On 20 August, the Integration Foundation will hold a singing party "Drive Slowly Over the Bridge" in Narva. The aim of the singing party is to bring together people of different nationalities, different mother tongues and from different regions to sing cherished songs to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Estonia's re-independence. The singing party will be Narva’s official part of the Estonia-wide anniversary party.
The singing party "Drive Slowly Over the Bridge" is named after the Estonian sentence “Sõida tasa üle silla” that was selected as the most beautiful. This party is a bridge between various communities, as all people living in Estonia are invited to take part in it - be they choir singers or just people who like music and singing. Participants will receive song books on site.
A unique concert performance takes the audience on a journey through time. On an imaginary bridge, various eras, nations and languages meet. What happened during Kreenholm times? What did Konstantin Päts and Lydia Koidula do in Narva? What thoughts did Igor Severjanin ponder and what do local people remember from 30 years ago? The bridges connecting Narva are its people and eras.
The repertoire of the singing party "Drive Slowly Over the Bridge" includes people’s favourite songs that are characteristic to Narva. There will be songs from Estonia, Russia, England, Belarus, Ukraine as well as from Ingrian nations on stage. Some of the songs to be performed are “Sõida tasa üle silla”, “Ta lendab mesipuu poole“, “Pesnja pro Narvu“, “Po kamuškam“, “Vihma sajab kak s vedra“, “Lutšije devuški v Narve“, “Kalinka Malinka“, “Laul Põhjamaast“, “Isamaa ilu hoieldes“, “Ei ole üksi ükski maa“, “Kauges külas“, “Eilne päev“. Marina Kossolapova, Indra-Mirell Zeinet and Oliver Povel Puusepp will take the stage as choir conductors, Maria Vassilejeva and Nadežda Moskaljova will conduct the choir of national minorities. The soloists are Sofia Rubina, Mirtel Põdra, Rafael Sharafetdinov, Alina Vorontšihhina, Vladimir Tšerdakov, Beatriche Huber, Indra-Mirell Zeinet and Oliver Povel-Puusepp.
The lead singers of the party will be local soloists, choirs, and the Tandem Choir of the Estonian Language House in Narva. The aim of the Tandem Choir is to combine language and cultural learning as well as to contribute to the integration of various nationalities. The Tandem Choir unites 30-40 singers of various nationalities, most of whom come from Ida-Virumaa. Over eight months, the singers of the Tandem Choir have been acquiring the repertoire of the singing party, helping each other to learn and practice Estonian and Russian. The Tandem Choir will be performing a few songs at the singing party and will be a supportive force throughout the party.
The creative team of the concert performance consists mainly of people from Narva. The producers are Anna Farafonova and Alo Puustak, directors are Krismar Rosin and Ave Landrat, artist is Deniss Polubojarov, video artist is Alyona Movko-Mägi and sound designer Vsevolod Tšelepis.
The concert performance is going to take place in the Narva EV100 Park that was established in honour of the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. Entrances open at 7 p.m., the concert begins at 8 p.m. Free entrance.
Health safety
Only people who have been vaccinated, recovered from COVID-19, or presented a negative test result can take part in event.
- The certificates of all attendants will be checked at the entrance, please bring your identity document with you as well.
- The certificate can be submitted in both paper and digital form (eg from smartphone)
- There is no on-site testing available
- People under the age of 18 do not need to submit the COVID certificate.
The organizers of the party want to offer a safe concert experience and thank the participants for their understanding and care.
The Integration Foundation, organizer of the Singing Party, would like to thank its partners - Narva City Government, Narva Music and Choir School, the Avenue and Suprjadki collectives, vocal ensemble of Svetlana Voitenko and their technical cooperation partner Live Agentuur.
We would like to thank Narva Hospital for opening the vaccination bus near the concert venue. Free vaccination against coronavirus is offered from 6.30 pm to 8.30 pm, using Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Janssen vaccines. Pre-registration is not required. NB! People who have been vaccinated on the vaccination bus must nevertheless submit the COVID certificate as a proof of having recovered from the COVID-19, or the proof of a negative coronavirus test result, to participate in the event.
Let’s find a common language by singing together!
The Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/2oTLNmjEE
