Event Guide

ESTONIA

June 12-16, 

12th Tallinn Guitar Festival, various venues in Tallinn

Traditionally, the festival offers guitar music in its plentitude of styles. The festival's creator and artistic director is the guitarist Tiit Peterson. Full program can be found at www.kitarrifestival.ee and tickets can be purchased at www.piletilevi.ee.

Open till June 18, Karel Koplimets’s Solo Exhibition, Art Hall Gallery, Tallinn

You are invited to attend the exhibition by the artist Karel Koplimets Case 11: Talsinki that will last until June 18th. In it, the artist makes a sharp detour from landscapes that have become bleak and shadowy, to the everyday world of people – with little artistic intensification. True, there are some dreams here, but they are carried by a relatively white, relatively large and relatively safe ship – a ship, the better part of which is an invisible memory of the ship. Using photography and video, Case 11: Talsinki tells the story of the exhausted workers and partying tourists on the ships travelling between Tallinn and Helsinki. None of them instills the resolve of the man or woman maintaining a steady course on the captain’s bridge; but rather a resignation with their situation, which is similar to crouching in the belly of a white whale floating in a glass-walled aquarium. Art Hall Gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday 12-6pm, admission is free. Find out more at www.kunstihoone.ee 

June 12-18, Tallinn Art Week 2017, various venues in Tallinn

Tallinn Art Week takes place for the second time. It is a unique art festival, which includes seven days full of art events, intriguing and instructive discussions, interesting workshops and possibly incredible performances in different venues around town. Tallinn Art Week brings the best of Estonian and international contemporary art to the people, while explaining how contemporary art is actually integrated with other fields. The motto of this year’s festival is “Take a Stand!” On 17 June, visitors can see the newest pieces by leading Estonian artists and an open architecture solution by the Department of Architecture of the Estonian Academy of Arts. There will be discussions and workshops for adults and children alike, as well as a performance “TRASH LAKE – Tallinn Edition.” There will also be an exhibition of the TASE program of the Estonian Academy of Arts, a gallery tour of Tallinn Tuesday, and a Performance Festival in the Noblessneri port city on 18 June. Please go to www.tallinnartweek.ee to get full information on the festival.

 

June 14-22, Street Art Festival Mextonia, Tallinn

Estonian artists in collaboration with Mexican artists will create large-scale wall murals in the city's public space. The murals will be inspired by the cultural symbols important to Estonia.

The festival will be a tribute to humanity and cultural diversity, and recognize the historical and cultural heritage of Estonia with a modern twist. Volunteers will re-paint scribbles on walls, fences, or pedestrian tunnels and thus, take the message of the festival to locals as well as visitors. Overall, more than 30 wall murals will be created. The festival is a jubilee gift from Mexico to Estonia for its 100th birthday. Learn more about the Festival at www.todoesuno.ee  

June 15-18, Sõru Jazz, Hiiumaa Island

Sõru Jazz is a summer jazz-music festival with a cozy atmosphere, and it brings a number of well-known and acknowledged Estonian musicians to Hiiumaa for three days. The festival takes place in the harbors of Orjaku, Kalana and Sõru on the island of Hiiumaa. In addition to good music and company, Hiiumaa itself is an asset with its beautiful ports and lovely people, all of which have become the phenomenon of Sõru Jazz and have given people a reason to come back here year after year. Hiiumaa has, without a doubt, the best wind, sea and sun in Estonia – if the weather is nice, you can enjoy the concerts outside, on the grass. This year the festival celebrates its 10th birthday. More than 70 musicians will take to the stage, and good music, the murmur of the sea, and good times spent with friends can be enjoyed. More information about the event is available at www.kaunismuusika.ee/soru-jazz

 

