| Eesti Draamateater | |
 Front facade of the Estonian Drama Theatre. | |
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| Address | Pärnu mnt 5, 10143 Tallinn, Estonia |
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| Location | Tallinn, Estonia |
| Coordinates | 59°26′05″N24°44′56″E / 59.4347°N 24.7489°E |
The Estonian Drama Theatre (Estonian : Eesti Draamateater) is a theatre in Tallinn, Estonia. It has the role of a national theatre for Estonia. The Estonia Theatre is located next door.
The building that houses the Estonian Drama Theatre was originally built for the German theatre of Tallinn and completed in 1910 to designs by Saint Petersburg architects Nikolai Vassilyev and Alexey Bubyr. The style is Art Nouveau [1] [2] [3] or, more specifically, National Romantic. [4]
An Estonian-language drama school was set up in Tallinn in 1920 by Paul Sepp , and from this the Estonian Drama Theatre was formed in 1924. It was originally called the Drama Studio Theatre and rented the stage of the German theatre. In 1939 the theatre however purchased the building and has been housed there ever since. The theatre was renamed the Estonian Drama Theatre in 1937. During the Soviet occupation the theatre was called the Viktor Kingissepp Tallinn National Drama Theatre but it reverted to its old name in 1989, prior to Estonia's re-gained independence. [2]
The theatre today fulfills the role of an Estonian national theatre. [2] [1] It has three stages, with 436, 170 and 70 seats each. [2] Both classical plays and new productions, including experimental plays, are staged at the theatre. Since it was founded, the Estonian Drama Theatre has cooperated with and staged plays by playwrights such as Hugo Raudsepp, August Kitzberg, Eduard Vilde, A. H. Tammsaare, Mats Traat, Jaan Kross and Oskar Luts. During the 1980s, the theatre took on a political role as it staged plays with themes critical to the Soviet occupation and in favour of Estonian independence by writers like Jaan Kruusvall and Rein Saluri. [2]
Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 97,435. It is 186 kilometres southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres northeast of Riga, Latvia. Tartu lies on the Emajõgi river, which connects the two largest lakes in Estonia, Lake Võrtsjärv and Lake Peipus. From the 13th century until the end of the 19th century, Tartu was known in most of the world by variants of its historical name Dorpat.
Konstantin Päts was an Estonian statesman and the country's president in 1938–1940. Päts was one of the most influential politicians of the independent democratic Republic of Estonia, and during the two decades prior to World War II he also served five times as the country's prime minister. After the 16–17 June 1940 Soviet invasion and occupation of Estonia, President Päts remained formally in office for over a month, until he was forced to resign, imprisoned by the new Stalinist regime, and deported to the USSR, where he died in 1956.
Jaan Tõnisson was an Estonian statesman, serving as the Prime Minister of Estonia twice during 1919 to 1920, as State Elder from 1927 to 1928 and in 1933, and as Foreign Minister of Estonia from 1931 to 1932.
The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Music School on November 17, 1918. The opening ceremony took place on September 28, 1919. In 1923 the educational institution was renamed the Tallinn Conservatoire. In 1938 the State Drama School was opened. In 1993 the school was renamed the Estonian Academy of Music. In 1995 the Drama Faculty was renamed the Higher Theatre School.
The Russian Theatre is a Russian-language theatre in Tallinn, Estonia. It is housed in a building that was originally built as a cinema in 1926 and is in Art Deco style.
Evelin Võigemast is an Estonian stage, film television and voice actress and singer.
Meeli Sööt is an Estonian stage, television, radio and film actress.
Ellen Liiger, was an Estonian stage, television, radio and film actress and theatre teacher. Her stage career began at age six and lasted until she died in 1987.
Helene Vannari was an Estonian stage, radio, television and film actress.
Marie-Elisabeth "Betty" Kuuskemaa was an Estonian stage and film actress whose long career spanned over sixty years.
Mari Lill is an Estonian stage, film and television actress whose career began onstage in the late 1960s.
Ain Mäeots is an Estonian stage, film, and television actor and stage, film, and television director and producer.
Jaan Rekkor is an Estonian stage, film and television actor.
Andres Raag is an Estonian stage, film, radio and television actor and singer with the band L'Dorado since 1993.
Salme Helene Reek was an Estonian stage, film, radio, and television actress and stage director whose career spanned nearly seventy years; sixty-six of which were spent as an actress at the Estonian Drama Theatre.
Ines Aru is an Estonian stage, radio, voice, television, and film actress whose career began in the early 1960s.
Terje Pennie is an Estonian stage, television, and film actress whose career began as a teenager in the late 1970s.
Helle-Reet Helenurm was an Estonian actress whose career began in 1968 in theatre. She also performed as a radio, television, and film actress until her death, aged 59, of cancer.
Maila Rästas was an Estonian stage, film, and radio actress. Rästas was employed at Estonian Drama Theatre in Tallinn from 1961 until 1992 before retiring. She also appeared in several films.
Hans Kaldoja was an Estonian stage, television, film, and radio voice actor whose career began in the mid-1960s. Kaldoja was employed at the Estonian Drama Theatre for twenty-seven years; from 1965 until 1992, appearing in over one hundred theatre roles, before becoming a freelance actor. He has also recorded nearly two hundred audiobooks for the Estonian Library for the Blind.
Media related to Estonian Drama Theatre at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
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