonia)
Elina Nechayeva is a brilliant vocalist from Estonia who performs successfully worldwide and represented Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song La Forza, becoming one of the most striking performers of the competition and earning wide international recognition as a true audience favourite. She regularly performs with leading orchestras and conductors, including Kristjan and Neeme Järvi, Andres Mustonen, and Steven Mercurio. Conductor Neeme Järvi highly praised Nechayeva’s performance as a soloist at the Shanghai Grand Theatre New Year’s Concert, calling her a rising star and a future Renée Fleming. Alongside her classical vocal repertoire, Nechayeva has also successfully collaborated with world-renowned artists, including Plácido Domingo, demonstrating her ability to organically combine operatic tradition with the sensibilities of contemporary audiences.
Ekhart Wycik (Germany)
Ekhart Wycik is one of the most versatile conductors of his generation. His extensive repertoire includes both opera and symphonic productions, while his stylistic flexibility, technical mastery, and ability to engage quickly in rehearsal processes make him a sought-after guest at European opera houses and orchestras. He has conducted the German Symphony Orchestra Berlin (DSO), Halle State Orchestra, Berlin Symphony Orchestra, Rheinische Philharmonie, Bochumer Symphoniker, Jena Philharmonic, Haydn Orchestra, Athens State Orchestra, as well as numerous orchestras in Italy, Austria, Hungary, the United Kingdom, and the United States. His UK debut with Mozart’s The Magic Flute opened the 50th season of Scottish Opera in Glasgow and was included by The Guardian among the Top Ten Classical Music Performances. His Italian debut with Hansel and Gretel at Teatro Comunale di Bolzano was named by OperaClick as one of the best productions in Europe. His operatic repertoire includes more than 70 conducted works.
Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone (Latvia)
Latvian soprano Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone is one of the most outstanding singers of her generation, confidently establishing herself on the international stage in both opera and concert repertoire. Her professional path is closely connected with the Latvian National Opera, where she debuted as a child and in recent years has returned in leading roles, including Olympia in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann and the Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. She regularly performs at prestigious European concert halls and festivals, collaborating with ensembles such as the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, Munich Symphony Orchestra, Hamburg Symphoniker, Konzerthausorchester Berlin, as well as with conductors including Tarmo Peltokoski. Her repertoire places special emphasis on oratorio and symphonic-vocal works, including Orff’s Carmina Burana, Brahms’ Requiem, and Mahler’s Symphony No. 8. In 2024, Annija Kristiāna Ādamsone received the Latvian Grand Music Award in the category “Young Artist of the Year”. In 2025, she was honoured with the Latvian National Opera and Ballet Special Award Baltic Awards: The Opera Rising Star, the Pauls Sakss Award, and became Resident Artist of Latvian Radio 3 Klasika.
Edgars Ošleja (Latvia)
Latvian bass Edgars Ošleja is a prominent contemporary opera singer with a broad repertoire and a strong professional reputation. He made his debut on the stage of the Latvian National Opera in 2015 and has since appeared regularly in its productions, performing significant roles including the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Sarastro in The Magic Flute, Colline in La Bohème, and Reinmar von Zweter in Tannhäuser, among others. The singer performs both leading operatic roles and symphonic concert repertoire. He has performedthe bass solo in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Prague Opera Orchestra and and has participated in chamber and vocal concerts at the Riga Latvian Society House and other concert venues. In 2021, Edgars Ošleja won First Prize at the Inese Galante Talents competition. Beyond the operatic stage, he has also collaborated with Maestro Raimonds Pauls, taking part in concert programmes that combine operatic and popular music repertoire.
Gustavs Kalējs (Latvia)
Twelve-year-old piano virtuoso and true wunderkind Gustavs Kalējs studies at the Emīls Dārziņš Music School. He has already won the affection of audiences and built a wide circle of supporters. Since winning the “Ineses Galantes Talanti” competition, Gustavs has participated in numerous events organised by the Inese Galante Foundation, appeared as a soloist with the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra at the age of nine, and created his own concert programme, “Gustavs Kalējs and Friends.” This year, he continues to achieve success in international competitions, performs extensively, and has received a Letter of Appreciation from the Latvian Ministry of Culture.
