Eri Klas
Encyclopedia
Eri Klas, is an Estonia
n conductor
.
Klas is of Jewish ancestry. Klas graduated as an opera
and concert
conductor in both Tallinn (Tallinn Conservatory) and Leningrad
(Leningrad Conservatory), beginning his conducting career at the Estonia Theatre
in Tallinn and at the Bolshoi Theatre
in Moscow
. Klas was appointed principal conductor and artistic director
of the Estonia Theatre in 1975. He became principal conductor of the Royal Swedish Opera
in 1985 and principal visiting conductor at the Finnish National Opera
in 1990. Klas served as chief conductor of the Danish Symphony Orchestra in Århus from 1991 to 1996. Klas was chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1996 to 2003, and subsequently became its principal guest conductor. From autumn 1998 to summer 2006, Klas was the artistic director of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
, and from autumn 2006 onward the orchestra invited him as its conductor laureate. From autumn 2006 onward he is chief conductor of the Novaya Opera in Moscow
, and since year 2000 he has been artistic director of the Tallinn Philharmonic.
Klas was professor of orchestral conducting at the Sibelius Academy
from 1993 to 1997. Currently Klas is a professor
at the Estonian Music Academy, which has awarded him an honorary doctorate
.
Klas is closely associated with leading contemporary
composers. He conducted the world premiere
of Alfred Schnittke
's Peer Gynt at the Hamburg State Opera
in Germany
and the Royal Opera House
in Stockholm
, and collaborated with Natalia Gutman
performing the world premiere of Schnittke's First Cello Concerto with the Munich Philharmonic. Klas has also conducted world premieres of works by Estonian composers including Arvo Pärt
, Eino Tamberg
, Veljo Tormis
and Eduard Tubin
.
Klas was named a People's Artist of the USSR
in 1986. He has also been awarded the Royal Order of the Polar Star Officer First Class in 1989 by the King of Sweden
, and the Order of the Lion of Finland
in 1992 by the President of Finland
. A former Estonian light-weight junior boxing
champion
, he is a natural member of the Estonian Olympic Committee
, Chairman of the Estonian Cultural Committee and an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Klas has recorded for the BIS
and Ondine
labels.
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
n conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...
.
Klas is of Jewish ancestry. Klas graduated as an opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
and concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
conductor in both Tallinn (Tallinn Conservatory) and Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
(Leningrad Conservatory), beginning his conducting career at the Estonia Theatre
Estonia Theatre
The Estonia Theater is an opera house and concert hall in Tallinn, Estonia.The Jugendstil building was designed by Finnish architects Armas Lindgren and Wivi Lönn. It was built as a national effort with the leadership of Estonia society in 1913 and was opened to the public on August 24th...
in Tallinn and at the Bolshoi Theatre
Bolshoi Theatre
The Bolshoi Theatre is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds performances of ballet and opera. The Bolshoi Ballet and Bolshoi Opera are amongst the oldest and most renowned ballet and opera companies in the world...
in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. Klas was appointed principal conductor and artistic director
Artistic director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre company, that handles the organization's artistic direction. He or she is generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization...
of the Estonia Theatre in 1975. He became principal conductor of the Royal Swedish Opera
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
in 1985 and principal visiting conductor at the Finnish National Opera
Finnish National Opera
The Finnish National Opera in Helsinki is the leading opera company in Finland. Its home base is the Opera House on Töölönlahti bay in Töölö which opened in 1993, and is state-owned through Senate Properties...
in 1990. Klas served as chief conductor of the Danish Symphony Orchestra in Århus from 1991 to 1996. Klas was chief conductor of the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra from 1996 to 2003, and subsequently became its principal guest conductor. From autumn 1998 to summer 2006, Klas was the artistic director of the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra
The Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra is a Finnish orchestra based in Tampere. Founded in 1930, and maintained by the municipality of Tampere since 1947, the orchestra is currently based in the Tampere Hall...
, and from autumn 2006 onward the orchestra invited him as its conductor laureate. From autumn 2006 onward he is chief conductor of the Novaya Opera in Moscow
Novaya Opera Theatre
The Kolobov Novaya Opera Theatre of Moscow is a theatre in Moscow, located at 3 Karetny Ryad. It was founded in 1991 by Russian conductor Yevgeny Kolobov and then Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov...
, and since year 2000 he has been artistic director of the Tallinn Philharmonic.
