Until recently, Latvian Jurmala was considered in Russia prestigious resort, where you can have a good rest and even gawk at celebrities. However, two years ago, “New Wave” and other Russian festivals abandoned their Baltic registration for political reasons. I figured out how the “pearl of the Riga seaside” survived the changes.

Age of abundance

The founders of the New Wave, composers, chose Jurmala because this resort was also chosen by Soviet pop stars of the first magnitude. Everyone performed here. The first “New Wave” took place with great success in July-August 2002. More than 800 people and several huge trailers with scenery and equipment arrived in Jurmala through the organizers alone. The television audience of the competition reached 4 million viewers.

IN different years The festival was attended by: Smash!, Polina Rostova, Nyusha, Jukebox Trio, . The New Wave gave some of the artists, including Jamala, a start in life. Naturally, the festival program aroused great interest. “Due to the “New Wave”, “Voicing KiViN”, guests and a huge number Russian tourists who visited the resort in July, Jurmala received large financial income. Restaurants, cafes, hotels and guest houses were overcrowded, rental rates skyrocketed,” Riga real estate specialist, deputy director of Ģlob Al Group Milana Skumbinya told Lenta.ru.

According to her, there were simply no vacancies in hotels, and waiters in restaurants were simply overwhelmed. Among the very important guests of the resort were: their total wealth is several times higher than the annual GDP of Latvia. Raymond Pauls said with good reason that the “New Wave” inspired new life to Jurmala.

But the festival brought not only joy and fun: several times it resulted in fines for neglecting the Latvian language. The competition was picketed by nationalists, and many officials spoke of its undesirability. “The New Wave in itself, as well as in terms of all the fuss around it, symbolizes the post-Soviet space from which we want to leave forever,” said Latvian Minister of Culture Sarmite Elerte.

Practical Russians reminded Latvians that they were making huge profits. One of the festival organizers calculated: “During the New Wave period, Jurmala entrepreneurs earn money in a week by raising prices by 300 percent!” I think there are no such precedents in the world. They make money from us. We pay for more than a thousand people, we rent 27 hotels. About 2,000 more people work with us as subcontractors - that is, that’s 3,000 jobs.” However, in 2014, “New Wave” took place in Jurmala in last time. Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevich banned Valeria from entering the country because they expressed support for Russian foreign policy. “I don’t want them to use Latvia to promote views that are incompatible with our principles,” the minister explained. Later, film actors and .

Time to count

As a result, Igor Krutoy announced that he would look for another place for the New Wave. And the competition moved to Sochi. Other summer Russian festivals followed from Jurmala - “Voting KiViN” and “Jurmalina”. Throughout last year, the authorities argued that the city did not suffer from the departure of festivals, and that the outflow of Russians was compensated by visitors from other countries. However, at the beginning of June, a dissonance was added to this by the complaint of the mayor of Jurmala, Guntis Truksnis, that instead of generous Russians, tight-fisted Scandinavians and Germans were now coming to the resort. “Of course, it was a difficult year. Due to the geopolitical and economic crisis, external tourism from Russia has fallen by forty percent. Thirty-three percent of tourists in Jurmala were Latvians, sixty-seven were from abroad. Of these sixty-seven percent, Russians made up forty. If this figure drops by half, then, of course, this has an impact... The previous three years, the number of tourists grew by twenty percent. Last year, fortunately, we finished without any minuses, but with a small, small plus,” Truksnis complained.

Photo: Dmitry Korotaev / Kommersant

According to the mayor, the city was helped to avoid going into the red by refocusing on less generous guests. “The number of visitors from neighboring countries Baltic states, Sweden, Germany, Great Britain... But, of course, tourists from Western Europe consumer habits are different, they are more conservative. The hotels are full, but the bills are twenty percent lower. I explain this by saying that this is the norm. They just overpaid before,” the mayor reassures himself.

