Estonian conductor Eri Klas died early on Friday morning at the age of 76.
Estonian conductor Eri Klas dies aged 76
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Klas died after battling with a grave disease, head of the Estonia theater Aivar Mae told Postimees.
Klas was born on July 7, 1939 in Tallinn and he can be considered one of the most noted Estonian musicians in the world. He has conducted more than 100 symphony orchestras in 40 countries around the world.
Klas has also been the artistic director of the Estonian National Opera and its chief conductor in the years 1975-1994. In 1985-1990 he was chief conductor of the Stockholm Royal Symphony Orchestra, in 1990-2009 the first guest conductor of the Finnish National Opera, in 1991-1996 chief conductor of the Arhus Symphony Orchestra in Denmark, in 1996-2004 chief conductor of the symphony orchestra of the Dutch Radio and in 1998-2007 the artistic director of the Tampere Filharmonic in Finland. Since 2002 Eri Klas has been artistic director of Tallinn Filharmonic and one of the most important summer cultural events in Tallinn, St Bridget's Festival, has been born of his idea.