21. August, 2026
For the first time since Mežotne Palace came under the supervision of the Rundāle Palace Museum, classical music will be performed there. On August 21 at 7:00 p.m., visitors will be able to enjoy a special concert program titled “Stories from the Duchy Era—Dorothea and Eliza” and the Latvian premiere of a song dedicated to Duchess Dorothea.
The concert narrative is dedicated to two outstanding figures of their time—Anna Charlotte Dorothea von Medem, born in Mežotne and later Duchess Dorothea of Courland and Semigallia, and her half-sister Eliza von der Recke. It explores the cultural landscape of 18th-century Courland, where music, poetry, and personal stories intertwine to tell the tale of two vibrant women—similar in some ways, yet very different in others.
The Mīteļa Ensemble will perform:
- Kristīne Stumbure and Maija Kļaviņa – transverse flutes
- Ansis Bētiņš – tenor
- Gertrūda Krauksta – harpsichord
- Elīza Čaša – Baroque cello
Program:
- Selections from the music of Johann Adam Hiller, court Kapellmeister of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia in Mitava
- Latvian premiere of a song by Johann Gottlieb Naumann set to poetry by Eliza von der Recke
- Compositions by Riga’s most prominent composer, Johann Gottfried Mītels, and the young composer Minna Brandes
Ticket price: 5 EUR
Available only in advance on the Rundāle Palace Museum website: https://e-tickets.rundale.net/buy/koncertstasts
At Biļešu paradīze ticket offices: https://www.bilesuparadize.lv/lv/event/176140
Seating is limited.
Guests are welcome at the palace starting at 5:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served in the palace restaurant, and weather permitting, in the palace park as well.
The concert is organized with support from the VKKF’s targeted program “Development Program for Latvian Historical Lands.”