Organization

Conductor

Arvo Volmer

Chorus master

Heli Jürgenson

Singer

Soprano

Mirjam Mesak

Iolanta

Baritone

Rauno Elp

Ibn-Hakia

Bass

Raiko Raalik

Bertrand

Janne Ševtšenko

Brigitta

Tenor

Valentyn Dytiuk

Count Vaudemont

Priit Volmer

Rene

Reigo Tamm

Almeric

Contralto

Juuli Lill

Marta

Stanisław Kuflyuk

Robert

Mezzo-soprano

Karis Trass

Laura

Estonian National Opera

Others

Estonian National Opera Chorus

Orchestra

Estonian National Opera Orchestra

Iolanta, op. 69 -  (Iolanta)

Tallinn

Estonia

Main Stage

Iolanta Tchaikovsky,P

Public

Approved

Both, opera “Iolanta” and ballet “The Nutcracker” were written for Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg as a single production. Tchaikovsky’s last opera “Iolanta” was inspired by a play “King Rene’s Daugher” by the Danish dramatist Henrik Hertz and turned into a libretto by the composer’s brother, Modest Tchaikovsky. In 1891, Tchaikovsky wrote to the director of Imperial Theatres Ivan Vsevolozhsky, who commissioned the work, “I am exhilarated about the drama “King Rene’s Daughter” that is a very suitable material for an opera and I do not doubt its success, unless writing hastily due to pressing deadlines will harm its integrity”.
    Both the opera and the ballet were a success and the opera was performed eleven times that season. Tchaikovsky’s innovation in the genre of opera is closely connected to the traditions of the age and its search for new meanings. “Iolanta” is Tchaikovsky’s most vivacious and positive musical legend. It is a story of a blind princess Iolanta, who passionately begins to yearn for the inexhaustible colours of nature and light after she suddenly falls in love with knight Vaudemont. The idea of strong will, all-curing love and spiritual purity is blended into an absorbing mix of poetry and chaste lyric expression in Tchaikovsky’s opera. Iolanta’s magical healing is an ode to life, love, light and nature.

With the concert performance, the theatre celebrates the 110th anniversary of its opera chorus. Although professional Theatre “Estonia” was established in 1906, it took time for the amateur Estonia Society Chorus to evolve into a full and professional chorus. As more music productions began entering the repertoire, the need for a stage chorus emerged – within the turn of the years 1911 and 1912 Estonian National Opera Chorus was born. Today, the Estonian National Opera Chorus is a professional high-level mixed chorus. Throughout its history, the chorus has been a part of dozens of opera, operetta and musical performances, the most popular of which have also been performed abroad. Estonian National Opera Chorus won the annual Estonia Theatre Award 2010 for professional interpretation of the musically and dramaturgically demanding part in Prokofiev’s opera “The Love for Three Oranges”. In 2013 the chorus recorded with the orchestra of the Estonian National Opera a CD “Verdi and Wagner – the Most Famous Opera Choruses” to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the two great composers. Today, the chorus is lead by its chief chorus master Heli Jürgenson.

English

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble