Estonian National Male Choir, conductor Mikk Üleoja

In programme: Gesualdo, Uusberg

The final concert of the Glasperlenspiel festival presents the  Estonian National Male Choir with a contrasting and profound programme. The title „Tenebrae“ („darkness“) refers to the matins and lauds of the final part of Holy Week in the Roman Catholic Church. The emotionality of Tenebrae responsories have inspired composers through the ages; in the context of the current war situation in Ukraine, the texts are even more relevant and eloquent. The concert programme looks at the subject of suffering from two angles – through the eyes of the madrigal composer Carlo Gesualdo and Estonian composer Pärt Uusberg whose music is written five centuries later. The Estonian National Male Choir is one of the best-known and most prestigious male choirs in the world. In 2004, the choir was awarded with the Grammy award for the best choral performance, first for Estonia. Under the direction of Mikk Üleoja, the choir constantly records for Estonian Public Broadcasting and collaborates with several renowned record companies. The albums with music by Italian composers Giovanni Bonato and Giovanni Gabriel and works by Baltic composers Erkki-Sven Tüür, Peteris Vasks and Juste Janulyte are expected to be released. During its long history, the choir has performed all over Estonia and the former Soviet Union, as well as in many European countries, Israel, Canada, USA, China, Japan and Singapore.  In 2015, Estonian National Male Choir and Mikk Üleoja were awarded the State Cultural Award, marking the choir’s remarkable performances.