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16th of December marks 120 years from the birth of the founder of Vanemuine ballet Ida Urbel. The day is celebrated with gratitude and dedication to Ida Urbel with Karl Laumets drama production "Peer Gynt" which is performed on the small stage of the small building of Vanemuine theater.

Vanemuine homepage describes the following (in Estonian):

"In 1939 Vanemuine ballet troupe with the guidance of Ida Urbel brought out the first independent production "Karnevalisüit" (Carnival suite) and from that time ballet has been one of three genres performed at Vanemuine. Ida Urbel was a great creator and self learner who was completely dedicated to the art of dance. Her contribution to the development of Estonian dance- and ballet is unmeasurable. Thanks to Ida Urbel we can speak of the first Estonian ballet "Kratt" (The Goblin), but the top of her creation is considered to be the ballet "Peer Gynt". With dedication to Ida Urbel, this season premiered Karl Laumets drama "Peer Gynt", where one can see the beautiful "Anitra tants" (Anitra´s dance) set by Ida Urbel and performed by Vanemuine dancers.

This evening the production of "Peer Gynt" will be played on the stage of Vanemuine small building with gratitude to Ida Urbel."

Ida Urbel´s life work as a director has been awe-inspiring and her legacy to the art of dance and ballet of Estonia is priceless.

Thanks to Urbel, we are able to talk about the first Estonian ballet "Kratt" (The Goblin, set to the original music of E. Tubin), which to this day inspires various choreographers and directors to turn back to the topic and search for their own goblin.

She gave the belief that after her Vanemuine will have and keep dance, which to this day connects different genres and at the same time is independent in it´s artistic searches.

The fact that Karl Laumets brought out Ibsen´s "Peer Gynt" with dedication to Ida Urbel is symbolic. "Peer Gynt" is the one which takes on the director, not the other way around. The creator makes their own choice of which Peer´s road to take.

Urbel was a great creator who was dedicated to the stage arts. She saw first of all the internal side and theater gave her a chance to use different genres on it´s canvas . Ida Urbel placed a start to something very special in Ugala and Vanemuine, which is difficult to even put to words.

The continuity which is awe-inspiring and gives artistic temptation to understand our roots."