Just So You Know . . .
In case you think that all we do is visit museums and tourist hot spots, there are many and more important things that we do, especially with the Young Single Adults and with the branch and the young missionaries.  The problem we have in showing you some of these things is that we would be in violation of a policy concerning the identification of people and/or their names on social media.  We have to be very careful about privacy here, so if I post a picture of people, it is usually from a distance and they are not named.  I will try and post about more of our day-to-day activities in the future.  With that said, I'll tell you about another adventure we had.

Swan Lake

This is a chocolate model of
the opera house

The Estonian National Opera House is a 5 minute walk from our apartment.  We have walked by it many times and wondered what shows or concerts are playing there.  We found out that they offer a guided tour of the building that would include all things back stage.  We decided to give it a go as it would be cheaper than buying a ticket for a show.  It just so happened that Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake was showing that night.  Our guide happened to be the flute player for the evening's performance.  First we were given a history lesson on how the building came about.  When it was built in 1913, it was the largest building in Tallinn.  It had two parts: one as a theatre and the other as a concert hall.  During WWI, it housed a military hospital and an Orthodox church.  In 1919, the first Estonian parliament met in the concert hall. In WWII, it suffered Soviet bombardment and the theatre part was destroyed.  It was later rebuilt.  Here's an interesting side note: For years, while under German occupation, the Germans built a opera house.  Since much of the aristocracy lived in Old Town, the opera house faced Old Town to receive it's well-heeled guests.  When Estonia was able to build her own opera house, they built it right behind where the German opera house stands and had it's doors facing toward the city where everyone else lived, thus symbolizing an edifice for the "people."  Our guide took us to the theatre where the crew were preparing the stage for the performance.  She took us back stage and showed us the modern scene changing apparatus that allows for changing scenes by computer, all automated.  Next we saw where the props are stored and made.  We saw the dancers warming up in rehearsal room.  We got to see where all the costumes are made and where the makeup is done.  We learned that there are an awful lot of things to plan and keep track of many, many months before the first scene is ever rehearsed.  We actually met the director for the evening.  He was in a bit of a hurry, but was pleasant and carried a bouquet of flowers.  I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

This is the theatre.  Just look at how this is decorated

The Theatre

The stage. Notice the swan flying on the screen

Detail on the moulding

Artwork on the ceiling

Scene building shop

Dancers costumes.  Real feathers!

A view of the seats from the orchestra pit