Kalevipoeg

The Estonian national heroic epic by Fr. R. Kreutzwald

Lend me your zither, O Vanemuine!
A lovely song is on my mind.
I yearn to air a melody
about the legacy of olden days.

The runo song style of Estonian folklore will unfold on the stage of the Vanemuine, bringing us a story of Kalevipoeg, the eldest son of Old Kalev and Linda (who was in turn born from a grouse’s egg) who becomes the ruler of the nation after throwing a stone the farthest. But what woes and disquiet lurk in the soul of this mighty hero, he who is always visiting the grave of his father for counsel? What leads a man to seek the edge of the world? Is there something primally Estonian in him, something recognizable that we all share – maybe we are all the descendants of the Kalevs?

In our cultural heritage, the national epic Kalevipoeg is like the limestone on the Estonian sea cliffs – ancient, eternal, known and unknown simultaneously. A work with seminal importance for the Estonian people, closely tied to our national identity, language and sense of home, Kalevipoeg will be performed the Vanemuine stage to mark the 100^th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia.

Premieres 10 March 2018 at the Harbour Theatre