Thousands of voices unite in song at traditional choir festival celebrating Estonia's culture

TALLINN, Estonia (AP) — The voices of tens of thousands of choir singers rang out in the rain in Estonia this weekend, and a huge crowd of spectators erupted in applause, unfazed by the gloomy weather.

The Song Festival Grounds, a massive outdoor venue in the Estonian capital Tallinn, was filled with spectators Saturday evening despite the downpour, and absolutely packed on Sunday, with even more people attending. The traditional Song and Dance Celebration, which decades ago inspired resistance to Soviet control and was later recognized by the U.N.'s cultural agency, attracted tens of thousands of performers and spectators alike, many in national costume.

The four-day choir-singing and dancing event centers around Estonian folk songs and patriotic anthems and is held roughly every five years. The tradition dates back to the 19th century. In the late 1980s, it inspired the defiant Singing Revolution, helping Estonia and other Baltic nations break free from the Soviet occupation.

To this day, it remains a major point of national pride for a country of about 1.3 million.

This year, tickets to the main event -– a seven-hour concert on Sunday featuring choirs of all ages -– sold out weeks in advance.

Rasmus Puur, a conductor at the song festival and assistant to the artistic director, ascribes the spike in popularity to Estonians longing for a sense of unity in the wake of the global turmoil, especially Russia’s war in Ukraine.

“We want to feel as one today more than six years ago (when the celebration was last held), and we want to feel that we are part of Estonia,” Puur told The Associated Press on Friday.

The theme of the song festival this year is dialects and regional languages, and the repertoire is a mix of folk songs, well-known patriotic anthems that are traditionally sung at these celebrations and new pieces written specifically for the occasion.

The festival’s artistic director, Heli Jürgenson, said ahead of the song festival that although the audience wouldn’t know all the songs -– especially those sung in dialects -– there would be many opportunities to sing along.

The main concert on Sunday night culminated with a song called “My Fatherland is My Love” –- a patriotic song Estonians spontaneously sang at the 1960 festival in protest against the Soviet regime. This anthem was the closing song of song celebrations since 1965, and many described it as the highest emotional point of the event.

This year, a choir of over 19,000 singers performed it, with the spectators singing along and waving Estonian flags. A few other songs followed, with patriotic chants in between, and after the concert was over, the audience spontaneously erupted in more singing.

Jürgenson believes that what drove the tradition more than 150 years ago still drives it today.

“There have been different turning points, there have been a lot of historical twists, but the need for singing, songs and people have remained the same,” she said. “There are certain songs that we always sing, that we want to sing. This is what keeps this tradition going for over 150 years.”

The tradition to hold massive first song-only, then song and dance festivals dates back to the time when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire.

The first song celebration was held in 1869 in the southern city of Tartu. It heralded a period of national awakening for Estonians, when Estonian-language press, theater and other things emerged, says Elo-Hanna Seljamaa, associate professor at the University of Tartu.

The festivals continued throughout a period of Estonia’s independence between the two world wars and then during the nearly 50 years of Soviet occupation.

The Soviet rulers were into “mass spectacles of all kinds, so in a way it was very logical for the Soviet regime to tap into this tradition and to try to co-opt it,” Seljamaa said in an interview.

Estonians had to sing Soviet propaganda songs in Russian during that time, but they were also able to sing their own songs in their own language, which was both an act of defiance and an act of therapy for them, she said.

At the same time, the complicated logistics of putting together a mass event like that taught Estonians to organize, Seljamaa said, so when the political climate changed in the 1980s, the protest against the Soviet rule naturally came in the form of coming together and singing.

The unity extended beyond Estonia’s borders. During the Singing Revolution, 2 million people in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania joined hands to form a 600-kilometer (370-mile) human chain that protested Soviet occupation of the Baltics with a song.

In 2003, the United Nations’ cultural body, UNESCO, recognized Estonia’s folk song festival and similar events in Latvia and Lithuania for showcasing the “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.”

Marina Nurming recalls attending the Singing Revolution gatherings in the 1980s as a teenager. This year she traveled to Tallinn from Luxembourg, where she currently lives, to take part in the Song and Dance Celebration as a choir singer –- her longtime hobby.

The Singing Revolution is a time “when we sang ourselves free,” she told AP.

Seljamaa says the song and dance celebration may have suffered a drop in popularity in the 1990s, a somewhat difficult time for Estonia as it was emerging as an independent country after the Soviet Union collapsed, but has since bounced back.

There is a tremendous interest in it among young people, she says, and always more performers willing to take part than the venue can fit in, and there are people who had left Estonia to live abroad, but travel back to take part.

Nurming is one example. She is part of the European Choir of Estonians – a singing group that unites Estonians from more than a dozen countries.

This year’s four-day celebration, which started on Thursday, included several stadium dancing performances by over 10,000 dancers from all around the country and a folk music instrument concert.

It culminated over the weekend with the song festival featuring some 32,000 choir singers. That was preceded by a large procession, in which all participants -– singers, dancers, musicians, clad in traditional costumes and waving Estonian flags –- marched from the city center to the Song Festival Grounds by the Baltic Sea.

