Event Guide

  • 2017-11-29

ESTONIA

Open till December 06, Exhibition of the Estonian Painters’ Association “Inspired by the History of Painting”, Haus Gallery, Tallinn

This year’s exhibition is dedicated to art history and the anniversary of Haus Gallery. In celebration of its 20th anniversary, the gallery is paying tribute to the history of painting, in order to recall the reasons and the brush strokes that have been important and provided nourishment to our current art world. On display at the exhibition are portraits, figures, nudes, still lives, and quotes from Italian and lowland masters, as well as Vincent van Gogh, Joan Mirò, David Hockney or the Estonian Konrad Mägi. The gallery has steadfastly contributed to the promotion of art in Estonia, creating bridges between the past and the present, speaking about Estonian art history and the newest directions, trying to show the connection between Estonian art and former European metropolises, referencing its systematic and professional development, directing attention to important art trends and events that have influenced Estonian art and kept the artistic talent in orbit. The purpose of the gallery has been to create visible and convincing value for Estonian artists, to bring art closer to the public, to search for clearer and more intriguing points of contact with fine art and society. Learn more at www.haus.ee 

December 09, Street Dance Festival “Battle of EST”, Teater Vanemuine, Tartu

Battle of EST (BOE) is the oldest street dance competition with the most impressive list of performers in Northern Europe. The main events include breakdance team competitions. One can also witness hip-hop, popping and solo b-boying contests. This year’s 17th international BOE festival is an honest rejection of everything with fake glitter, turning the dance battle competitors into real artists of life. It is a riot of people dancing themselves breathless, while living and breathing dance culture. For more info please go to www.boe.ee 

December 09, Tartu Christmas Fair 2017, Tartu Town Hall Square, Tartu

The traditional Christmas Fair takes place at the Tartu Town Hall Square and nearby. Visitors can buy handicrafts made in Estonia, warm drinks, pies, and other products. Find out more at www.tartu.ee 

On till December 13, Christmas Jazz Festival 2017, all over Estonia

Christmas Jazz is a two-week intimate and Christmassy festival, which fills the churches, concert halls and clubs with beautiful jazz music at the end of November and beginning of December. The program of Christmas Jazz 2017 brings many fine foreign artists to Estonia, and also offers Estonian musicians an opportunity to present their new repertoires. During the Festival, jazz stars from 10 countries will bring 30 radiant concerts to the Estonian audience. Headliners of Christmas Jazz are American musicians – singer Stacey Kent, drum legend Simon Phillips with his ensemble Protocol IV and singer-drummer Vinx. For more information please visit www.jazzkaar.ee

December 20-23, Estonian National Male Choir Christmas Concert Series, Tallinn, Tartu, Valga and Võru

This season marks the 73rd birthday of the Estonian National Male Choir, which was founded by a great figure of Estonian choral music, conductor, and composer Gustav Ernesaks. Originally, the male choir sang acapella songs, but now it is a world-renowned professional collective, which performs a lot of major works. The Christmas concerts feature songs about life, faith and love – authors include John Paul Rudoi, Timothy Takach, Ola Gjeilo, Rene Eespere, Pärt Uusberg and Rasmus Puur. Find out more about the concerts at www.eestikontsert.ee 

 

LATVIA

December 01, Baltic Symphony Festival, The Baltic Pyramid, The Great Guild, Riga

The string section musicians of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, the Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, and the Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO) will all meet on the same stage. Led by conductor Guntis Kuzma, the audience will hear the enchanted wisdom of Lithuanian composer Rimanta Šerkšnytė, latticed symbols from the WWII era by Latgalian soundsmith Jānis Ivanovs, and Estonia's Arvo Pärt striking ritual bells with one of his most famous pieces Fratres. In the second part, the LNSO’s concert master Georg Sarkisyan will lead a performance of Tchaikovsky’s famous waltz Serenade, which embodies the intricate ideals of Russia’s Silver Age and will captivate the audience. To find out more, please go to www.lnso.lv and to buy tickets use www.bilesuparadize.lv web page.

