EU-DIGEST

Eurovision Song Contest - Camp and Controversy in Moscow: The Eurovision Extravaganza Heats Up

Moscow promised to host the most lavish Eurovision Song Contest ever. But as the weekend approaches, controversy may be brewing. What, one wonders, could be a greater honor than playing host to a collection of outrageously campy music acts from across Europe, all gathered for a frenzy of televised flamboyance that seems to get more frivolous by the year? Moscow, for its part, has taken the responsibility seriously and has pledged the most lavish show ever when the grand finale of the Eurovision Song Contest hits the stage there this weekend. They have spent €30 million and have booked Olimpiyski Indoor Arena in downtown Moscow for the show. Still, controversy threatens to torpedo the hosts' best efforts. The narrowing of the field is already well underway.

A number of acts were sent home on Tuesday, with Belarus, Bulgaria and Belgium all getting the boot, along with a handful of others. Fifteen of the 25 finalists have now been chosen, with pop perennials Sweden making the cut along with Iceland, Israel, Romania, Armenia and Malta, among others. Turkey emerged as the favorite among 10 countries moving on to Saturday's final. Turkish pop singer Hadise, who grew up in Belgium, sang "Düm Tek Tek" in English and performed with belly dancers. Five countries -- defending champion Russia, France, Britain, Spain and Germany, whose act includes stripper sine qua non Dita von Teese -- qualify automatically. It is their money that makes the event happen. The annual competition is one of the most-watched television events in Europe, with nearly 300 million viewers around the world. In its 53-year history, the colorful contest has even helped launch careers -- like those of international pop acts Abba and Celine Dion.

One can expect an exiting and colorful evening with great songs, lots of spectacular choreography and drama as usual.

Labels: Abba, Celine Dion, Eurovision Song festival, Moscow, Russia

Eurovision unites and divides Europe - by Nick Holsworth

Eurovision is to Europeans what the Super Bowl is to Americans, and seething resentment is never far from the surface. The event has been characterized by barely concealed nationalism, rampant sexism -- in the 1960s and ‘70s, it was common for female performers to try to outdo each other in the teeny frock department -- and accusations that the event boils down more to politics than music. Russian authorities are preparing for the prospect of a terrorist attack, hotel and apartment rental prices are rocketing in Moscow, and the city’s mass transit system is extending its hours. There’s even a gay pride parade planned to take advantage of the media attention.Yes, it’s Eurovision Song Contest time in Moscow. And with the May 12 and 14 semifinals and the May 16 finale going out live in primetime on 42 channels across Europe, the show will be seen by at least 100 million viewers. The competition, whose most famous winners are Abba and Celine Dion, was conceived 50 years ago as a way to bring all of Europe together via TV. But as the golden-anniversary edition of the event peaks this week, there’s a major divide in how the event is embraced by the participating nations.

The big guns of local politics and entertainment are on the organizing committee, including Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov, Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov and Konstantin Ernst, head of state-backed First Channel, the broadcaster that is hosting the contest. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin met composer and theatrical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber, head of the British Eurovision delegation, in Moscow. Lloyd Webber so charmed him that Putin joked that he would vote for Britain’s Jade Ewen, who has a guaranteed place in the finals with a typically modestly titled song, “It’s My Time.”

Labels: Eurovision Song festival

Euro Vision Song Contest: Arab Singer Joins Israeli In Song Contest

For 53 years, musicians have vied to win the Eurovision song contest, granted to the best performing act around Europe. Mira Awad, an Arab-Israeli singer, is representing Israel with Noa, a Jewish-Israeli artist. Award tells guest host Guy Raz that their song, "There Must Be Another Way," is not a song of peace, but a simple call to respect the humanity of others.

Labels: EU, Eurovision Song festival

Eurovision Song Contest Moscow 2009 : Czech Republic - The return of the Super gipsy

Eurovision Song Contest Moscow 2009 : Czech Republic - The return of the Super gipsy

With only a few days to go before the start of the rehearsal process for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, this years Czech Republic entry Gipsy.cz take time out to talk to esctoday.com. In this exclusive interview the band talk about how they plan to bring some Czech humor and irony to the Eurovision stage. They also talk about the band's past musical achievements and how we will see "the return of the Super gipsy".

Labels: Czech Republic, EU, Eurovision Song festival, Moscow

Eurovision 2009 participants arrive in Moscow

The Russian capital will be hosting the international song contest for the first time, but its organisers do not worry and say that everything is going as planned, and although there are eight more days before the opening, the contenders have every minute of their time already scheduled. The contest organizers said the first rehearsals would begin at 10:00 on May 3. Every contender will have 40 minutes to be followed by a press conference. The participants will move around the city in big buses marked with Eurovision logos. They will run every hour from the hotels where the contenders will live to the Olympiisky Concert Hall where the concerts, semi-finals on May 12 and 14, and the final contest on May 16 will be held. Special lanes will be reserved for the Eurovision buses with the picture of a firebird, the official mascot of the Moscow contest, in order to avoid traffic jams.

Meanwhile, all construction work has been completed at the Olympiisky Concert Hall. A unique stage provided with the most up-to-date equipment was installed on May 1. Contest chief director Andrei Boltenko said new super light and high-quality screens were used on the stage. A total of 2.5 kilometres of light-emitting diodes were used.

Labels: EU, Eurovision Song festival, Moscow, Russia

Eurovision Song Contest Moscow 2009

Eurovision Song Contest Moscow 2009

Hadise from Turkey began her promotion tour for her Eurovision Song Contest entry Dum Tek Tek in Malta today with an appearance on chatshow, La Qomna, Qomna! show will also appear on Xarabank (TVM), Matinee (One TV), Malta Eurosong festival (TVM), Hadd Ghalik (TVM). You can watch her interview and performance of the song below. Some Turkish residents in Malta were waiting to welcom her in airport. She explained that she was very excited about visiting Malta and added that this was the first time in her life that she had got to the island nation. She also said Malta doesn't give points to Turkey especially of late years, but she hopes to break this tradition.

Labels: EU, Eurovision Song festival, Hadise, Turkey

Eurovision: pop or geopolitics, asks Terry Wogan

The Russian nation celebrated its first Eurovision song contest victory last night. I celebrated the 30 quid that I won in a Eurovision party sweepstake. But Terry Wogan found little to be cheery about.With the contest's expansion into the newer states of eastern Europe, the long-standing tradition of Cyprus giving Greece 12 points and vice versa has now spread around much of the continent. The Balkan nations - who, remember, have been squabbling and separating for hundreds of years - certainly like to support one anothers' musical offerings. Last night saw the Slavic and Baltic nations join the former Soviet republics in their fulsome support for Dima Bilan and his power ballad, Believe.

Labels: EU, Eurovision Song festival, Politics

Russian bear is back with Eurovision, sport wins - by Guy Faulconbridge

The Russian bear is back on the world stage and political leaders are making the most of it. Wins in the Eurovision Song Contest, on the ice rink and the soccer field have given Russia, already bolstered by a world bull market for oil and eight years of calm in the Kremlin, a new feeling of confidence. Dima Bilan, a lithe 26-year-old singer, beat 24 contestants to give Russia its first victory in the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with a rock ballad "Believe". During his performance, Russian Olympic gold figure skating medallist Evgeni Plushenko danced around him on skates and Hungarian violinist Edvin Marton played a Stradivarius. "Russia's victories are coming one after another -- football, hockey and now Eurovision," Bilan, draped in a Russian tricolour flag and his shirt open, told reporters in Belgrade after the contest.

Labels: EU, Eurovision Song festival, Russia