Aire Koop (until 1987, Aire Johanson; born 30 May 1957) is an

Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...

n stage, film, and television actress whose career began in the late 1970s.

Early life and education

Aire Koop was born Aire Johanson in

Jõgeva Jõgeva (german: Laisholm) is a small town in Estonia with a population of around 5000 people. It is the capital of Jõgeva Parish and Jõgeva County. History Jõgeva was first mentioned in 1599 as ''Jagiwa'' manor, being established only rec ...

. After graduating from Jõgeva Secondary School in 1975, she studied drama at the Pärnu Theatre training studio from 1977 until 1979. Koop later returned to school in 2004, graduating from the

University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy ( et, Tartu Ülikooli Viljandi Kultuuriakadeemia) is an Estonian institution of higher education, situated in the provincial town of Viljandi, central Estonia. The UT Viljandi Culture Academy merged ...

in 2008 with a degree as a teacher and director of cultural and creative activities.

Career

Koop began her career as a stage actress at the

Endla Theatre Endla ( et, Endla teater) is a professional theatre in city of Pärnu, Estonia. The theatre was opened in 1911. The first performance was "Libahunt" ("Werewolf") by Estonian writer August Kitzberg. The Estonian Declaration of Independence was p ...

Pärnu Pärnu () is the fourth largest city in Estonia. Situated in southwest Estonia, Pärnu is located south of the Estonian capital, Tallinn, and west of Estonia's second largest city, Tartu. The city sits off the coast of Pärnu Bay, an inlet o ...

in 1979, an engagement that lasted until 1994. Notable roles at the Endla Teatre have been in works by: Dagmar Normet,

Juhan Smuul Juhan Smuul (18 February 1922 – 13 April 1971) was an Estonian writer. Until 1954 he used the given name Johannes Schmuul. Career Smuul was born in Koguva village on the island of Muhu to Jüri and Ruudu Schmuul (née Tuulik). He had three ...

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Paul-Eerik Rummo Paul-Eerik Rummo (born January 19, 1942) is an Estonian poet, playwright, translator and politician who was the former Estonian Minister of Culture and Education, as well as the former Estonian Minister of Population Affairs. Rummo was born in T ...

August Kitzberg August Kitzberg ( in Laatre Parish, Governorate of Livonia, Russian Empire – 10 October 1927 in Tartu) was an Estonian writer. Life Until 1863, August Kitzberg was known as August Kits. He grew up in Niitsaadu farmstead in Penuja village, A ...

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Stephen Poliakoff Stephen Poliakoff (born 1 December 1952) is a British playwright, director and screenwriter. In 2006 Gerard Gilbert of ''The Independent'' described him as the UK's "pre-eminent TV dramatist" who had "inherited Dennis Potter's crown". Early ...

Hugo Raudsepp Hugo Raudsepp (10 July 1883 – 15 September 1952) was an influential and prolific Estonian playwright and politician. Cody, Sprinchorn 2007, p. 428. In 1951 he was deported to the Irkutsk region by the Soviet authorities, where he died. Raun 2001 ...

Franz von Pocci Count Franz Graf von Pocci (7 March 1807 – 7 May 1876) was a significant official in the court of King Ludwig the First of Bavaria, best known as the founding director of the Munich Marionette Theatre where he was a shadow puppeteer and wrote ...

Brian Friel Brian Patrick Friel (c. 9 January 1929 – 2 October 2015) was an Irish dramatist, short story writer and founder of the Field Day Theatre Company. He had been considered one of the greatest living English-language dramatists. (subscription req ...

Jean Anouilh Jean Marie Lucien Pierre Anouilh (; 23 June 1910 – 3 October 1987) was a French dramatist whose career spanned five decades. Though his work ranged from high drama to absurdist farce, Anouilh is best known for his 1944 play ''Antigone'', an ad ...

, Claude Magnier, and Tony Roper. Koop (credited by her maiden name Johanson) made her film debut in a small role in the 1980

Peeter Simm Peeter Simm (born 24 February 1953 in Kiviõli) is an Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the ...

directed feature film ''

Ideaalmaastik ''Ideaalmaastik'' ( en, The Ideal Landscape) is a 1980 Estonian drama film directed by Peeter Simm and based on the story "Kevadkülvi volinik" by Karl Helemäe. Awards: * 1982: All-Union Film Festival, best director debut: Peeter Simm; best act ...

'' for

Tallinnfilm Tallinnfilm is the oldest surviving film studio in Estonia. It was founded as Estonian Culture Film in 1931, and was nationalized in 1940 after Estonia was forced into the Soviet Union. During the first year of Soviet Occupation During Worl ...

and based on the 1977 short-story ''Kevadkülvi volinik'' by Karl Helemäe. The following year, she had a more significant role as Miia in the Valentin Kuik directed television film ''Teaduse ohver''. In 1983, she appeared in another television film, the crime-drama ''Suletud ring'', directed by

Peeter Urbla Peeter Urbla (born 2 June 1945 in Türi) is an Estonian film director, producer and screenwriter. In 1969 he graduated from University of Tartu in art history speciality. In 1977 he finished his two-year courses for screenwriters and directors in ...

