Today starts in Paris for two months enduring Estonian cultural festival Estonie Tonique. This festival is the most extensive cultural project of all times between Estonia and France.
Festival program involves more than 200 Estonian performers and artists and more than 50 cultural events. Most of all, Estonian music is represented. Estonian Theatre is represented by the theatre NO99 and Theatrum. In addition, a retrospective celebrating the 100th anniversary of Estonian film will be held, also a selection of Estonian puppet films will be shown. Newly in French published Estonian literature collections and a collection of poems by Kristiina Ehin will be introduced. Exhibitions of Estonian contemporary art and architecture will be open. An evening is dedicated to Estonian cultural heritage that showcases the culture of Kihnu and Seto.
The festival is organized by Estonian and French Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The Paris-based French Institute (Institut Français) and the Estonian Embassy in Paris will help to implement the festival program. The festival takes place in addition to Paris in its suburbs, as well in Amiens.
Music events of the festival:
On the evening of festival’s opening day, October 7, the Estonian National Male Choir performs works by Arvo Pärt and Veljo Tormis in Paris Saint-Eustache church, conductor is Mikk Üleoja.
On October 12 and 13, Orchestre de Paris with Paavo Järvi performs at Salle Pleyel. Concert program includes Eduard Tubin’s Symphony No 11 as well as P. Tschaikovsky’s Violin concerto D major, soloist is Leonid Kavakos.
The October 14 is for Estonian chamber music. The program includes chamber works by Arvo Pärt, Eduard Tubin, Erkki-Sven Tüür, Tõnu Kõrvits, Heino Eller, Jaan Rääts and Ester Mägi, performers are Klarika Kuusk (piano), Kirsti Kuusk (violin) and Mark Drobinsky (cello). The concert is held at the Grand Salon des Invalides.
Two evenings inspired by W. Shakespeare’s sonnetts will take place on October 20 and 22, musical improvisations will be performed by Paris-based Estonian singer Lembe Lokk with musicians of Bretagne.
On October 22, in framework of festival MaMA 2011 Mari Kalkun & Group will give a concert at Les trois Baudets.
On November 2, the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir with organist Christopher Bowers-Broadbent preforms a program dedicated to Arvo Pärt at Oratoire du Louvre, conductor is Paul Hillier.
On November 3, a digital art project Prosthetic Brain will be presented by video artist Tencu and musician Taavi Kerikmäe, the concert venue is Le Cube, Issy-les-Moulineaux.
Ensemble Orchestral de Paris and the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir will give a concert under conducting by Olari Elts on November 4 at art center 104. Works by Arvo Pärt, incl. the French premiere of Adam’s Lament, and Thierry Escaich will be performed.
On November 12, a concert of Estonian jazz will be held by Villu Veski JazzGroup & Sofia Rubina at Paris Serbian Cultural Center.
Festival’s official web site: www.estonie-tonique.com