Just as the year 2015 was approaching, the VEF Culture Palace became the venue for a major charity event that brought the holiday cheer to more than 700 Rigans, among them seniors and families with children. Thanks to the financial assistance of Baltikums Bank, this December event was a relatively rare sight in Riga – a holiday celebration that was available for free to any visitor.
There are scores of concerts and gatherings in theatres and concert halls to attend in December, but very few of them will provide access to anyone regardless of their age or the size of their wallet. The initiative of Baltijas Centrs, which has been organising free events like this for five years, is laudable.
The main theme of the highly attended concert called Across Countries and Continents was finding a way to intensify creative collaboration among artists and culture collectives of various ethnicities who live and work in Latvia. Performers who participated in this charitable effort included renowned professionals such as Latvian National Opera prima donna Yulianna Bavarskaya, young composer, pianist and improviser Platon Buravitsky, folk dance ensemble Ivuška, dance troupes Fokuzz and 7kvadrātā.
The music, song and dance from a multitude of genres and ethnic backgrounds brought both performers and members of the audience closer together, creating a festive atmosphere that captivated everyone who attended this special event.