December 01, Royal Christmas Gala, Concert by Sarah Brightman, Arena Riga, Riga

Commercially most successful soprano Sarah Brightman will perform in Arena Riga with a special program – Royal Christmas Gala. The founder of operatic pop music genre will perform together with German band Gregorian and other special guests in a festive show studded with opulent lighting effects. The evening program will include classical Christmas songs and most popular hits of the artists performed in solos, duets and unexpected collaborations. The concert will be supported by the Royal Symphony Orchestra and a band. More info can be found at www.royalchristmasgala.com and to buy tickets please go to www.bilesuserviss.lv 

December 01, Trio Bossarenova, Latvian Radio Studio 1, Riga

The trio is a combination of German and Brazilian cultural heritages – from Schubert to Villa Lobos. They are creating their own yet unheard unique sound by mixing different cultural traditions and musical features from Europe to South America. Within the framework of the Art of Riga Jazz concert series, the talented transatlantic trio made up of Paula Morelenbaum (vocals), Joo Kraus (percussion), Ralf Schmid (piano) will perform in Riga for the first time. To find out more, please go to www.rigasritmi.lv and to buy tickets use www.bilesuserviss.lv web page.

December 06, International Bach Chamber Music Festival, Hoffkapelle München Baroque Orchestra, The Small Guild, Riga

The Hofkapelle München is seen today as the leading musical ensemble for historic performing practice in the south of Germany. Since its re-formation in 2009 under the artistic direction of the renowned Baroque violinist and conductor Rüdiger Lotter, the Hofkapelle München has achieved an excellent reputation. Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote in 2013, “One is inclined to place Lotter and his Hofkapelle München among the very best ensembles specializing in Early Music, but the Hofkapelle also stands out clearly with its magnificent concentration and the literally addictive pleasure they take in performing”. To learn more and to buy tickets please visit www.bilesuparadize.lv 

Open till December 07, Anete Kalnina Solo Exhibition “Landscape-Abstraction”, Gallery of the Artists’ Union of Latvia, Riga

In her abstract landscape paintings, Anete Kalnina involves nearly all of the motives of her surrounding environment and material world as a story of time and space. Every painted stroke of the palette knife differs and evolves, and the differential level of color saturation adds a spatial effect. Organized coincidences, a seemingly careless brush pattern in some places, creates areas full of internal tension and energy. Tree trunks, horizon at the sea, fog and moonlight are structures, which have their form and function rooted in unity in the paintings, creating entirety. The paintings are like atmospherically rapid, powerfully charged flashes of sensations. The exhibition shows paintings that have been created during the period of 2016-2017. The entrance to the exhibition is free of charge.

December 13, European Christmas, Concert by Raimonds Pauls and Latvian Radio Big Band, Congress Center, Riga

The Latvian Radio Big Band is delighted to surprise audiences each year with a new concert program that has been produced in particularly close cooperation with Maestro Raimonds Pauls.  This Christmas and New Year’s program enlightens undeservedly forgotten jewels from the maestro’s creativity, including melodies from his latest album “When You Visit the Bees” and “Stream and Sea” with lyrics by Guntars Racs. The program is slightly nostalgic and melancholic, and it represents a trip through the four seasons of the year and four periods of Pauls’ creativity. Maestro has invited his favorite vocalists to join him on stage – Kristine Praulina, Dinara Rudane, Ralfs Eilands and Intars Busulis, who will sing together and also sparkle as soloists. For more info, please go to www.latvijaskoncerti.lv and for ticket purchase please visit www.bilesuparadize.lv

December 15, Glenn Miller Orchestra, Congress Center, Riga

The Glenn Miller Orchestra was originally formed in 1938 by music virtuoso and trumpeter Glenn Miller. The new band became an American jazz music icon within a few years and performed and recorded nearly half of the greatest Hollywood film theme songs of that time, among them Sun Valley Serenade, New York, New York, and others. Their repertory includes: film music and Broadway musicals, as well as completely original compositions. Formed in 1983, the present line-up, with two alto saxophones, two tenor saxophones and clarinet performing the leads, are close followers of the original Glenn Miller Orchestra tunes. They have thoroughly studied performance of the initial ensemble in the films Sun Valley Serenade and Orchestra Wives. The orchestra is directed by Wil Salden, a brilliant pianist who fell in love with Glenn Miller’s music at an early age and now brings this affection to large audiences and next generations worldwide. Get ready for a fantastic musical adventure with the jazz music icon – Glenn Miller Orchestra. More info can be found at www.glenn-miller-orchestra.de and tickets can be purchased at www.bilesuserviss.lv 

December 15-29, Roberts Kolcovs’ Exhibition “Indirect Communication”, Putti Art Gallery, Riga

For the exhibition, the graphic artist Roberts Kolcovs has prepared a variety of works, containing large scale paintings, ceramic masks, as well as graphic works that have been made during the last year. With these works, the artist continues his interdisciplinary (painting, sculpture, graphic) communication, that has existed in his works from the beginning of his creative expression. Please visit the gallery’s homepage www.putti.lv for more info. The entrance to the exhibition is free of charge.

