100 Notable alumni of
Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
Updated:
The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre is 466th in the world, 168th in Europe, and 2nd in Estonia by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Arvo Pärt
- Occupations
- composerclassical composermusician
- Biography
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Arvo Pärt is an Estonian composer of contemporary classical music. Since the late 1970s, Pärt has worked in a minimalist style that employs tintinnabuli, a compositional technique he invented. Pärt's music is in part inspired by Gregorian chant. His most performed works include Fratres (1977), Spiegel im Spiegel (1978), and Für Alina (1976). From 2011 to 2018, and again in 2022 and 2025, Pärt was the most performed living composer in the world. The Arvo Pärt Centre, in Laulasmaa, was opened to the public in 2018.
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Lembit Ulfsak
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1970
- Occupations
- actortelevision actorscreenwriterfilm actorstage actor
- Biography
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Lembit Ulfsak was an Estonian stage and film actor. Ulfsak starred in the 2014 film Tangerines which was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 87th Academy Awards. It was also among the five nominated films at the 72nd Golden Globe Awards for Best Foreign Language Film. Ulfsak died on 22 March 2017, at the age of 69.
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Georg Ots
- Occupations
- military personnelopera singeractorswimmer
- Biography
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Georg Ots was an Estonian baritone. He sang at the Estonian National Opera from 1951 until his death in 1975. Ots gained wider recognition with his roles at the Bolshoi Theatre, particularly with his lead role in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin with Galina Vishnevskaya as Tatyana. He was also celebrated for his performance in Mister Iks, based on Imre Kálmán's operetta Die Zirkusprinzessin.
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Elina Nechayeva
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 2016
- Occupations
- opera singer
- Biography
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Elina Nechayeva is an Estonian soprano. She represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal, with the song "La forza".
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Eri Klas
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1964-1967
- Occupations
- conductor
- Biography
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Eri Klas was an Estonian conductor. He conducted or served as artistic director for the Estonian National Opera, the Finnish National Opera, the Danish Symphony Orchestra, the Netherlands Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, the Tallinn Philharmonic, and the Novaya Opera.
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Peeter Volkonski
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1972-1976
- Occupations
- singertheatrical directorcomposertranslatoractor
- Biography
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Prince Peeter Volkonski is an Estonian rock-musician, composer, actor, and theatre director.
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Gustav Ernesaks
- Occupations
- choir directoropinion journalistmusic teachercomposerconductor
- Biography
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Gustav Ernesaks was an Estonian composer and a choir conductor.
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Alo Mattiisen
- Occupations
- composersinger
- Biography
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Alo Mattiisen was an Estonian musician and composer.
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Eduard Tubin
- Occupations
- composerconductor
- Biography
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Eduard Tubin was an Estonian composer, conductor, and choreographer.
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Evelin Võigemast
- Occupations
- stage actoractorfilm actordub actor
- Biography
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Evelin Võigemast is an Estonian stage, film television and voice actress and singer.
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Erkki-Sven Tüür
- Occupations
- percussionistcomposeruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Erkki-Sven Tüür is an Estonian composer.
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Urmas Sisask
- Occupations
- composer
- Biography
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Urmas Sisask was an Estonian composer.
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Marko Matvere
- Occupations
- theatrical directorfilm actorstage actortelevision actoractor
- Biography
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Marko Matvere is an Estonian actor and singer. He was the lead actor of the Tallinn City Theatre, but left to become a freelance actor in 2004.
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Piret Kalda
- Occupations
- film actoractorstage actor
- Biography
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Piret Kalda is an Estonian stage, television and film actress.
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Priit Võigemast
- Occupations
- theatrical directortelevision actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Priit Võigemast is an Estonian film, television and stage actor. Between 2002 and 2007 he has performed in the Ugala, Tallinna Linnateater and other theatres. He is probably best known for the role of Henn Ahas in the 2002 war drama Names in Marble. He was married to actress Evelin Võigemast.
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Jan Uuspõld
- Occupations
- musicianstage actortelevision actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Jan Uuspõld is an Estonian stage, television, radio and film actor and musician.
