NARVA OOPERIPÄEVAD 2026

Founded 169 years ago as Europe’s largest textile enterprise – the Kreenholm Manufactory once had a choir that was conducted by the grandfather of beloved Estonian singer Georg Ots. Today, in this richly historicist setting, contemporary opera

is performed and modern ballet from Estonia and neighbouring countries can be enjoyed.

At Narva Opera Festival, East and West, history and the present, aristocrats and bohemians meet; around abandoned industrial buildings, the freshest winds of the world’s music theatre begin to blow. In the Kreenholm district, one can sense the aura

of the Tsarist era, Soviet solemnity, and today’s cosmopolitan spirit. Here, bold avant- garde meets the finest traditions.

The festival was founded by Narva-born opera singer Julia Savitskaja, who has been organising the festival since 2015. In 2018, Julia received the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s “Cultural Pearl” award for organising Narva Opera Festival, and in 2022

she was awarded the title of the City of Narva’s professional cultural figure in the field of music. Cultural Organizer of the Year 2025, Ministry of Culture of Estonia