What a venue for the finale! The "Õnnelik Lõpp" or Happy End(ing) of Tallinn as the 2011 European Capital of Culture was held on the evening of December 22 across the city. The official closing ceremony was an invitation-only event that took place in the newly renovated Lennu/sadama vesi/lennukite angaarid (Seaplane Harbor hangars), the new home of the Estonian Maritime Museum (www.meremuuseum.ee) .
Completed in 1917, the hangars are unique shell concrete structures considered to be feats of engineering 20 years ahead of their time and the first of their kind in the world.
They will finally be open to the public this spring. All/vee/laev ("under-water-boat", i.e. submarine) Lembit and jää/murdja (icebreaker) Suur Tõll await your arrival beneath the incredible domes.
Preceding the gala in the hangars was a midtown concert of the city's church bells, many of which had gone unheard for years, along with a video projection performance on the facade of Jaani kirik and a one-time-only screening of a collage of international 60 second films at Tallinn's cruise ship harbor, which were immediately burned following their world premiere! The evening also saw the final party of the Club 2011 series, which had introduced Tallinn's club and alternative music culture to a wider audience all year. This was held at the Kultuurikatel (Culture kettle or cauldron), Tallinn's former Power Plant complex by the sea, originally built as Tallinn's Gasworks in the 1865.
Closing ceremonies in the angaarid were immersed in Mart Koldits' under- and above-water world entitled "Kaja lood" (Echo Stories), a year-in-review show in the newly renovated space. All manner of projections and flying objects and creatures became the 7000th and final cultural event in the year-long program.
Riina Kindlam,
Tallinn
