Helen Lokuta

b. April 12, 1975 Tartu

Helen Lokuta studied in Music Class at Tartu 7th High School (the current Karlova Gymnasium) and graduated from Aino Kõiv’s violin class at the Heino Eller Tartu Music School in 1997. In 2002 Lokuta obtained bachelor's degree from Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Pille Lill and Tamara Novitšenko, also received the Erasmus stipendium for exchange studies in Karlsruhe Higher Music School and Opera School (in Maria Venuti’s singing class) in 2000. In 2014 Lokuta obtained magister's degree from Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre with Jaakko Ryhänen. In addition Helen Lokuta has taken part of master classes by Eva Märtson, Aleksandr Kapustjanski, Jaakko Ryhänen, Maria Acda and Päivi Järviö.

In 1994 Helen Lokuta won 1st prize in Estonian Youth Singers Competition and in 2002 she was one of the finalists in Con Brio competition-festival for young musicians of Estonia. In 2005 she won 2nd prize in International vocalists competition in Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre and special prize for singing „Me armastus“ (Our Love) by Estonian composer Kuldar Sink.

From 2001 to 2006 Helen Lokuta has worked as free-lance soloist and since 2006 as a soloist at the Estonian National Opera. Since 2004 she has participated in Tõnu Kaljuste’s project Nargen Opera. In season 2002/2003 she worked at the Baden National Opera studio in Karlsruhe, where she was starring in Gioacchino Rossini’s opera Cinderella. It has been played in many German Opera Theatres. In 2007 Helen Lokuta debuted in Latvian National Opera as Polina in Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s opera The Queen of Spades.

Helen Lokuta has participated in many Estonian festivals - Rapla Church Music Festival, Estonian Music Days, Kuressaare Opera Days and Leigo Lake Music. She has given solo concerts in Estonia, Germany, Italy and Sweden with pianists Ralf Taal, Piia Paemuru, Marrit Gerretz-Traksmann and Tarmo Eespere. She has performed with orchestras like Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Hortus Musicus and with Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir under conductors as Gintaras Rinkevi?ius, Tõnu Kaljuste, Eri Klas, Arvo Volmer, Paul Mägi, Vello Pähn, Jüri Alperten, Johannes Somary and others.

Her concert repertory further encompasses a wide range of vocal pieces and vocal-symphonic music. She has sung soprano parts in Requiems by Giuseppe Verdi, Antonio Salieri and Gabriel Fauré, Stabat Mater by Giovanni Battista Pergolesi and Antonin Dvo?ák, Christmas Oratorio by Camille Saint-Saëns, Mass No. 6 in E flat major by Franz Schubert, Mass in C major by Ludwig van Beethoven, Nicolaimesse (Missa Sancti Nicolai) and Wind-band Mass (Harmoniemesse) by Joseph Haydn, Messiah oratorio by Georg Friedrich Händel, Cecilia, vergine romana and L´Abbé Agathon by Arvo Pärt.

Most important part of her repertoire consists of opera roles. Her roles in Estonian National Opera have been: Carmen (Georges Bizet Carmen), Maddalena (Giuseppe Verdi Rigoletto), Flora (Verdi La Traviata), Emilia (Verdi Otello), Meg (Verdi Falstaff), Polina (Pyotr Tchaikovsky The Queen of Spades), Annio (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart La clemenza di Tito), Third Lady (Mozart The Magic Flute), Lola (Pietro Mascagni Cavalieria Rustica), Mrs. Nolan (Gian Carlo Menotti The Medium), Volpino (Joseph Haydn Der Apotheker), Hederl (Franz Schubert / Heinrich Berté Das Dreimäderlhaus), Voice (Wolfgang Rihm Jacob Lens), Angelina (Gioachino Rossini Cinderella), Roxane’s duenna (Eino Tamberg Cyrano de Bergerac), Anna (Eduard Tubin Barbara von Tiesenhusen), Josephine and teacher (Tõnis Kaumann Me - Napoleon!), Virve (Veljo Tormis Swan’s Flight), Diplomat (Erkki-Sven Tüür Wallenberg), Nina Gluckstein (Mari Vihmand The Formula of Love). Helen Lokuta has also participated in Léo Delibes' Ballet Coppélia as a vocal soloist and roles in Nargen Opera: Costanza (Joseph Haydn Solitary Island), Lisetta (Haydn Life on the Moon), Angel and Teacher (Tõnu Kõrvits My Swans, My Thoughts and Firegarden).

In 2005 Helen Lokuta was awarded the honorable title of Young Musician of the Year from the Pille Lill Music Fund and in 2007 Annual Prize from Estonian Teatre Union for the Angelina’s role in Rossini’s opera Cinderella and Angel’s and Teacher’s role in two operas – My Swans, My Thoughts and Firegarden by Tõnu Kõrvits.

© EMIC 2009

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