PROGRAMME
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
– Countess and Susanna’s duet “Sull’aria” / “On the Gentle Breeze” / “On the Breeze”
from the opera “Le nozze di Figaro” / “The Marriage of Figaro” / “The Marriage of Figaro”
– Monostatos’s aria “Alles fühlt der Liebe Freuden” / “Everyone Feels the Joys of Love” / “Everyone Feels the Joys of Love” from the opera “Die Zauberflöte” / “The Magic Flute” / “The Magic Flute”
Georges Bizet (1838–1875)
Seguidilla “Près des remparts de Séville” / “Near the Walls of Seville” / “Near the Walls of Seville”
from the opera “Carmen”
Georg Friedrich Händel (1685–1759)
– Cleopatra and Ptolemy’s recitative and Cleopatra’s aria “Non disperar” / “Do Not Despair” / “Don’t Despair”
– Bertarido’s aria “Dove sei, amato bene” / “Where Are You, My Beloved” / “Where Are You, My Beloved”
from the opera “Rodelinda”
– Cleopatra’s recitative and aria “E pur così in un giorno… Piangerò la sorte mia” / “And Yet, One Day… I Shall Weep My Fate” / “And Yet, One Day… I Shall Weep My Fate”
– Caesar and Cleopatra’s duet “Caro! Bella! Piu amabile belta!” / “My Dear! Beautiful! The Most Beloved and Beautiful!” / “My Dearest! My Dearest and Most Beautiful Lover!” from the opera / from the opera “Giulio Cesare” / “Julius Caesar”
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835–1921)
Dalila’s aria “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” / “My Heart Opens to Your Voice” / “My Heart Opens to Your Voice”
from the opera / from the opera “Samson et Dalila”
Henry Purcell (1659–1695)
The Secret’s aria “One charming night” / “On One Enchanting Night”
from the opera / from the opera “The Fairy Queen” / “The Fairy Queen”
Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880)
Barcarolle “Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour” / “Beautiful Night, O Night of Love” / “Beautiful Night, O Night of Love”
from the opera / from the opera “Les contes d’Hoffmann” / “The Tales of Hoffmann” / “The Tales of Hoffmann”
Georges Bizet
Carmen’s Habanera “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle” / “Love Is a Rebellious Bird” / “Love Is a Rebellious Bird”
from the opera / from the opera “Carmen”
Jacques Offenbach
Cupid’s aria “Valse des baisers” / “Waltz of the Kisses” / “Waltz of the Kisses”
from the operetta / from the operetta “Orphée aux enfers” / “Orpheus in the Underworld” / “Orpheus in the Underworld”
Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868)
Cat Duet “Duetto buffo di due gatti” / “Humorous Duet for Two Cats” / “Humorous Duet for Two Cats”
Coloratura soprano PIRJO JONAS holds a master’s degree in opera singing from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (2009), where she studied in the singing class of Associate Professor N. Kuremi, as well as a higher education degree in English language and literature from the University of Tartu. Jonas’s repertoire ranges from early music to works by contemporary composers. She has given concerts both in Estonia and abroad and has performed as a soloist in numerous large-scale works. Her major roles in recent seasons include the title role in Donizetti’s opera “Linda di Chamounix”, Donna Anna in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”, Roxane in Tamberg’s opera “Cyrano de Bergerac”, Cleopatra in Handel’s “Giulio Cesare” and Tiina in Kõlar’s opera “Libahunt”. In 2011, Jonas received the Crystal Shoe Award. In the same year, she was also a scholarship holder of the Richard Wagner Society. Jonas has also been nominated twice for the Estonian Theatre Music Award: for the role of Pepi Pleiniger in Strauss’s operetta “Wiener Blut”, for Johanna in Sondheim’s musical “Sweeney Todd” (2018), and for the title role in Donizetti’s opera “Linda di Chamounix” (2021). Pirjo Jonas has performed on the stages of both the Estonian National Opera and Vanemuine Theatre and, since the 2010/2011 season, has been a permanent soloist at Vanemuine Theatre, where she has created numerous diverse roles in operas, operettas and musicals.
