The choral song in honor of spring canceled

The 80-member men's choir can not perform on 'Valborg' since crowds of more than 50 people are banned. 

  • Sweden's Orphei Drängar male chorus with their Director, Cecilia Rydinger Alin. Photo: Mats Bäcker

  • This year's performance by Orphei Drängar has been canceled. The men's choir, which has around 80 members, has gathered on the stairs at Carolina Rediviva, Uppsala University Library, to welcome spring on April 30, the eve of Valborg (Valborgsmässoafton). This year's performance is not possible, as crowds of more than 50 people are banned. The choir’s spring concerts have also been canceled. ”It is sad not to be able to welcome spring. And at the same time, it is understandable since when we sing from the library stairs, there are usually about 30,000 people in the audience,” says Jacob Risberg, choir member and press officer. The choir hopes to resume the tradition next year.

  • The full choir Orphei Drängar, since 2008 conducted by Cecilia Rydinger Alin. Photo: Mats Bäcker

  • Sample some of the traditional spring songs by the choir on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuw__Ih60e4 - Drottning Vår (“Queen Spring” a favorite, recorded by the choir)
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiOK_74u7zU - Glad såsom fågeln ("Joyous as the Bird," recorded at one of the choir’s concerts"
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjzdjdygUDk - the story of Orphei Drängar and the tradition in Uppsala