The Clavichord of Love

A fantasy about the life, death and work of David Kellner, the Baroque composer, who lived in Tartu

Author: Meelis Friedenthal
Director: Lembit Peterson
Set and costume designer: Riina Vanhanen
Musical designers: Anna-Liisa Eller and Taavi Kerikmäe

Cast: Mare Peterson, Maria Teresa Kalmet, Karel Käos, Tarmo Song, Helvin Kaljula, Jonathan Peterson, Merlin Kivi, Rea Haljasmäe

Musicians: Anna-Liisa Eller (psalterium, kannel) and Taavi Kerikmäe (cembal d’amour, clavichord)

„Clavichord of Love” tells a story of old and young love, human bonds and heritage that rust does not eat and moth does not destroy. Music sometimes makes visible the world behind everyday things, reminds us of the past and guides us to the future. This story takes viewers to think about what we are doing now and what is left behind. Three hundred years ago, the traditions of Estonia, Sweden and Germany came together, which are passed on by the next generations to this day.

Director Lembit Peterson: „This play is about David Kellner, a German composer who lived in Tartu and later in Stockholm during the Baroque era. However, it does so from an unexpected (and at times even comical) point of view. David Kellner – a composer, soldier, poet, music teacher – was also a pawnbroker. This occupation allowed him to cope materially. The play centers around the distribution of Kellner’s worldly possessions. After his death, the remains will be revised and shared: admirers, students, heirs of his talent will gather… We will also hear David Kellner’s music in a live performance by Taavi Kerikmäe and Anna-Liisa Eller. This is how the audience gets to be a part of David Kellner’s multifaceted – worldly and spiritual – heritage.”

„Clavichord of Love” will be premiered in the University of Tartu Museum and is a part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 main programme.