Valmiera Drama Theatre

Pre-history

The beginnings of the theatre can be considered to date back to 1818, when in Dikļi the first performance was staged in the Latvian language in the manor barn – Friedrich Schiller’s The Robbers.

Founding

The Valmiera Drama Theater was founded in 1923, when, with the support of the Valmiera City Council, professional theater performances began to be held regularly. In 1930, it was nenamed as the Northern Latvia Theater.

Soviet and Nazi Occupations

During the Soviet occupation in 1940-1941, the Valmiera Workers' Union amateur theater was active, and during the Nazi German occupation, the Valmiera Theater was active. In 1943, Pēteris Lūcis staged his first production at the Valmiera Theater. In 1944, the Latvian SSR State Valmiera Drama Theater began operating under the direction of director Žanis Vīkalns with Rainis's play "Pūt, vējiņi!" (Blow, Winds!). In 1948, the State Latgale Drama Theater was added to the theater. From 1950, Anna Lāce (Lācis) was the theatre's chief director.

Since 1990

The Valmiera Drama Theater building was constructed in 1996 according to a design by architects Modris Ģelzis, Olita Upaciere and Juris Gusevs on the site where the Latvian Society House once stood. This stone building has two halls, a theatre museum, an art salon and a café. The theatre building is also part of the Valmiera St. Simon's Church and medieval fortifications of Valmiera Castle area, which are architectural monuments of national importance.