The Birgitta Festival opening event was "Lalli, or a man in the middle of the sea", Veljo Tormis's opera finished by Rasmus Puur's. Koit Soasepp (bass) received the annual prize of the Estonian Theater Awards for the role of Lalli, and Mati Turi (tenor) for the role of Tuura.

In 1989, Veljo Tormis started working on an opera based on the play "Lalli" by Eino Leino. The libretto of the opera was created in cooperation with Sakari Puurus, one of Finland's best-known directors of his time, and Tormis's wife Lea Tormis. Veljo Tormis only managed to start the opera but the work was interrupted for various reasons. He later wrote the pieces "Sinikka laul" and "Bishop and Pagan" based on the same material. At the request of Tõnu Kaljuste and Nargenfestival, composer Rasmus Puur finished the opera started by Tormis.

Photo: Anneli Ivaste