Estonia National Opera opens 120th season with concert and fair

Estonia National Opera opened its 120th season on August 30 with a theatre fair and a free concert, ERR reported. The three-part gala, titled “Estonia 120”, was hosted by opera soloist René Soom and ballet director Linnar Looris.

Ballet and opera activities were held during the intervals. In the White Hall, French director Vincent Boussard introduced the season’s first new production, Verdi’s opera “Otello”. Visitors could also listen to archivist Jaak Jõekalda’s conversation with the latest recipient of the title Friend of Estonia.

In the Blue Hall, Looris led an open ballet class, while new dancers from the Estonian National Ballet took part in interviews. Students from the Tallinn School of Music and Ballet also performed.

At the Estonia restaurant, choreographer Helen Veidebaum and composer Kaspar Jancis presented their new ballet “Captain Morten on the Ship of Fools”. Director Marta Aliide Jakovski of Tallinn City Theatre and set designer Lilja Blumenfeld discussed the staging of Humperdinck’s opera “Hansel and Gretel”.

The theatre fair offered costumes from popular productions, including the ballets “Cinderella”, “The Three Musketeers” and “Romeo and Juliet”, as well as the operas “Cinderella”, “Buratino” and “La bohème”. Costumes worn by well-known performers such as Voldemar Kuslap, Helgi Sallo, Kalju Saareke and Ain Anger were also sold.