Mäe, 63, a former National Opera (Rahvusooper) director, had held the post on a temporary basis for one year.

He starts his new five-year term on August 15, following a public competitive process for the position of director, and following a decision from the board of the SA Teater Vanemuine.

Mäe said that in the nine months he has been at the helm at the Vanemuine Theater so far, he has developed a clearer vision of the specific steps which should be taken in the near future to ensure the theatre's development and welfare.

"Of course, the ultimate goals include maintaining Vanemuine's high artistic level, the well-being of employees and audiences, and the theater's economic flourishing," Mäe said.

Mayor of Tartu Urmas Klaas (Reform), who is also board chair at SA Teater Vanemuine, said the board's decision was unanimous. "As the head of Estonia's only triple-genre theater, Aivar Mäe has proven himself to be a strong leader," Klaas said.

"His vision and collaboration with the theater family led the board to decide in favor of him continuing as the director for the next five years," he went on.

Mäe had been appointed director on a temporary basis last year, after a previous competitive process had drawn a blank. He had previously managed the Vanemuine Theater 2003-2006.

Only one other application on top of Mäe's was received for the directorial post this time round.

After leaving the National Opera, Mäe had project managed construction of a cultural center in Viimsi, and most recently been elder of the Põhja-Pärnumaa Rural Municipality.

The Vanemuine Theater is one of several large state theaters across Estonia. Other examples include the Ugala (Viljandi), Endla (Pärnu) and Rakvere theaters.

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