A night at the opera in Riga

Late as always, I am almost running through Riga old town. Just as Google maps tells me I am getting closer I can see the beautiful winter decorations light up the park along the canal. There it is; the Latvian National Opera! I am ready for a night at the opera in Riga.

The opera in Riga

Approaching this monumental building I stopped for a moment, even though I was late. The Latvian National Opera was first opened in 1863, built as a part of a redesigning of Riga, located next to the city canal. Unfortunately the original building was severly destroyed in a big fire in 1882. The architect in charge of the restoration luckily followed the original design. It has been renovated and adjusted many times since, but always inn a way that would blend in with the original.

Finding my seat

As I got closer, I could see the small que of people on the side of the large columns. I lined up and a moment later I entered the hall. It was just like I had imagined. A gentleman scanned my ticket and pointed me in the direction of one of the staircases.

Leaving my coat at one of the cloak rooms, I headed for the theatre. Somewhat afraid I wouldn’t find my seat. Mind, the Riga opera has nearly 1000 seats! I didn’t have to fear, all entrances and seats were numbered.

Why I ended up in Riga’s opera

There are two main reasons why I ended up spending a night in the opera in Riga. Firstly, I love culture which can be hard to find in a small town like Voss. Secondly, evenings can sometimes feel rather long when travelling solo

Hence, I often check the cultural program for the cities I plan to visit. When planning my solo trip to Riga, pictures of the Latvian National Opera quickly came up and I knew I wanted to experience a performance there even before I had decided on Riga as a destination.

With two tabs open in my browser, one with the opera’s schedule and Wizzair on the other, I chose flights after the opera’s program. I ended up going the first weekend in February, seeing The Nutcracker on my second night in town.

Dress code at the Riga opera

December would probably suit better for seeing The Nutcracker. But then again; when is it wrong to see a classic ballet? I would have loved to see Peer Gynt, but that was only played mid-week.

Well on my seat, I eventually started looking at the people around me. Suits and jackets, dresses and heels were to be seen everywhere. What I had read about the Latvians being serious about going to the opera was correct. It is an event that at least most Rigans do once or more each year and they all stick to the dress code. You could spot some of the other tourists by the outfit. I could not match the long gowns either, but was glad I wore a nice blouse and heeled boots.

The Nutcracker

As the orchestra started playing, all noise dissapeared and I was mezmerized by the athmosphere in the room. The show was beautiful, but nothing extraordinary if you have seen some ballet before. The athmosphere, on the other hand, was incredible.

Just sitting in that beautiful hall with 950 other people, listening to the orchestra and watching the dancers in their costumes swirling and tip-toing on stage, was worth a lot more than the 10 euro I paid for my ticket.

The Kolonade

One hour into the performance there was an intermission where you could go upstairs to get refreshments. I am not the one for long ques, so I rather spent the time viewing the main hall from different angles. Another hour later I was back out on the street, and strolled over to the Kolonade café. Sitting in a lounge chair with a glas of red some decent pasta and my book was the perfect ending of a wonderful evening.

The Kolonade has a restaurant section on the first floor and a café upstairs. Next time in Riga I most definitely will visit the restaurant, but the café was cosy and they brought up the sommelier upon request.

Plan a visit to the opera in Riga

If you are planning a visit to Riga, do check out the opera’s schedule here. I recommend buying tickets in advance. Prices ranging from 10 to 55 euros per seat. Were else can you get a okey seat at a ballet performance like this for less than 15 euros? Not in Norway, that’s for sure…

The opera is located in the old town, walkable from most places and quite easy to find.