The chairman of the Estonian National Opera Estonia council, Ivari Ilja, wrote in ERR that the national opera has experienced long-term dissatisfaction and tensions. The main reason is the lack of funding for the theater. This affects the entire theater: soloists, choir, orchestra, ballet troupe, and support staff. It also limits repertoire planning and the selection of guest soloists.
Piipuu said that the problems that have arisen in the national opera require a more thorough analysis. She emphasized that Estonia must be a modern and value-driven leading organization. At the same time, Piipuu did not agree that dissatisfaction and tensions are solely due to lack of funding. She wished for council members to have more time to discuss and analyze the situation.
This Friday, an extraordinary meeting of the Estonia council will take place. The issues that have come to public attention will be discussed. Piipuu said that when discussing funding, it must be understood that Estonia is a public-law institution. It makes its own funding decisions, both regarding salaries and other matters.
State support for the cultural sector has been challenging in recent years. Ilja pointed out that between 2015 and 2024, state operational support for the cultural sector increased by an average of 68 percent. Support for public-law cultural institutions grew by 42 percent. However, the operational support for the national opera increased by only 37 percent. During the same period, the state budget grew by approximately 116 percent, and the Estonian economy as a whole roughly doubled.
Important decisions still need to be made regarding the future of the Estonian National Opera Estonia. Minister of Culture Heidy Purga announced that Estonia will announce a tender for the spatial program of the extension by the end of June 2026 at the latest. The general director of the national opera, Ott Maaten, said that completing the opera theater is an increasingly critical issue.