L I T E R A T U R E

In the frontispiece of our summer issue, writer Nora Ikstena delivers an eloquent eulogy for poet Uldis Bērziņš (1944-1920).

Five poets offer selections of their recent work: Jānis Hvoinskis, 7 Beautiful Poems for My Beloved; Māris Salējs, But Now; Jānis Tomašs, untitled; Alise Mētra, When Afraid; and Andris Bulis, samples from two published collections.

Five writers offer short stories: Inguna Bauere, Thus Passes the Glory of the World; Laura Vinogradova, About the Dress; Ilze Lāce, The Camp’s Red Bowl; Rute Kārkliņa, Smog; and Agnese Zarāne, Pigtails.

 

V I S U A L  A R T

Linda Treija, president of the American Latvian Artists Association, introduces our cover artist Andra Otto-Hvoinska, who lives in Rīga. Six of her paintings are included in this issue.

Anna Zaļinska-ILL and Maira Bundža introduce Gundega Peniķe, an artist in ceramics, whose work was exhibited earlier this year at the South Bend Museum of Art in Indiana.

 

M U S I C

Composer Juris Ķeniņš writes that Jānis Kalniņš (1904-2000), of all Latvian musicians in exile, was the most successful at restarting his career upon emigration in 1948, resuming work as organist, conductor and composer in New Brunswick, Canada. He is the composer of the opera Hamlet, which was first performed in Latvia in 1943, and is scheduled to be performed again in 2022 on the stage of the Latvian National Opera in Rīga.

Conductor/composer Andrejs Jansons comments on a new edition of the hymnal of the Latvian Lutheran Church in Exile.

 

H I S T O R Y

Ojārs Spārītis, professor at the Latvian Academy of Art, shares an article presented last year at an international conference on the history of the duchy of Courland and Semigallia in Kuldīga, Latvia, titled “The Manor as an Economic-Social Complex”. The manor houses of the ruling German aristocracy are described in their various states of ruin and readaptation to modern life.

Agnija Lesničenoka, a doctoral candidate at the University of Latvia, writes about art historian, philosopher and artist Jānis Siliņš (1896-1991). Siliņš sought to identify what makes a Latvian artist’s art Latvian, even when living in protracted exile.

 

A B O U T B O O K S

Anda Ogriņa: Gabriela Babnika (Babnik). Sausumlaiks (Dry Season), a novel translated from the Slovenian language.

Kaspars Zalāns: Lote Vilma Vītiņa. Meitene (The Girl), a collection of poems.

Silvija Ģibiete: Maija Krekle. Vēlreiz tu un es (You and I Again), a novel translated from the Lithuanian language.

Silvija Ģibiete: Agita Gritāne. (Jēkabs Bīne), a book of art reproductions and photographs from the personal archive of the artist Jēkabs Bīne (1895-1955).

Lāsma Gaitniece: Kristina Sabaļauskaite (Sabaliauskaitė). Pētera imperātore (Peter’s Empress), translated from the Lithuanian, a historical novel on the life of the wife of tsar Peter I of Russia. She succeeded him as empress Catherine I.

Eva Mārtuža: Māra Svīre. Bailes no dziļuma (Fear of the Deep), a novel about one woman's place in Latvian society.

Kristīne Ilziņa: Laima Kota. Cilvēks ar zilo putnu (The Man with the Blue Bird), a biography of writer Anšlavs Eglītis (1906-1993).

 

B R I E F L Y  N O T E D

Members of our editorial staff report news of recent cultural events, including awards, art exhibits and new books published.

 

I N  M E M O R I A M

We mourn the passing this year of Skaidrīte Krēsliņa, poet/historian Jānis Krēsliņš and poet Modris Zihmanis.