LATVIA

June 07-21, Riga Festival 2017, various venues in Riga

The Riga Festival is an annual musical event gathering world stars of academic music and Latvia’s most brilliant artists. The Riga Festival is organized every year in June providing a comprehensive program of events that expands year by year. Concerts are held in the Latvian National Opera, Spīķeri Concert Hall, etc. Learn more about the festival and program at www.rigasfestivals.lv and buy tickets online via www.bilesuparadize.lv

June 15-18, Peony Exhibition, Natural History Museum of Latvia, Riga

The exhibition is organized in cooperation with the Riga Gardening and Beekeeping Society. The exhibition will display flowers from different regions of Latvia. During the exhibition, breeders and collectors will answer visitors' questions about peony species, growing and choice of the species for the garden. Official information can be found at www.dabasmuzejs.gov.lv 

June 21, Foo Fighters Concert, Lucavsala Island, Riga

On June 21, one of the world's best concert bands Foo Fighters will give an open-air rock concert in Lucavsala. The more than two-hour long performance will not be the band's first and only gig in the Baltic States. Supporting acts will include: Scottish trio Biffy Clyro and U.S./British duo The Kills. Visitors can expect an energetic and epic concert. Foo Fighters will perform their hits like The Pretender, Everlong, Best of You, All My Life, My Hero, Learn to Fly, Walk and Something from Nothing, among many others. For ticket purchase please go to www.bilesuserviss.lv 

June 23, Midsummer Festival, Livonian Order Castle, Sigulda

Everyone is welcome to the Midsummer night celebration at Sigulda's Livonian Order castle and enjoy the magic of a Midsummer night open-air party next to a large bonfire. Find out more at www.sigulda.lv 

June 24-26, 

International Dance Competition Arabesque, Dzintari 

Concert Hall, Jurmala

Every year thousands of young dancers participate in the festival Arabesque – World and European championship winners in various categories, as well as the best groups from all over the world – Latvia, Estonia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkey, Cyprus, Slovenia, Poland, Egypt, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Canada, Israel, France and Brazil. Learn more at www.dancefestival.lv 

June 27 – July 01, The 

Introvert Art Festival Ad Lucem, various venues in Riga

Recognized and beloved musicians will perform their concerts, treating the audience to the special mood of the festival and forming alternative understanding of spirituality in art and music. The characteristic trait of the festival is its interest in the phenomenon of introspection in music. Ad Lucem encourages you to turn towards your inner world and discover your naturally innate spirituality. The atmosphere of the festival is striving to shelter you from everyday hurry and stress, turning your attention, by the power of art, from the outer to the inner, to raising your spirituality. Festival’s program and more can be found at www.adlucem.lv and tickets can be purchased at www.bilesuserviss.lv 

LITHUANIA 

June 16, Culture Night 2017, various venues in Vilnius

The best time to enjoy art, music and culture is when it is dark. Cinemas turn off all the lights before the movies, all the lamps are turned off before a play in a theatre, concert halls are darkened before every performance of an orchestra or a band. Only the darkness allows immersing into culture, letting the imagination run free and enjoy the processes around you. Turn on the light and the magic disappears. This year, one-night festival of culture, Culture Night, will keep the lights off and will invite the visitors to enjoy the culture and arts in the darkness of the night. Around 200 various projects and events will spread around Vilnius during the night from 16th to 17th of June, lasting from 6PM--2AM. During the Culture Night, the squares, streets, parks, and the most unexpected spaces in Vilnius are filled with various types of artistic projects: music, dance, theatre, cinema, photography, state-of-the-art installations, etc. The festival was first organized in Lithuania in 2007. All the events of the Culture Night are free. It is a gift to Vilnius and its visitors from artists and cultural and educational organizations. Full information on the festival’s program and more is available at www.kulturosnaktis.lt 

June 18, Concert by Nederlands Dans Theater 2, Lithuanian National Drama Theatre, Vilnius