 

LITHUANIA 

December 01-31, Christopher’s Christmas 2017, various venues in Vilnius

The spell-binding sound of the glass harp, music from the most well known films, the passionate tango, brilliant musicals, and more – these are all gifts offered as part of Christopher’s Christmas, which we invite you to unwrap at our festive season concerts. These carefully selected programs have been specially chosen to give your festive seasons a truly memorable mood. It takes so little to make a real miracle of this winter celebration – to make a snowman, to delight in frost-covered trees and forests, or to take in the aroma of spicy gingerbread biscuits, but most important of all are the people with whom you’d like to share these special moments. Invite them along to these concerts! Full information on the festival is available at www.kristupofestivaliai.lt and for ticket purchase please visit www.bilietai.lt

December 02-03, Comic Con Baltics, Pop Culture Event, Exhibition and Convention Center Litexpo, Vilnius

Comic Con Baltics is the biggest pop culture event in the Baltic States. The latest and hottest news from the cinema industry, TV, new technologies and computer games will be presented during the event on 2-3 December. As in other Comic Cons that are taking place in other countries, the attendees of Comic Con Baltics will have the unique possibility to meet and greet their favorite movie and TV stars. The event will feature special previews from upcoming movies and TV projects, computer games, special featurettes and trailers prepared exclusively for Comic Con Baltics. The attendees will have the opportunity to watch the daily life of a movie maker, see what a film set looks like, sit in a makeup chair, or see a performance of stuntmen. Visual effects artists, comics artists, cameramen, sound effects specialists, screenwriters and professional gamers will share their insights on what they do for a living. In some other workshops, people will be able to learn how to build their own costumes, or how to free their imaginations and put it down on paper and so on. Visitors will also see the biggest Cosplay championship. Most importantly, everybody will have a chance to meet the heroes from their childhood or just a popular actor from cinema or a TV series, get their autograph and seize the moment with the star in a professionally done photograph. Full information on the event is available at www.ccbaltics.com  and for ticket purchase please visit www.tiketa.lt

December 03, World Music Project “Cosmic Ciurlionis”, Vaidila Theater, Vilnius

This world music project, initiated by three brilliant musicians, enjoyed enthusiastic acclaim by critics and audiences alike, after its debut at the Mikalojus Konstantinas Ciurlionis International Music Festival in November 2016. The performance, based on improvisation on themes by Ciurlionis and other composers, offers an intriguing fusion of classical and rhythmic music. This time the performance will also feature visual imaging by Kornelijus Jarosevicius. Tickets can be purchased at www.bilietai.lt 

December 16, Rhythm of the Americas and Four Saxophones, Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Vilnius

The Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, led by Maestro Modestas Pitrenas, marks the 80th anniversary of Osvaldas Balakauskas and presents his Fifth Symphony. This Lithuanian composer has been at the pinnacle of modern Lithuanian music since the mid-1960s. Being one of its most remarkable composers and leading authorities, Balakauskas has had a great influence on several generations of composers: initially, because of the spell cast by his music, and later also as a teacher of the secrets of composition. On December 16th, the Lithuanian musicians will share the stage with Signum saxophone quartet, already familiar to Lithuanian audiences. Their energy, vibrancy and innovative ideas have been filling European concert halls and festivals with refreshing changes. Be it Carnegie Hall in New York or snowy peaks of the Dolomites, the joy of experimentation is always Signum’s company: four young musicians are at home in both classical quartet repertoire and their own arrangements of well-known opuses, offering inspiring soundscapes. Performing with ease and most often by heart, Signum enriches their concerts with movement and instrumental theatre elements. Please go to www.filharmonija.lt for more information and ticket purchase guidance.

December 27, Beissoul & Einius “Electro Fashion Show 2017”, Concert Hall Compensa, Vilnius

On the stage there is one of the most interesting modern electro music projects in the Baltic countries – Beissoul & Einius. Beissoul & Einius has been described by the epithets as- the spirit of a black man in a body of a white man, the style icons, frykduet, aliens from another planet, etc. Apart from surprising depth in his voice, on-stage, Beissoul impresses everybody by the choreography and costumes. Anyway, it is a duet, and it is impossible to forget. For ticket purchase please visit www.bilietai.lt