Participants:)
Estonian bell ensemble ,,Arsis'')
Conductor Aivar Mae)
Estonian National Ballet soloists)
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Programme:)
Musical performance from Peter Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker".)
The Estonian National Opera Ballet soloists and the ARSIS bell ensemble will visit Dzintari with a colourful Christmas fairy-tale performance, taking you into the whirlwind of Peter Tchaikovsky's dances and into the realm of Christmas miracles. Tchaikovsky's beloved fairytale ballet The Nutcracker celebrates youth, friendship and love, and every year at Christmas time attracts packed houses in ballet theatres around the world. The magic of Peter Tchaikovsky's music and the allure of this dream story have always delighted audiences.)
"The story of The Nutcracker will be sung by Estonian National Opera soloists Ketlin Oja, Ali Urata, Marcus Nilson, Seili Loorits-Kämbre and Heidi Kopti. They have all performed leading roles in both Peter Tchaikovsky's and other composers' iconic ballets and have won awards in various dance competitions such as the ERGO Dance Award, Philip Morris Young Dancer's Award, MyFitness Dance Award.)
The performance will feature Peter Tchaikovsky's piano music arranged for bell ensemble between the dance numbers.)
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ARSIS was formed in 1993 from the chamber choir of the same name. The ensemble also operates two ARSIS bell schools in Tallinn and Tartu, where music is taught through bell playing. ARSIS owns one of the most impressive collections of bells in the world, created by the American company Malmark Bellcraftsmen.
The 12-member ensemble has performed in numerous concert tours and festivals in Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Russia and the USA (Ottawa Chamber Music Festival, Schleswig-Holstein and Rudolstadt Festival in Germany, Luosto Classic in Finland), and in prestigious concert halls such as the St Petersburg Philharmonic, Oslo Concert Hall, Shanghai City Theatre, El Prado Palace in Madrid. Their repertoire ranges from classical arrangements to original music. The ensemble has recorded 13 CDs.)
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Conductor Aivars Mē was educated at the Tallinn Academy of Music and Theatre. He has worked with many choirs in Estonia and abroad. Aivars Mē has conducted many international choral music festivals, seminars on both choral and bell music. He has been director of the concert agency Eesti Kontsert and the Estonian National Concert Institute, director of the Estonian National Opera, and manager of the Vanemuine Theatre in Tartu. In 2013 Aivars Mē was awarded the prestigious Baltic Star Award.
Duration: ~60 minutes (without intermission)
