Tapty1985. Descent into the Valley

A musical collage portraying life in a provincial town in the years leading up to the Singing Revolution

A site-specific musical performance in public urban space, staged on a simultaneous stage. The same performance is played three times; during each act, the audience changes seating on the grandstands to experience the piece from different auditory perspectives via three-channel wireless headphones. The performance remains fully visible at all times and is not separated from the surrounding city. Although performed in Estonian, the work speaks primarily through structure, music and spatial experience — offering an encounter that does not rely on language alone.

1985 is a portrait of life in a Soviet provincial city on the eve of irreversible change.

A collage of collaborators and bohemians, dissidents and conformists, artists, officials, women and “ordinary people” — all trying, in their own ways, to get by.

The optimism of the 1960s and the cultural confidence of the 1970s are gone. What remains is stagnation, quiet frustration and a growing sense that the city’s best years may already be over. Writers complain that no one reads them, artists resent centralised commissions, dissidents wait in vain for international attention, and young people make pragmatic compromises just to survive. Forgotten writers are buried, new leaders are celebrated, forbidden texts circulate in secret, and the same songs are sung night after night.

This is a tragedy without heroes.
The performance is woven together with songs based on poems by Estonian poets Hando Runnel, Betti Alver, Jaan Kaplinski Uku Masing and Karl Ristikivi.

Songs performed in the production

in alphabetical order

Ei mullast (Hando Runnel / Margus Kappel)
Kaua sa kannatad (Hando Runnel / Vello Toomemets)
Korallid Emajões (Betti Alver / Kärt Tomingas)
Kui tasa täna astuvad su jalad (Uku Masing / Priit Pedajas)
Maa tuleb täita lastega (Hando Runnel / Rein Rannap)
Maa tuleb täita lastega (Hando Runnel / Vello Toomemets)
Mandoliinid öös (Olev Vestmann / George David Weiss, Aaron Schroeder)
Minagi olin Arkaadia teel (Karl Ristikivi / Tõnu Tepandi)
Punaste õhtute purpur (Hando Runnel / Priit Pedajas)
Reisin (Ester Jörberg / Kris Kristofferson)
See maailm, mis elab sinus (Jaan Kaplinski / Priit Pedajas)
Tõuse üles ja läheme ära (Hando Runnel / Vello Toomemets)
Veskimees (Hando Runnel / Henn Rebane)
Üks täht, üks laul (Heldur Jõgioja / Heldur Jõgioja)

The songs are performed live during the outdoor performance. Through the use of headphones for the audience and radio microphones for the performers, the music unfolds in full sonic detail for the audience, while remaining almost silent to passers-by — creating a subtle but striking sense of estrangement. The newly arranged versions, performed by the cast, are also available to listen to on Spotify and as a vinyl edition.

The production incorporates references and motifs

drawn from texts by Vaino Vahing, Uku Masing, Jaan Kaplinski, Juri Lotman, Betti Alver, Hando Runnel, Madis Kõiv, Paul-Eerik Rummo, Berk Vaher, Arnold Rüütel, Mart Hiob and others, as well as documentary materials and recollections

Recognition

Achiviement of the Year
The City of Tartu and Postimees 2025

Nominee for Cultural Event of the Year
Tartu Cultural Award 2025