Olari Elts (born April 27, 1971 in

Tallinn Tallinn () is the most populous and capital city of Estonia. Situated on a bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, Tallinn has a population of 437,811 (as of 2022) and administratively lies in the Harju ' ...

) is an Estonian conductor. He was the principal conductor of the

Latvian National Symphony Orchestra The Latvian National Symphony Orchestra (LNSO; lv, Latvijas Nacionālais simfoniskais orķestris) is a Latvian orchestra based in Riga. Its primary performance venue is the Great Guild Hall in Riga. In addition to regular symphonic concert ...

from 2001 to 2006. He is the founder and director of the contemporary music ensemble NYYD Ensemble. In September 2006 he took up the newly created position of Artistic Advisor of the

Orchestre National de Bretagne The Orchestre National de Bretagne (ONB) is a French symphony orchestra. Previously named the "Orchestre symphonique de Bretagne", it obtains the national label in October 2019. Before April 2012, it was simply called "Orchestre de Bretagne". ...

. He was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the

Scottish Chamber Orchestra The Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) is an Edinburgh-based UK chamber orchestra. One of Scotland's five National Performing Arts Companies, the SCO performs throughout Scotland, including annual tours of the Scottish Highlands and Islands and S ...

from the beginning of the 2007–2008 season. Also in 2007, he was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra. Elts has conducted Finnish Radio, Yomiuri Symphony Orchestra, Dresden Sinfoniker,

Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra The Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra (German: ''Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart des SWR'') was a German radio orchestra based in Stuttgart in Germany. History The ensemble was founded in 1945 by American occupation authorities as the orchest ...

, Lucerne Symphony, Orchestre National du Capitole de Touloluse, City of Birmingham Symphony, Ensemble Modern and the

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its primary concert venue is Music Hall. In addition to its symphony concerts, the orchestra gives pops concerts as the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. The Cincin ...

, with whom he made his US debut. He also visits Australia and New Zealand regularly, appearing with orchestras including

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian orchestra based in Melbourne. The MSO is resident at Hamer Hall. The MSO has its own choir, the MSO Chorus, following integration with the Melbourne Chorale in 2008. The MSO relies on f ...

, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra,

Western Australian Symphony Orchestra The West Australian Symphony Orchestra (WASO) is an Australian symphony orchestra based in Perth, Western Australia. Its principal concert venue is the Perth Concert Hall. WASO also gives concerts at the Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. , WA ...

and the

New Zealand Symphony Orchestra The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO) is a symphony orchestra based in Wellington, New Zealand. The national orchestra of New Zealand, the NZSO is an autonomous Crown entity owned by the Government of New Zealand, per the New Zealand Sympho ...

. Elts' opera work includes appearances with the

Estonian National Opera Estonian National Opera (''Rahvusooper Estonia'') is the national opera company of Estonia. The company is based at the Estonia Theatre in Tallinn. The theatre has had several names throughout its existence. The latest one being "The Estonian Nati ...

, conducting Britten's ''

Albert Herring ''Albert Herring'', Op. 39, is a chamber opera in three acts by Benjamin Britten. Composed in the winter of 1946 and the spring of 1947, this comic opera was a successor to his serious opera ''The Rape of Lucretia''. The libretto, by Eric Cr ...

'' and Puccini's ''

Il Trittico ''Il trittico'' (''The Triptych'') is the title of a collection of three one-act operas, ''Il tabarro'', ''Suor Angelica'', and ''Gianni Schicchi'', by Giacomo Puccini. The work received its world premiere at the Metropolitan Opera on 14 December ...

'', as well as Mozart's ''

Don Giovanni ''Don Giovanni'' (; K. 527; Vienna (1788) title: , literally ''The Rake Punished, or Don Giovanni'') is an opera in two acts with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte. Its subject is a centuries-old Spanis ...

''and ''

Idomeneo ' (Italian for ''Idomeneus, King of Crete, or, Ilia and Idamante''; usually referred to simply as ''Idomeneo'', K. 366) is an Italian language opera seria by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The libretto was adapted by Giambattista Varesco from a French ...

'' with the

Estonian National Symphony Orchestra Estonian National Symphony Orchestra ( et, Eesti Riiklik Sümfooniaorkester ''(ERSO)'') is the leading orchestra in Estonia and is based in the capital Tallinn. The orchestra traces it roots to 18 December 1926, the first concert broadcast by Tal ...

. In autumn 2008 he conducted performances of Marschner's ''

Der Vampyr '' Der Vampyr '' (''The Vampire'') is a Romantic opera in two acts by Heinrich Marschner. The German libretto by Wilhelm August Wohlbrück (Marschner's brother-in-law) is based on the play ''Der Vampir oder die Totenbraut'' (1821) by Heinrich Lud ...

'' at the Rennes Opera House, and also in Hungary. In 2001 Elts was awarded the IVth Class

Order of the White Star The Order of the White Star ( et, Valgetähe teenetemärk; french: Ordre de l'Etoile Blanche) was instituted in 1936. The Order of the White Star is bestowed on Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic ...

by Estonia in recognition for his outstanding contribution to music.

Competitions

Elts has won the following conductor's competitions: * Second International

Sibelius Jean Sibelius ( ; ; born Johan Julius Christian Sibelius; 8 December 186520 September 1957) was a Finnish composer of the late Romantic and early-modern periods. He is widely regarded as his country's greatest composer, and his music is often ...

Conductors' Competition, 2000 * First

Jorma Panula Conducting Competition The Jorma Panula Conducting Competition, is a music competition for young European conductors held in Vaasa, (Finland). History The first competition, named after the conductor and conducting professor Jorma Panula, was organized in 1999 with th ...

, 1999

References

External links

Olari Elts juhatab Milwaukee sümfooniaorkestrit
ERR April 5, 2009 Estonian conductors (music) 1971 births Living people Tallinn Music High School alumni Estonian choral conductors Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna alumni Musicians from Tallinn 21st-century conductors (music) Recipients of the Order of the White Star, 4th Class {{classical-music-stub