According to librettist Kauksi Ülle, both the ongoing war and the deep impression Homer's epic left on her since childhood inspired her to write "Seto Odyssey." She also drew influence from the similarities between Seto culture and that of ancient Greece — such as the tradition of singing epic tales.

Director Elina Pähklimäe said the story of Odysseus could just as well have taken place in Setomaa. It tells of a Seto man who had to go to war and all that happened over the course of 20 years. Beyond that, Pähklimäe says, the play is also about strong women who manage on their own during wartime and hold the country together.

"There's a war going on and people talk about the men, but not about the women — what they go through, what they have to face and how hard it is to keep everything together. I think part of "Seto Odyssey" reflects that perspective — the women's side or what those left at home experience," Pähklimägi said.

The rock musical is performed in the Seto language and brought to the stage mostly by actors with Seto roots.

"I play the witch Kirke. In the Seto context, you can have all kinds of witches and essütajas. An essütaja is someone who misleads people from their path, and in this case, she misleads Odysseus from his way home. But Kirke is, above all, a woman, and since the whole story is about love, anything can happen," said actress Anne Veesaar.

Some cast members became more familiar with Seto culture and language while working on the production.

"When Anne Veesaar first called and offered me the role, I asked if I'd be able to handle the Seto language. Anne said, 'You once did a major production in German while in Germany — Seto can't be that much harder to learn.' So before rehearsals officially started, I worked with Anne. We went through all the scenes and songs together; she translated everything for me. And now it's starting to feel familiar. The written form is becoming second nature and people around me are speaking it too," said musical theater actress Nele-Liis Vaiksoo.

Composer Matis Leima believes the Seto language and folk tradition work well as material for rock music. He also found Kauksi Ülle's text — rich with events and adventures — inspiring.

"There hasn't been much modern rock music made in the Seto language, so there's still a lot of ground to cover," Leima said.

"Seto Odyssey" will be performed in Luhamaa through August 10.

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