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Peters is quite sure his artist father worked for Ludolfs Liberts↗↗lv on scenery at the Latvian National Opera↗. However, this program predates that time. The program does not list the year, but April 17th fell on a Tuesday only in 1923 and 1934. Since the program includes a review of the ballet in 1922, it must date to 1923.

Browse through our annotated restored copy in the gallery below, or  leaf through each original page, with full translations.

Performance schedule

The majority of works on the schedule would be familiar to today's casual opera listeners. There are also lesser-known operas in Russian and German, as well as original works in Latvian, reflecting Rīga's cosmopolitan nature.

Tuesday,April 17Charles Gounod  —  Faust
Wednesday,April 18Anton Rubenstein  —  The Demon
Thursday,April 19Otto Nicolai  — The Merry Wives of Windsor
Saturday,April 21Symphonic concert
Sunday,April 22Jacques Offenbach  —  The Tales of Hoffman (2pm matinée)
  Richard Strauss  —  Salome (7pm evening performance)
Tuesday,April 24Giuseppe Verdi  —  Rigoletto
Wednesday,April 25Jacques Offenbach  —  The Tales of Hoffman
Thursday,April 26Ballet
Saturday,April 28Georges Bizet  —  Carmen

Even after independence, Latvian "cultured" society continued to be German-influenced. As you leaf through the program, you will notice numerous photographs of performers and scenes from Otto Nicolai's↗ opera Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor↗ (The Merry Wives of Windsor) — based on Shakespeare's play. Composed from 1845 to 1849, Nicolai's opera is considered his German-language masterpiece and remains popular in Germany to this day, and its overture is featured in the orchestral repertoire as stand-alone work. (Overture with score on YouTube↗)

Click a thumbnail to view in gallery
Cover
Inside front cover, Perl and Marienfeldt Lighting and household merchandise / Intelligencia wears only the finest durable undergarments by K. and A. Naumova
Repertoire being performed
Opera singer Ada Benefeld / A. Cālits movie and photography equipment, processing, repairs
Kreicbergs photo studio / Ballet review (part 1) / Kukurs writing and drawing instruments and supplies
Opera singer E. Žubit / A. Cālits wholesale photographic plates
Cimmerman musical instruments, accessories, and sheet music / Ballet review (part 2) / "LETAS" foreign language books and magazines
Opera singer Vilija Lambert / Photo studio "KLIO"
J. Otlans liqueur brewery / Ballet review (part 3) / Reinfeld, hairdresser to the Opera, wigs, and make-up
"Merry Wives of Windsor", Scene I (Act 1, Scene 1)
Neumann musical instruments for professionals, school, and home / Ballet review (part 4) / Neldner upright and grand pianos, and sheet music
"Merry Wives of Windsor", Scene VI (Act 3, Scene 1)
"KONZUMS" cooperative / Ballet review (5th part) / Brudne mens's and women's hairdresser, wig-supplier to the Opera, wigs, and make-up
"Merry Wives of Windsor", Scene III (Act 2, Scene 1)
Seat prices, from 7 to 200 rubles, coat check 5 rubles, 3 rubles for 3rd balcony and gallery
"Merry Wives of Windsor", Scene 7 (Act 3, Scene 2)
Latvian original works and foreign-language opera repertoire
Opera seating diagram, orchestra level
Inside back cover, Opera seating diagram, balcony levels
Back cover, Šnikvalds shoe factory
Facsimile with translation: 1234567891011121314151617181920
1920Latvia — Lettish Life1921Devastated Latvia, 192119231924World and Its People1927Jānis Čakste In Memoriam
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