{"id":1723,"date":"2025-05-24T18:46:17","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T18:46:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/?post_type=product&p=1723"},"modified":"2025-07-09T17:13:46","modified_gmt":"2025-07-09T17:13:46","slug":"cesis-theatre-the-beginnings","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/visi-stasti\/cesis-theatre-the-beginnings\/","title":{"rendered":"Cesis Theatre – the beginnings"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”7\/12″]\t\t

\n\t\t\t

The history of C\u0113sis Theater began in 1875, when the first Latvian theater performance took place in the town – \u0100dolfs Alun\u0101ns’ troupe visited the German citizens’ club “B\u00fcrger Muse” with R. Hahn’s play “The Nightingale and the Brother’s Daughter” and L. Holberg’s “Drunkard B\u0113rtulis.” This event inspired the local people of C\u0113sis so much that by the end of that same year, a drama group was formed in the newly established Charity Society, which in 1876 was given an official name – C\u0113sis Theater. <\/p>\n

The first theater directors were K\u0101rlis Ma\u010dernieks (pseudonym Re\u0137u Viesonis) and P\u0113teris Liepi\u0146\u0161-Austri\u0146\u0161, who started with \u0100dolfs Alun\u0101ns’ play “Self-Raised.” Under their leadership, the theater experienced rapid growth – social evenings with theater performances or concerts were organized every month, and soon the troupe began staging increasingly complex works. In 1883, the young actors’ troupe dared to stage the complex romantic play “Precioza” by Pius Alexander Wolf with music by C. M. Weber, but an even bolder step was Ferdinand Raimund’s fantastic comedy “The Spendthrift” with many stage effects – fires, floods, flying through the air, and transformations. The performance on March 31, 1885, gave the people of C\u0113sis a huge surprise and excitement, and moreover, they were the first to stage this play in Latvian, beating even the Riga Latvian Theater by two weeks! <\/p>\n

As the theater’s most popular performances became increasingly grand, the Charity Society’s premises at 3 R\u012bgas Street became too small, so in 1884, the foundation stone was laid for the society’s new building at 3 Jaun\u0101 Street (now 3 Piebalgas Street). This stately two-story brick building was built by the well-known master builder J\u0101nis Me\u0146\u0123els, and by the end of 1885, it was ready. To celebrate the opening of the building on October 27, 1885, M. Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar” (“Ivan Susanin”) was performed in Latvian, with P. Liepi\u0146\u0161-Austri\u0146\u0161, Veronika von Landovska, Konstance Berga-Burtniece, and K. Ma\u010dernieks playing the main roles. <\/p>\n

C\u0113sis Theater gained such a good reputation that it gave guest performances not only in the immediate vicinity but also in Valka, Jelgava, Liep\u0101ja, and elsewhere. Literary scholar T. \u0160verste wrote: “No provincial theater has been admired as much as C\u0113sis Theater. From all sides, people praise the firm and loud theater hostess – C\u0113sis Charity Society, both the directors and the performers. All of Latvia looked there, taking many things as an example.” In 1889, a regional Song Festival was held in C\u0113sis as an echo of the III General Latvian Singing Festival, and after the concerts, multi-act plays were performed. 1890. In 1890, the theater organized the Latvian premiere of local writer Edvards Treimanis-Zv\u0101rgulis’ play “At Latvia’s Bosom.”<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the society’s leadership lacked financial skills, and in 1891, by order of Count Sievers, the owner of C\u0113sis Castle, and the police, the building was transferred to J\u0101nis Me\u0146\u0123elis due to debts. In 1892, the Charity Society itself was closed, and the theater was left without a stage. To preserve cultural life, other solutions were used – the society’s work was continued by the Evangelical Lutheran Church Organ Building Commission, using the premises of the C\u0113sis Men’s Singing Society at 24 R\u012bgas Street. In 1899, the C\u0113sis Social Society was founded, which in 1900 moved to the building built by master builder P\u0113teris P\u0113tersons at 13 Va\u013c\u0146u Street with a fairly large stage and auxiliary rooms suitable for theater needs. Writers Augusts Deglavs and Reinis Kaudz\u012bte participated in the building’s opening event, and C\u0113sis Theater performed H. Neiert’s play “The Shepherd Girl.”
\nAt the beginning of the 20th century, the theater became an important voice of public opinion – in 1906, Jukums Palevi\u010ds’ play “In the Swamp,” which openly opposed tsarism and disturbed the audience, was performed in C\u0113sis. The authorities prohibited the planned repeat performance. In October of the same year, \u0100. Alun\u0101ns’ drama in verse “Our Ancestors” was performed, which, according to the newspaper “Balss,” was well attended, “although there were no Germans and wannabe Germans for an understandable reason.” <\/p>\n