. The same year, she appeared in starring role as Tralla in ''Nipernaadi'', a film adaptation of

August Gailit August Gailit (9 January 1891 – 5 November 1960) was an Estonian writer.Endel Nirk, Arthur Robert Hone, Oleg Mutt, ''Estonian Literature: Historical Survey with Biobibliographical Appendix'', Published by Perioodika, 1987, p177 Life Georg ...

's 1928 novel ''

Toomas Nipernaadi ''Toomas Nipernaadi'' is a 1928 Estonian novel by August Gailit, as well as the (assumed) name of the novel's protagonist. It was strongly influenced by neo-romanticism. The story of the book was made into a film titled ''Nipernaadi'' in 1983. ...

'', directed by

Kaljo Kiisk Kaljo Kiisk (3 December 1925 – 20 September 2007) was a Soviet and Estonian actor, film director, screenwriter and politician. He was best known for his roles as Kristjan Lible from ''Spring'' ( et, Kevade), ''Summer'' (''Suvi'') and ''Autu ...

. In 1987, she appeared in two prominent roles in television films: as Käo Linda in the

Eesti Televisioon Eesti Televisioon (ETV) ( en, Estonian Television) is an Estonian free-to-air television channel owned and operated by Estonian Public Broadcasting. It made its first broadcast on 19 July 1955. History Eesti Televisioon (''Estonian Televisi ...

(ETV) historical epic ''

Tants aurukatla ümber '' Tants aurukatla ümber'' (''eng. lit'' "Dance Around the Steam Boiler") is a novel by Estonian author Mats Traat. It was first published in 1971. The novel contains five chapters, wherein the "dance" illuminates five distinct eras of country ...

'', directed by Peeter Simm and written by

Mats Traat Mats Traat (23 November 1936 – 27 June 2022) was an Estonian poet, poetry translator, and author. Career Traat was born in Arula, Otepää Parish. He debuted in 1962 with a collection of poetry. He published over 20 anthologies of poetry. ...

, and as Knuters Minna in the

Olav Neuland Olav Neuland (often spelled wrongly ''Olev Neuland''; 29 April 1947 Viljandi – 21 May 2005 Anija) was an Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north b ...

directed historical drama ''Näkimadalad''; an adaptation of the Herman Sergo penned novel of the same name. Other feature film roles throughout the 1980s include the

Lembit Ulfsak Lembit Ulfsak (4 July 1947 – 22 March 2017) was a prominent 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 f ...

directed drama ''Keskea rõõmud'' in 1986, and in the Valentin Kuik directed youth film drama ''Perekonnapildid'' in 1989. During the 1990s, Koop appeared in several more films: As Marta in the 1990

Arvo Iho Arvo Iho (born 21 June 1949) is an Estonian film director, cinematographer, actor and photographer, who has worked in the areas of documentary and drama.Rollberg, Peter (2016) ''Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema'', Rowman & Litt ...

directed Tallinnfilm drama '' Ainult hulludele ehk halastajaõde'' and as the character Silin's wife in the 1999 Peeter Simm directed drama ''Sellised kolm lugu: Aida'' for Lege Artis Film. Since 1996, Koop has supervised the acting troupe of the

Häädemeeste Häädemeeste (Estonian for "Good Men", german: Gudmannsbach) is a small borough ( et, alevik) in Pärnu County, southwestern Estonia. It is the administrative centre of Häädemeeste Parish Häädemeeste (german: Gudmannsbach) is a municipa ...

Hobby Theatre and from 2013 until 2014, the Pärnu Folk Theatre. She is also the CEO of the Pärnu County Folk Culture Centre Society, an organisation whose goals and activities are aimed at preserving and developing the regional identity of

Pärnu County Pärnu County ( et, Pärnu maakond or ''Pärnumaa''; german: Kreis Pernau) is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in the south-western part of the country, on the coast of Gulf of Riga, and borders Lääne and Rapla counties to the nor ...

folk culture, and chairs the education and culture committee of the rural municipality council. In 2009, Koop appeared in as Mai in several episodes of the

Kanal 2 Kanal 2 is a privately owned Estonian television channel. Its literal name in English is "Channel 2". The channel was established by Ilmar Taska. The channel began broadcasting on 1 October 1993. History The channel started broadcasting on O ...

comedy-crime television series ''

Kelgukoerad ''Kelgukoerad'' is an Estonian criminal television series, which aired on the Kanal 2 television channel. The series is directed by . The series was on the air from 2006-2013. Casts * Kelk (Kalju Komissarov) * Mart ( Madis Milling) * Robert ( ...

''. In 2017, Koop returned to film in two roles: as the apparition of the character Hans' mother in the

Rainer Sarnet Rainer Sarnet (born March 3, 1969) is an Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the ...

directed dark fantasy-drama ''

November November is the eleventh and penultimate month of the year in the Julian and Gregorian Calendars, the fourth and last of four months to have a length of 30 days and the fifth and last of five months to have a length of fewer than 31 days. No ...

'', and a small role as a member of a therapy group in the

Andres Maimik Andres Maimik (born 8 February 1970) is an Estonian film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer and actor. Selected filmography * 2002 ''Agent Wild Duck'' (feature film; screenwriter) * 2006 ''Jan Uuspõld läheb Tartusse'' (feature ...

and Katrin Maimik directed comedy film ''Minu näoga onu''.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Koop, Aire 1957 births Living people Estonian stage actresses Estonian film actresses Estonian television actresses People from Jõgeva 20th-century Estonian actresses 21st-century Estonian actresses