Tautas Dēls (The Voice of the People)
Tautas Dēls (The Voice of the People) – from Marc Lavry’s opus book
Recording: Not yet available
Movements:
- Overture
- Homeland
- Sea Song
- Milos Sun
- Exile
- Waltz
- Intermezzo
- Machines
Manuscripts: Located at the National Library of Israel Music Department, the Marc Lavry Archive, System Number(s) 990035304960205171
Publisher: Nordiska, Stockholm
Synopsis:
Tautas Dēls (The Voice of the People) is a landmark 1934 Latvian-Swedish co-production, and the first Latvian feature film with sound.
Set against the backdrop of the Latvian War of Independence (1918–1920) and the nation’s political rebirth, the story centers on Maija, a young female Latvian officer caught in a dramatic love story with a Bolshevik commissar. Maija ultimately convinces the commissar to renounce his allegiance and join the national Latvian movement.
The film premiered on November 18, 1934, Latvia’s Independence Day, with simultaneous screenings in Stockholm and across major cinemas in Riga, including the Splendid Palace and Palladium.
Composed by Marc Lavry, the film’s score featured prominent Latvian opera stars of the era, including Ādolfs Kaktiņš, Nikolajs Vasiļjevs, and Voldemārs Ančarovs-Kadiķis. The soundtrack was recorded in Stockholm alongside the Royal Swedish Opera Orchestra and Chorus.
Information from the composer’s opus book:
Performances:
- Radio Riga Orchestra – December 17, 1934