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Tõnu Kaljuste
- Occupations
- choir directormusic teacherconductor
- Biography
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Tõnu Kaljuste is an Estonian conductor.
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Evald Aav
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1926
- Occupations
- choir directorconductorcomposer
- Biography
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Evald Aav was an Estonian composer born in Tallinn, Governorate of Estonia, Russian Empire. He studied music composition there with Artur Kapp and wrote primarily vocal music to words in the Estonian language. In 1928 he composed the first national Estonian opera, Vikerlased (The Vikings). The opera premiered in Tallinn on 8 September 1928. He modelled his style of composition after Tchaikovsky.
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Juss Haasma
- Occupations
- theatrical directortelevision actorplaywrightactorfilm actor
- Biography
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Juss Haasma is an Estonian stage, film and television actor and musician.
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Eino Baskin
- Occupations
- directoractor
- Biography
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Eino Baskin was an Estonian actor and theatre director.
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Helgi Sallo
- Occupations
- opera singeractor
- Biography
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Helgi Sallo is an Estonian singer and actress.
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Lepo Sumera
- Occupations
- composerpolitician
- Biography
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Lepo Sumera was an Estonian composer and teacher.
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Ott Sepp
- Occupations
- film actoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Ott Sepp is an Estonian actor, comedian, singer, writer and television presenter.
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Ursula Ratasepp
- Occupations
- film actoractorstage actor
- Biography
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Ursula Ratasepp is an Estonian stage, film and television actress.
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Rein Rannap
- Occupations
- composerpianist
- Biography
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Rein Rannap is an Estonian composer and pianist.
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Jaan Tätte
- Occupations
- actortelevision actorsongwriterwriterfilm actor
- Biography
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Jaan Tätte is an Estonian playwright, poet, actor, and singer.
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Indrek Saar
- Occupations
- politicianstage actortelevision actorsportspersonactor
- Biography
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Indrek Saar is an Estonian actor and politician. He has been the leader of the Social Democratic Party from 2019 to 2022 and the Minister of Culture of Estonia from 2015 to 2019.
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Üllar Saaremäe
- Occupations
- actortelevision actorfilm actortheatrical directorstage actor
- Biography
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Üllar Saaremäe is an Estonian actor, director, politician, and punk band singer.
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Elisabet Reinsalu
- Occupations
- stage actoractor
- Biography
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Elisabet Reinsalu is an Estonian stage, television, voice, and film actress.
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Helle-Moonika Helme
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Helle-Moonika Helme is an Estonian musician and politician. She has been member of XIV Riigikogu and XV Riigikogu.
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Harriet Toompere
- Occupations
- children's writerstage actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Harriet Toompere is an Estonian stage, television, and film actress. She is also the author of two children's books.
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Elle Kull
- Occupations
- stage actoractorfilm actorpolitician
- Biography
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Elle Kull is an Estonian actress and politician. She was a member of the tenth legislature of the Estonian Parliament.
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Enn Vetemaa
- Occupations
- playwrightlibrettistcomposerwritertranslator
- Biography
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Enn Vetemaa was an Estonian writer sometimes referred to as a "forgotten classic", as well as "the unofficial master of the Estonian Modernist short novel".
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Andrus Vaarik
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actorstage actor
- Biography
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Andrus Vaarik is an Estonian film, television, and theater actor and theater director. He is best known for his portrayal of Andrus Kivirähk's fictional character Ivan Orav, Raul in the film Agent Sinikael, Osvald Kallaste in the television miniseries Tuulepealne maa and his work as a stage actor at the Tallinn City Theatre. He is the father of actress Marta Vaarik.
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Toomas Urb
- Occupations
- actorsinger
- Biography
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Toomas Urb is an Estonian actor and singer.
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Rita Rätsepp
- Occupations
- actorpsychologist
- Biography
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Rita Rätsepp is an Estonian actress and psychologist whose career began in the mid-1980s. She has performed on onstage, in television and in motion pictures.
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Ivo Uukkivi
- Occupations
- television actorstage actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Ivo Uukkivi is an Estonian stage, film, radio, and television actor, television producer and, under the nickname Munk, founder of and singer with the punk band Velikije Luki.