Those taking part come from all corners of Estonia, and there are collectives from abroad, as well. It’s a mix of men, women and children, with participants aged from six to 93.

For most, singing and dancing is a hobby on top of their day jobs or studies. But to take part in the celebration, collectives had to go through a rigorous selection process, and months worth of rehearsals.

For Karl Kesküla, an electrical engineer from Estonia’s western island of Saaremaa, this is the first time taking part in the song celebration as a singer -– but he attended it before as a spectator.

“I got the feeling that what they did was really special and almost, like, every person you meet has gone to it or been a part of it at least once. So I just wanted that feeling too,” Kesküla, 30, told the AP at the procession on Saturday.

Participants described the celebrations as being an important part of their national identity.

“Estonians are always getting through the hard times through songs, through songs and dances. If it’s hard, we sing together and that brings everything back together and then we forget our troubles,” singer Piret Jakobson said.

“It’s really good with all Estonian people to do the same thing,” said engineer Taavi Pentma, who took part in the dance performances. “So we are, like, breathing in one and the heart is beating (as one).”

Choir singers attend the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, on Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Choir singers attend the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, on Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Spectators wave Estonian flags and bouquets of flowers during the song festival, part of the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

A spectator braves the rain as she watches the song festival, part of the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Choir singers attend the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, on Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

People enjoy the Estonian Song Festival, part of the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Participants perform during the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration "Iseoma" at the Kalev Stadium in Tallinn, Estonia, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Choir singers take part in the Estonian Song Festival, part of the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Participants perform during the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration "Iseoma" at the Kalev Stadium in Tallinn, Estonia, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Participants perform during the Estonia Song and Dance Festivals at the Kalev stadium in Tallinn, Estonia, Thursday, July 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Choir singers take part in the Estonian Song Festival, part of the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Artistic director of the Song Celebration Heli Jurgenson, seen on the screens, attending the Estonian Song Festival, part of the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Choir singers take part in the Estonian Song Festival, part of the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, at the Song Festival Grounds in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

People take part in the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

A participant rides a scooter ahead of the Estonian Song and Dance Celebration "Iseoma" at the Kalev Stadium in Tallinn, Estonia, Friday, July 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

People pose as they attend the "Iseoma" Song and Dance Celebration, in Tallinn, Estonia, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka has captured her second consecutive Brisbane International title, and 22nd overall, with a straight sets victory over Marta Kostyuk on Sunday.

It was the third year in a row Sabalanka appeared in the final and the Belorussian player looked in comfortable surroundings as she closed out a 6-4, 6-3 victory in just 1 hour and 17 minutes at Pat Rafter Arena.

The Brisbane International is a tuneup event for this year’s Australian Open, which begins Jan. 18.

Kostyuk went hard early by attacking Sabalenka’s second serve, clawing back an early break with sublime drop shots that briefly rattled the world's top-ranked player.

However, the Belorussian’s relentless intensity and match-smarts proved decisive as she exploited the oppressive Brisbane humidity with punishing baseline rallies to clinch the opening set in 40 minutes.

As Kostyuk wilted under the physical strain, Sabalenka accelerated in the second set.

With a mix of raking groundstrokes and deceptive drop shots, she forced a mounting error count from the Ukrainian to close out the match without dropping a set all week.

After sealing the victory, Sabalenka looked down the court at Kostyuk and kissed both biceps - a likely nod to previous comments by the Ukranian that she possessed higher testosterone levels than other players.

Kostyuk has said the comments made in an interview last year had been taken out of context, but further the tensions between the pair since the Ukranian's refusal to shake Sabalenka's hand after a match at the French Open in 2023.

The exchange resulted in a frosty post-match presentation. During the trophy ceremony, Kostyuk spoke passionately about her homeland but notably declined to mention Sabalenka by name.

“I want to say a few words about Ukraine,” Kostyuk said. “I play every day with a pain in my heart. There are thousands of people who are without light and warm water right now, it’s minus 20 degrees outside right now, so it’s very, very painful to live this reality every day.

"I was incredibly moved and happy to see so many Ukrainian fans and flags here this week … Slava Ukraini.”

Sabalenka, meanwhile, congratulated Kostyuk, stating she hoped they would meet in another final soon. She also took a cheeky dig at her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis during her victory speech.

“Hopefully soon I will call you somehow else,” Sabalenka said looking at Frangulis in the player's box. “That just put extra pressure, right?”

Later Sunday, top-seeded Daniil Medvedev played Brandon Nakashima in the final of the men’s tournament at Brisbane.

The former No. 1-ranked Medvedev is seeking his 22nd career title, while it will be Nakashima’s first ATP Tour final in four years.

AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus poses with the winners trophy after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, right, hugs her support team after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine reacts after missing a shot during the women's final match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus plays a shot during the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus waves to the crowd after winning the women's final match against Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine 6-4, 6-3, at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Brisbane, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)