Birgitta Festival combines the dark charm of a medieval Pirita convent in Tallinn, Estonia with the latest in modern musical theatre in all its variety and richness.

HELI VESKUS soprano, Estonian National Opera
OLIVER KUUSIK tenor, Estonian National Opera
RENE SOOM baritone, Estonian National Opera
Soloists of MOSCOW NOVAYA OPERA

Pop-jazz singer
SOFIA RUBINA

ESTONIAN DREAM BIG BAND

SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF MOSCOW NOVAYA OPERA

Conductor ERI KLAS

Duration 2:00 with intermission

OPERA@POP-JAZZ is somewhat different from the similar concerts of the past years. The concert of jazz arrangements of opera music, which together with Carmina Burana became the biggest hit at the Birgitta Festival, this year presents the opera world’s top arias from the following operas: Bizet’s Carmen, Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and The Queen of Spades, Verdi’s Traviata, Mozart’s Don Giovanni and The Magic Flute, Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, Puccini’s Turandot and Tosca.

Side by side world-class soloists from Moscow will also perform classical and pop-jazz vocal soloists from Estonia. The concert programme runs along the path of the history of the opera world’s highlights, in a classical key on the part of the wonderful soloists from Moscow and in an astonishing and completely “new musical suit” on the part of the soloists from Estonia. Such an experiment is the first of the kind for the Estonian musicians soprano Heli Veskus, tenor Oliver Kuusik and baritone Rene Soom from the Estonian National Opera, and for Sofia Rubina and Ott Lepland from the world of pop-jazz, as well as for the creator of the arrangements Siim Aimla – a saxophonist and the conductor of the Estonian Dream Big Band. What is important is that the audience would enjoy good classics, recognising to their amazement also the arrangements of opera hits. This entire musical carousel will be conducted by maestro Eri Klas.

Music Director and Conductor ERI KLAS
Stage Director ELIJAH MOSHINSKY
Set and Costume Designer ANNE TILBY
Lighting Designer SERGEY SKORNETSKY
Choirmaster YULIA SENYUKOVA

Duration 2:45 with one intermission
Rossini’s operatic masterpiece The Barber of Seville has been staged all over the world, and even children recognize Figaro’s famous aria, while “Figaro qua, Figaro là” and “La calunnia è un venticello” have become bywords.
The witty Rossini, being not only an outstanding composer but also a brilliant cook, developed the recipe for the opera’s incessant, astounding success. Here it is: take seven bright characters and an intoxicating love intrigue, spice the mixture with humorous dialogues, dress with wonderful melodies and sprinkle virtuosic ensembles on top. Rossini’s masterpiece has been cooked by the Novaya Opera’s Chef, Maestro Eri Klas, accomplished English stage director Elijah Moshinsky and topnotch English designer Anne Tilby, specially invited for the occasion.

Synopsis

ACT I. Count Almaviva comes in disguise to the house of Dr. Bartolo to serenade Rosina (“Ecco ridente in ciel”). Dr. Bartolo keeps Rosina confined to the house. Almaviva pays the musicians and decides to wait until daylight in the hope of seeing her. Figaro the barber, who has access to the houses in Seville and knows the town’s secrets and scandals, arrives and describes his busy life (“Largo al factotum”). The Count sings another serenade to Rosina, calling himself Lindoro, a poor student. Figaro devises a plan: the Count will disguise himself as a drunken soldier quartered at Dr. Bartolo’s house to gain access to Rosina, whom Dr. Bartolo intends to marry. The Count is excited about this plan while Figaro looks forward to a nice cash pay-off from the grateful Count (Duet: “All’idea di quel metallo”).

Rosina reflects on the voice that has enchanted her heart and resolves to use her considerable wiles to meet Lindoro (“Una voce poco fa”). Dr. Bartolo appears with Rosina’s music master, Don Basilio, who warns him that Count Almaviva, Rosina’s admirer, has been seen in Seville. Dr. Bartolo decides to marry Rosina immediately. Basilio praises slander as the most effective means of getting rid of Almaviva (“La calunnia”). Figaro overhears the plot, warns Rosina, and promises to deliver a letter from her to Lindoro (Duet: “Dunque io son”). Suspicious of Rosina, Dr. Bartolo tries to prove that she has written a letter, but she outwits him at every turn. Dr. Bartolo is angry at her defiance and warns her not to trifle with him (“A un dottor della mia sorte”).

