Again, there is a week full of music, literature, films and community festivals ahead of us. Have fun, keep warm and enjoy the culture.
Pärnu International Opera Music Festival PromFest
05 May – 12 May
Pärnu
PromFest grew out of Klaudia Taev International Competition for Young Opera Singers, which was created in 1996 and remains one of the main events of the festival. This year marks the tenth time that the competition will be held, bringing to Pärnu, as it always does, numerous young singers from all over the world.
Tartu literature festival “Prima Vista 2017”
08 May – 13 May
Tartu/Värska
This time the international festival will last for almost a whole week, to the delight of literature fans. The theme of this year’s festival is Behind the Seven Lands and Seas, which refers to travels in time and in space, as well as oneself.
In addition to local authors the festival welcomes distinguished foreign guests, such as Deniss Dragunski, the Russian master of short story, the nonconformist author of animated films Garri Bardin, the apocalyptic blues poet Richard Leighton Phoenix, the Austrian writer Hans Platzgumer, having moved from music to literature, Sabine Zett, who the Estonians recognize by her Hugo-stories, Bronka Nowicka, who made her debut in a remarkable way in Poland, Christine Dwyer Hickey, portraying the loneliness of the urban life and the returning Andy Willoughby. The translations of novels by Christine Dwyer Hickey, Hans Platzgumer and Bronka Nowicka will be published in time for the festival.
Karlova Days 2017
08 May – 14 May
Karlova district
The week-long programme of Karlova Days includes many cultural and entertainment events for both the big and small.
Traditionally, every weekday has a subtopic, which allows the guests to discover the different faces of the district.
German Spring 2017 – focus on Baden-Württemberg
25 Apr – 25 May
Tallinn
This time, the partner state to be in focus is Baden-Württemberg. In addition to concerts, literary lectures, presentations, and several performances taking place in cooperation with theatre centre Vaba Lava (Open Space), the impressive art exhibition “Global Control and Censorship” is brought to the audience in Tallinn Art House.
Exhibition “Kopli Sonata. The Russo-Baltic Shipyard”
06 May – 03 Sep
Estonian Museum of Architecture
The exhibition gives a voluminous overview of the historic Russo-Baltic factory as the shaper of Kopli peninsula’s identity. Kopli – perhaps the most intriguing municipal district in Tallinn, the contradictory reputation and past of which has given birth to many city legends – appears to be at the threshold of important changes. This year marks the passing of 105 years since the founding of the Russo-Baltic Shipyard built at the tip of the peninsula, one of Tallinn’s mightiest industrial enterprises.
Kumu Documentary: “Where the Universe Sings: The Spiritual Journey of Lawren Harris”
10 May
Kumu auditorium
The documentary tells the full story of Lawren Harris, the man and the artist. Central to “Where the Universe Sings” are Harris’ stunning paintings, 140 of which are woven through the film. Colourful houses, tangled Algoma wilderness, distant Superior shores, ethereal Rocky Mountain peaks, monumental Arctic icebergs and elegant abstracts reflect Lawren Harris’s artistic and spiritual journey.
Poor Life Choices #5 – Barren Womb + Zahir
11 May – 12 May
Sotsiaalkeskus Ülase12
Poor life choices aim to put on weird, uncomfortable, out-of-sorts bands, musicians, artists and performers who care to stop by in Tallinn.
ENSO: Shostakovich’s Fifth
12 May
Estonia Concert Hall
Kristiina Rokashevich will be performing as a soloist and she might be known to the reader as a finalist in the“Classical Stars” competition, and winner of ENSO’s special award. She has won top prizes at several international piano competitions, including the main prize and the audience award at the Brant International Piano Competition held in Birmingham in 2015.
RäimeWest Herring Festival 2017
13 May
Lao kalasadam
The RäimeWest Festival is traditionally held in the form of a study day. The aim is to share knowledge about sustainable coastal fishing and local fishing culture with fishers, coastal people, local entrepreneurs and other enthusiastic guests.
The City Day of Tallinn 2017
14 May – 15 May
Tallinn
The City Day of Tallinn was initiated to value the history of the city and being the citizen of Tallinn, as well as to introduce the present and the past of Estonian capital among us and abroad.