On 18 July 2015, the first Operetta Festival in Ikšķilė ended with a loud ovation and a magnificent fireworks display, attracting more than 3000 visitors from all over Latvia. Despite the rainy weather, operetta lovers from Riga, Ikšķile, Kandava, Daugavpils and even Liepāja proved that this genre still holds a special place in the hearts of the audience. The festival became an important milestone on the road to the revival of operetta and operetta theatre in Latvia.
The festival programme included a variety of events – from the heartfelt charity concert at the Ikšķile Lutheran Church with Evita Zālīte and Juris Vizbulis to the musical play “Paukojam un šmaukojam” by Valdis Lūriņš in the yard of Tīnužu Manor, which delighted the young audience with the melodious songs and colourful costumes of Arvīds Žilinskis. Festival-goers also enjoyed cosy “Conversations over a cup of coffee” with operetta performers and an evening of waltzes with the Operetta Orchestra.
The festival was organised by the Latvian Operetta Foundation in collaboration with the Ikšķile Municipality, marking a new tradition that continues today.
