On Thursday, 16 April, composer Pēteris Vasks celebrated his 80th birthday with a concert in his hometown of Aizpute. The concert is one of the events in the “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027” programme concert series “Gems of South Kurzeme”, which aims to showcase the outstanding personalities of the South Kurzeme region to Latvia and Europe.
During the day, he met with local residents of Aizpute and music enthusiasts, sharing memories of his childhood and the town where his creative journey began in a warm and informal atmosphere. In the evening, the celebrations continued with a completely sold-out anniversary concert at St John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Aizpute. Under the direction of conductor Sigvards Kļava, the Latvian Radio Choir and the State Chamber Orchestra “Sinfonietta Rīga” delivered a magical and unforgettable musical experience.
The programme featured masterworks by Pēteris Vasks, vividly reflecting the composer’s distinctive style – deeply emotional, inwardly focused, and spiritually rich. The concert included both choral pieces and vocal-symphonic works such as “Savā tautā”, “The Fruit of Silence”, “Cosa devo fare”, “Agnus Dei”, “Musica Serena”, “Da pacem”, “Domine”, “Actus caritatis” and “Mein Herr und mein Gott”, highlighting themes characteristic of the composer’s oeuvre – the inner world of the human being, nature, faith and hope.
The concert was documented in audiovisual form by the European classical music television channel ARTE in cooperation with Latvian Public Media. A recording of the concert is available to all interested viewers: replay.lsm.lv
The concert was organised as part of the “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027” project “Gems of South Kurzeme”, with funding provided by the Liepāja City Municipality, and the municipalities of South Kurzeme and Kuldīga, and co-financed by the Ministry of Culture. The “Liepāja 2027” programme is supported by its main partner in environmental education and sustainability, AS “CleanR Group”; main partner in air mobility and international communication, AS “airBaltic Corporation”; and land mobility partner, SIA “Lux Express Latvia”. Media partners include VSIA “Latvian Public Media” and AS “Kurzemes Radio”.
On Saturday, May 2, as part of the “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027” programme, the second Aizpute Old Town Festival will take place, transforming the city’s historic centre into a joint cultural and social gathering, where people can come together, creative activities take shape, performances are staged, and all kinds of things find new owners.
The first event — the public discussion “Spawning is not a buffet” — will take place on April 25, 2026 at 4 PM on the Venta riverbank at the end of Ventspils Street, opposite the Kuldīga viewing tower. The event will conclude with a campfire concert.
On 4 May, marking the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia, residents of Liepāja and visitors to the city are invited to a Freedom Day concert at Jānis Čakste Square.