Disguised as a drunken soldier, Almaviva arrives and passes Rosina a note, which she manages to hide from Dr. Bartolo. The old man argues that he has exemption from billeting soldiers. Figaro announces that a crowd has gathered in the street, curious about all the noise coming from inside the house. The civil guard burst in to arrest the drunken soldier. The Count reveals his true identity to the captain and is instantly released. Everyone except Figaro is amazed by this turn of events, and all comment on the crazy events of the morning.

ACT II. Dr. Bartolo suspects that the “drunken soldier” was a spy planted by Almaviva. The Count returns, this time disguised as Don Alonso, a music teacher and student of Don Basilio (Duet: “Pace e gioia sia con voi”). He has come to give Rosina her music lesson in place of Basilio, who, he says, is ill at home. “Don Alonso” also tells Dr. Bartolo that he is staying at the same inn as Almaviva and has found the letter from Rosina. He offers to tell Rosina that it was given to him by another woman, proving that Lindoro is toying with her on Almaviva’s behalf. This convinces Dr. Bartolo that “Don Alonso” is a true student of Don Basilio, and he allows him to give Rosina her music lesson (“Contro un cor”).

Figaro arrives to give Dr. Bartolo his shave and manages to snatch the key that opens the balcony shutters. The shaving is about to begin when Basilio shows up looking perfectly healthy. Everyone convinces Basilio, with repeated assurances and a quick bribe, that he is sick with scarlet fever (Quintet: “Buona sera, mio signore”). Basilio leaves for home, confused but richer. The shaving begins, sufficiently distracting Dr. Bartolo from hearing Almaviva plotting with Rosina to elope that night. But Dr. Bartolo hears the phrase “my disguise” and furiously realizes he has been tricked again. Everyone leaves.

The maid Berta comments on the crazy household (“Il vecchiotto cerca moglie”).

Basilio is summoned and told to bring a notary so Dr. Bartolo can marry Rosina that very evening. Dr. Bartolo then shows Rosina her letter to Lindoro. Heartbroken and convinced that she has been deceived, she agrees to marry Dr. Bartolo and tells him of the plan to elope with Lindoro. A storm passes. Figaro and the Count climb over the wall. Rosina is furious until Almaviva reveals his true identity. Basilio arrives with the notary. Bribed with a valuable ring and threatened with a couple of bullets in the head, Basilio agrees to be a witness to the marriage of Rosina and Almaviva. Dr. Bartolo arrives with soldiers, but it is too late. Count Almaviva explains to Dr. Bartolo that it is useless to protest (“Cessa di più resistere”), and Dr. Bartolo accepts that he has been beaten. Figaro, Rosina, and the Count celebrate their good fortune.

E. Tamberg’s ballet JOANNA TENTATA

Stage Director – Choreographer TEET KASK

Soloists:
MAREIKE FRANZ Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, Susanne Linke Company, Germany
RIHITO KAMIYA Japan/ Germany

ORCHESTRA OF MOSCOW NOVAYA OPERA
Stage Designer KISA KAWAKAMI Japan/UK
Lighting Designer MARGUS VAIGUR

C. Orff CARMINA BURANA

MARION MELNIK soprano
MATI TURI tenor

ORCHESTRA AND CHOIR OF MOSCOW NOVAYA OPERA
TALLINN BOYS CHOIR
Dance Thatre FINE 5

Conductor ERI KLAS

Choreography by RENE NÕMMIK and TIINA OLLESK

Duration 2:00 with one intermission

Carmina Burana is a 13th century manuscript taken from a Benedictine Abbey. It was discovered in 1803 in Benediktbeuren, South Germany. Monks saw the verses as protest against religion, pagans saw them as religion, Kings saw them as entertainment and linguists saw them as history.

Carmina Burana contains 250 poems, which are recognized for the most part of being written in low Latin and early German. These languages were used by wandering scholars or minstrels in the employment of royalty. The collection is separated into several themes: love, drinking, gambling and other vices of the flesh figure strongly in the work; however, significant part of the manuscript is dedicated to sincere and religious songs and plays (ludi).

