Bright Night. Zanda Švēde and Reinis Zariņš

Mezzo-soprano Zanda Švēde and pianist Reinis Zariņš have created their joint program “Bright Night” as an emotional journey from late 20th-century Romanticism to works by contemporary American and English composers, reflecting the human inner struggle and the power of faith when the world is sinking into darkness. The artists’ shared musical vision speaks of the flame of hope and the presence of light, seeking solace and spiritual refuge. 

The first part of the program will feature songs by Gustav Mahler and Hanns Eisler, which deeply and personally reflect human feelings in times of war while reaching toward transcendent light and unwavering trust in God. Between the songs, Arnold Schoenberg’s piano music will speak powerfully as a reflection on the ideas expressed in the songs. At the end of the first part of the concert, Gustav Mahler’s song “Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (I Have Become Lost to the World)” from the cycle “Five Rückert Songs” is considered Mahler’s most intimate revelation in music, seemingly leading the listener beyond time toward quiet enlightenment.

In the second part of the concert, Zanda and Reinis will present works by contemporary American and English composers - Nico Muhly’s song cycle “The Last Letter,” whose texts are based on letters written during the First World War. The composer has brought them to life with transparent sensitivity and pulsating intensity. John Corigliano’s “Fantasia on an Ostinato” for solo piano is based on a motif from the theme of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, balancing between light and darkness, while in Jonathan Dove’s vocal cycle “Out of Your Sleep” the night becomes a space of compassion and togetherness. 

The program “Bright Night” was nominated for the “Kilograms of Culture” vote and mentioned in the 2025 Great Music Award nominations for Zanda Švēde and Reinis Zariņš.