Gallery: Vana Tallinn Baltic Opera Gala brings top soloists from three countries together

The Estonia National Opera hosted the first Vana Tallinn Baltic Opera Gala on Sept. 4, bringing leading soloists from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania onto the same stage.

The gala launched a new annual cooperation format. In future years, the event will take place in rotation across the three Baltic countries.

“

The Baltic Opera Gala became possible thanks to the cultural agreement signed last year between the national opera companies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, whose aim is to expand creative cooperation and introduce audiences to the best of Baltic opera and its musicians.

Estonia National Opera general director Ott Maaten said the initiative grew from a cultural agreement signed last year by the national opera companies of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The agreement aims to expand creative cooperation and introduce audiences to the Baltic region’s leading opera artists and performances.

The program was assembled jointly by the three opera houses’ chief conductors: Arvo Volmer, Mārtiņš Ozoliņš and Ričardas Šumila. Maaten added that while the Baltic Opera Gala will move between countries, the Vana Tallinn Gala will remain an annual local tradition for Estonian opera audiences.

“

While the Baltic Opera Gala will take place in a different country each year, the Vana Tallinn Gala will remain an annual local tradition for the enjoyment of domestic opera audiences.