“Tummy’s Rumbling” or “Christmas in the Wonder Closet”
This winter, during the Christmas season, the once-popular “Brīnumskapis” will return to audiences with a concert program titled “Tummy’s Rumbling.”
“We’re hungry for singing, dancing, and performing, which is why that ‘tummy is growling,’” says one of the project participants, composer Andris Sējāns. He adds that the concerts might also playfully explore the theme of food – the Christmas staples like pies, gingerbread, sweets, cabbage, and, of course, peas.
The other long-time project participant, musician Ingus Ulmanis, recalls that “Brīnumskapis” was once a highly cherished event among audiences and listeners.
“We had three, maybe even four seasons of a TV show, and during Christmas, we toured across Latvia, holding over thirty concerts in December alone—one of which even took place at ‘Arēna Rīga’!” Ingus remembers with pride. He also highlights the excellent collaboration in the early days of “Brīnumskapis” with poet Pēteris Brūveris and artist Kristīne Jurjāne.
“In my opinion, we offered children hidden treasures back then, without simplifying the presentation. The song lyrics had depth and subtext. The scenography was vivid, and the characters were diverse. In the Brīnumskapis, we had the Moths, the Little Dust Sisters, the girl Malvīne… Both my daughters, Lote and Līva, grew up with this project,” he adds with a smile.
This winter’s concerts will feature beloved songs cherished by multiple generations, including “The Little Dust Sisters,” “The Learned Cat Laķītis,” “Echoes,” “The Hamster and the Carrot,” “Dance Teacher Moth,” and more.
Audiences will also have the chance to meet their favorite characters: Cat Laķītis (Ingus Ulmanis), Music Teacher Andris (Andris Sējāns), Malvīne (Karīna Tropa), Dance Teacher Moth (Egija Abaroviča), The Composer (Aigars Voitišķis), Auntie (Anrijs Grinbergs), and Rasiņš (Roberts Rasa).
