Parliament okays plan to build extension to National Opera

Parliament okays plan to build extension to National Opera. Photo: Rahvusooper Estonia

The Riigikogu on Tuesday approved a draft resolution submitted by the culture committee, which proposes to the government to find a solution enabling the construction of an extension to the existing building of the Estonian National Opera in Tallinn.

The resolution was endorsed by the 101-seat chamber with 68 votes.

Heljo Pikhof, the chairman of the culture committee, noted that the construction of a new opera house has been discussed for at least a hundred years, but no decisions have been made or spatial plans approved.

«When talking about the extension of the National Opera, the parties point out a number of restrictions that hinder construction. The unanimous wish of the culture committee is that everyone makes every effort to overcome obstacles and find an appropriate solution, not to get bogged down in restrictions,» the Social Democrat MP said.

Pikhof noted that as things stand, Estonia has no theater hall specifically designed and built for opera.

«The current theater hall of the Estonian National Opera was built with the needs of drama theater in mind and has significant deficiencies from the perspective of musical theater,» the MP said. She added that there is no opera and ballet hall in Estonia that meets the requirements normally applicable to such facilities and the goal is to address this deficiency.

According to the resolution adopted by the Riigikogu, the government must review the nature and heritage protection restrictions that exclude the construction of an extension to the Estonian National Opera and, if necessary, consider initiating a national designated spatial plan.

The last time the Riigikogu expressed its will to have a new opera house built in Tallinn was on Sept. 13, 2021, when it adopted a decision on the ranking of cultural buildings of national importance, which listed an extension to the current building of the National Opera as one of the cultural buildings of national importance.