The Singing Fountains in Bucharest

Even though I live just steps away from the Unirii fountains, I’ve never gone to see them lit up and singing… As soon as I found out this was the last weekend they’d be “performing”, I said I couldn’t miss them! See how I am?…

I caught a glimpse of them one evening while driving by, but the next day I set out determined to see them in the flesh — well, in jets and colors…

A lot of people! Well of course, if today’s the last day, I thought.

I thought wrong, because the fountains can still be seen until June 29, inclusive. The construction site that will dismantle them for a few years starts on the 30th.

My first “wow” moment related to this type of fountain show was many years ago, in Barcelona. That’s where I first saw what a spectacular water show meant, with lights “dancing” to the rhythm of famous arias. I don’t know how it would seem to me now, after so many years and other shows seen in the meantime, but back then I was amazed by the perfect synchronization between the colored water jets and the musical accents.

Later, I saw the much-promoted fountains in Dubai, at the Burj Khalifa. And this year, I rushed to catch a musical fountain show at 9 p.m. in Xi’an, China, a show very popular among the Asian public.

So I wasn’t expecting the show in Unirii Square to take my breath away. But it really was a pleasant surprise!

Beyond the water, sound, and light show, I really loved the atmosphere!!!

Basically, I felt like I was at an open-air party!

The music mix was clearly the highlight. Sure, we all gathered to admire the beautiful water jets dancing to the rhythm of the music, but I saw how everyone enjoyed each new song that started. Even more than that, it felt like a quiz game – everyone rushed to name the song, the artist, or the movie it was from – because there were also soundtracks from films like Top Gun, The Pink Panther, or The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. It was really fun!

Every time a new song started, a wave of “oooh, wow, yaaay!” and other exclamations would rise, showing that we were all happy to hear that tune again.

Many were singing (we were singing…) to almost all the songs. At least that’s how it was in the area where I was, but I’m sure everyone had been “infected” with the same talent.

Several groups of friends and families were dancing to every song. Even to “Veronicaaa, the nice and beautiful girl”, a waltz got started…

But how silly I was??? After bragging that I knew almost all the voices – from Aguilera, ABBA, Tina Turner, Queen, to Dan Spătaru and Stela Enache, after showing off that I knew all the songs, from Pretty Woman, What a Feeling, to Ani de liceu or We Are the Champions, I later found out that the whole show’s playlist was made up of music… from movies!

Absolutely everything in the playlist comes from famous films – James Bond, Mamma Mia, Liceenii, Flashdance, Burlesque, Bohemian Rhapsody, and so on. I didn’t know beforehand, and I didn’t even realize it while listening, because my mind and ears just took the melodies as something perfectly suited to the grannies from my generation 🙂

The Palace of the Parliament was the perfect background. I tried to capture it in such a way that it felt like it was part of the show too.

Around me, civilized people, some with small children, others with elderly parents, lots of groups of friends, couples, a bit of everything. Plus street vendors weaving through the crowd selling glowing balloons, hoping to fill their pockets here in less than an hour. Because yes, the whole thing lasts less than an hour, more precisely, 45 minutes.

At exactly 22:16, a voice came through the speakers announcing that “we’ll see each other at the next show”. That’s it? Already?? It felt like we all wanted one more dose of great music, danced by colorful water jets.

We flowed away from the fountains in waves, each of us back home. Or, well, to clubs, bars, the Old Town… Because, just as the final song in the Water Symphony said: “the show must go on”! 🙂