In the twenties and thirties, C\u0113sis Theater experienced both prosperity and decline. After the restoration of the Social Society building in 1923, the theater resumed work with Aspazija’s play “The Silver Veil.” The repertoire included both Latvian classics – \u0100. Alun\u0101ns, A. Brigadere, R. Blaumanis, Aspazija, Rainis, J. Akuraters, A. Up\u012bts, and pearls of world drama – Shakespeare, Schiller, Ibsen, Goldoni, Beaumarchais. Up to 25 performances took place in a season. <\/p>\n

However, in 1933, after the performance of R. Blaumanis’ “Evil Spirit,” critical reviews also appeared, and several years were characterized as a time of theater decline. 1936. In 1936, the cultural life of C\u0113sis gained new breath when the 10th C\u0113sis Guard Regiment, under the direction of the Farmers’ Drama Theater director Fricis Rode, began organizing drama courses. On April 4 of the same year, the “new C\u0113sis Theater” opened its curtain with L\u012bgot\u0146u J\u0113kabs’ play “At Bieranti,” featuring both former theater actors and newcomers. <\/p>\n

A notable event in the cultural life of C\u0113sis was the grand outdoor performance of Aleksandrs Gr\u012bns’ “Flag Seekers” in the summer of 1937, which involved almost 400 performers and extras, with more than 3,000 spectators in the audience – the castle park was full! <\/p>\n

The theater continued to operate during World War II. 1940. In 1940, preparing for a decade in Moscow, the theater staged R. Blaumanis’ “In Fire” and began rehearsing “Raudupiete,” but this work was interrupted by the war. At the turn of 1941-1942, the Trade Union Central Association (ACS) C\u0113sis Drama Ensemble “Rest and Joy of Living” was established, which in January 1943 was reorganized as an independent C\u0113sis Theater. C\u0113sis Music School teacher K\u0101rlis Veilands became the theater’s director. <\/p>\n

During the war, several professional actors from Riga – Harijs Misi\u0146\u0161, Ludvigs Bars, Atis Kraukl\u012btis – came to Cesis and helped to improve the skills of local amateurs. The theatre continued to be active until the end of the war, preserving the cultural life of Cesis even in the most difficult times. <\/p>\n

The materials used for the description are:
\n<\/em>El\u012bna Riemere, research \u201cThe History of C\u0113sis Theatre\u201d
\nCollections of C\u0113sis Castle Museum and Central Library
\n<\/em><\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t[\/vc_column][vc_column width=”5\/12″]\t\t

\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t[\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

1911. In 1911, during a grand performance based on the Brothers Kaudz\u012b\u0161i novel “The Time of Land Surveyors,” the audience was most thrilled by the actor playing \u0136encis, publisher J\u0101nis Roze, who rode across the stage on a live pony. The pony was brought to the stage, which was located on the second floor, through a window! <\/p>\n

During World War I, the theater continued to operate, often organizing charity performances. Even the Bermondt forces, who in 1919 burned down the Social Society building while retreating, couldn’t stop the theater’s activities \u2013 performances were shown at the “Colosseum” cinema, C\u0113sis Castle Park, in the Castle manor barn, and even in the garden of the Rucka minor estate. <\/p>\n

