The Sigulda Opera Festival was launched 19 years ago by surgeon and opera music devotee, Dr. Dainis Kalns. At that time, the only Latvian opera house was under reconstruction, and the best local opera artists had started their careers abroad. The freely-accessible and informal open-air event became an opportunity to once again hear beloved opera performers, follow the trials and tribulations of opera heroes, or get to know opera for the first time - to fall in love with it forever.

Over the years the Opera Festival has presented performances by soprano Maija Kovaļevska, mezzo soprano Elīna Garanča, tenor Alexander Antonenko, soprano Inga Kalna, and conductor Andris Nelsons. The 2011 summer concerts and Pyotr Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin will stand out with superlative quality and new discoveries.

"This is our top flight. Peak. Everest!" says the festival's organiser Dainis Kalns. The long-awaited event - a performance of Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin - led by Aleksandrs Viļumanis, will be held July 30 at 9pm. Kalns is truly proud to announce that starring will be the world-famous Latvian opera singer Maija Kovaļevska, who has already performed the role of Tatyana at Glyndebourne Festival (UK) in 2008 and the Vienna Staatsoper this summer. Tatyana's sister - a completely opposite role - will be performed by Maria Gorcevska (mezzo soprano, Russia), Kovalevska's counterpart at Glyndebourne. The cast has true opera talent, like the charismatic Nathan Gunn (baritone, USA), admired both by American opera and musical devotees. He has already delighted audiences of the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Chicago, Houston, Seattle, Dallas and Pittsburgh operas, London's Royal Opera House, Opéra National de Paris, Bavarian State Opera, Glyndebourne Festival, Théâtre Royal de La Monnaie in Brussels, and more. The role of Lensky will be performed by Yevgeny Akimov (tenor, Russia), who has achieved great success in Vienna and has received multiple Russian theatre Golden Masks. Akimov and Gorcevska will also sing at the festival's Gala Concert.

Krišjānis Norvelis (bass, Latvia) will star as Gremin. Staging is also intriguing as it is the work of a director and a multiple Golden Mask winner from St. Petersburg. "This will be his sixth production for the Sigulda Opera Festival. Expectations are high since he is well demanded all over the world; I can be happy that he agreed," says Kalns. The artistic team includes Russian stage and set designer Vyacheslav Okunev, who will work with his Latvian colleague Ieva Kundziņa.

The Gala Concert's (July 31 at 6pm) special feature will be new talent Pavol Breslik (tenor, Slovakia), already named ‘an emerging Pavarotti’. On the bill are works by Verdi, Donizetti and Rossini, Russian music, as well as famous arias and outstanding but lesser-known compositions, among them J. Strauss' Der Karneval in Rom by Latvian National Opera (LNO) soloist Inga Kalna and the chorus. The large-scale programme will feature choir and orchestra with Vladimir Kiradjiev (Austria) at the helm, LNO soloists Inga Šļubovska and Kristīne Gailīte, as well as new talent Madara Dziedātāja, who will also give a sacred music concert at Sigulda Church. In addition, the event will mark Norvelis' 15th year at the Sigulda Opera Festival since 1997.