The production of Giuseppe Verdi's opera Macbeth will return to the stage of the Latvian National Opera on January 17. This production premiered in 2016 and was created by musical director and conductor Mārtiņš Ozoliņš, stage director Viesturs Meikšāns, set designer Reinis Suhanovs, costume designers MAREUNROL’S, lighting designer Kevin Wynn-Jones, choreographer Linda Mīļā, and video artist -8.

Latvian National Opera soloist Jānis Apeinis will debut in the title role of Macbeth. The role of Lady Macbeth, one of the most challenging in Italian Romantic opera, will be performed for the first time by Jūlija Vasiļjeva. Later performances will feature debuts in these roles by Rinalds Kandalincevs and Tatjana Trenogina. Other roles will be interpreted by Edgars Ošleja, Krišjānis Norvelis, Andris Ludvigs, Artjoms Safronovs, Andris Kipļuks, Laura Grecka, Evija Martinsone, and others.

The victorious war general Macbeth listens to the prophesies of three witches, who say he will one day be king of Scotland. Macbeth and his wife are overcome by an uncontrollable desire for power, but the road to the throne is bathed in blood and leads only to insanity and death...

Macbeth is Giuseppe Verdi’s tenth opera and his first to be inspired by William Shakespeare – whose Macbeth Verdi had loved since his youth. Verdi’s Macbeth was commissioned by Florence's Teatro della Pergola and premiered on March 14, 1847. The opera first premiered in Riga on October 18, 1975, with monumental set design by Edgars Vārdaunis. The production, created by conductor Aleksandrs Viļumanis and stage director Jānis Zariņš, along with movement director Ērika Ferda, became a landmark event at the opera house, featuring unforgettable performances by Žermēne Heine-Vāgnere and Pēteris Grāvelis as the Macbeth couple.

This season, Macbeth will also be performed on January 19, February 1, and during the Riga Opera Festival on June 10.

Tickets are available at the LNOB box office and online.