Latvian Opera Star Elīna Garanča Receives Decoration of Honor from the State of Lower Austria

At the premiere at the new venue, the Latvian opera star Elīna Garanča thrilled her audience against the backdrop of the Wolkenturm. Garanča told KURIER she was delighted about the move and emphasized that many visitors to the event had remained loyal from Göttweig: "Es sind uns wirklich sehr viele Leute von Göttweig hierher treu gefolgt."

Chichon and Raiffeisen Also Honor Garanča

Alongside the Latvian mezzo-soprano, her husband, conductor Karel Mark Chichon, was also honored. He received the Raiffeisen Lower Austria-Vienna Commemorative Coin in Gold from the Chairman of the Raiffeisen Holding Niederösterreich-Wien, Erwin Hameseder. Mikl-Leitner thanked both of them together: "Mit 'Klassik unter Sternen' hat uns Elīna Garanča, gemeinsam mit ihrem Ehemann Maestro Karel Mark Chichon, viele unvergessliche Konzertabende geschenkt."

Garanča herself looked ahead on the occasion and expressed the wish to build a platform for young people together with Raiffeisen and other partners. "Wir könnten hier anders wachsen, es gibt Räume, die wir neu bespielen können. Das ist auch ein Wunsch von mir, mit Raiffeisen und allen Beteiligten, hier eine Plattform für junge Menschen aufzubauen. Vielleicht eine Akademie oder Masterklassen. Ich hoffe darauf," she said.

Plans for an Academy for Young Artists

Among the guests of the evening were also Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner and Raiffeisen Lower Austria-Vienna General Director Martin Hauer. For ORF's cultural coverage, Teresa Vogl stepped in at short notice because Barbara Rett was ill. Vogl, who according to her own account has been professionally connected to Garanča for some time, was impressed by the atmosphere in Grafenegg: "Ich bin schon länger mit Elīna Garanča durch die Arbeit verbunden und es ist wunderschön hier. Und ich wünsche natürlich Barbara Rett gute Besserung!"

Prominent Guests and a Last-Minute Change at ORF

The date for the next "Classics Under the Stars" is already set: Saturday, the 3rd (date given in the following year). With the decoration, the State of Lower Austria underscores the cultural significance of the series, which has been transitioned from the Göttweig era to the Wolkenturm in Grafenegg.