Culture & Entertainment

This year’s Polar Music Prize, Sweden’s most prestigious music prize, has been awarded to Beninese singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo, founder of Island Records Chris Blackwell and composer Arvo Pärt. The prizes will be awarded in Stockholm on May 23 and will be attended by the Swedish Royal Family. “The Polar Prize...

March 22 marked exactly 100 days until the XIII Youth Song and Dance Festival "Holy is the Land" begins in Tallinn, and all over the country, preparations for the three-day festival are in full swing. More than half of the tickets to all three performances of the Dance Festival have...

March 4, 2023 was a day of celebration to recognize the 105th Anniversary of Estonian Independence Day, the 60th Anniversary of the Washington Estonian Society and the 50th Anniversary of Pillerkaar, Washington’s Estonian folk-dance troupe. The celebration featured a special presentation of “Dawn Till Dusk,” which drew a sell-out crowd....

The island of Hiiumaa has declared 2023 the Year of Music in honor of Rudolf Tobias, with the main event being "Estonian Music Celebration on Hiiumaa: Rudolf Tobias 150." Rudolf Tobias (May 29, 1873, Käina – October 29, 1918, Berlin) was an Estonian composer, organist, and choir conductor who was...

It was a special treat to spend this past Sunday afternoon being enthralled by the talented performance of an Estonian opera singer singing the major role of Antonia in J. Offenbach’s opera “The Tales of Hoffmann”. Hälis Rünk’s performance was moving, sung with great skill and style, and her emotional...

Hundreds attended the Boston Baltic Film Festival (BBFF) last weekend where the Estonian films “Kalev”, and “Melchior the Apothecary” I & II were screened. Filmmakers Ove Musting, Veiko Esken and Olle Mirme were on hand from Estonia with movie props and stories from behind the scenes in making the films....

As with most things in life —and especially around food and health—I advocate balance. I do not believe in taking extreme measures. When it comes to cleansing the body from the inside out, I am not in favor of “fasting,” be it a water fast, a juice fast or a...

When the Washington Estonian Society began planning its 60th Anniversary Celebration, the work group realized the program needed to appeal to all age groups, specifically young professionals beginning their careers and establishing their independent lives. It is critical that the Estonian-American community embrace these young people and ensure that their...

The Connecticut Estonian Society held its celebration of the 105th anniversary of the Declaration of Estonian Independence. The event occurred at the Baltic Restaurant, a replica of an actual Baltic manor, and featured Baltic Sea regional cuisine for dinner. The dinner was topped off by an Estonian kringel (sweetbread dessert),...

The activities of academic studies of Estonian language and culture abroad (Eesti keele ja kultuuri akadeemiline välisõpe, hereinafter EKKAV) is a continuous teaching of the Estonian language and culture in universities outside Estonia, including its support activities in Estonia and elsewhere. The EKKAV programme framework provides study material, scholarships and...