ORIENT 2005 Artistic director – Peeter Vähi

The first ever concentrated show of oriental music in Estonia, a tradition going back to the year 1992, has brought the most authentic performers from India, Siberia, Middle East, Central Asia, Far East, and South East Asia. It is certainly a leading musical event in the Baltic States where music lovers can enjoy performers like Hariprasad Chaurasia, ensemble “Kodō”, Ravi Shankar, Anoushka Shankar, Jivan Gasparyan, ensemble “Huun-Huur-Tu”, Alim Qasimov, Burhan Öçal, Sevara Nazarkhan, Gyuto and Gyume Buddhist monks, etc. Keep a close eye on our website and advertising – the show goes on.

Program

Tue May 3 at 8 pm Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn
Wed May 4 at 7 pm Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn
Thu May 5 at 7 pm Vanemuine Concert House, Tartu
Fri May 6 at 7 pm Pärnu Concert Hall
Sat May 8 at 7 pm, Great Guild Hall, Riga, Latvia

CHINESE OPERA
Kunqu opera company from Hunan province (China)

Program: “Congratulations Of Golden Monkeys”, “Qian-yuan Mountain”, “The Peony Pavilion”, “Breaking Into The Stronghold”, “Yan-dang Mountain”, “Zhong-kui Married Off His Sister”, “Keeling Before The Pond To Apology”, “Story Of A Snake”, “Story Of A Plum Tree”, “The Fork In The Road”, “Holding Back The Bolting Horse”, “Princess Wang Zhao-jun Leaves For The Frontier To Marry The Ruler Of A Tribe”

The 700 years old kunqu – a synthesis of drama, opera, ballet and music that has its roots in the ancient Chinese performances dating back to 3000 BC. The kunqu of Hunan province is one of the four most renowned operas in China. The impressive program of the 32-member group consists of the most attractive and characteristic scenes of different performances. In 2001 kunqu opera was included in the list of cultural heritage by UNESCO.

Thu May 5 at 7 pm Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn
Fri May 6 at 7 pm Viljandi Culture Centre
NEPALESE FOLK AND INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC
Ensemble “Sur Sudha” (Nepal): Prem Rana (bamboo flute), Tara Bir Singh Tuladhor (sitār), Surendra Shrestha (tablā)
Ranajit Sengupta (sarod, India) & Aditya Kalyanpur (tablā, India)
Oriental atmosphere, carpets, cushions,  Ceylon tea ceremony, incense, etc

“Orient” almost never invites artists to perform repeatedly, however, sometimes there is a reason to do that... The supervirtuosos Sengupta and Kalyanpur have charmed the Estonian audience as soloists, as a duo they meet for the first time. The so-called official cultural ambassador of Nepal “Sur Sudha” offers a survey of the different folk and ritual music traditions of its country.
Download: Ranajit Sengupta. Raga Jogkauns, fragm, mp3

Fri May 6 at 7 pm Estonia Concert Hall, Tallinn (in co-operation with ENSO)
MUSIC FROM THE FAR-EAST
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Lan Wei-wei (pipa, China)
Conductor Scott Yoo (Korea / USA)

3 reputable Far-Eastern composers are represented in this concert: Tōru Takemitsu from Japan (“Coming Rain”), Tan Dun from China (Pipa Concerto) and Isang Yun from Korea (Symphony No 4) who after acquaintance with the Western composition technique have developed an even deeper understanding of their native culture and thus respectively created their own individual style.

Download: Tan Dun. Pipa Concerto, fragm, mp3

Sat May 7 at 7 pm Ammende Villa, Pärnu
EGYPTIAN NIGHT
Aladin Abbas (vocal, ud, Egypt)
In co-operation with Ammende Villa

Sat May 7 at 7 pm Tallinn Town Hall
Sun May 8 at 3 pm Kuressaare Culture Centre, Saaremaa island (free entrance)
BHUTANESE FOLK AND CHINESE TRADITIONAL MUSIC (with slide program)
Adap Passang (vocal, dramnyen, Bhutan)
Chinese Traditional Trio: Zhang Gui-zhen (vocal), Liu Tian-jie (er-hu), Qi Zhang (gǔ-zhēng)

Adap Passang, the royal counselor of His Majesty the King of Bhutan, carries on the living tradition of the Himalayan music that he in his turn has acquired through oral heritage which has been passed on from generation to generation. The forthcoming generations in all probability can listen to the Passang-like authentic musicians only on archive recordings. The traditional trio from China represents a 3000-years-old musical culture. The Chinese have given a cosmic meaning to music: it generates the unity and harmony between Heaven and Earth; “right” music can change peoples’ habits and spirit.

Sun May 8 at 7 pm Estonia Concert Hall
MUSIC FROM MUSLIM COUNTRIES
Aladin Abbas (ud, vocal, Egypt)
Kathak-dance duo Namrata Pamnani & Shailja Nalwade with live music (India)
Sevara Nazarkhan (vocal) & the band (Uzbekistan)

Muslim religion and culture originating from the Arab countries have conquered the Middle East, Central Asia, Northern Africa, Indonesia and a large part of India. The unity of Muslim countries is clearly reflected also in music – modes, ornaments, the use of instruments, genres. One can experience all that in the concert where Egyptian and Uzbek traditional music as well as improvisational artistically skilful kathak dance with its roots in the Persian culture meet. The Egyptian singer and instrumentalist Aladin Abbas masters several Egyptian and Arab styles. The star singer from Uzbekistan Sevara Nazarkhan who has rocketed into the sky of the music world, performs a repertoire inspired by traditional and sufi songs. “The Siren of the Silk Road, hypnotic, heavenly, subtle, unforgettable.” – that is how the world press characterises her. In addition to numerous awards she was given the prestigious title of “Musician of the Year 2004” in the category of World Music by the BBC.
Download: Sevara Nazarkhan, mp3   Download: Aladin Abbas Ensemble, fragm, mp3

Bonus-concert: St Petersburg (13th July 2005 at 7 pm, Oktyabrski Concert Hall)
Legendary sitār-virtuoso Pandit Ravi Shankar, his daughter Anoushka Shankar (sitār) and Tanmoy Bose (tablā)
Program: rāgas Maru Bihag, Kirwani, Manj Khamaj

Download photos: Living legend Ravi Shankar in St Petersburg (2005, photo by P Vähi, jpg, 300 dpi, 3253 KB), Anoushka in St Petersburg (2005, Photo by P Vähi, jpg, 300 dpi, 3547 KB), Ravi Shankar (jpg, 300 dpi, 832 KB), and Anoushka Shankar (jpg, 300 dpi, 922 KB) 

Download: Ravi Shankar, fragm, mp3

Special thanks: Estonian Cultural Endowment, Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Eesti Kontsert, Scandic Hotels, Embassy of China in Estonia, Embassy of USA in Estonia, Embassy of Estonia in China, Tshering Dhendub, Schubert Daniel, Aleksandrs Nemirovskis, Ene Tohv, Tiina Kangro, Peeter Salmela

Organizers:
Tiina Jokinen – management director
Elle Himma – assistant producer
Piret Mikk – designer

Download short information in Estonian language, pdf, 431 KB
Download detailed information in Estonian language, pdf, 5423 KB
Video-clip, 30 sec, mpg, 1931 KB

See also:
Orient festivals
Orient 2009
Orient presents in 2008
Orient 2007
Orient presents in 2006 
Festival archives

Orient in Palmyra, “Voices from The Stars Above The Desert”
“The Path To The Heart Of Asia”, the CD recorded with featuring musicians of “Orient ’92”

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