Klas was professor of orchestral conducting at the Sibelius Academy
Sibelius Academy
The Sibelius Academy is a university-level music school which operates in Helsinki and Kuopio, Finland. It also has an adult education centre in Järvenpää and a training centre in Seinäjoki. The Academy is the only music university in Finland. It is among the biggest European music universities...
from 1993 to 1997. Currently Klas is a professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the Estonian Music Academy, which has awarded him an honorary doctorate
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
.
Klas is closely associated with leading contemporary
Contemporary classical music
Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to the period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. However, the term may also be employed in a broader sense to refer to all post-1945 modern musical forms.-Categorization:...
composers. He conducted the world premiere
Premiere
A premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
of Alfred Schnittke
Alfred Schnittke
Alfred Schnittke ; November 24, 1934 – August 3, 1998) was a Russian and Soviet composer. Schnittke's early music shows the strong influence of Dmitri Shostakovich. He developed a polystylistic technique in works such as the epic First Symphony and First Concerto Grosso...
's Peer Gynt at the Hamburg State Opera
Hamburg State Opera
The Hamburg State Opera is one of the leading opera companies in Germany.Opera in Hamburg dates back to 2 January 1678 when the "Opern-Theatrum" was inaugurated with a performance of a biblical Singspiel by Johann Theile...
in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the Royal Opera House
Royal Swedish Opera
Kungliga Operan is Sweden's national stage for opera and ballet.-Location and Environment:...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, and collaborated with Natalia Gutman
Natalia Gutman
Natalia Gutman is a Russian cellist. She began to study cello at the Moscow Music School with R. Sapozhnikov. She was later admitted to the Moscow Conservatory, where she was taught by Rostropovich, amongst others....
performing the world premiere of Schnittke's First Cello Concerto with the Munich Philharmonic. Klas has also conducted world premieres of works by Estonian composers including Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt
Arvo Pärt is an Estonian classical composer and one of the most prominent living composers of sacred music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs his self-made compositional technique, tintinnabuli. His music also finds its inspiration and influence from...
, Eino Tamberg
Eino Tamberg
Eino Tamberg was an Estonian composer.Tamberg was born in Tallinn. He studied music composition with Eugen Kapp at the Tallinn Conservatory, graduating in 1953...
, Veljo Tormis
Veljo Tormis
Veljo Tormis is an Estonian composer, regarded to be one of the greatest living choral composers and one of the most important composers of the 20th century in Estonia. Internationally, his fame arises chiefly from his extensive body of choral music, which exceeds 500 individual choral songs, most...
and Eduard Tubin
Eduard Tubin
-Life:Tubin was born in Torila, Governorate of Livonia, Estonia. Both his parents were music lovers, and his father played trumpet and trombone in the village band. His first taste of music came at school where he learned flute and balalaika. Later, his father swapped a cow for a piano, and the...
.
Klas was named a People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR
People's Artist of the USSR, also sometimes translated as National Artist of the USSR, was an honorary title granted to citizens of the Soviet Union.- Nomenclature and significance :...
in 1986. He has also been awarded the Royal Order of the Polar Star Officer First Class in 1989 by the King of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
, and the Order of the Lion of Finland
Order of the Lion of Finland
There are three official orders in Finland: the Order of the Cross of Liberty, the Order of the White Rose of Finland and the Order of the Lion of Finland . The President of Finland is the Grand Master of all three orders. The orders are administered by boards consisting of a chancellor, a...
in 1992 by the President of Finland
Martti Ahtisaari
Martti Oiva Kalevi Ahtisaari is a Finnish politician, the tenth President of Finland , Nobel Peace Prize laureate and United Nations diplomat and mediator, noted for his international peace work....
. A former Estonian light-weight junior boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
, he is a natural member of the Estonian Olympic Committee
Estonian Olympic Committee
The Estonian Olympic Committee is responsible for the Estonia's participation in the Olympic Games.-History:The Estonian Sports Federation decided to form Estonian Olympic Committee in the First Estonian Sport Congress on 30 November 1919, one and a half years after the proclamation of the...
, Chairman of the Estonian Cultural Committee and an UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
Klas has recorded for the BIS
BIS Records
BIS Records is a record label founded in 1973 by Robert von Bahr. It is located in Åkersberga, Sweden.BIS focuses on classical music, both contemporary and early, especially works that are not already well represented by existing recordings....
and Ondine
Ondine (record label)
Ondine is a Finnish classical record label founded in 1985 in Helsinki, Finland, where the company is still based, and today offers an extremely eclectic catalogue of both contemporary Finnish music, as well as recordings with major Finnish and international artists...
labels.