SRC Researcher

Lauma Mellēna-Bartkeviča is theatre scholar, music and theatre critic and journalist, who pursued her doctoral studies at the University of Latvia and defended her doctoral thesis Richard Wagner’s operas in the 21st century: the Ring cycle productions in Riga and their contextualization in 2018, receiving a PhD degree in Arts.

Since 2004, she has published articles, interviews and reviews on opera, concerts and theatre in Latvian printed and electronic media: apollo.lv, satori.lv, kroders.lv, newspaper Neatkarīgā Rīta avīze,  music and theatre magazines Mūzikas Saule and Teātra Vēstnesis, regular invited expert at Latvian Radio 3 “Klasika” programs of  music life analysis Post Factum and Atspere. Author of series of articles Voice: behind the scenes, consisting of interviews with singers and voice teachers from Latvia and abroad in music magazine Mūzikas Saule. Author of several scientific publications, co-author of collective monograph Neatkarības laika teātris (Theatre since Independence, ed. by E. Tišheizere, LU LFMI, 2021), author of the idea and editor of the compendium of articles Contemporary Latvian Theatre 2010-2020. A Decade Bookazine (LTDS/apgāds Zinātne, 2020). 

Since October 2020,  Lauma Mellēna-Bartkeviča is a researcher of the National Research Program CARD implemented at the Latvian Academy of Music and working in the sub-project Music culture in Latvia in the 20ies-30ies and the second half of the 20th century: less researched processes, issues, problems.  In 2021, she was elected in the position of researcher at the SRC of the Academy. Research interests of Lauma Mellēna-Bartkeviča mainly concern vocal arts, opera, music and dramatic theatre including the development of the genres interacting with media, technologies and society.

Recent and forthcoming publications:

Mellēna-Bartkeviča, Lauma. 2023. Baņuta Resurrected: From National Romanticism to Contemporary Performativity. Lietuvos Muzikologija / Lithuanian Musicology, No. 24, Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre, eds. Rūta Stanevičiūte, Rima Povilionienė, Pp. 21 – 32. ISSN 1392-9313

Mellēna-Bartkeviča. Lauma. Vāgnera “Gredzens” Rīgā. Pieturpunkti. [Wagner’s “Ring” in Riga. Highlights.] Rihards Vāgners un Rīga, pp. 99. –170, red./ed. Guntars Pupa, Rīga, Jumava, 2023.

Mellēna-Bartkeviča Lauma. 2023. No kora opera līdz galvenajām lomām Berlīnē: latviešu tenora Artūra Priednieka-Kavaras starptautiskā karjera starpkaru periodā. [From a choir in Liepāja to main roles in Berlin: the international career of Latvian tenor Arturs Priednieks-Cavara in the interwar period.] Current Issues In Research of Literature & Culture: Conference Proceedings Volume / Aktuālas Problēmas Literatūras un Kultūras Pētniecībā; 2023, Vol. 28, pp, 205-214. Liepājas Universitāte, 2023.

Mellēna Bartkeviča, Lauma. 2022. Contemporary music(al) theatre in Latvia: problem of definitions and formats. Culture Crossroads,Vol. 21, Latvian Academy of Culture, 2022. Pp. 44–55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55877/cc.vol21.27. ISSN: 2500-9974

Mellēna-Bartkeviča, Lauma. 2022. Latvian Theatre in Pandemic Transition: Experience of Baltic Drama Forum 2020. Culture Crossroads, Vol. 19, Latvian Academy of Culture, 2021, pp. 89–97. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55877/cc.vol19.32. ISSN: 2500-9974