In the summer of 1988 I was diligently completing my university studies. Of course, time was also made for basketball, camping, hiking and all the normal activities a glorious Fairbanks summer offers a young man. But, while I was busy making frivolity in Alaska, I had no idea young people in Estonia were busy singing patriotic songs in support of freedom.
These gatherings in the the summer of ’88 gave rise to what became known as the “Singing Revolution”. Tallinn’s Song Festival Grounds served as the natural epicenter for much of this activity. In fact, at this time, many Soviet Bloc countries were engaged in epic struggles to win back their sovereignty from Moscow. Among them, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – the Baltic States – worked together to achieve freedom through peaceful means.
One particular demonstration in the summer of 1989 consisted of two million people joining hands in a human chain famously known as the Baltic Way. It stretched from Tallinn through Latvia ending in Lithuania’s capital of Vilnius, an astonishing distance of 420 miles (675km). Singing was key in these efforts, hence the Singing Revolution.
Tallinn’s Song Festival Grounds hosts many events ranging from concert performances to seasonal festivals and exhibitions. Prominent artists such as Elton John, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Tina Turner, Lady Gaga and Metallica have performed here. But the namesake event, the biggest performance of all, only happens once every five years.
The Song Festival originated in 1869 in the university town of Tartu located in eastern Estonia. This was a time known as the “national awakening” when Estonians ardently sought recognition as a people advocating for self-governance. Up to this point the Danes, Swedes, Germans and Russians had all taken turns ruling the local population.
The Festival moved to Tallinn permanently in 1896 and has been held at its current location since 1928. In 1950 a fairly regular schedule was initiated whereby the event was organized once every five years. The current stage has been in use since 1960. In that first festival in 1869, there were 51 choirs totaling 845 participants. In the 27th Festival held in 2019, over 1,000 choirs and 32,000 people participated.
The elegantly arched, clamshell, stage accommodates upwards of 30,000 performers and is situated opposite a gently sloping hillside making for ideal acoustics and sightlines. The hillside, in turn, is estimated to accommodate upwards of 100,000 spectators making for a grand display when seen from the fire tower (at right in photo). Remarkably, this event attracts nearly 10% of Estonia’s entire population.
During my first foray onto the Grounds in 1999, I tried to imagine what it must be like to experience the Song Festival in person. First, I stood at the top of the hill gazing down at the empty stage. Then, from the last row at the very top of the stage, I looked out over the baron hillside. I could almost hear the music and see the joy on the faces of the performers and spectators.
My trip to Estonia in the spring of ’99 was to be a “one-off” experience. But, as I stood on the stage that day, I realized I would have to come back to see the Song Festival. And, so, I did go back – twelve times in the next twenty years. Yet, ironically, it wasn’t until 2019 that I finally fulfilled the pledge. It was everything I had imagined and more – much more. But, that’s a story for another time.
