Andrei Liimets’s festival recommendations: Baltoscandal, Treskifest and Hungerburg | Theatre

Bartoskandar, 3-7 July, Rakvere

The Baltoscandal Theatre Festival, which has a long tradition, will be holding its 30th edition this year. “I have to admit that I myself am not the most frequent visitor, but every time I have been there I have seen very good things. There you can see the best performing arts from Estonia and the wider world,” explains Dolimetz.

Liimets singled out Belgian performance artist Miet Warlop in the program. “If you’re not familiar with his name, perhaps the most telling thing about him is that his last work, A Song, was selected as one of the best in the world in 2022,” Liimets said.

“You can also see the exciting Finnish band Wauhaus, who are putting together a production that could only feature one person. Unfortunately, it must have sold out by today, but things like this give an idea of ​​how exciting and interesting the festival programme is,” Liimets added.

Teski Festival, 9-11 August, Teski, Setoma

Liimets admits that he himself usually makes his summer plans based on music festivals. “There are many festivals to recommend. This weekend, Paavli Kultuurivabrik’s birthday festival is taking place, but my favorite festival in recent years has been Treskifest,” Liimets admits, adding that a big part of the festival’s appeal consists of the location and the energy in the air.

“A very nice festival with very nice people. There is a music program, an inspiration program, but I go there just because of the location. If you hear the term “Treski” for the first time, go to Setomaa, or even go to a concert in the summer, go and see what this Treski (Jalmar Vabarna) is all about, a nuclear bomb with legs, who built a Treski barn and an outdoor stage, which is a phenomenon in itself,” says Liimets, who discovered that every visitor will feel a culture shock from this small place in southern Estonia.

Hungerburg, 14-18 August, Narva-Joesuu

The festival is organized by Tartu Uue Teatr, formerly known as Narva-Jõesuu, and features theater, music, and more. “For example, I once bought a passport and there were 100 passports put up for sale, with absolutely no idea where you were going. It’s just that Tartu Uus Teatr is organizing it, it’s held in Narva-Jõesuu, and do you believe it?” Limetz said.

“I expect something adventurous from Estonian theatre, a desire to do something completely different, something unpredictable, and in my opinion the repertoire of the big Estonian theatres contains too much of this safe stuff. You can find something similar in Hungerburg. During the five days there are concerts, productions and film premieres dedicated to the festival,” Limetz said.

“It takes place in the Mereranna holiday house, which otherwise would have been closed long ago. It’s a space- and site-specific festival, an opportunity to explore Narva-Jõesu, which is also a very good place to be in the summer. I can’t imagine what will happen there, but that’s what I’m very excited about,” Limetz said.