Sandijas Santa: Vecāku mīlestības vēstules performancē

Liepāja, Latvia is set to host a unique performance piece this February, as dramatist, director, and voice artist Sandija Santa prepares to present “Vēstules purpurā tītas” (Letters in Purple). The work is described as a poetic and deeply personal stage production, but also as a creative process unfolding before the audience – the very genesis of a book born from her parents’ love letters.

A Window into the Past

At the heart of Santa’s work are letters exchanged by her parents while they served in the Soviet army from 1987 to 1990. The performance aims to reveal the emotions of two 18-year-olds and the realities of life under the Soviet regime. Santa describes the story as centering on a young couple with a child, separated by two years of military service, and their attempts to navigate daily life with letters as their only means of communication.

Did You Know? In 1989, obtaining a color television in Riga required waiting in line, a common experience during the Soviet era.

A glimpse into the emotional landscape of the time is offered through excerpts from the letters themselves. On January 14, 1989, Dzintra wrote to her loved one, expressing deep affection and longing, admitting to tears while reading his words. Normunds, writing on February 2, 1989, described a “purple-tinged” sea and a longing to love, acknowledging the challenges of frequent correspondence.

From Personal Loss to Public Performance

Santa discovered the trove of letters after the passing of her mother, initially without the intention of creating a performance. However, the process evolved organically. She found her father’s letters to be particularly striking, describing them as “eloquent, poetic, and philosophical” and unlike anything she had read before.

Expert Insight: The use of personal letters as the foundation for artistic expression highlights the power of individual stories to illuminate broader historical and emotional contexts. This approach allows audiences to connect with the past on a deeply human level.

The performance, scheduled for February 27th at “Pegaza pagalms” in Liepāja, is described by Santa as a ritual – a way to finalize the work and bring the book to completion. She acknowledges the possibility that the performance may cease to exist once the book is finished.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the central theme of “Vēstules purpurā tītas”?

The performance centers on the love and emotions of two 18-year-olds separated by military service in the Soviet army from 1987 to 1990, as revealed through their letters to each other.

Where will the performance take place?

“Vēstules purpurā tītas” will be performed at “Pegaza pagalms” in Liepāja, Latvia on February 27th.

What is Sandija Santa’s connection to the letters?

The letters are those written by Sandija Santa’s parents during their time in the Soviet army, and the performance is part of her process of creating a book based on these letters.

How might the act of publicly performing these deeply personal letters shape the final form of the book Santa is creating?