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Laine Mägi
- Occupations
- film actoractordance teacher
- Biography
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Laine Mägi is an Estonian stage, film and television actress, dancer and choreographer and dance pedagogue who began her career as a teenager. She is the founder of the Laine Mägi School of Dance, based in Pärnu.
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Olav Ehala
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1974
- Occupations
- film score composercomposermusic teacherpianistchoir director
- Biography
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Olav Ehala, is an Estonian composer.
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Arvo Kukumägi
- Occupations
- actorfilm actor
- Biography
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Arvo Kukumägi was an Estonian film and theatre actor.
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Voldemar Kuslap
- Occupations
- opera singeractor
- Biography
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Voldemar Kuslap is an Estonian opera and operetta singer (baritone) and occasional actor.
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Henrik Kalmet
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 2012
- Occupations
- stage actoractor
- Biography
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Henrik Kalmet is an Estonian actor, comedian, and television personality. Kalmet began his career in 2010 and has appeared as an actor on stage, television, and films. He is also a stand-up comedian and has appeared as a judge and presenter on several Estonian television series. In 2011, he was a cofounder of the theatre troupe Kinoteater.
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Heli Lääts
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1960
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
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Heli Lääts was an Estonian singer (mezzo-soprano) whose career began in the mid-1950s. Lääts predominantly performed estrada, chamber, pop, polka, and jazz music.
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Rasmus Kaljujärv
- Occupations
- television actorperforming artistactorfilm actor
- Biography
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Rasmus Kaljujärv is an Estonian actor. Kaljujärv started his movie career in 2003 and has played in 10 films and television series. His father Hannes Kaljujärv is also a well-known Estonian actor.
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Dan Põldroos
- Occupations
- film actoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Dan Põldroos was an Estonian stage, television and film actor who began performing on stage at age fifteen. Although mostly known for comedic roles, he was also an accomplished dramatic actor. Põldroos' career ended at age thirty-seven when he died unexpectedly.
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Marta Laan
- Occupations
- actorvoice actorstage actor
- Biography
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Marta Laan is an Estonian stage, television, and film actress whose career began in the late 2000s.
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Anu Lamp
- Occupations
- dub actorstage actortheatrical directortranslatoractor
- Biography
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Anu Lamp is an Estonian stage, film, television and voice actress, stage director, translator and instructor.
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Maarja Johanna Mägi
- Occupations
- stage actorfilm actor
- Biography
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Maarja Johanna Mägi is an Estonian stage and film actress.
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Margus Lepa
- Occupations
- film actoractorjournalist
- Biography
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Margus Lepa is an Estonian radio journalist and former actor.
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Tiit Sukk
- Occupations
- dub actorstage actortelevision actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Tiit Sukk is an Estonian stage, television, voice, and film actor, director and television presenter.
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Merle Jääger
- Occupations
- writerpoetactorfilm actor
- Biography
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Merle Jääger is an Estonian television, stage and film actress, poet and author who frequently uses the pen name Merca. Initially associated with the burgeoning Estonian punk rock scene of the early to mid 1980s, she has been described as the "bard of protest". Her career as an actress began in her early 20s and she has received a number of high-profile awards for stage roles.
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Mari Lill
- Occupations
- stage actoractor
- Biography
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Mari Lill is an Estonian stage, film and television actress whose career began onstage in the late 1960s.
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Anne Reemann
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1984-1988
- Occupations
- voice actorstage actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Anne Reemann is an Estonian actress.
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Indrek Sammul
- Occupations
- voice actortelevision actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Indrek Sammul is an Estonian actor, acting coach and stage fighting choreographer. In 1994 he graduated from the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, where he is a senior lecturer in State Speech. Sammul has worked as an actor in Tallinn City Theatre and Ugala Theatre. His first television role was in 1995 when he played in a drama series Wikman Boys.
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Kersti Kreismann
- Occupations
- stage actortelevision actor
- Biography
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Kersti Kreismann is an Estonian actress.
