Butterfly

About the Event

“Butterfly” by Tõnu Kõrvits is a dream‐like opera, merging life, theatre, and fairy‐tale. The heroine Erika is a mysterious bird‐woman, who is employed by the theatre by chance and dances like a butterfly. She is fickle, sensitive and unpredictable. Her descent from the birds makes her choose between departing with them on the brink of winter or staying at the theatre, where her heart, and her beloved August is.

“Butterfly” was commissioned for the 100th anniversary of the house of the Estonian Theatre and Concert House on September 6, 2013. The opera recounts the beginning years of the theatre and people who worked there at the time (dancer Erika Tetzky, actor August Michelson). The historical opening performance of the house, “Hamlet”, are portrayed by the characters of the legendary actors Erna Villmer and Theodor Altermann. Ophelia portrayed by Villmer becomes a parallel to the fate of Erika.

Staging team:
Conductor, Vello Pähn, Risto Joost
Stage Director, Peeter Jalakas (Von Krahl Theatre)
Designer, Liisi Eelmaa
Choreographer, Kati Kivitar
Video Designer, Emer Värk (Von Krahl Theatre)
Technical Consultant Enar Tarmo (Von Krahl Theatre)