Estonian movie “Headwind Hall” – “ Vastutuulesaal” comes to Maryland

Estonian movie “Headwind Hall” – “ Vastutuulesaal” comes to Maryland

February 14, 2009

The English narrative is cobbled together from an e-mail… The Estonian material is from: http://eestiasi.co.cc/2008/11/27/vastutuulesaal/

Vastutuulesaal (2007) [Headwind Hall]
Estonia
Directed by Priit Valkna.
Cinematography by Rein Kotov (Somnambuul), Margus Malm, and Tauno Sirel.

Friends of Estonia,

Because Estonia is now in its final stages of being an official Sister State of Maryland, Estonia has been added to the list of being part of the State's International Art and Film events. In 2009, the first part of this is the showing of some international films around the state. An Estonian film, a documentary, will be shown at the following locations on the following dates at no charge: .

Monday, February 16 – Headwind Hall (Vastutuulesaal (Salisbury University, Caruthers Hall Auditorium);

Friday, February 27 – Headwind Hall (Vastutuulesaal ) (Towson University, Van Bokkelen Hall Auditorium);

Wednesday, March 4 – Headwind Hall (Vastutuulesaal ) (Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts, Annapolis); and

Tuesday, March 10 – Headwind Hall (Vastutuulesaal ) (Room 201) (Frostburg University, Lane University Center).

All shows are at 7:00 PM.

Producer and co-writer of Headwind Hall, Artur Talvik, offers a light-hearted summary of the film.

Headwind Hall is a documentary film about the conductor Tõnu Kaljuste and his crazy idea of building an opera house on the estate of the past inventor Schmidt in Naissaar; an island which even today has no regular ferry line, no electricity and only one permanent resident.

In order to carry his idea through, Kaljuste must face situations bordering on the absurd, involving potential investors, snobby bureaucrats, construction workers, and the general public.

He transports construction materials and other necessities to the island with his own small boat.

The press and the representatives of different institutions cannot refrain from gloating - what is he trying to prove? The idea is almost as crazy as inventor Schmidt's erstwhile headwind ship that used the energy of headwind in order to move ahead with double power. However, in the summer of 2006, the Nargen Opera is completed and the first performances are carried through.

This amusing and dynamic film follows the activities of Tõnu Kaljuste during a period of five years.

The building of an opera house may not strike most people as a subject for a very dramatic film. Notwithstanding, sometimes the most extreme circumstances can be the setting for the most compelling stories.

The charismatic conductor Tõnu Kaljuste resigned his position as music director and chief conductor of the world renowned Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir in late 1999 and set out on a quixotic quest to build an opera/concert hall on the island of Naissaar, located about 12 miles north of Tallinn (the Estonian capital).

Naissaar, also known as the Island of Nargen, was once the family home of world renowned telescope and optical lens inventor Bernhard Schmidt (1879-1935) among whose other theoretical inventions was a wind-powered sail/propeller boat which used the force of the wind to sail directly into the wind itself.

The idea of this "against the headwind ship" becomes the metaphor for Kaljuste's dream to realize the construction of his opera/concert hall despite all the forces of bureaucracy, financing, and common sense working against him. Naissaar Island had no electrical supply, a barely functioning harbor, and only one or two permanent residents at the time this story begins.

How Kaljuste overcame nearly endless adversity and ultimately achieved his goal is shown in this exhilarating film.

Headwind Hall ends with the pop hit Minu inimesed [My People] by the Estonian rap/dance-club performer Chalice (the stagename of singer Jarek Kasar) and provides a musical benediction to Kaljuste's efforts.

At the same time, composer Arvo Pärt declares on-screen that "the Estonian people can't begin to appreciate the trouble that Tõnu has gone through"

Thanks to director Priit Valkna's triumphant film, audiences get the chance to see it and appreciate it for themselves.

Headwind Hall was given standing ovations at the 2007 Nordic Film Days in Lübeck. The film runs 60 minutes.

