The Finno-Ugric mystery "Awakening the Birds" is a journey into the traditions, rituals and spells of various Finno-Ugric peoples. The folk songs heard in the mystery tell about the creation of the world, the waiting for the souls of the ancestors, the struggle of getting married, the life cycle of what Finno-Ugric peoples go through," says director Anne Türnpu and adds: "Livanians, Karelians, Estonians, Finns, Ingers, Isurians, Vadjaians and Vepsas, Sami and Mari, Ersa and Moksha, Udmurt and Komi, Handi, Mansi and Hungarians have believed that the world starts from an egg; that the first piece of land is brought from the bottom of the primeval sea by a water bird in its beak; that our ancestors come from heaven and return there; that both men and gods can assume the shape of an animal or a bird or a plant; that man has several souls, and some of them can act as an insect, a butterfly, or a mouse; that our ancestors also return with the migratory birds that arrive in spring; that if you greet the birds and the ancestors beautifully, the field will be more fertile, the herd will be healthy, the fish will be in the net and the rabbit will be jumping; the descendants must also be requested from the predecessors; the bear hears and the forest remembers." It's worth remembering all of this right now during the time for souls.

There will be 37 singers of Vox Populi on the Viimsi Artium stage including conductor Janne Fridolin. The directors of the play are Anne Türnpu and Eva Koldits, the artist is Kairi Mändla, the lighting designer Airi Eras, the sound designer Lauri Kaldoja (Estonian Drama Theater), Rasmus Kaljujärv prepared the physical training of the singers, and the sound designer is Andreas Väljamäe.

The mixed choir Vox Populi also presents an album of the same name, which contains all the works of Veljo Tormis that are heard in the concert production "Awakening the Birds".

On October 23, Vox Popul's concert tour to Japan will begin. The performance will take place at the Native People's Museum in Upopoi, Sendai and Tokyo. The trip is supported by the Estonian Ministry of Culture and the Estonian Cultural Foundation.