Väino Puura (born 30 January 1951) is an Estonian opera and operetta singer (baritone).[1]

Väino Puura
Väino Puura in 2012
Born (1950-01-30) 30 January 1950 (age 74)
Alma materTallinn Conservatoire
Occupations
  • opera singer
  • operetta singer
Years active1978 - 2011
Spouse
Sirje Puura
(m. 1974)

In 1978, he graduated from Tallinn State Conservatory.[1] From 1976 to 2011, he was soloist for Estonian National Opera.[1] Besides opera roles, he has also participated in several music films (e.g. "Siin me oleme"), television series (e.g. "Kelgukoerad")[1]

Early life and education edit

Puura was born on 30 January 1951 on a farm in Keema, Võru County, Estonia SSR, Soviet Union to his father Valter and mother Alli. Later, his sister Heli was born. Both his parents were forest farmers and lived with Puura's godmother. The area his family was living in began to have activity from the Forest Brothers during the early 1950s. Puura's family had relatives in the Forest Brothers, and Valter was interrogated by a KGB officer who kicked his genitals with his foot. This would cause Valter to have an operation on one of his testicles, and had antibiotics sent to him from the United States.[2]

Career edit

During his time at the Tallinn Conservatoire, he sang as part of the Vanemuine Theatre's choir from 1971 to 1973. In 1971, he performed in his first opera role in Luigi Cherubini's Medea.[3]

Roles edit

  • envoy (Cherubini's "Medeia", 1971 in Vanemuine)
  • friend (Oit's "Kes usub muinasjutte", 1972 in Vanemuine)
  • Figaro and Almaviva (Mozart "Figaro pulm", 1976 in Tallinna State Conservatory, 1996 in Theatre Estonia)

Personal life edit

When Puura was a still a student at the Tallinn Conservatoire, he met and married Sirje. The two married in 1974.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Puura, Väino - Eesti Entsüklopeedia". entsyklopeedia.ee. Retrieved 16 March 2021.
  2. ^ "RETROFOTOD | Kas tunned ära, kes on see laps, kellest sirgus tulise iseloomuga armastatud laulja?". Kroonika (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  3. ^ a b "ÕL VIDEO JA GALERII | Ooperilaulja Väino Puura hellitas 70 aasta juubelil kõige kallimaid inimesi". www.ohtuleht.ee (in Estonian). Retrieved 2023-09-13.