Here is a nice versatile week for you, that offers entertainment from sweet farm animals to beautiful philharmonic music and everything that is in between.
MUSTJALA FESTIVAL
25 Jul – 29 Jul
Mustjala
Since 1995, a week in July has made the churches of Mustjala, nearby manor houses, sometimes also the beach and other exotic places like Ninase coastal defence battery, ring. Mustjala Festival has brought world renowned musicians and collectives to the rocky and rough beaches, and shown Mustjala the full beauty of music and the customs, tough will, and joy of life of the coastal folks. We must say it is quite an experience and even more so with beautiful music. Jüri Tuulik, a writer from Saaremaa, has said: “Saaremaa is not just a geographical point in the Baltic Sea – Saaremaa is also a spiritual state, which will never leave those who have experienced it.”
I International Gustav Normann Organ Festival
25 Jul – 07 Sep
Lääne-Viru County
Gustav Normann’s organs are at the heart of the festival which takes place from May – September. Normann was the first Estonian organ builder who built a large number of organs during his lifetime. The artistic director of the festival is Marju Riisikamp.
Chronicles of Art Life
07 Jul – 12 Nov
Kumu Art Museum
Chronicles of Art Life presents a selection of photos of the art and cultural scene in Estonia from the 1940s to the 1980s. Instead of trying to illustrate particular narratives in the history of art, the aim of the exhibition is to direct attention to the role of photographers in the creation of those narratives. In the selection of the photos, the primary concern was not the significance of the people and events depicted, but rather the evocativeness of the images themselves: the way the photos represent and shape their times and our understanding of them.
Hedvig Hanson “Summer Evening Songs”
25 Jul – 12 Nov
Different manors all over Estonia
The passionate singer Hedvig Hanson will perform lovely songs written by herself or other Estonian authors in scenic locations on beautiful summer evenings. She will be accompanied by Kalle Pilli, a young guitarist whom Hedvig discovered through the harmonic music that the young guitarist writes and performs.
25th Viljandi Folk Music Festival
31 Jul – 06 Aug
Viljandi
The theme of the 25th Viljandi Folk Music Festival is “New and Old”, which also gives inspiration for the festival’s 25th jubilee celebrations. “New and Old”, the theme of one of the oldest festivals in Estonia, speaks about the life of folk music, its development and adventures. Carried by the new and old, the summer birthday celebration becomes a meeting place to cool old legends and young players, old and new friends. The centuries-old castle hills of Viljandi are a remarkable place for both performers, guests, and organisers themselves. A whole generation of boys and girls have grown up alongside the energetic 25-year-old music celebration.
XII Hiiumaa Homecoming Festival
27 Jul – 02 Aug
Hiiu County
The festival will feature musicians from 12 different countries, an international chamber music orchestra and a vocal ensemble. Traditionally, concerts are held not only in the usual places (concert halls) but are closely linked to the nature and architecture of Hiiumaa. Among other places, music will play in the old courtyard of the manor dairy farm, right by the sea and in the old park.
Uncanny You
27 Jul
Kanuti Gildi SAAL
“Uncanny You” is a visual theatre performance borrowing elements from installation art forms. It investigates the sensation of the “uncanny” in relation to the expectable war situation in the world and the survival strategies of laughter and mimicry. Two performers, scenographer, costume designer, and videographer will dig into the times of Trump’s rhetorics, right-wing forces in Europe, declining democracy, growing nationalism and populism throughout residencies in New York, Norway and Estonia. Created material will be turned into a holistic performance which will premiere at Kanuti Gildi SAAL in Tallinn, Estonia in October 2017.
Estonian Farm Days
29 Jul – 30 Jul
Jäneda
The last weekend of July is marked in the calendars of all the people who are to some extent connected to agriculture as the date of Estonian Farm Days in Jäneda – for the 26th year already. As such, it is one of the events with an oldest tradition in Estonia, having taken place in the same location continuously.
Concert of Maria Faust Duo
29 Jul
Triigi Philharmonics, Triigi Harbour
Maria Faust (EST) and Håkon Berre (NO) will perform at Triigi Philharmonics.Faust is a saxophonist and composer who is one of the younger generation’s most versatile and acclaimed musicians. Although she is related mostly to experimental forms of jazz music, she has also collaborated, for example, with known names from pop and rock music field, including producers John Parish and Mike Howard. The work of Maria Faust is fertile and rarely follows the same paths.
Hiiumaa Dance Festival 2017
31 Jul – 06 Aug
Käina
Hiiumaa Dance Festival, taking place for the eighth time, is a week-long festival of contemporary dance and theatre in Käina on the island of Hiiumaa. The festival offers an opportunity to acquaint oneself with what is happening on the scene of contemporary dance and theatre for both experienced dance enthusiasts as well as newcomers. This year’s festival has a lot of tried and traditional, but also new and exciting. The continuing custom is holding the programme of staging processes, in the course of which a dance film and three dance performances will be created. The creative processes will be conducted by experienced choreographers and directors from Estonia as well as abroad. The premieres of the works can be seen at the last day of the festival already.