New concert show in Rēzekne to tell the story of Latgalian Aloizs Trups
On November 4, the Joriks theatre in Rēzekne will host a new concert performance, “The Blond Martyr,” about Latgalian Aloizs Trups, who served in the Russian tsar's court and was later recognized as an Orthodox saint. The show will feature several musicians and ten new songs.
On November 4, Rēzekne's Joriks theatre will premiere a new musical-visual concert show titled "The Blond Martyr," telling the life story of Latgalian Aloizs Trups. Performers will include rapper Ūga, the band "Dabasu Durovys," the ensemble "Juos īluos līluos," and Guntis Rasims. The program will also feature computer visualizations by Ivars Utināns and humorous monologues by Arnis Bukšs.
According to co-creator Arnis Slobožaņins, Aloizs Trups, due to his personal qualities and a series of life coincidences, ended up serving at the court of the last Russian tsar, becoming a chamber servant and a trusted figure within the Romanov family. In 1918, he was executed by the Bolsheviks along with the entire tsar's family. After the fall of the Soviet regime, the Orthodox Church canonized both the tsar's family and Trups himself as holy martyrs.
Origin of the idea
Slobožaņins explains that the idea emerged after rapper Ūga suggested creating something new, since he didn't want another standard city-festival concert. Inspiration came from an earlier concert show about Putin, and after reflecting, the team concluded that Trups's story could be compelling, given how his personal traits combined with chance events to shape an unusual life path.
The story of Trups's life
Trups was born in Borkova, near the border of Vidzeme and Latgale. Originally, it was his brother who was expected to serve in the military, but in the end Aloizs went instead. Thanks to his appearance — tall, blond, blue-eyed — he was selected for an elite regiment guarding the Winter Palace. Later, the tsarina's mother, Maria, recommended he be appointed as a servant, and Trups gradually advanced in his career, gaining education, service ranks, and his own small estate near Saint Petersburg, while also funding cultural events in his native Borkova.
After the 1917 revolution, Trups had the chance to leave the tsar's family but chose to stay with them until their tragic deaths in July 1918.
The show will combine humor and tragedy, featuring ten new songs with original music and lyrics, elements of hip-hop and alternative pop, as well as AI-generated video depicting Trups himself. Tickets are available online.
