L I T E R A T U R E

Our literature editors Vladis and Lienīte Spāre feature four selections of poetry and six short stories. Poems are are by Dagnija Dreika, Einārs Pelšs, Reinis Runcis and Dainis Deigelis. Short stories are by Arno Jundze, Ilze Lāce-Verhaeghe, Rūta Mežavilka, Laura Vinogradova, Baiba Zīle and Lāsma Gaitniece. Ilze Lāce-Verhaeghe resides in Germany, the rest in Latvia.

 

V I S U A L   A R T

Art editor Linda Treija, president of the American Latvian Artists Association (ALMA), highlights painter Gita Šmite in Latvia (“The Sauna and Art”) and illustrator Laila Milevski in the USA (“Life in Pictures”). Samples of their work are displayed throughout this issue. The cover design is by Milevski.

 

M U S I C

Cellist, conductor and composer Juris Ķeniņš (George Kenins) tells the story of the genesis of a CD titled Canadian Amber / Ambre Canadien, containing symphonic and chamber music performed at the XV Latvian Song and Dance Festival in July 2019. Ķeniņš chairs the Latvian Song Festival Association in Canada and the Cultural Foundation of the World Federation of Free Latvians (PBLA KF).

Our music editor, composer/teacher Dace Aperāne writes about virtual concerts in our time of quarantine.

 

B O O K   R E V I E W S

Viesturs Vecgrāvis: Sandra Ratniece’s debut in poetry, Šķietami klusu (Seemingly silent);

Bārbala Simsone: Aivars Kļavis’ short stories Bēres ar priekšapmaksu (Prepaid Funeral);

Gundega Zēhauza (Seehaus): Jānis Tomašs’ poetry Smagatlētika (Heavy Athletics);

Andrejs Grāpis: Aivars Madris’ poems in Zonas (Zones);

Guntis Liepiņš: Uldis Neiburgs’ Grēka un ienaida liesmās (In Flames of Sin and Hatred), 33 stories from WWII;

Baiba Lapiņa-Strunska: Eugen Ruge’s Metropol, a novel about political terror in 1930's Moscow;

Lāsma Gaitniece: Lato Lapsa’s Brūnās jaunavas bērni svētās nāves ēnā (The Brown Maiden’s Children in the Shadow of Holy Death), an account of travels in Bolivia and Mexico;

Inguna Daukste-Silasproģe: Agate Nesaule’s memoir Zudušie saulgrieži (Lost Midsummers);

Anita Liepiņa: Viesturs Zariņš’ history of Latvian Pioneers, Socialists, and Refugees in Manitoba.

Contributing editor Anita Liepiņa shares an essay on the life of French existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre.

 

B R I E F L Y   N O T E D

Members of our editorial staff and other contributors report news of cultural events since our spring issue, including art exhibits, music performances and new books published.

 

I N   M E M O R I A M

We pay homage to three recently departed leaders of Latvian cultural life beyond Latvia: Ģirts Zeidenbergs, founder and long-time chairperson of the Latvian Cultural organization TILTS (BRIDGE); Skaidrīte Rubene, literary critic, translator and journalist; and Ilze Zīverte, née Dziļleja, actress and patroness of the arts.