The Birgitta Festival starts on August 13 at 9 pm with cantata „Aeg armastada” [A Time to Love] by young Estonian composer Tauno Aints. The work for soloists, male choir and symphony orchestra is composed in 2008 and dedicated to 90th anniversary of Republic of Estonia. The librettist and one of the text authors is Leelo Tungal. The work will be performed by soloists Jassi Zahharov (baritone), Urmas Põldma (tenor), Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Estonian National Male Choir, Tallinn Boys’ Choir, ballet troupe of the Vanemuine Theatre, soloists Julia Litvinenko and Jonathan Ammerlaan. Video installation is made by Grete Laus and Ott Evestus. Conductor and musical director is Eri Klas.

During the festival, three ballets will be performed by Moscow State Academic Classical Ballet: on August 14 at 8 pm "Spartacus" by Aram Khachaturian, on August 15 at 8 pm Sergei Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet" (direction and choreography by N. Kassatkina and V. Vassiliov) and on August 16 at 8 pm Pyotr Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" (choreography by M. Petipa, L. Ivanov, A. Gorskoi, A. Messerer, N. Kassatkina and V. Vassiliov). Estonian National Opera Symphony Orchestra is conducted by Valery Kritskov.

On August 20 at 8 pm Moscow Helikon-Opera will perform Umberto Giordano's opera "Siberia" (conductor Vladimir Ponkin) and on August 22 at 8 pm Giuseppe Verdi’s "Falstaff" (director and conductor Theodor Currentzis (Greece)). For both of the operas, the stage director is Dmitry Bertman, art directors are Igor Nezhny and Tatyana Tulubieva.

The hightlights of classical opera and jazz arrangements of popular arias will be performed on August 21 at 8 pm by the Symphony Orchestra and soloists of Moscow Helikon-Opera under conducting of Eri Klas, as well as by Estonian Dream Big Band, Joan Faulkner (vocals) and other vocal and instrumental soloists. Conductor and author of arrangements is Antti Sarpila (Finland).

The festival finishes on August 23 at 8 pm with mythological-ritual performance Sound of the Ocean by U-Theatre (Taiwan). The performance is a synthesis of theatre, percussion (bass  drum, gong, Tibetan singing bowl) martial arts, philosophy and meditation. The artistic director of performance is Liu Ruo-Yu and music director Huang Chih-Chun.

More info:

Back