One of the most celebrated works in contemporary European performance is coming to Latvia for the first time. The internationally acclaimed Lithuanian opera-performance Sun & Sea (“Saulė ir jūra”) – winner of the Golden Lion for Best National Participation at the 2019 Venice Biennale – will be staged at Liepāja Great Amber Concert Hall from 8 to 11 April 2027, as part of the “Liepāja – European Capital of Culture 2027” programme.

Sun & Sea is the creation of director Rugilė Barzdžiukaitė, playwright Vaiva Grainytė, and composer Lina Lapelytė. The production challenges the conventions of classical opera, expanding the boundaries of the genre by bringing together performance, visual art, and music.

At the heart of the work is an artificial beach, where soloists sing about the climate crisis, consumer habits, and contemporary society amidst seemingly ordinary scenes of seaside relaxation. The libretto blends humour, irony, and sharp social commentary, creating a striking contrast between the airy visual aesthetic and the weight of global existential concerns. Each musical fragment becomes an allegory of humanity’s relationship with nature, the environment, and society, triggering us to reflect on our own place within the world’s ecosystem.

Tickets are available at Biļešu Paradīze ticket offices throughout Latvia and online at https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/en/event/171846. Please note that as of 1 September the ticket price shall increase.

Please note that this opera performance is a standing event, and audience members will experience it from standing areas in the 1st and 2nd balconies.