Liepāja Opera Festival “Opera by the Sea”. Opera “The Wind Man Pankoks”

Composer

• Rihards Dubra

Libretto

• Inga Ābele

Venue: Liepāja Concert Hall “Lielais dzintars”, Great Hall

Opera about the history of a faith on the seashore near Liepāja, in the South Kurzeme dialect.

At the center of the story is Miķelis Pankoks – the son of a fisherman, who, struggling with life’s hardships and searching for his identity, discovers within himself a calling as an artist. His journey leads through seascapes, family dramas, artistic triumphs and losses, all the way to refugee paths and a vision of spiritual return. The opera intertwines real and symbolic scenes – the sea, wood, mountains, angels, and the voice of God, which permeates Pankoks’s life and art.

Rihards Dubra’s new opera, created in collaboration with playwright Inga Ābele, is an emotional and visually rich experience that invites viewers to immerse themselves in the mysterious world of the Kurzeme coast, to feel the power of nature and the quest of the human spirit. “The Wind Man Pankoks” is a story about creation, loss, hope, and love – about the soul’s journey to freedom.

Rihards Dubra is an internationally recognized Latvian composer whose works are regularly performed in concerts both in Latvia and abroad.

Dubra is also the author of the opera “Suitu Saga,” which was created at the initiative of the Liepāja Symphony Orchestra and reveals a historical story about love, courage, and loyalty in the heart of Kurzeme.

The composer has been awarded the Latvian Grand Music Award several times, including for the piece “Te Deum” and the piano work “Crossroads Visions. Light,” which confirms his significant contribution to Latvian music.

Inga Ābele is one of the most important contemporary Latvian writers – a prose author, playwright, and poet whose works stand out for their strong imagery, psychological depth, and richness of language. Her plays, novels, and stories have received wide recognition both in Latvia and abroad, and have been translated into several languages. Inga Ābele has been awarded the Latvian Literature Annual Award, the Baltic Assembly Prize, as well as other significant literary honors multiple times.

Inga Ābele, together with Kārlis Vērdiņš, is also the librettist of Ēriks Ešenvalds’s opera “The Fruit Tree is Joseph,” which premiered at the Latvian National Opera in 2007.

The Opera by the Sea Festival takes its place within the Liepāja 2027 programme, brought to life through the funding of the Ministry of Culture, the City of Liepāja, and the municipalities of South Kurzeme and Kuldīga. The Liepāja 2027 programme is guided by AS CleanR Grupa (JSC) – the lead supporting partner for environmental education and sustainability, the lead supporting partner in the field of mobility and communication AS airBaltic Corporation, alongside the mobility partner – transportation company SIA Lux Express Latvia (Ltd).

Organised by Liepāja Symphony Orchestra