In 1935 Carl Orff took the poems collected by Johann Andreas Schmeller and made use of some two dozen secular texts with new melodies to create a popular 20th century classical work. Orff’s masterpiece brought these texts to the present time and gave it a long-lived significance. The music has a here-and-now quality that captures the attention of modern audiences. Whether it holds a mystical or musical power, Carmina Burana has its share of admirers.

Carmina Burana does not paint the pious and holy picture that the religious leaders of the time may have wanted to pass on. The poetry is simple, resonant and inherent to the life led by the pagan and lower class people of the time. It expresses their true joys and loves in a clear, understandable fashion. Carmina Burana is a valuable look into our bawdy past and perhaps a looking glass for our own time…

NOVAYA OPERA, MOSCOW

AIN ANGER bass

Stage Director KASPER HOLTEN Denmark
Assistant Stage Director METTE HEDEGAARD Denmark

Set and Costume Designer STEFFEN AARFING Denmark

Lighting Designer ESPER KONSHAU

Music Director and Conductor JAN LATHAM-KOENIG UK

Choirmasters NATALJA POPOVICH, VIKTOR KUTURAEV, ANDREY LAZAREV, IGOR MANKO

Duration 3:40 with 2 intermissions

For the first time in 70 years, Richard Wagner’s Lohengrin has been staged in Moscow. The old tale of Lohengrin, the mysterious knight of the Holy Grail, is romantic and, at the same time, frightening. The knight plays a decisive role both in the fate of Elsa, who is slanderously accused of having murdered her missing brother, and of the country plunged into chaos. He comes to Elsa’s rescue and is ready to lead the country on condition that she never asks his name or origin. The girl breaks her oath, asking her beloved to reveal his mystery. Lohengrin discloses his identity, bringing Elsa’s brother back to her, but has to leave her for ever.

To work on its production of the opera, the Novaya Opera Theatre has invited Maestro Jan Latham-Koenig, a leading European conductor and a connoisseur of Wagnerian style, who many times conducted Lohengrin in different opera houses of the world. The maestro has always considered Wagner a special composer because of his unique music personality. What interests him in Lohengrin is not only the splendid music, but also the opera’s philosophic and historical aspects. According to Latham-Koenig, the production of Wagner’s Lohengrin in Novaya Opera is an important cultural event.

Novaya Opera’s Lohengrin has been produced by director Kasper Bech Holten and set designer Steffen Aarfing of the Danish Royal Opera, who scored a tremendous success with their staging of the four-opera cycle The Ring of the Nibelung at the Danish Royal Opera in 2003-2006.

Says Kasper Holten: “The opera “Lohengrin” is interesting from two viewpoints. First, it is a love story in which a woman tries to love a man whom she will never be able to fully understand. Second, it is a story of a society in crisis, searching for a new way of development. The main hero, who at first looks bright and brilliant, may turn out not to be the one we are taking him for. As the story progresses, we begin to doubt whether he is really a hero.”

Synopsis

ACT I. Antwerp, c. 900s. On the banks of the Scheldt, a Herald announces King Heinrich, who asks Count Telramund to explain why the Duchy of Brabant is torn by strife and disorder. Telramund accuses his ward, Elsa, of having murdered her brother, Gottfried, heir to Brabant’s Christian dynasty. (Gottfried was actually enchanted by the evil Ortrud, whom Telramund has wed.) When Elsa is called to defend herself, she relates a dream of a knight in shining armor who will save her. The herald calls for the defender, but only when Elsa prays does the knight appear, magically drawn in a boat by a swan. He betroths himself to her on condition that she never ask his name or origin. Defeating Telramund in combat, the newcomer establishes the innocence of his bride.

