page_title: Vanemuine
section_title: 1906–1914 Birth of Estonian vocational theatre. Menning’s Theatre.
hierarchical_section_title: Vanemuine / History / 1906–1914 Birth of Estonian vocational theatre. Menning’s Theatre.
caption_attribution_description: English: Vanemuine Theatre Eesti: Vanemuise teatrimaja
context_page_description: Vanemuine is a theatre in Tartu. It was the first Estonian language theatre.
context_section_description: On August 13, 1906 a new era began in the history of Estonian theatre – the newly built Vanemuine theatre building became the first vocational theatre. The director of the new theatre was to become Karl Menning – an educated man with a broad outlook who, before becoming the head of theatre, had studied at the theological faculty of the University of Tartu, then in Germany by Max Reinhardt and broadened his outlook in Western Europe (at the Parisian Antoine Theatre and Berlin Freie Volksbühne). The opening production of the vocational Vanemuine was A. Kitzberg’s play „Tuulte pöörises“ (In the Whirl of Winds) that became the baptism of fire for the fresh theatre company.
  The architect of the new and beautiful theatre building was the Finn Armas Lindgren according to whose project the Vanemuine Society had its new building built at the Aia Street (the current Vanemuise Street). Many donations were gathered in order to build the house and the people of Tartu were very pleased with the result. The interior of the house was decorated with plentiful ornaments, A.Weitzenberg’s sculptures „Dawn“ and „Dusk“ stood at the top of the lobby staircase railings. Garden design was finished by 1907 and according to the designs of A. Lindgren was made by theatre director Menning personally. Unfortunately it became clear quite soon after the house was operational that it is not the most suitable f buildings to make theatre – the theatre hall without an audience rise was uncomfortable, and with bad acoustics, and very poorly lit... On the occasion of the building’s opening, A. Kitzberg wrote in "Postimees": „The house has a character of its own, the plan maker building artist has put something in it, has managed to say something with it. We feel tunes within ourselves touched that are somewhat familiar, immanent to us – that stand in accord with ourselves… The house with its two powerful towers on the street side reminds us about something heavy, long lasting, steady, something that is not to be crushed easily, that will not bend, and that wants to protect itself… When the artist has this way given the house the power and influence of a monumental building from the street side, the garden side of the building is light, open, and happy on the contrary, something that exposes itself to beauty and sun…“ (Postimees, August 12, 1906).
  Compared to earlier times, Karl Menning brought significantly different principles and working methods to Estonian theatre. He put the theatre’s educational goals in the foreground that respectively resulted in a very well-thought choice of repertoire. The frivolous entertainment theatre disappeared and modern Western European problem plays and Estonian national dramaturgy appeared. Instead of operettas, that Menning considered as a danger to the good taste of actors and the audience, Menning dealt with the musical education of the people of Tartu in another manner – he participated actively in the foundation of the Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra (1908) and he himself played oboe at the orchestra. The first conductor of the orchestra was Samuel Lindpere, the opening concert took place on May 7, 1908. Menning brought psychological realism to the theatre – in director’s as well as actor’s work, he liquidated the prompter from the theatre and supported the actor’s inner and external incarnation into the role. Menning’s theatre was an ensemble theatre where all the production’s components were subject to the forwarding of the main thing – the idea of the production. Menning considered the theatre’s educational function highly important – it was important to educate the audience ethically, aesthetically and morally. He also organised play interpretation nights and performed there with various presentations himself.
  The initial cast of the vocational Vanemuine was: Ants Simm – a wide range character actor who soon became Menning’s right hand in production preparations; Anna Altleis – highly talented and a charming actress who soon, for reason, became the favourite of the theatre audience; Leopold Hansen – a comic by God’s g
caption: Vanemuine theatre, ca. 1910.
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