Peeter Perens: Song Festival the birth certificate of the Estonian people
The Song Festival is important because it is the birth certificate of the Estonian people, Peeter Perens, artistic director of the XXVII Song and XX Dance Festival, said following the end of the festival's final concert on Sunday night.
Speaking to ETV news broadcast "Aktuaalne kaamera" immediately after the conclusion of the second and final concert of the Song Festival "My Fatherland is My Love" ("Minu Arm" in Estonian) on Sunday night, Perens said that he was very happy with the festival.
Asked why the Song Festival, which dates back to 1869, is so important to so many people that not everyone who wants will even fit onstage or on the grounds, Perens said that this was a tricky question to answer.
"It is possible to respond to this at great length, or very briefly," he said. "I'll currently go with the short answer — because the Song Festival is the birth certificate of the people of Estonia."
According to the artistic director, the Song and Dance Festival went even better than expected. "After yesterday already, which was seriously perfect," he added.
Ticket sales to Sunday's concert were cut off for safety and security reasons after capacity at the grounds reached a combined 95,000.
The double-jubilee XXVII Song and XX Dance Festival "My Fatherland is My Love" ("Minu Arm" in Estonian) began on Thursday, July 4 and ran through Sunday, July 7.
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Editor: Aili Vahtla
