Apart from plenary sessions and the Business Forum, there are various
other official events that are scheduled to take place during the EBRD Board of
Governors’ Annual Meeting. Working lunch of the EBRD governors, alternate governors,
directors and alternate directors will be held in the Blackheads’ House. Inga Klasone,
the acting Executive Director of the Blackheads’ House, considers that the newly erected
building is definitely one of the most opulent Riga sites where foreign guests could be
invited:
- The most interesting and fascinating is the fact that this building
was not preserved throughout centuries but was built nowadays and over a comparatively
short time. After a period of very uncomplicated architecture characteristic to the few
past decades, the construction of the Blackheads’ House is a miracle, I would even dare
to say – it is the Latvian architectural wonder of the century.
We have already started a tradition that was prevailing in the building
throughout two centuries – i.e. the rich concert life, which we now want to revive. We
have introduced a new concert series The Pearls of Opera Music comprising popular
opera arias that we plan to offer monthly. We are very proud of our grand piano Steinway
– the brand that almost every famous concert hall in the world can boast. Now we also
own this precious instrument. The Festivity Hall of the historic Blackheads’ House was
praised for its excellent acoustics, and this fame resounded all around Europe. Guest
concerts were given by Austrian and German performers. At a time Franz Liszt and Clara
Schumann have performed here.
Apart from concerts, we are renting premises for banquets, company
anniversaries or dinners as well as seminars and conferences, depending on the clients’
wishes. We offer not only the historic Festivity Hall and the Small hall, but also rooms
with modern interiors that also can be used for various functions. Besides, we offer tours
around the building. The exhibition on the basement floor features the history of the
building. The Festivity Hall, the Small Hall, the historic working studies are open for
visitors every day.
In our view, the building is unique and unrepeatable – it bears a
significant value for Riga, and we take pride and pleasure in showing it to each and every
guest who visits our country and our town. The motto of the Blackheads’ House is unique,
too – “If it comes that I fall you shall raise me anew” - which has now
materialised.
