Latvian National Opera’s “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” Premiere – A Resounding Success

On February 17, 2026, the Latvian National Opera presented a new production of Pietro Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana alongside a revival of Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, marking a significant moment for the company and a compelling evening for audiences.

A Powerful Double Bill

The premiere featured a double bill – Mascagni’s one-act Cavalleria rusticana followed by Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. The Latvian National Opera presented the works in continuous scrolling, streamlining the performance without sacrificing artistic integrity. This pairing, while not entirely unprecedented in the company’s history – Pagliacci was last staged in February 2019 with Italo Montemezzi’s “The Spell” – felt particularly timely, offering a fresh perspective on these Italian verismo classics.

Creative Team and Soloist Performances

The production team included music director and conductor Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, stage director Aik Karapetian, set and lighting designer A.J. Weissbard, costume designer Kristīne Pasternaka, video artist Artis Dzērve, and choreographer Liene Grava. The Latvian National Opera showcased its resident soloists, alongside guest artist George Oniani, who returned to the stage as Canio in Pagliacci.

The performance highlighted the strengths of the Latvian National Opera’s established soloists, including Raimonds Bramanis, Jānis Apeinis, Ilona Bagelis, and Rinaldas Kandalintsevas. While some insecurity was noted in the higher tones of the male voices, the distinct timbral qualities of Bramanis and Apeinis, alongside Bagelis’s performance, provided necessary expressiveness and contrast. Kandalintseva delivered a compelling performance as Silvio in Leoncavallo’s opera.

Apeinis excelled in both Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana and Tonio in Pagliacci, demonstrating vocal and stage versatility. Irma Pavāre (as Lola), Dainis Kalnačs (as Pepe), Kārlis Saržants, and Andris Kipļuks also contributed to the overall success of the production.

Soprano Performances and Orchestral Support

The performances of Inna Klochko (as Neda in Pagliacci) and Tatjana Trenogina (as Santuca in Cavalleria rusticana) offered a surprising and effective contrast. Trenogina’s dramatic soprano contrasted with the more lyrical expectations for Klochko, creating nuanced psychological depth.

The Latvian National Opera orchestra, under the direction of Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, provided strong musical support. The conductor’s interpretation of the Italian repertoire was accurate and connected to the soloists, while the orchestra demonstrated a sonorous string section, apt wind instrument replicas, and skillful percussion. The Latvian National Opera Choir also integrated seamlessly into the performance.

Director’s Vision and Staging

Director Aik Karapetian unified the two operas through their shared emotional intensity. The production placed Cavalleria rusticana in post-war Italy and Pagliacci forty years later, setting the latter in a nursing home for the elderly where a traveling acting troupe performs. This staging emphasized a sense of metaphysical doom, with the shift in aesthetic from the neorealism of the 1940s to the postmodernism of the 1980s accentuating this theme.

The visual design, created by A.J. Weissbard (scenography and lighting), Kristīne Pasternaka (costumes), Artis Dzērve (video), and Liene Grava (choreography), was imaginative and rich in cultural references. Pagliacci featured a brutal aesthetic and noticeable grotesque elements, while both productions maintained a strong visual symbolism and multidimensionality.

A Return to Core Passions

Karapetian’s production distinguished itself from productions prioritizing political or psychological complexities, focusing instead on the core passions of love, hate, jealousy, and revenge. This approach, rooted in the medieval concepts of honor and responsibility, resonated with the set design and underscored the timelessness of the operas’ themes.

Looking Ahead

The success of this production reflects the Latvian National Opera’s long-term strategy and the director’s established collaboration with a reliable team. There is hope for future productions that venture beyond the classically romantic repertoire, potentially exploring works by composers such as Bartók, Glass, Kalsons, or Pētersons, given the current strength of the Latvian National Opera’s musical ensemble.