The opera revisits a dramatic period in the history of Latvia - 1939 to 1945 -, a chapter that was crucial not only for the country’s culture and political future but also for the coexistence of Latvia’s different ethnic groups. Valentina celebrates a legendary figure - the film historian Valentina Freimane, born in 1922. Valentina Freimane spent her childhood in Riga and Berlin, where her father worked as a lawyer for the UFA film studios and her mother was an influential member of society and on intimate terms with the film greats of the time. On their return to Riga the family succumbed to the holocaust. Valentina Freimane’s parents and husband were murdered; Valentina herself survived the war in hiding.

Freimane lives and works today in Berlin and Riga. Her autobiography, “Adieu, Atlantis!”, detailing her life during the war, appeared in 2010. Arturs Maskats, born in 1957, has this to say of the eponymous heroine: “The biography of Valentina Freimane is inseparable from that of Latvia and Europe and opens up a fresh perspective on a period of history shot through with colour and contradiction. The most dramatic moments in her life story coincide with momentous events such as the country’s loss of independence, an experience that left Latvians physically and emotionally drained. Yet VALENTINA is more than simply a political work; shimmering through the events depicted is a story of profound sentiment and great love.”

Arturs Maskats was born on December 20th, 1957 in Valmiera. He studied at the Jāzeps Mediņš Music School The focus of the composer’s creative life is the theatre. As the Music Director at the Rainis Dailes Theatre (1982–1997) he composed original music for almost one hundred productions. Arturs Maskats has been awarded the Lielā mūzikas balva (Great Music Award) in 1996, 2001, 2002 and 2011. His work Tango was performed at the final of the 3rd international symphonic composition competition Masterprize in London (2003).

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