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Remembering Eri Klas

Eri Klas and President Toomas Hendrik Ilves met in the Rose Garden of the Office of the President on 13 August 2015 to celebrate the beginning of the 110th season of Theatre Estonia.

© Office of the President

26.02.2016

In a country where music is a part of our story, Eri Klas will always be remembered as one of the big personalities who brought many of us closer to music and helped to introduce its expanse and richness both in Estonia and worldwide. He opened many hearts for Estonia, from Australia to America, by conducting well-known symphonic orchestras all over the world.

In his work in Theatre Estonia, the Estonian National Culture Foundation and many other culture-related endeavours, he conducted himself in a variable and steadfast way, much like the script of Estonian culture.

I can still remember my first meeting with Eri Klas, thirty years ago in Munich; he was among the few who had the courage to conduct the editors of Radio Free Europe. Our conversation included both concerns and hope, the latter being the most dominant.

The greatness of Eri Klas is both in his cultural diversity and spiritual expanse.

I express my deepest condolences to the family and next of kin of Eri Klas and the multitudes of his friends and admirers all over the world.

Toomas Hendrik Ilves