Alfrēds Kalniņš
Chief conductor
Teodors Kalniņš
Chief conductor
Milda Lasmane
Choreographer
Jēkabs Mediņš
Chief conductor
Haralds Mednis
Chief conductor
Emilis Melngailis
Chief conductor
Jānis Ozoliņš
Chief conductor
Bruno Priede
Choreographer
Zinaīda Sama
Choreographer
1914–1989
Choreographer, educator
One of the most outstanding Latvian stage-dance masters in post-war Latvia.
Born 8 July 1914 in Rīga. Graduated from Rīga’s No 11 Elementary School (1928), then studied at the Rīga City School of Commerce (1928–1932) and attended Helēna Tangijeva-Birzniece’s Ballet Studio, then the Sam-Hior Univerity of Body Techniques and Beatrise Vīgnere’s School of Plastic.
Leonīds Vīgners
Chief conductor
Zinaīda Zeltmate
Choreographer
1920–1991
Ballet dancer, choreographer, educator
Founder and developer of Latvia’s children’s folk-dance ensemble traditions.
Zinaīda Zeltmate (Dondukova) was born in Tyumen, Siberia on 2 October 1920, but returned to Rīga with her family in December 1920. She learned the fundamentals of dance in Beatrise Vīgnere’s rhythmic courses, but at the age of 14 began her studies at the Helēna Tangijeva-Birzniece Ballet School (1941–1944). After graduation, danced at the Opera and Ballet Theatre and the Rīga Operetta Theatre (1944–1949).