Estonia opera deputies urge board to consider whole institution

Deputy directors of Estonia’s National Opera have urged the board to focus on the interests of the whole organisation, citing nearly four months of internal conflict and persistent negative media coverage, ERR reported. They also called for action to secure sustainable funding for the theatre.

In a letter to the board, the deputies said they did not question any employee’s right to raise concerns with management or the board. However, they questioned why public statements by 14 soloists and foreign soloists working outside Estonia had received so much attention that the issue had escalated into a wide-ranging public conflict. They said they did not understand why the board was concentrating so strongly on the problems of about three percent of staff while, in their view, largely overlooking other employees.

The letter noted that the opera employs people across many professions whose daily work keeps the theatre running and contributes to its artistic output. The deputies said the concerns and views of these employees also deserved the board’s attention.

They described sustainable funding as an especially pressing issue, saying it directly affects staff pay, working conditions, creative opportunities and the theatre’s development. They also warned that the prolonged public dispute could damage the opera’s reputation, disrupt employees’ work and undermine trust in the organisation.

The deputies asked the board to hear from staff across different departments when assessing the theatre’s management, rather than relying only on an appeal from one group of employees. They said the shared goal was a strong, well-functioning opera where staff could focus on their work and management decisions served the interests of the whole organisation.