TOURISM
Sound to Astound: Estonia's 12th International Choir Festival
Estonia’s celebration of song harks back to the 19th century and has been intimately intertwined with its national awakening, both in the 19th century and some 100 years later in the 1980s prior to the fall of the Soviet Union.
During April 14-17 2011, Tallinn will resonate with harmony as it becomes the venue for the 12th International Choir Festival. A cherished tradition in Estonia, this year’s festival brings together close to 60 amateur choirs from around the world.
Qualifying choirs compete in eight categories: mixed, chamber, female, children, youth, renaissance and baroque, contemporary music and vocal ensembles. While the Baltic countries are most prominently represented, artists from Scandinavian countries have also been selected to perform at the Festival. These include: Sweden’s Falu Kammarkor in the mixed choir category, the Bergen Chamber Choir and the Volve Vokal Female Choir from Norway, and Finland’s Candomino Youth Choir.
The festival is organized by the Estonian Choral Association, an umbrella organization for all Estonian amateur choirs, under the artistic direction of Hirvo Surva.
Two months later, 1-3 July, the city will once again awaken to song. Some 35,000 young people will descend on the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds to perform traditional Estonian songs, dances and music in the 11th Youth Song and Dance Celebrations.
Judging from the turnout in 2009, this event will be huge, with more than 30,000 participants joining voices to the astonishment of an audience of 80,000 or even more.
Beit Bella Synagogue: New Landmark Reflecting old Estonian Values
Multiculturalism in Estonia has been a fact of life throughout most of its history. Swedish, German and Russian communities have contributed immensely to its national heritage and identity.
With the establishment of an independent Estonian Republic after World War I, cultural tolerance became a matter of law whereby Estonia’s minority populations, including the Jewish community, were entitled to preserve language, religious institutions and traditional lifestyles with dignity and pride.
Although never as large or illustrious as those in neighbouring Baltic capitals, Jewish community life was alive and well and living in Tallinn at that time, with an elaborate 1883 synagogue, kosher stores, a cultural centre and a Jewish school.
All of this came to an end in World War II. Under Nazi occupation, the Jewish community was destroyed. Virtually all Estonia’s 4000 Jews fled east or were murdered and the old synagogue was bombed by Soviet forces in 1944.
After the War, although some Jews returned to Tallinn, Soviet rule suppressed any public religious practice. As a result, Jewish life remained dormant and Tallinn had the dubious distinction of being the only European capital without a synagogue.
Resurgence and Restoration
With the reassertion of independence and the restoration of the Estonian Republic in 1991, a new Jewish community sprouted roots. A cultural centre and Jewish school opened in 2000 and an old building downtown was renovated for use as a synagogue.
In 2007, with the inauguration of the Beit Bella Synagogue, the first Estonian synagogue since the Holocaust, Tallinn’s Jewish community started a new chapter in its renewal. Israeli President, Shimon Peres attended the inauguration ceremony in May of that year.
An innovative, ultra-modern, spacious and airy structure, Beit Bella, like Tallinn itself, opens its doors to the future. It was designed by KOKO Architects, which is also responsible for other innovative additions to Tallinn’s emerging skyline. It seats 180 people and can accommodate up to 230 for concerts and public events.
The building is adjacent to the Jewish school and in addition to the house of worship, includes a Mikve, kosher café and a Jewish museum.
Since opening its doors, the new synagogue has become a major Tallinn landmark, a tourist destination and symbol of Estonian rejuvenation.