He is also indignant that the state has significantly tightened the conditions for foreigners to participate in the program “residence permits (residence permits) in exchange for investments” - which is why rich Russians have stopped purchasing land in Jurmala. “The residence permit program has, in principle, been killed. Real estate sales fell eight and a half times compared to the previous year, and we are still happy about it! Our market is not so self-sufficient that we can afford to purchase this. How many people are there in Latvia who can afford luxury real estate... We need to be more open and not as xenophobic as we sometimes are,” concluded Truksnis. Many believe that in the person of Truksnis, Jurmala is finally lucky with its mayor - several of his predecessors were convicted of bribery. And the words of the mayor are worth listening to.

Milana Skumbinya confirms: “The move of the New Wave to Sochi, a significant decrease in demand from Russian buyers, new geopolitical realities and changes in the rules for obtaining a residence permit in Latvia adopted in the second half of 2014 led to a decrease in the total number of transactions in new projects in Jurmala by approximately 72 percent. The number of transactions with private houses in Jurmala fell by 64 percent. And only this spring, after a year and a half of weak demand, sales transactions in Jurmala began to come to life.”

Lenta.ru talked to former local government deputy, member of the public council at the Jurmala City Council, Janis Kuzins, about how things are in the city. “Russians now coming to Jurmala are mainly those who have previously received a residence permit and are now required to register here and check their property. Other foreigners are Lithuanians, Estonians, Scandinavians and Ukrainians. The latter are actively interested in business opportunities in Latvia as a country. By the way, Ukrainian ones are trying to replace the departed Russian festivals here - such as “Kvartal 95”, “Made in Ukraine” and so on. There is no stability in Ukraine, and many Ukrainian entrepreneurs are looking for opportunities to withdraw funds from their homeland to Latvia,” notes Couzins.

According to him, the city is forced to take over the maintenance of the famous concert hall"Dzintari", which previously existed on self-sufficiency. Now the cost of its rent has tripled. “Unlike Russians, for vacationers from the Baltic states and Ukraine, a concert ticket costing one hundred euros is too expensive. Even Scandinavians prefer to spend money not on a live music session, but on coffee and a bun,” explains Cousins. According to him, if previously local owners of beach cafes had to pay about a thousand euros per season for renting land, now prices have increased tenfold - although previously earnings were twenty percent higher.

The smell of the outback

The public figure is confident that things can be improved in Jurmala only by taking steps to resume cooperation with the Russians. And if the state power has not yet matured for this, then the municipalities should take the initiative. “Personally, I intend to speak to the public council with a proposal to renew the agreement with Jurmala’s sister city Alushta. Following the example of colleagues from Italy and France, you can gather a delegation of former and current deputies of the Jurmala City Duma, businessmen, social activists and visit Alushta on a friendly visit. I hope for mutual support from the Alushta administration,” he says.

And guests from Russia. It is expected that it will be much larger than the first - some even say that, in fact, the “New Wave” will return to Jurmala in a different guise. However, the resort, according to visitors, is not very impressive yet. Here, for example, is the opinion expressed to Lente.ru by Pskov journalist Elena Yazemova: “The legendary Jurmala not only disappointed, but led to a slight shock - my idea of ​​it was too far from reality. No, the sea there is wonderful and the beaches are wonderful. But here she is... My husband took me to the sea along one of the central streets. And I look around and think: is this “the same” Jurmala, a fashionable luxury resort where Russian stars bought dachas in droves? Outback is outback..."

A big scandal is breaking out around the Laima Vaikule Rendezvous music festival in Jurmala, starting on July 5th. Songwriter Ilya Reznik expressed his indignation at the participation of representatives of Russian show business in the event organized by the Latvian authorities. The 78-year-old author of hits for Pugacheva, Kirkorov and other stars said in an interview with Life that he considers the arrival of artists from Russia to Jurmala unacceptable.

