April 7-11, music festival „Marathon XXI” will take place in Rennes. Festival, initiated by Estonian conductor and artistic director of Orchestre de Bretagne’i, celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Estonian Republic and presents contemporary music from Nordic countries and Estonia.
On April 7 and 8, Orchestre de Bretagne will perform among other works „Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten” and „De profundis” by Arvo Pärt.
On April 10 at 10 a.m conference about Estonian music will be held in University of Rennes, where the lecturers will be composers Helena Tulve and Erkki-Sven Tüür. In the evening of the same day at 8. pm NYYD Ensemble will give a concert titled „Something Elts!” in Rennes Opera House. Programme includes besides music by Thierry Escaich, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Magnus Lindberg, „Fratres” by Arvo Pärt, „Lijnen” by Helena Tulve and „Oxymoron” by Erkki-Sven Tüür. Soloists will be Arianna Savall (soprano) and Leho Karin (cello). Following Estonian evening at 10.30 p.m will bring musical surprises from the members of NYYD Ensemble. The evening is supported by the City of Rennes and Estonian Embassy in France.
On April 11 at 8 p.m the concert of Orchestre de Bretagne (conductor Olari Elts) will take place in Rennes Opera House. Orchestra will perform besides works by Kaija Saariaho, Magnus Lindberg and Thierry Escaich also „Orient ja Occident” by Arvo Pärt and Erkki-Sven Tüür’s accordion concerto „Prophecy” (2007, soloist Mika Väyrynen) commissioned by Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestra de Bretagne. Electronic music night will start at 11 p.m where DJ Galaktlan from Estonia will select the music.
Exhibition of Arvo Pärt by photographer Tõnu Tormis is displayed in the gallery of Rennes Opera House during the festival.
Agnes Toomla