The eighth Odessa Classics festival should have taken place from 2 - 15 June this year, with the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra (ERSO) performing at the opening concert in the Odessa Opera House. Unfortunately, the event has been postponed indefinitely in the wake of the war against Ukraine.

Due to Russian aggression, it will not be possible to hold the Odessa Classics festival of classical music this year in Odessa, at least in June. Therefore, from May 31 to June 4, the festival will start in Estonia on a smaller scale - in the capital Tallinn, in Tartu and at the Arvo Pärt Center in Laulasmaa.

According to the President of Odessa Classics Alexey Botvinov, the festival in Odessa has been postponed for the shortest and necessary period until the Russian aggressor is completely driven back from the territory of Ukraine.

“We made this inevitable decision with a heavy heart, but, on the other hand, with great gratitude to our European partners, on the initiative of which the various concert venues in Estonia will become a temporary home for the festival in the last days of May and the first days of June. Our partners in Tallinn are the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, which was supposed to open the festival in Odessa this year, and our old friend Meelis Kubits, head of Kultuuripartnerlus SA (Cultural Partnership Foundation).

It is very important for us that the festival's tradition is not interrupted, and we use every opportunity on the European stages to talk about the injustice that the aggressor is doing to the state and people of Ukraine. We are working with our partners to continue Odessa Classics this summer in other European locations, which will be announced a little later. But it is very important for us that we start in Estonia. Our very first festival in 2015 was made possible and very successful thanks to the great help of our Estonian friends. And it is very symbolic that Estonia again provides us with friendly support, it is priceless,” Botvinov said.

The festival's official opening will take place on May 31 at the Estonia Concert Hall in Tallinn. It will feature Odessa Classics resident artist Daniel Hope, Alexey Botvinov, and the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Olari Elts.

On June 1st, International Children's Day, brothers Roman and Alexander Fedyurko will perform at the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds as part of a charity concert.

On June 2, Michael Guttman and Jing Zhao, as well as Alexey Botvinov, will perform at the Arvo Pärt Center, dedicated to the world-famous composer.

On June 3rd the festival will move to Tartu, where Alexey Botvinov and Hans Christian Aavik, an Estonian violinist and winner of the recent Carl Nielsen competition, will perform at Tartu's Heino Eller Music College.

The festival will end with an open-air concert by Alexey Botvinov in the Old Town of Tallinn, on the Town Hall Square.