Let us recall, as Life already wrote, this year the authorities of the Latvian resort, which lost the legendary “New Wave” the year before. The organizers of the "Rendezvous" invited the regulars of the "New Wave" there - Maxim Galkin, Kristina Orbakaite, Elena Vaenga, Lolita, Alexander Buinov, Vladimir Presnyakov and many other stars, whose performances in past years tourists flowed like a river, bringing money to the city budget. The producers of Rendezvous, led by Laima Vaikule, even invited Alla Pugacheva, who for many years was the muse of the New Wave, as a special guest. It is noteworthy that two years later, none of the invitees even remembered the loud scandal when Russian stars - Valeria, Oleg Gazmanov and Joseph Kobzon - were denied entry to Jurmala, thereby provoking our country to abandon the “New Wave” in Latvia and postpone her in Sochi. The current headliners of the Jurmala “Rendezvous” were not embarrassed by the close “neighborhood” of Vladimir Zelensky’s festival “Quarter 95,” which starts in the city this same month and positions itself as “a festival designed to promote Ukraine in Europe.” However, the Laima Vaikule festival’s poster is also full of Ukrainian stars: next to Russian names is Verka Serduchka, the duet “Potap and Nastya” and even the group “Time and Glass”, whose soloist was not so long ago

This is the essence of acting - corrupt. Most of our artists are unprincipled! - Ilya Reznik was hotly indignant at what was happening in Jurmala. - This unscrupulousness and desire to make money ultimately leads to such “little betrayals.” When our great Kobzon was offended in Jurmala two years ago, our artists should have already packed up and left, it would have been humane and Russian! Well, what can you do, this is our show business! Fee is a word with a capital letter.

The main reason for the stars’ agreement to return to Jurmala, according to the poet, was the crisis in Russian show business and a significant decrease in the artists’ incomes.

Igor Krutoy, who made “New Wave,” was replaced there by Limochka, that’s all. Show business is in crisis; many artists have no fees. Of course, this is a reason for them to make money. Especially when the Latvian government allocated a million dollars. Now our stars will also replenish their budget there. Alas, patriotic people, in the highest sense, can be counted on one hand! Those who truly love their Fatherland, respect their people and will never betray them.

Reznik admitted that he considers all possible arguments by Russian stars about why they returned to Jurmala to be “talk in favor of the poor.”

They can find any explanation: let's be friends and so on. This doesn't give me any respect. They revealed their essence, you know? This is greed. Many people have built palaces and mansions there, in Jurmala, and they also need to be maintained. I don't want to denounce them, but for me this festival is a regrettable event.

A scandal erupted around the Laima Vaikule Rendezvous festival taking place in Jurmala. Ilya Reznik accused Galkin, Orbakaite, Vaenga, Mazaev and other Russian artists who came to Jurmala of greed and unscrupulousness.

Started on July 5 music Festival"Rendezvous" by Laima Vaikule in Jurmala. The famous songwriter Ilya Reznik expressed his indignation at the participation of representatives of Russian show business in the event organized by the Latvian authorities.

As you know, this year the authorities of the Latvian resort, which lost the legendary “New Wave” the year before, have relied on a new festival.

The organizers of the "Rendezvous" invited the regulars of the "New Wave" there - Maxim Galkin, Kristina Orbakaite, Elena Vaenga, Lolita, Alexander Buinov, Vladimir Presnyakov and many other stars, whose performances in past years tourists flowed like a river, bringing money to the city budget.

The producers of Rendezvous, led by Laima Vaikule, even invited Alla Pugacheva, who for many years was the muse of the New Wave, as a special guest.

At the same time, none of the invitees even remembered the loud scandal when Russian stars - Valeria, Oleg Gazmanov and Joseph Kobzon - were denied entry to Jurmala, thereby provoking Russia to abandon the “New Wave” in Latvia and move it to Sochi.

The current headliners of the Jurmala “Rendezvous” were not embarrassed by the close “neighborhood” of Vladimir Zelensky’s festival “Quarter 95,” which starts in the city this same month and positions itself as “a festival designed to promote Ukraine in Europe.” However, the Laima Vaikule festival poster is also full of Ukrainian stars: next to Russian names are Verka Serduchka, the duet “Potap and Nastya” and even the group “Time and Glass”, whose soloist not so long ago openly demonstrated fascist signs in his new video.

