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| At one side of the shell, the festival tower is topped with the festival flame. |
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| Clearly visible from the upper Tallinn overlook, the song festival shell is enormous, built especially for this every four year national event. The stage of broad risers accommodates about 6000 performers (Our finale was said to include 8000 singers, some of whom stood on the ground below the risers.) |
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The shell during the Saturday evening concert (performing groups are massed choirs who have studied the music independently and come together for a day of rehearsal and two days of performances); the festival torch at the top of the tower is lit during the opening ceremonies and remains lit throughout the three-day event. |
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Throughout the performance, a changing group of young people hold and sometimes wave a large Estonian flag near the back of the large audience, which is seated on chairs, benches and grass. | |
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Theme for the 2004 festival is "Spinning Community" and the pinning spinning while emblem is at one side of the amphitheatre. |
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On the other side is a giant screen showing changing images, often of the theme, and often of the conductor, or of whatever caught the cameraman's eye -- a pretty singer was frequently on view. | |
Rehearsal -- the Friday occupation |
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| Gwen Hooper among the sopranos |
Each conductor was eminent in the nation and greeted with enthusiastic applause by the massed choirs. |
Cheri Minton among the altos |
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| At concert time, costumed performers move into the audience when their particular group, say "mixed choirs" or "young children's choirs," is not on stage and then gather in pre-assigned areas to move back onstage when needed. |
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| Our guide and friend, Helene, in her traditional costume. | |
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| 8000 massed choristers following a single conductor boggles the imagination! |
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| Our sponsoring "Engineer's Chorus", singing at a party they hosted after the festival. | |
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| A last look at an unforgettable scene. | |