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Hendrik Toompere
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1984-1988
- Occupations
- film actoractortheatrical director
- Biography
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Hendrik Toompere Jr. is an Estonian actor and director.
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Mari Kalkun
- Occupations
- singersongwriter
- Biography
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Mari Kalkun is an Estonian singer and musician who specializes in contemporary folk music. She has performed at home and abroad with the ensemble Runorum, releasing several recordings since 2007. In 2013, she was voted the best singer at Estonia's Ethno Music Awards. Her widely acclaimed 2018 album Ilmamõtsan consists of the songs inspired by Estonian traditional folk music, especially that from the villages of Kalkun's native Võru in south-eastern Estonia.
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Helene Vannari
- Occupations
- film actoractorstage actor
- Biography
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Helene Vannari was an Estonian stage, radio, television and film actress.
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Kristiina Poska
- Occupations
- conductor
- Biography
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Kristiina Poska is an Estonian conductor.
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Andres Raag
- Occupations
- stage actortelevision actor
- Biography
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Andres Raag is an Estonian stage, film, radio and television actor and singer with the band L'Dorado since 1993.
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Andres Mustonen
- Occupations
- violinistconductor
- Biography
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Andres Mustonen is an Estonian conductor and violinist.
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Anne Paluver
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Anne Paluver is an Estonian actress known for her work in film, television, and animation.
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Taavi Eelmaa
- Occupations
- television actorstage actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Taavi Eelmaa is an Estonian stage and film actor.
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Rita Raave
- Occupations
- actorfilm actor
- Biography
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Rita Raave is an Estonian stage, television and film actress, and painter.
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Andres Puustusmaa
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directordirectoractor
- Biography
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Andres Puustusmaa is an Estonian film director, actor, screenwriter, professor, and photographer who began his career in the early 1990s. He has worked extensively in his native Estonia, as well as in Russia.
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Jaak Prints
- Occupations
- association football coachteacherfilm actorsportspersonactor
- Biography
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Jaak Prints is an Estonian actor, director, television presenter and former footballer.
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Anu Kaal
- Occupations
- actormusic educatoropera singer
- Biography
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Anu Kaal is an Estonian coloratura soprano singer. In 2001, she was awarded the Order of the White Star.
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Heidy Tamme
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
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Heidy Tamme is an Estonian estrada, chamber and pop singer whose career began in the early 1960s.
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Külli Teetamm
- Occupations
- actorteacherstage actor
- Biography
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Külli Teetamm, is an Estonian stage, television and film actress.
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Laine Randjärv
- Occupations
- choir directorsportspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Laine Randjärv is an Estonian politician from the Reform Party. She was the mayor of Tartu from 23 September 2004 to 2007, and previously she was deputy mayor from 2002 to 2004. From 2007 to 2011, she served as the Minister of Culture in Andrus Ansip's second government.
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Tõnu Kõrvits
- Occupations
- composer
- Biography
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Tõnu Kõrvits is an Estonian composer.
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Ain Lutsepp
- Occupations
- television actorstage actoractorpolitician
- Biography
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Ain Lutsepp is an Estonian actor and politician.
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Andero Ermel
- Occupations
- television actorstage actorsingerdub actor
- Biography
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Andero Ermel is an Estonian stage, film, television, and voice actor.
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Maria Annus
- Occupations
- stage actoractor
- Biography
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Maria Annus is an Estonian stage, television and film actress.
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Sergo Vares
- Occupations
- actorfilm actor
- Biography
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Sergo Vares is an Estonian actor.
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Veikko Täär
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Veikko Täär is an Estonian actor, sport psychologist, athlete, educator and entrepreneur.
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Artur Talvik
- Occupations
- screenwriterfilm directorpoliticianfilm produceractor
- Biography
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Artur Talvik is an Estonian politician, film director, film producer, actor, and screenwriter. He was a member of the Riigikogu and a former member of the Estonian Free Party. He now leads the Richness of Life party.
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Ines Aru
- Occupations
- stage actorfilm actor
- Biography
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Ines Aru is an Estonian stage, radio, voice, television, and film actress whose career began in the early 1960s.
