19:00
Viimsi Artium
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Tickets: 12/26 €
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Liisa Hõbepappel (libretto, musical collaboration with Ensemble U:)
Eva Koldits (libretto, stage direction)
Nicholas Tamagna (countertenor, USA/Italy/Germany)
Salomėja Petronytė (soprano, Lithuania)
Lighting Design: Kristiina Tang
Video Design: Lucy Gohm
Sound Design: Tammo Sumera
Psychological Consultation: Kati-Riin Simisker
Vocal Coaching: Ryan Adams
Co-production: Liisa Hõbepappel, Estonian Music Days, Ensemble U:
It’s a day’s journey from here, then a forest and then a church – my heart is in that church. The church is encircled by a high mound, and around the mound is a big black river, and the church is closed tight with iron doors. There, inside the church, is a bird, and there inside that bird is my heart. That’s why I don’t die.*
We found an Estonian forest fairy tale called Seven Brothers Seek Wives.
We imagined that the characters in this fairy tale represent different states of mind within a single person.
We gave these states a voice to hear what they tell us about today, when
in the evening we are wise, and in the morning we are fools,
and our eyes devour more than our stomachs can bear.
The word “põrmuline” means a mere mortal. In the Estonian explanatory dictionary, there is an example sentence (by B. Kangro) that could be translated as: “After all, I am just a human—weak and frail, a mere dustborn, like anyone else.”
*Excerpt from Deep in The Forest. One Hundred Estonian Fairy Tales About The Forest and Its People translated by Adam Cullen
Liisa Hõbepappel, the ensemble U:, and Eva Koldits’s “Põrmuline” (“The Dustborn”) is a bold and emotionally rich chamber opera, deeply inspired by the ancient Estonian forest fairy tale “The Seven Brothers.” Yet, the protagonists in this story are not the traditional fairy tale figures—the brothers, maidens, bird, or old man—but rather the various states of mind that these characters embody. This opera delves into inner voices, spiritual tension, and the profound need to recognise and understand what is happening within oneself.
The lead role is performed by the internationally renowned countertenor Nicholas Tamagna (USA/Italy/Germany), celebrated for his expressive vocal technique, flawless precision, and captivating stage presence. Known primarily as an interpreter of Baroque and early music, Tamagna is one of the world’s foremost performers of Handel’s works. He has appeared on prestigious stages around the globe, debuting at the Metropolitan Opera in 2020 and the San Francisco Opera in 2024.
The concert will be recorded by Klassikaraadio, and the recording will be available for replay on the radio’s website (klassikaraadio.err.ee).
Supporters: Estonian Cultural Endowment, Ministry of Culture, Estonian Centre for Contemporary Music, Viimsi Artium, Forum Neue Kunst Oldenburg, Estonian Authors' Society