“This is the essence of acting - corrupt. Our artists, for the most part, are unprincipled!” Ilya Reznik was indignant at what was happening in Jurmala.

“This unscrupulousness and the desire to make money ultimately leads to such “little betrayals.” When our great Kobzon was offended in Jurmala two years ago, our artists should have already packed up and left, it would have been humane and Russian! Well what are you going to do, this is our show business! Fee is a word with a capital letter," the poet noted.

The main reason for the stars’ agreement to return to Jurmala, according to the poet, was the crisis in Russian show business and a significant decrease in the artists’ incomes.

“Igor Krutoy, who made the New Wave, was replaced there by Limochka, that’s all. Show business is in crisis, many artists have no fees. Of course, this is a reason for them to earn money. Moreover, when the Latvian government allocated a million dollars. Now our stars will replenish their budget there. Alas, we can count patriotic people, in the highest sense, on one hand! Those who truly love their Fatherland, respect their people and will never betray them," Reznik emphasized.

He admitted that he considers all possible arguments of Russian stars about why they returned to Jurmala to be “talk in favor of the poor.”

“They can find any explanation: let’s be friends and so on. This doesn’t cause me any respect. They revealed their essence, you know? This is greed. Many built palaces and mansions there, in Jurmala, and they also need to be maintained. I I don’t want to denounce them, but for me this festival is a regrettable event.”

Ilya Reznik’s statement angered Sergei Mazaev, who responded to the poet in a rather rude manner.

The vocalist of the group “Moral Codex” said that he received a good fee for performing at the Rendezvous festival in Jurmala and is not at all ashamed of it.

“I will bring the money I earned in Jurmala home, pay taxes, so, on the contrary, I am enriching our country. The money has already been transferred to my Moscow account: everything is very honest and without delays or empty promises. I did not put my fee in some bank in Jurmala, I brought it to Russia! I glorify my Motherland with any of my performances abroad, and do not betray it," he said.

According to the musician, he is not at all embarrassed by the fact that he will have to “glorify” his country in the company of artists with an anti-Russian position (the Vaikule festival poster is replete with the names of Ukrainian artists who have more than once spoken very unflatteringly about Russia).

From September 3 to 9, the International Competition of Young Popular Music Performers “New Wave 2016” was held in Sochi.

The competition has been held since 2002. Its winners and finalists over the years were the group SMASH!!, Dmitry Bilan, Irina Dubtsova, Anastasia Stotskaya, Polina Gagarina, Dominic Joker and many others.

A grand gala concert dedicated to the opening of the anniversary competition. The evening's special guest is Ricky Martin.

Traditionally, on the opening day of the competition, the main characters of the “New Wave” appear for the first time - the contestants, 16 finalists from 12 countries. The ceremonial removal of the flags of the participating countries, the dynamic drawing of lots, the presentation of members of the professional jury of the competition. And, of course, performances by Russian and foreign pop stars.

The stars will delight with well-known and beloved songs from Russian films. And the finalists of the “New Wave” will perform favorite hits from foreign films by millions.

Before the competition program, in which the contestants will perform with the stars, popular artists will perform hits written by Viktor Drobysh.

A magnificent concert with the participation of the brightest artists of our time! The music of maestro Igor Krutoy is an invaluable gift to all connoisseurs of expressive melodies and professional performance.

Anna Netrebko, Dmitry Hvorostovsky, Lara Fabian, Angelika Varum, Lev Leshchenko and others will perform before the audience.

Show business stars and popular artists will present to the public hits created and performed over the years by the favorite of millions - the energetic and unforgettable Oleg Gazmanov!

Philip Kirkorov, Valery Leontyev, Irina Allegrova, Tamara Gverdtsiteli, Nikolai Baskov, Ani Lorak and others will perform before the audience.