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Lembit Peterson
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1976
- Occupations
- film actoractordirector
- Biography
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Lembit Peterson is an Estonian actor, theatre director and theatre pedagogue.
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René Eespere
- Occupations
- composermusic teacher
- Biography
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René Eespere is an Estonian composer. His best-regarded works are Glorificatio (1990) and Two Jubilations (1995), both written for mixed chorus. Other works include Concerto Ritornello for Chamber Orchestra (1982/1993), Concerto for Flute and Chamber Orchestra (1995/98), and Concerto for Viola and Chamber Orchestra (1996/98).
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Alo Kõrve
- Occupations
- actortelevision actorstage actor
- Biography
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Alo Kõrve is an Estonian stage, film, and television actor.
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Helena Merzin-Tamm
- Occupations
- stage actoractor
- Biography
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Helena Merzin-Tamm is an Estonian actress.
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Dajan Ahmet
- Occupations
- theatrical directoractortelevision actor
- Biography
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Dajan Ahmet was an Estonian actor and stage director of Tatar heritage.
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Maria Faust
- Occupations
- choir directorconductorsaxophonist
- Biography
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Maria Faust is an Estonian jazz saxophonist. She has worked with John Parish and Mark Howard. She frequently tours in western Europe and has performed in the Balkan Peninsula, South America, China, and Russia.
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Kadri Tali
- Occupations
- conductorpolitician
- Biography
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Kadri Tali is a serving Member of the Estonian Parliament and Estonian music manager.
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Peeter Vähi
- Occupations
- composer
- Biography
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Peeter Vähi is a classical Estonian composer. Vähi's work Relaxatio, written in 1992 and inspired by Asian intonal elements of Tibetan canticles, is a noted electronic work of psychotherapeutic music.
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Avi Benjamin
- Occupations
- composer
- Biography
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Avi Benjamin is an Israeli composer and performer, musical director of the Israeli Gesher Theater since its foundation in 1991.
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Liis Lass
- Occupations
- film actoractorstage actor
- Biography
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Liis Remmel is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress.
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Aivar Mäe
- Occupations
- choir directorconductor
- Biography
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Aivar Mäe is an Estonian conductor and musician.
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Eva Püssa
- Occupations
- actordub actorstage actor
- Biography
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Eva Püssa is an Estonian stage, film, voice and television actress and radio personality.
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Maarja Jakobson
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Maarja Jakobson is an Estonian television, stage and film actress whose career began in the late 1990s.
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Britta Soll
- Occupations
- stage actoractor
- Biography
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Britta Soll is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress and former fashion model.
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Lauri Nebel
- Years
- 1948-.. (age 78)
- Occupations
- singertelevision actormusicianactorfilm actor
- Biography
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Lauri Nebel is an Estonian actor, singer and magician.
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Ain Mäeots
- Occupations
- theatrical directortelevision actorfilm directordirector
- Biography
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Ain Mäeots is an Estonian stage, film, and television actor and stage, film, and television director and producer.
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Mikk Jürjens
- Occupations
- television actorvoice actorstage actoractor
- Biography
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Mikk Jürjens is an Estonian stage, television, film, and voice actor, singer, and television presenter whose career began in the mid-2000s.
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Olari Elts
- Occupations
- actorchoir directorconductor
- Biography
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Olari Elts is an Estonian conductor. He is currently artistic director of the NYYD Ensemble, and music director and chief conductor of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra.
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Risto Joost
- Occupations
- performing artistconductoropera singer
- Biography
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Risto Joost is an Estonian conductor and operatic countertenor.
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Külliki Saldre
- Occupations
- television actorstage actoractorfilm actor
- Biography
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Külliki Saldre is an Estonian stage, television, radio and film actress.
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Rain Simmul
- Enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre
- Studied in 1988
- Occupations
- film actoractorstage actor
- Biography
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Rain Simmul is an Estonian actor.
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Eero Spriit
- Occupations
- actortelevision actordirector
- Biography
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Eero Spriit, is an Estonian actor, theatre producer and director, and film and television producer. Spriit's career as an actor began in the early 1970s.