ESTONIA AMONG SPOTLIGHTS OF CITY OF LONDON FESTIVAL 2009
23.06.2009 - 09.07.2009
Estonia and its capital Tallinn are among the spotlights of the City of London Festival this year from 23 June to 9 July. The highlights of the Estonian programme include a new ballet choreographed by the English National Ballet (ENB) Senior Principal Thomas Edur.
The two leading ENB dancers, Agnes Oaks and Thomas Edur, take their final bows to end their 20 year long career performing on an exclusive stage in St Paul's Cathedral in London on 30 June. Music composed by Arvo Pärt will be performed at five concerts by first-class musicians in many of the festival's greatest venues. Other Estonian composers featured in the programme include Erkki-Sven Tüür, Heino Eller, Artur Lemba, Artur Kapp and Peeter Süda.
The festival will also see the world première of Nigel Osborne's Seven Words, Seven Icons, Seven Cities with some words from the Estonian epic Kalevipoeg. Excursions in the London city explore historical trading links between London and the hanseatic towns including Tallinn and take the visitors from the Baltic Street to the Baltic Exchange.
The international spotlight of the festival this year follows the latitude of 60°N, connecting the Northern Isles of Scotland to the Baltic shores of Russia through music and other art forms. The Estonian Ambassador to the UK, Margus Laidre is among the honorary patrons of the festival. He said: "Despite the attempts to make it as a barrier, sea has always united us. It hasn't lost its significance even today. But there is something else, equally important as sea, which unites us and enables even for a small nation to become heard and seen. Music. Music literally puts us in our place. Musical pleasure is unique in that it is derived from fantasies and daydreams while simultaneously being extremely real. It is the cultural form best able to cross borders - sounds carry across walls and seas. And this will be the Estonian contribution to this year's festival."
More information
Digital brochure
FULL PROGRAMME:
TUESDAY, 23 JUNE
8 pm St Paul's Cathedral
Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble
Arvo PÄRT Most Holy Mother of God
Hilliard Ensemble in concert with Jan Garbarek.
Also in the programme: James MacMillan and music drawn from throughout Europe
TUESDAY, 30 JUNE
8 pm St Paul's Cathedral
English National Ballet
Orchestra of English National Ballet
Thomas Edur, choregraphy, Estonian music
WEDNESDAY, 1 JULY
7.30 pm Guildhall Great Hall
Christian Lindberg & the Nordic Chamber Orchestra
Arvo PÄRT Fratres for trombone and orchestra
Christian Lindberg and the Nordic Chamber Orchestra in concert to mark Swedwn’s launch of the EU presidency, with BBC broadcast to be confirmed: Also in the programme: Roman (Drottningholm music), Purcell, Grieg, Nielsen, Sibelius and Lindberg
THURSDAY, 2 JULY
7.30 pm Mansion House
Britten Sinfonia
Erkki-Sven Tüür Action.Illusion.Passion
Also in the programme: Rautavaara, Salonen, Vivaldi
EXCURSIONS
SATURDAY, 4 JULY at 11.00 am
SUNDAY, 5 July at 2.30 pm
John Gibson is a guide for this walk exploring London’s historic trading links with the Northern countries of Europe and the Hanseatic ports. Visit the site of the houses of Thomas Gresham and William Bond, renowned City traders, who plied their considerable wares with the Baltic States; and hear stories of the ancient Hansa Steelyard, granted a merchant charter by Edward I in 1303.
John Gibson is a City of London Guide and a retired Chartered Accountant. He has a degree in History and is researching a book on Elizabethan London.
SATURDAY, 4 JULY at 2.30 pm
SUNDAY, 5 July at 11.00 am
Walk - From Baltic Street to the Baltic Exchange. Robin Michaelson is a guide for this walk through the City of London identifying some of its connections with Northern Europe. From Baltic Street, with its association with the timber trade, to the Baltic Exchange, learn how a coffee house in Threadneedle Street, a traditional meeting place of merchants and sea captains, became the heart of world trade.
Robin Michaelson is a City of London Guide, retired actuary, and Past Master of the Actuaries’ Company and for the last 10 years has been taking private groups to the Baltic countries.
TUESDAY, 7 July
8 pm St Andrew Holborn
Scottish Ensemble & Tenebrae
Nigel Osborne Seven Words, Seven Icons, Seven Cities (world premiere)
Also in the programme: Shostakovich, MacMillan
WEDNESDAY, 8 July
1 pm St Stephen Walbrook
Arvo PÄRT Pari Intervallo and Trivium
Oliver Condy organ.
Also in programme: Maxwell Davies and Vierne.
THURSDAY – 9 July
8 pm St Paul's Cathedral
London Symphony Orchestra
Thursday 9 July – St Paul’s Cathedral
Arvo PÄRT Cantus in Memory of Benjamin Britten
London Symphony Orchestra and Valery Gergiev.
Also in the programme: Bruckner Symphony No 9.
Estonian Embassy in London
london@mfa.ee
Tel: +44(0)20 7838 53 90
Mob: +44(0) 77689 13554
www.estonia.gov.uk
 
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