LATVIA – Latvian National Theatre (11/10/2022)
Daugavpils Theatre’s touring performance «Paradise», created as a gift for music lovers and admirers of the talent of Raimonds Pauls, will be performed at the Latvian National Theatre on 14 November at 19:00.
According to Latvian National Theatre, for the first time after a three-year break, the Daugavpils Theatre will be visiting Riga, which this time will offer its audience a bilingual performance to music by Raymond Paul’s «Paradise» that based on the musical «Ladies Paradise», featuring soloist Ilona Baghele and actor Richards Lepers, with Maestro himself at the piano.

«Paradise» is a unique production created this summer to mark a decade since the premiere of the musical «Ladies Paradise» at the Daugavpils Theatre, and created by director Oleg Shaposhnikov as a musical journey through the historical evidence associated with this musical.
During those ten years, the musical-drama has become an integral part of the theatre’s repertoire, and one of the theatregoers’ favourites. The musical «Paradise» is a tribute to this starting point in the theatre’s development and to all those associated with it.
«Paradise» is based on a love story written by Emile Zola in 1883 about a simple girl from the provinces who wins the heart of the owner of the biggest shop in Paris at the time. However, the main role in this performance is played by the music composed by Raymond Pohl.
The musical is based on compositions from the musical «Ladies Paradise», which was first staged in 2001 at the Liepāja Theatre (in Latvian) and then in 2012, thanks to the Maestro’s initiative, also at the Daugavpils Theatre, which in five years became a jewel in the theatre’s repertoire.
Now, arranged by Marač Auzinjas, the musical compositions composed by Raimonds Pauls have acquired a new sound, which in the performance «Paradise» is performed by the instrumental band together with the Maestro.
The performance features songs in both languages, thus honouring the only two productions of this musical in Latvia. The musical composition is complemented by choreography by Irina Bogeruk performed by the theatre’s troupe.