Eri Klas

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Eri Klas (2012)
Eri Klas (2009)

Eri Klas (born June 7, 1939 in Tallinn ; † February 26, 2016 ) was an Estonian conductor .

Early years

Eri Klas was inspired by his mother Anna Klas (1912-1999), a well-known pianist, for the music. Klas graduated from the Tallinna Muusikakool Music School in Tallinn in 1959 . He studied under the composer and conductor Gustav Ernesaks at the Tallinn Conservatory , from 1964 to 1967 under the direction of Nikolai Rabinowitsch at the Leningrad Conservatory and from 1969 to 1972 at the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow with the conductor Boris Hajkin .

From 1965 Eri Klas was conductor at the Estonia Concert and Opera House in Tallinn. From 1966 to 1969 Klas was the conductor of the Tallinn Chamber Orchestra . From 1975 to 1994 he was first conductor and artistic director of the Estonia . Since then he has been honorary conductor of the theater and concert hall.

International success

From 1985 to 1989 Klas worked as chief conductor at the Royal Opera in Stockholm . From 1990 to 1996 he directed the Aarhus Symphony Orchestra . From 1996 to 2003 he was senior conductor of the Dutch Radio Symphony Orchestra . Since autumn 2006 he was chief conductor of the New Opera Theater Kolobov in Moscow .

Eri Klas was professor at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki from 1993 to 1997 . He has conducted symphony orchestras in over 40 countries. He is also known to a large audience for his numerous records and CD recordings, including music by Arvo Pärt . Eri Klas was a frequent conductor of the Estonian song festivals and is considered one of the most famous Estonian conductors.

Volunteering

Since 1 June 1999 Eri Klas was Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF . From 1989 to 2010 the former boxer was a member of the Estonian Olympic Committee .

Awards

Eri Klas was awarded the State Prize of the Estonian SSR in 1985 . In 1992 and 1999 he received the Culture Prize of the Republic of Estonia.

Private life

Eri Klas was first married to the Estonian soprano and actress Nieves Klas (née Lepp; * 1945) from 1966 to 1968 . The couple has a daughter (* 1967). Klas then concluded two more marriages, first with the actress and ballet dancer Ülle Ulla (* 1934), then with the pianist Ariel Klas (* 1952).

Klas belonged to the Jewish community in Estonia .

literature

  • Eesti elulood. Eesti entsüklopeediakirjastus, Tallinn 2000, ISBN 9985-70-064-3 , p. 167 (= Eesti Entsüklopeedia 14)

Web links

Commons : Eri Klas  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Klas, Eri . In: Eesti spordi biograafiline leksikon (ESBL); accessed on February 27, 2016.
personal data
SURNAME Klas, Eri
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Клас, Эри Эдуардович (Russian)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Estonian conductor
DATE OF BIRTH June 7, 1939
PLACE OF BIRTH Tallinn
DATE OF DEATH February 26, 2016