If your Riga trip falls between Christmas and New Year, build one evening around Symphonic Fado. On 28 and 30 December 2026, the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra brings Portuguese fado and orchestral music together at Riga Congress Hall. Both concerts begin at 19:00.
The programme gives you two very different ways to listen. In a fado song, a singer’s phrasing and the guitar can draw your attention to a single line. In a piece such as Dvořák’s Carnival overture, there is a whole orchestra to follow. That change of scale is a reason to make this concert the centrepiece of an evening in Riga.
🎟️ Choose your Riga concert date
| Monday, 28 December 2026 | 19:00 · 28 December tickets |
|---|---|
| Wednesday, 30 December 2026 | 19:00 · 30 December tickets |
| Venue | Riga Congress Hall (Rīgas Kongresu nams), Krišjāņa Valdemāra iela 5, Riga |
| Doors | 18:00, according to the ticket seller |
The orchestra lists the same programme for both Riga dates. Open the ticket page for the date that suits your trip and check current prices, seats and conditions there. If you are comparing other dates on the orchestra’s calendar, check the city as well as the time.
🎶 Listen for the voice, guitar and piano
Portuguese singer Gisela João and guitarist Ricardo Parreira appear on the orchestra’s line-up alongside Latvian pianist Aurēlija Šimkus. Rui Miguel Marques conducts. The programme includes traditional fado, Dvořák’s Carnival overture, two suites from Manuel de Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat and Liszt’s Spanish Rhapsody.
If fado is new to you, listen to one of João’s recordings before the trip. Pick out the way she stretches a phrase or lets the guitar answer it. At the concert, you can listen for a similar exchange between soloist and ensemble as the programme moves between songs and orchestral pieces.
Orchestra programme for 28 December · Orchestra programme for 30 December
✨ Give the concert an unhurried afternoon
Start in the Old Town if you want some time outdoors before the concert. Dome Square is a natural place to pause, and you can use our Christmas market guide to plan a visit around the current holiday hours. Leave enough time for an early meal and the journey to the hall before 19:00.
Use the hall’s street address when planning your route and check your seats and any concession requirements in advance. If you have a choice of nights, pick the one that leaves the evening clear of a late arrival or an early departure.
🏡 Find a base for the end of December
Compare MIRO Rooms Center, Skolas and French when choosing an apartment for your Riga stay. A little flexibility in your daytime plans leaves room for winter walks, a stop for coffee and a concert you can look forward to all day.
Find your MIRO Rooms apartment in Riga
Concert details checked on 4 November 2026. Confirm the current programme, admission and ticket availability with the orchestra and seller before travelling.