Facts<\/strong><\/h3>\n
    \n
  • 1875: The first Latvian theater performance in C\u0113sis takes place when \u0100dolfs Alun\u0101ns’ troupe visits the German citizens’ club “B\u00fcrger Muse”<\/li>\n
  • 1875: A drama group is formed in the Charity Society established in C\u0113sis<\/li>\n
  • 1876: The drama group forms its own committee and is named \u2013 C\u0113sis Theater<\/li>\n
  • 1883: The troupe stages the complex romantic play “Precioza” by Pius Alexander Wolf with music by C. M. Weber<\/li>\n
  • 1884: The foundation stone is laid for the new Charity Society building at 3 Jaun\u0101 Street<\/li>\n
  • 1885: Ferdinand Raimund’s fantastic comedy “The Spendthrift” is performed, which the people of C\u0113sis were the first in Latvia to stage in Latvian<\/li>\n
  • 1885: The new Charity Society building is completed<\/li>\n
  • 1885: M. Glinka’s opera “A Life for the Tsar” (“Ivan Susanin”) is performed in Latvian at the opening of the new building<\/li>\n
  • 1889: Regional Song Festival with theater performances takes place in C\u0113sis<\/li>\n
  • 1890: The theater organizes the Latvian premiere of Edvards Treimanis-Zv\u0101rgulis’ play “At Latvia’s Bosom”<\/li>\n
  • 1892: The C\u0113sis Latvian Society is closed by order of Count Sievers, the owner of C\u0113sis Castle, and the police<\/li>\n
  • 1899: C\u0113sis Social Society is founded<\/li>\n
  • 1900: Master builder P\u0113teris P\u0113tersons’ building at 13 Va\u013c\u0146u Street with a fairly large stage is opened<\/li>\n
  • 1906: Jukums Palevi\u010ds’ play “In the Swamp,” which openly opposed tsarism, is performed<\/li>\n
  • 1906: \u0100dolfs Alun\u0101ns’ drama in verse “Our Ancestors” is performed<\/li>\n
  • 1909: The Social Society celebrates its tenth anniversary with Aspazija’s drama “Vaidelote” directed by Alfr\u0113ds Zommers<\/li>\n
  • 1910: Petroleum lamps in the theater are replaced with electric lighting<\/li>\n
  • 1911: P\u0101vils Gruzna’s dramatized performance based on the Brothers Kaudz\u012b\u0161i novel “The Time of Land Surveyors” is staged<\/li>\n
  • 1914: The new Social Society building at 12 Raunas Street is opened<\/li>\n
  • 1917\u20131919: Workers’ Theater operates in C\u0113sis<\/li>\n
  • 1919: The Bermondt forces burn down the Social Society building while retreating<\/li>\n
  • 1922: The Social Society organizes the opening ceremony for the stage of its new building<\/li>\n
  • 1923: The C\u0113sis Theater stage was opened with Aspazija’s play “The Silver Veil”<\/li>\n
  • 1933: Season opens with R. Blaumanis’ “Evil Spirit,” which receives critical reviews<\/li>\n
  • 1936: The 10th C\u0113sis Guard Regiment, under the direction of Fr. Rode from the Farmers’ Drama Theater, begins organizing drama courses <\/li>\n
  • 1936: The “new C\u0113sis Theater” opens its curtain with L\u012bgot\u0146u J\u0113kabs’ play “At Bieranti”<\/li>\n
  • 1937: A grand outdoor performance of A. Gr\u012bns’ “Flag Seekers” takes place with almost 400 performers<\/li>\n
  • 1940: Preparing for a decade in Moscow, the theater stages R. Blaumanis’ “In Fire”<\/li>\n
  • 1941\u20131942: The ACS “Rest and Joy of Living” C\u0113sis Drama Ensemble is established<\/li>\n
  • 1943: The Drama Ensemble is reorganized as an independent C\u0113sis Theater with K\u0101rlis Veilands as director<\/li>\n
  • 1944: F. Leh\u00e1r’s “Spring Girl” directed by Yuri de Bur is performed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1686,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[204,209],"product_tag":[210,211],"class_list":{"0":"post-1723","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-cesis-house","7":"product_cat-cultural-institutions","8":"product_tag-culture","9":"product_tag-theatre","11":"first","12":"instock","13":"shipping-taxable","14":"product-type-simple"},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product\/1723","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1723"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_brand?post=1723"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_cat?post=1723"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cesustasti.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product_tag?post=1723"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}