Vastutuulesaal

http://eestiasi.co.cc/2008/11/27/vastutuulesaal/

“Vastutuulesaal” on dokumentaalfilm dirigent Tõnu Kaljustest ja tema hullust ideest rajada kunagise leiutaja Schmidti talumaadele ooperisaal. Idee pöörasus seisneb aga selles, et leiutaja Schmidti maad asuvad Naissaarel. Saarel, mis hiljuti oli Nõukogude Armee kinniseks sõjaväebaasiks ja millel tänaseni puudub regulaarne laevaühendus, kus pole elektrit ja kus elab aastaringselt ainult üks elanik. Kes seal ooperis käima hakkab? Mis mõte see selline on? Karismaatiline Tõnu Kaljuste aga tahab kõigi kiuste ja hoolimata üldsuse ning rahamaailma vastuseisust rajada sinna omanäolist kultuurikeskust, kus traditsioonid ja kaasaeg kohtuvad. Kus ooperi kõrgstiil kohtub looduslähedusega. Idee elluviimiseks peab Kaljuste läbima absurdseid situatsioone potentsiaalsete rahastajatega, üleolevate ametnikega, ehitajate ja laiema üldsusega. Ta veab oma isikliku väikepaadiga saarele ehitusmaterjale ja muud hädavajalikku. Laiem üldsus ja eri instantside ametnikud aga ei suuda oma muiet varjata – mida ta tahab sellega tõestada? Võiks öelda, et idee on sama hull, nagu omal ajal leiutaja Schmidti loodud vastutuulelaev, mis kasutas vastu puhuva tuule energiat topeltjõuga edasi liikumiseks.

Aga 2006. aasta suvel saab Nargen Opera valmis.

Lõbus ja hoogne film jälgib Kaljuste tegemisi viie aasta jooksul.

Režissöör: Priit Valkna
Idee autor: Artur Talvik,
Monteerija: Tambet Tasuja
Muusikaline kujundus: Priit Valkna
Operaatorid: Margus Malm, Rein Kotov, Tauno Sirel
Stsenaristid: Artur Talvik, Andri Luup, Priit Valkna
Produtsent: Artur Talvik
Tootja: RUUT
allikas: EFSA
Tags: dokumentaal, RUUT

20090216 SDOSM Headwind Hall Vastutuulesaal

Kevin Dayhoff Art http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/

"Voce Viaggio" The Power of Partnership By Diane Jones

The Power of Partnership

By Diane Jones, Other Voices Carroll County Times

Monday, August 09, 2004

"Voce Viaggio" of the Children's Chorus of Carroll County is back from a highly successful first trip abroad.

Undoubtedly there will be those who say, "Oh no, not the Chorus again," and that would be understandable since we have recently gotten such great press coverage. Please bear with me briefly so I can report a few of the benefits of our trip and extend a partial thank-you for the ground-swell of support we received.

We traveled to Finland, Sweden and Estonia and enjoyed the sights, the sounds, the foods and all of the sensory experiences of European travel.

However, the heart of our endeavor was the day we spent in a rather small town in Estonia named Paide, Westminster's Partner City. We had been in Helsinki with its Rock Church and Scandinavian intrigues; we had been in Tallinn with its medieval charm; we were in Stockholm with its cultural and architectural sophistication, but Paide captured our hearts and imaginations.

This is where we sang and danced with children who had awaited our visit as much as we looked forward to seeing them. This is where both the Estonian hymn and the Star Spangled Banner were sung and citizens from opposite sides of the world were moved to tears. This is where children from both countries sang in Estonian and English and even incorporated sign language into their presentation.

This is where our children learned Estonian folk dances and the Estonians learned the macarina in an impromptu gathering on the street in front of the town church. This is where e-mail addresses and gifts were exchanged with promises of seeing one another again. This is where friendships and the beginnings of international relations began. And this is where international peace was reinforced through learning to delight in the differences and commonalties of others.

Voce Viaggio has been the beneficiary of a successful series of partnerships that enabled us to make our dream a reality. The Westminster - Paide Partner City Program captured our imagination and provided our goal. Thomas Beyard, Kevin Dayhoff, Audrey Cimino and other Westminster - Paide Committee members supported us by networking within the community to raise funds and give our trip visibility.

Many organizations and individuals partnered with us, sharing our vision and helping make our trip possible. And of course, there are our Estonian friends, our new partners, with whom we have begun friendships with the promise of more personal and cultural exchanges.

This was more than just a trip to Europe with performance opportunities. In Estonia, the struggle between tyranny and freedom is very immediate and tangible; not one of us will be the same after experiencing this post-Soviet culture.

For example, our sense of materialism is put into perspective after being in a place where the standard of living is much simpler, but happiness comes from more fundamental sources, such as friendship and nature. The blessings of the United States are highlighted as we hear first-hand accounts of women and children being deported to Siberia just because they weren't Russian. Our own national anthem takes on greater significance as we meet Estonians who were forbidden to enjoy their national hymn or cultural heritage for 50 years.

The 24 students and the adults who traveled will be forever changed, their knowledge base and sensitivities having been greatly expanded. Sincere thanks to those of you who helped make this possible. It will be exciting to see where our partnerships take us next.

Diane Jones, of Westminster, is director of the Children's Chorus of Carroll County.

20040809 The Power of Partnership Jones
Kevin Dayhoff www.kevindayhoff.net http://kevindayhoff.blogspot.com/
Kevin Dayhoff Art http://kevindayhoffart.blogspot.com/