Nederlands Dans Theater 2 is one of the world’s leading contemporary dance companies, under artistic guidance of choreographer Paul Lightfoot. The Dutch troupe is based in The Hague, but performs on a yearly basis for an international audience of 115,000 visitors in Europe, USA, Asia and Australia. Since its foundation in 1959, this rebellious pioneering company has built a rich repertoire of over 600 ballets. On tour in Vilnius the company presents four performances in one night: SH-BOOM! by Sol León & Paul Lightfoot, mutual comfort by Edward Clug, Solo by Hans van Manen, and Cacti by Alexander Ekman. Buy tickets online and learn more about the performances at www.tiketa.lt 

June 22, Concert by Viviane, St. Catherine’s Church, Vilnius

Viviane is one of the most charismatic voices of Portuguese music: a singular attitude and an involving, versatile and unmistakable register designate a career consolidated by a seventeen-year experience of songs and punctuated by an enormous simplicity and an absolute surrender to this "bigger art" that is music. Singer, composer and songwriter, Viviane performs genres like fado, chanson française, jazz manouche, bossa nova or Latin-American music, recreating them with a unique, elegant and sophisticated pop sensibility. In Vilnius, she will share the passion and grief of the Southern melodies with the audience. For ticket purchase please access

www.bilietai.lt 

June 22, Closing Concert of Vilnius Festival 2017, Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre, Vilnius

The Vilnius Festival is one of the most prestigious, solid and versatile classical music events in Lithuania and a major summer destination for music-lovers during the hottest tourist season. With primary interest in presenting classical music, performed by established soloists, ensembles and symphony orchestras from all over the world, the Vilnius Festival also continues to promote contemporary Lithuanian music by commissioning new large-scale works, and offers a platform for jazz and musical theatre. The Vilnius Festival will be closing with the dance and percussion show Snow, Mood and Flowers – a spectacle of traditional Japanese drums and other instruments in which rhythm and movement depicting various states, moods and even rituals are the main characters. Snow, moon and flowers, a topic in classical Japanese art and literature, refers to the seasons of the year, the link between past, present and future. The audience will be introduced to the cleansing dance accompanied by drums, flutes and ritual bells. The cleansing dance clears evil spirits and invites happiness. As the archaic communication takes place, taiko drums will unite the musicians on stage and listeners in the hall. Japanese drums and rhythms of western rock percussion will fuse into one whole; with the help of theatrical movements the percussionists will narrate about joy, anger and sadness, courage and passion in facing the future. Detailed information on the concert and ticket purchase can be found at www.filharmonija.lt 

June 24, Feast of St. John, Open-Air Museum of Lithuania, Rumšiškės, Kaišiadorys district

The Open-Air Museum of Lithuania invites everyone to get together on the 24th of June and recall the old customs of the Bonfires of Saint John. The celebration starts at 1pm. Experience the ritualistic magic of water, plant gathering and sorcery! Divine the future by flowers and wreaths, pay respect to the fire, enjoy St. John’s greetings and try your luck on the St. John’s quiz! There will be a lot of dancing, singing along with the musical bands, playing, jumping over bonfires and horse-drawn carriage rides. Celebrate the Bonfires of Saint John in nature! Entrance tickets can be bought at the venue and cost EUR 5 for adults, EUR 3 for schoolchildren, students and seniors, and free of charge for preschool children. Find out more at www.llbm.lt 

Open till June 25, The Color Boundaries, A Retrospective of Works by Ingryda Suokaite, Picture Gallery, Vilnius

Lithuanian artist Ingryda Suokaite-Helmer is living and working in Germany. She mostly paints abstract geometric-structured paintings with characteristically constructive shapes and contrasting bright colors. The painter thinks along the lines of pure, localized shapes of color, not allowing them to spread out too much, thereby creating boundaries between the colors. The collection of the artist’s works donated to the Lithuanian Art Museum allows taking a deeper look at the identity of a Lithuanian artist who matured and created in a totally different culture. Learn more about the exhibition at www.ldm.lt