With the closing concert “Together Up” and a sing-along night, the Song and Dance Festival has come to an end. A lot of emotions and impressions were gained during the week, so that there would be something to remember for a long time, thousands of singers, dancers, percussionists, orchestra members and others could get together again in five years. So what are your thoughts on the past holiday week?
We are so different, but united in Latvianness. It’s being together. Being one of several thousand participants, a choir member from Riga says about the Song and Dance festival week. Other participants also say that the week was very full, but everything that was experienced was worth it. “It hasn’t been easy – singing in rehearsals and partying at night, but we manage everything,” says Aira, a member of the Kocēni mixed choir “Imera”.
“We experienced such a magical moment, a whole week together with people with whom we share the same feeling – to be in song, to be together, also in dance, a wonderful time spent together,” says the member of the women’s choir “Ausma” from Riga Agita.
Since a lot had to be devoted to rehearsals, one of the participants also says that she did not have much time to visit and enjoy other festive events, but the dance concert was beautiful. You can only admire the dancers, how they can remember all the dance steps. Other participants even before going on the stage of the Mežparks stage admit that the fatigue is great, but the feelings are still wonderful. “Everyone is smiling, everyone is happy, they are ready to read medicine again, weave wreaths, and some are already saying that I don’t know what will happen on Monday, when we won’t meet again,” says Elina Skuja, leader of the mixed choir “Mezgli”.
“This is the first song festival for me, I’ve already managed to get injured and lose my voice, but I got it back, everything is normal,” emphasizes Artūrs, a member of the mixed choir “Mezgli”. “At first it seemed that the song festival would be a week of rest, but it’s hard work. I don’t get so tired at work, I don’t get up so early and I don’t work so much. The feelings are simply great.”
“The feelings are fantastic, this whole week was like a great adventure for both singers and dancers. I also don’t want to forget to emphasize the brass band, which sometimes, both in the name and in other activities, may be neglected somewhere, but – no, we are also here and enjoy the whole event,” says a member of the brass band “Auseklītis” from Riga Sanda .
Ināra Freimane, manager of the mixed choir “Vaivari” of the Jūrmala Culture Center: “Trying as professional singers, the workload is extremely high. The singers tell me now – they understand what it means to sing in the national choir when the voice is strained, but the beauty of being under the leadership of chief conductors, being here on stage, the weather is wonderful, the songs are different, easier, more difficult, we have overcome everything, we feel very nice.”
449 choirs, 89 dance groups, 61 brass bands, the joint ensemble of koklets and other artists took part in the final concert “Together Up”. It should be added that this is not the end of the Jūrmala choir “Vaivari”. Already on Tuesday morning, the collective will get on the bus to go to Prague in the Czech Republic and sing there.
#SIF_MAF2023
2023-07-10 15:00:30
#dont #tired #work #dont #early #dont #work #Reflections #holiday #week