Act II. Before dawn in the castle courtyard, Ortrud and the lamenting Telramund swear vengeance. When Elsa appears serenely in a window, Ortrud attempts to sow distrust in the girl’s mind, preying on her curiosity, but Elsa innocently offers the scheming Ortrud friendship. Inside, while the victorious knight is proclaimed guardian of Brabant, the banned Telramund furtively enlists four noblemen to side with him against his newfound rival. At the cathedral entrance, Ortrud and Telramund attempt to stop the wedding — she by suggesting that the unknown knight is in fact an impostor, he by accusing Elsa’s bridegroom of sorcery. Though troubled by doubt, Elsa reiterates her faith in the knight before they enter the church, accompanied by King Heinrich.

ACT III. Alone in the bridal chamber, Elsa and her husband express their love until anxiety and uncertainty at last compel the bride to ask the groom who he is and whence he has come. Before he can reply, Telramund and his henchmen burst in. With a cry, Elsa hands the knight his sword, with which he kills Telramund. Ordering the nobles to bear the body to the king, he sadly tells Elsa he will meet her later to answer her questions.

Escorting Elsa and the bier to the Scheldt, the knight tells the king he cannot now lead the army against the Hungarian invaders. He explains that his home is the temple of the Holy Grail at distant Monsalvat, to which he must return; Parsifal is his father, and Lohengrin is his name. He bids farewell and turns to his magic swan. Now Ortrud rushes in, jubilant over Elsa’s betrayal of the man who could have broken the spell that transformed her brother into a swan. But Lohengrin’s prayers bring forth Gottfried in place of his vanished swan, and after naming the boy ruler of Brabant, Lohengrin disappears, led by the dove of the Grail. Ortrud perishes, and Elsa, calling for her lost husband, falls lifeless to the ground.

Premiere in 2006

Libretto author, production director and choreographer RADU POKLITARY
Music GEORGES BIZET, electronical sounds from tape
KYIV MODERN-BALLET THEATRE, artistic director RADU POKLITARU
Scenographer ANDREI ZLOBIN
Costume designer ANNA IPATYEVA

The Best Spectacle of the Year of Ukraine
Award `Kyiv Pektoral` for the best choreography 2006

The theatre is supported by the private patron Vladimir Filippov Fund for Arts

Duration 1 hour 45 minutes with intermission
The well known story of the Gypsy girl by Prosper Mérimée has been given a very interesting makeover in this ballet by the innovative choreographer Radu Poklitaru who has filled the characters and their lives with piercing contemporary touches while retaining the feel of 19th Century Spain. The operatic music ‘Carmen’, as with any other masterful work of art, provided the opportunity to create a brand new performance while keeping with the atmosphere of George Bizet’s score. From the very start the dynamic action of the ballet grabs hold of the audience and doesn’t let go right until the very end.

“Carmen.TV” is the first performance of KYIV MODERN-BALLET Theatre.
Why exactly Carmen? In the history of European theatre there are not so many
mythologemes as popular as this one. Merimee who wrote the novel of Seville
gypsy could hardly ever realize that in 21st century there would be any living in
the whole Western cultural world who never has heard of Carmen. In his immortal opera Georges Bizet had tremendously romanticized her image – Merimee’s gypsy is in fact much more simple and prosaic. Except brutal novel by Prosper Merimee, the music by Georges Bizet opera was laid on the basis of our performance. One of the leading characters of the ballet is Michaela, who lost the status of Jose’s fiancée, but who became the moving force of the stage action. Her presence on the stage plainly explains the two letters “TV” in the title of the play and its format – the two-episodes ballet. The words I have enclosed into Michaela’s lips is the only thing I found appropriate to fit in the leaflet of the play: “When there is nobody beside, love overwhelms me and makes me see, wish, kill the non-existing personages of the movies never filmed. The screen flicker talks to me the language of passion. Am I lonely?… No!”
Radu Poklitary

The Carmen character appeared at the ballet stage in 1845 near by the oeuvre of Prosper Merimeé issue, thirty years before the opera of the same name was composed by Bizet. For the first time the subject of novella attracted attention of the young Marius Petipa who staged at “Teatro del Circo” of Madrid the ballet Carmen and Toreador where he utilized his knowledge of local dance folklore accumulated during the years of his work in Spain. The ballet destiny of the famous gitana in 20th century is closely associated with Bizet chef d’oeuvre. Among its multiple performances of choreographers from different countries and continents it is possible to designate interpretations of Frenchman Roland Petit and Cuban Alberto Alonso which continue their triumphant progress on the ballet stages till today. The dramatic ballet of Roland Petit (“Ballet de Paris”, 1949) is based both on the novella and on the opera libretto by Bizet. Due to harmonious narrative synthesis the ballet by Petit is considered one of the most exquisite examples of the second part of 20th century European choreography, and the character of Carmen represented by Zizi Jeanmaire – the temptation scenic symbol.

