Culture.ee’s weekly recommendations: 17–23 Sep 2018

Authors: Tobias Shaw, Maret Tamme and Anders Tougaard
Performers: Tobias Shaw and Anders Tougaard

Correction is a collaboration between Estonian and Danish performing artists. It is a manic meditation about perfection and perversion and how you can lose everything when striving for the sublime. By means of dance, trash, music, and voice we attack Thomas Bernhard’s post-structural masterpiece Correction with equal parts of virtuosity and punk.

On three mysterious autumn nights, Kadriorg Park will be filled with fire, magic, romance and the best Estonian music. The three-day light, colour and music festival will end the 300th jubilee of Kadriorg, and during the festival, you can see the various installations of light, video, fire, and sound in a mysterious city space again. In 2018, the festival focuses on peaceful light and colour plays, and installations and unique urban space can be seen both in the Old Town of Tallinn and in the Kadriorg Park.

The festival promotes nature-oriented and sustainable ways of life and respect for the nature-connected traditions of indigenous people. The event consists of a competition programme, additional programmes, an educational programme for youth, nature photography and art exhibitions, a photo programme, seminars, workshops, master classes, presentations of the latest photo and video technology and other festival events. The MAFF showcases around a hundred new nature films around the world, about 25 of these screen in the international competition. Movies compete in two categories: “Nature” and “Man and nature”.

Introduction: Jaak Juske (in Estonian)
Programme: folk music of the Swedish communities (Rannarootsi, Vormsi, etc.)

The concert series celebrating the 100th anniversary of Estonia follows the significant periods of the history of Estonia, and the music that was heard here. The concert series is a cooperation project with the Estonian History Museum, who at each concert will draw attention to some of the items that are characteristic of the eras being presented, featuring a verbal introduction to the cultural and musical space by historian Jaak Juske.

Improv differs from a classical theatre in that the entire performance is invented on the spot, inspired by suggestions given by the audience. Every performance is unique and will never be seen again because it’s not possible to improvise the same story twice. Tilt brings you the best improv actors and teachers from Estonia and all over the world!

Ensemble for New Music Tallinn will present for the second time the Sound Plasma festival for microtonal music, which combines concerts and masterclasses dedicated to microtonal music. The festival takes place in two parts, on September 20-22 in Tallinn and on October 19-21 in Berlin. The mini-festival in Tallinn features three concerts by Ensemble for New Music Tallinn, Vincent Royer (viola, Belgium/France) and Ensemble du Bout du Monde (saxophone quartet, Switzerland) and Vincent Royer’s (viola) masterclass.

Opera by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini after David Belasco’s eponymous play

Puccini’s gorgeous melodies and orchestral colours are set against the backdrop of a gold-mining frontier camp, where a poker-playing, pistol-carrying saloon owner Minnie finds herself in a love triangle with a handsome outlaw Dick Johnson alias José Ramirez and the sheriff Jack Rance, who is in hot pursuit of him. Minnie has to fight for her love and for the chance to start a new life with her love by her side.

The first edition of the music and city culture festival Station Narva will take place in Narva on September 21–23. The headliners of the festival are Tricky, Echo & the Bunnymen and Actress. Estonia’s own music scene will be represented by around a dozen cutting-edge acts: Mart Avi, 12EEK Monkey, Una Bomba 50+ and Zahir among others.

Besides the musical frenzy, the whole city will come alive with sights, sounds and interactions – from art activities in Narva Art Residency to the heated public talks under the umbrella of the Narva’s BAZAR opinion festival, and from the yard picnics to the home concerts by local untapped talents, stand-up comedy and Nordic street food.

“Generations” is Fine5 Dance Theater co-operation project with Israeli artists Stav Marin and Neta Weiner. “Generations” brings together dancers of different ages, nationalities and social backgrounds. Some performers started their dance career around the time when Estonia got its independence in 1991 and some of these dancers graduated dance-studies this year. This meeting of pioneers of contemporary dance in Estonia and young dancers is about different approaches to life, personal memory, and experience.

Dance artists: Helen Reitsnik, Olga Privis, Dmitri Kruus, Simo Kruusement, Allar Valge, Aneta Varts, Katre Sabbal
Directors-choreographers: Stav Marin, Neta Weiner (Israel)

Tartu will host the 12th annual AniMatsuri festival, an event dedicated to Japanese animation and pop culture. Festival visitors can participate in different competitions, listen to various talks and presentations, and participate in workshops. The venue will have exciting manga books to read, and vendor booths, a flea market and an Artist Alley to enjoy. The popular video game tournaments will also be run again this year. The most awaited event is the cosplay competition, where participants transform themselves into various characters from anime, manga, films, and games. The traditional Saturday night afterparty will return to the Club of Different Rooms and feature DJs playing dance music.