RAEL RENT began studying classical singing at the Heino Eller Tartu Music School under K. Puis, while simultaneously studying theatre studies and art history at the University of Tartu. She continued her vocal studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in the class of L. Ormiston and completed her master’s degree cum laude at the David Seligman Opera School of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, where her teachers were C. McGahon and A. Mason. In December 2022, Rent participated in J. DiDonato’s masterclasses at Carnegie Hall in New York. In 2024, she won the Vello Jürna Opera Singers Competition. Rael Rent has been a member of the opera choir of Vanemuine Theatre since autumn 2025, and has already appeared as a soloist in numerous theatre concerts and productions, including the solo part in the ballet production “Palve. Kummardus Pärdile”, the role of Mari in Kõlar’s opera “Libahunt” and the role of Flora in Verdi’s opera “La Traviata”.
IVO POSTI studied history at the University of Tartu and continued his education in classical singing at the Heino Eller Tartu Music School (teacher A. Kõiv). From 2001, Posti studied at the Royal Conservatoire The Hague (teachers R. Dams and B. Pearson). He has furthered his studies with M. van Altena and D. Forlano and participated in masterclasses with T. Valjakka, T. Wiedenhofer, M. Chance and J. Feldman. Posti has won numerous competitions as both a pop and opera singer and has given concerts throughout Europe. He has collaborated with many orchestras and ensembles. From 2007 to 2008, he worked at Opera Studio Nederland. His most important roles have included the Spirit in Purcell’s opera “Dido and Aeneas” at the Aix-en-Provence Festival (2008), Grazia in Cavalli’s opera “Ercole Amante” at De Nederlandse Opera (2009), Vyazemskaya and Sharik in the world premiere of Raskatov’s opera “A Dog’s Heart” at De Nederlandse Opera (2010), Prince Orlofsky in Strauss’s operetta “Die Fledermaus” in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany (2011), the role of Ptolemy in Handel’s opera “Giulio Cesare” and Venus in Purcell’s opera “King Arthur” at Vanemuine Theatre, and Cat Ints in Kangro’s children’s opera “Puss in Boots”, among others. He has been a scholarship holder of the Estonian Performers’ Union (2016, 2026), the Cultural Endowment of Estonia (2025) and the Tartu Cultural Endowment (2026). Since 2025, Ivo Posti has been a singing teacher at the Heino Eller Tartu Music School.
PIIA PAEMURRU is one of Estonia’s most highly regarded ensemble partners and accompanists for opera singers. She has collaborated with many renowned Estonian and international singers, including V. Noreika, J. Ryhänen, M. Voites, M. Palm, P. Lill, A. Saal, R. Soom, P. Volmer, H. Lokuta, A. Mikk, K. Vähi, O. Kuusik, M. Listra, K. Puis, P. Jonas, D. Savinova, M. Veretenina, A. Pillak, T. Dede, K. Jürgens, S. Laagus, A. Soode, A. Karp, S. Breede, T. Nugis, R. Raalik, P. Balakin, R. Kull, R. Tamm and others. Her concert career has also brought her on stage with outstanding instrumentalists, including P. Paemurru, M. Tampere-Bezrodny, A. Lend, A. Tammesalu, V. Veldi and others. Paemurru graduated from the Tallinn Conservatory in 1999 with a master’s degree in the piano class of Professor Laine Mets. Since 1986, she has worked as a piano accompanist in the Department of Singing at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre. Internationally, Paemurru has participated as an accompanist in numerous masterclasses and auditions at the Bavarian Opera Academy in Germany. She has received special prizes for Best Accompanist at several singing competitions, including the Klaudia Taev International Competition for Young Opera Singers, where she has received the award five times. From 2016 to 2026, she worked as an accompanist at Vanemuine Theatre. Piia Paemurru is a scholarship holder of Music Trust PLMF.