In 1967 the composer Rodion Shchedrin created Carmen-Suite the original ballet score for string and percussion instruments on the base of the themes of Georges Bizet. This music inspired the choreographer Alberto Alonso to compose performance for legendary Maya Plisetskaya on the stage of Bolshoi Theatre. The ballet-master broke away from the ballet tradition and clichés of the operatic Carmen. On the stage appeared not seductive dancer and chanter but “devilish maid” from the novella by Merimee. The dance of Plisetskaya-Carmen became challenge, revolt, corrida of furious struggle against odious conventionalities and prescription enchaining the human being forces, the personality freedom. The famous Spanish dancer and choreographer Antonio Gades contributed his mite to the ballet Carmeniana. At first in the movies of Carlos Saura, then in the performance of the same name using the language of flamenco dance was shown how the destiny of the dancers creating the Carmen ballet repeated the destiny of their scenic heroes in a remarkable manner. One of the most famous modern choreographers Swede Mats Ek created on the music of G. Bizet-R.Shchedrin the outstanding post-modern version of the ballet which was solved in ironic grotesque key. As early as in this century the well-known Britain producer and choreographer Matthew Bourne on the stage of London “Sadlers–Wells” Theatre represented the contemporary opera interpretation – The Car Man dance show which scenes are laid in beastly cafes and auto repairing shops of the 60-ies America.

Alla Perova “Ekspert”, October 30, 2006 “The first real, great, interesting, vivid theatre of modern dance in the country. The first performance – Carmen.TV – with the same features…”

Maria Khrapachova “Afisha”, December 13, 2006 “…It was show-eclectic “Carmen.TV”. The oeuvre, as say all together that had a chance to be present at the night stage, absolutely treasures. The ballet-drama is extraordinary. No wonder”

Emma Kovbasiuk “TimeOut (Kiev)”, December 6, 2006 ‘“… “Carmen” performance was not only awarded for the choreographer best work but became a winner among two plays of the Dnepr Left Bank Theatre competition (“Queue”and “My dears”) as the best year performance. The ballet performance is among dramatic plays. And just because that it impresses not only by original plastique language but by the dancers’ dramatic interpretation. Not in vain the dancer of Carmen part, rooted and emotional  О. Kondakova, was shining among the best leading ladies of the lead role”.

Valentyna Zabolotna “Den’ ”, April 6, 2007 “‘CARMEN.TV’ is dynamic action with advanced director’s modes, unusual modern plastique and mad energetic”. Valentyna Paravyan “Nash Dosug”, October 21, 2006

BOLERO
Music by M. Ravel

UNDERGROUND
Music by Peteris Vasks

Libreto Ranieri de Calzabigi

Stage director and designer GEORG ROOTERING Germany
Conductor ANDRES MUSTONEN
Physical theatre ensemble PAN-OPTIKUM THEATRE Germany:

Eurydice ANNETTE HUBER
Orpheus BENEDIKT OCKER
Amor SABINER NOLL

Technical direction KLAUS ULRICH
Technical construction MARIO KREUZER
Video effects MATHIAS LINDER
Video production THOMAS PREUSCHHOFF
Conception, artistical direction SIGRUN FRITSCH
General direction MATTHIAS RETTNER

Soloists:
HELEN LOKUTA soprano
MIKAEL BELLINI contra tenor, Sweden
HELDUR HARRY PÕLDA boy-soprano
VOCES MUSICALES

TALLINN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Duration 2:10 with one intermission
“Orpheus and Eurydice” is one of the most remarkable and most famous baroque operas of all times, as well as one of the most well-known love storeys in the world, featuring the ancient Greek poet and musician Orpheus and his bride.

