Vanemuine’s new season brings classics as well as new works to the stage
During its 152nd season, the Vanemuine Theater presents 16 new productions to the audience – seven drama productions, four music and three dance productions, and two children’s productions. In each genre, classical as well as fresh drama, dance, and music creations are brought to the stage.
The Vanemuine general manager Kristiina Alliksaar stated that the Vanemuine Theater’s 151st season definitely was extraordinary and offered challenges that were not dependant on theater itself: „At the same time we realized even more sharply that we are important and what we have to offer to people matters very much. That gave us strength to support each other and continue working on the 152nd season to offer our audience emotions as well as an opportunity to get peace of mind and inspiration from the world of theater that is filled with music, dance, and drama.“
The new season’s program consists of 49 productions, including 16 new productions and several other activities in the form of excursions and youth work. „Our goal is to keep the theater open and that demands effort from the theater as well as from the audience. Therefore, we ask the theater’s employees as well as the audience to come to the Vanemuine Theater’s 152nd season’s performances when you are feeling well and to have the COVID certificate necessary for entrance,“ Alliksaar added, with reference to the more detailed guidelines for a safe theater visit that can be read from the Vanemuine Theater website.
Firstly, the Vanemuine Theater invites all music lovers to the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra’s Season-Opening Concert that takes place on 3 September at Vanemuine Concert Hall, on 4 September at Jõhvi Concert Hall, and on 5 September at Estonia Concert Hall. The conductor of the concerts is Risto Joost accompanied by soloists Annely Peebo and Katrin Targo.
The first new production of the season is „Linda di Chamounix“ which premieres at the Vanemuine Small Building on 11 September. The director of Gaetano Donizetti’s opera is Robert Annus, the music director and conductor is Risto Joost and the leading role is performed by Pirjo Jonas or Elena Bražnik.
On 18 September, „Terror“ premieres at Sadamateater, a thrilling court drama by Ferdinand von Schirach, directed by Andres Noormets, and on 23 September, the classical drama with very exciting twists and turns – „An Inspector Calls“ (Inspektor tuleb), directed by Jaanus Rohumaa, is brought before the audience at the Vanemuine Small Building.
October begins grandly combining the capabilities of the Vanemuine dance and music troupes. On 2 October, for the first time in the history of the Vanemuine ballet, and straightaway in an innovative form, the production of „Swan Lake“ to the music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky reaches the stage, with original choreography by the Czech director Petr Zuska. The performances take place at the Vanemuine Grand Building. October’s premieres continue with dance productions – on 15 October, the premiere of „Metamorphoses“ at the Vanemuine Grand Building brings the entire Vanemuine ballet troupe on stage. The three-part ballet night brings to the stage the diverse views of the world by three young and talented choreographers – Jack Traylen, Matthew James Jordan, and Jevgeni Grib.
The tragicomedy „Armoured Train NO 7“ (Soomusrong nr 7) by Tiit Palu premieres at the Vanemuine Small Building on 23 October – a drama production on the War of Independence where the female commender’s leading role is played by Saara Nüganen.
On 3 and 21 October and on 3 November, you have the opportunity to enjoy the concert series „The Three Orchestras of Vanemuine“ initiated by the Vanemuine music director and chief conductor Risto Joost. The concerts are held in the Tubin Hall of the Heino Eller Tartu Music College.
In November, two productions reach their premiere. On 6 November, the production „The Life of Galileo“ (Galilei elu) directed by Karl Laumets premieres at Sadamateater which leading part, Galileo Galilei, is played by Hannes Kaljujärv. On 27 November, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera „Don Giovanni“ directed by Elmo Nüganen is brought to the stage at the Vanemuine Small Building. This is Elmo Nüganen’s first production at the Vanemuine where the centuries-old story exchanges the sword for a phone and the coat for latex.
On 10 December, the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra invites you to an Opera Gala at the Vanemuine Grand Building, and on 19 December, to the Advent Concert at Tartu St. Paul’s Cathedral. Musical theatre friends all over Estonia get a rich dose of golden hits when attending the concert „Memory 2022“ (7–18 January).
In Spring 2022, the second half of the Vanemuine Theatre’s 152nd season brings two new children’s productions to the stage. On 21 January, the first of them reaches the audience at Sadamateater: the dance production „Three Jolly Fellows 2: Rat Attack“ (Naksitrallid 2: rotid ründavad) based on the book by the beloved children’s writer Eno Raud. This is a sequel to the first part of the fantasy-rich stage version of „Three Jolly Fellows“ (Naksitrallid), and its directors, choreographers, script, stage, and costume design authors are Katrin Pärn and Janek Savolainen. On 5 February, the second children’s production reaches the stage at the Vanemuine Grand Building – the „The Brothers Lionheart“ (Vennad Lõvisüdamed) based on the fairy tale by Astrid Lindgren and directed by Tiit Palu.
The first new drama production of the second half of the season premieres at the Vanemuine Small Building on 29 January 2022, when the audience can attend the production „All About My Mother“ (Kõik minu emast), a play by Samuel Adamson based on Pedro Almodóvar’s movie and directed by Ain Mäeots. Richard Wagner’s music drama „Tristan and Isolde“ will premiere on 12 February. The opera is directed by Liis Kolle and its music director and conductor is Risto Joost.
On 26 March, a ballet night in two parts reaches the audience at the Vanemuine Grand Building when two productions premiere based on classical music masterpieces: „Firebird“ and „Scheherazade“ (Tulilind / Šahrazad). The Brasilian choreographer and director’s Ricardo Amarante ballet night leans on the original music by composers Igor Stravinsky and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov but brings the audience new interpretations of these well-known fairy tales.
Under Robert Annus’ direction, Mike Poulton’s drama „Fortune’s Fool“ (Armuleivasööja) based on the play by Ivan Turgenev, premieres on 9 April at the Vanemuine Small Building. On 23 April, William Shakespeare’s comedy „The Taming of the Shrew“ (Tõrksa taltsutus) reaches the stage of the Vanemuine Grand Building, and is directed by Priit Strandberg.
As the last new production of the 152nd season, the opera „The New Old Nick of Hellsbottom“ (Põrgupõhja uus Vanapagan) is brought to the stage on 7 May. The opera by Ardo Ran Varres is based on A. H. Tammsaare’s eponymous work and is directed by Vilppu Kiljunen from Finland.
On 20 May, the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra’s Season Finale Concert takes place at the Vanemuine Concert Hall, and at the end of July, we invite everyone again to the Kassitoome Valley to enjoy the traditional summer concert of the symphony orchestra.
All along the season, the Vanemuine travels to various venues all over Estonia and, conditions permitting, also abroad. More information about new productions and tickets to performances throughout the season can be found from the Vanemuine website www.vanemuine.ee.
More information:
Virge Ratasepp
Head of Communications
The Vanemuine Theater
+372 5815 5392
virge@vanemuine.ee
www.vanemuine.ee