BRIEF SUMMARY:
Eurydice is bitten by a snake at her wedding party and she dies. Orpheus is stricken with grief. Amor announces that Zeus has decided to allow Orpheus to descend to the underworld of Hades and bring Eurydice back to the earth. Orpheus is not intimidated and successfully overcomes all obstacles. It is only the last condition that he fails to fulfil – not to look back at Eurydice on their way out of the underworld. It seems to Eurydice that her husband is shunning her and she is overcome with despair. Orpheus gives in and Eurydice vanishes – all efforts have been in vain. Orpheus wants to take his own life. Then appears Amor and announces that the gods have decided to have mercy on them. Eurydice comes back to Orpheus alive.

___________________________________

This is one of the very few serious operas that have a happy ending. And there is also an important message to it. While opera plots are usually just one persistent road towards a tragic ending, here we see a long psychological fight – primarily with one’s ego. The hope that it is possible to find mercy and forgiveness in spite of mistakes and strokes of fate will be ringing in the ears of the audience.

Why stage director Georg Rootering and PAN-OPTIKUM Theatre?
We invited the new wave opera director to make a strong psychological production that would at the same time be a novelty at the level of theatre techniques. As the plot involves underworld, the action of the opera is going on simultaneously on two levels as well. Singers are operating in the real world, the level of subconsciousness and imagination is conveyed by the physical theatre with its exceptional “up from the ground” motion. The artists of the physical theatre are not operating merely on the stage but also use the audience area, walls, windows. Like subconsciousness, they have no limits either – they move above the heads of the audience, enter from the windows of the monastery, etc.

Libreto Ranieri de Calzabigi

Stage director and designer GEORG ROOTERING Germany
Conductor ANDRES MUSTONEN

Physical theatre ensemble PAN-OPTIKUM THEATRE Germany:

Eurydice ANNETTE HUBER
Orpheus BENEDIKT OCKER
Amor SABINER NOLL

Technical direction KLAUS ULRICH
Technical construction MARIO KREUZER
Video effects MATHIAS LINDER
Video production THOMAS PREUSCHHOFF
Conception, artistical direction SIGRUN FRITSCH
General direction MATTHIAS RETTNER

Soloists:
HELEN LOKUTA soprano
MIKAEL BELLINI contra tenor, Sweden
HELDUR HARRY PÕLDA boy-soprano
VOCES MUSICALES

TALLINN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA

Duration 2:10 with one intermission
“Orpheus and Eurydice” is one of the most remarkable and most famous baroque operas of all times, as well as one of the most well-known love storeys in the world, featuring the ancient Greek poet and musician Orpheus and his bride.

BRIEF SUMMARY:
Eurydice is bitten by a snake at her wedding party and she dies. Orpheus is stricken with grief. Amor announces that Zeus has decided to allow Orpheus to descend to the underworld of Hades and bring Eurydice back to the earth. Orpheus is not intimidated and successfully overcomes all obstacles. It is only the last condition that he fails to fulfil – not to look back at Eurydice on their way out of the underworld. It seems to Eurydice that her husband is shunning her and she is overcome with despair. Orpheus gives in and Eurydice vanishes – all efforts have been in vain. Orpheus wants to take his own life. Then appears Amor and announces that the gods have decided to have mercy on them. Eurydice comes back to Orpheus alive.

___________________________________

This is one of the very few serious operas that have a happy ending. And there is also an important message to it. While opera plots are usually just one persistent road towards a tragic ending, here we see a long psychological fight – primarily with one’s ego. The hope that it is possible to find mercy and forgiveness in spite of mistakes and strokes of fate will be ringing in the ears of the audience.

Why stage director Georg Rootering and PAN-OPTIKUM Theatre?
We invited the new wave opera director to make a strong psychological production that would at the same time be a novelty at the level of theatre techniques. As the plot involves underworld, the action of the opera is going on simultaneously on two levels as well. Singers are operating in the real world, the level of subconsciousness and imagination is conveyed by the physical theatre with its exceptional “up from the ground” motion. The artists of the physical theatre are not operating merely on the stage but also use the audience area, walls, windows. Like subconsciousness, they have no limits either – they move above the heads of the audience, enter from the windows of the monastery, etc.