Day 3: start of the 2nd semi rehearsals

Day three of rehearsals: the second semifinal has started. Nobody knows about the stage anymore. We try to keep you informed. For the time being, we’ll stick to the nine countries that rehearsed.

FINLAND: Expectations were obviously high with a big name like The Rasmus in da’ house. In black and yellow rain gear, the stars stood on stage between huge black balloons. Eurovision.tv praises the professionalism of the band members.

ISRAEL: It was quite exciting whether Israel would participate or not. However, the security issues died down. And so Michael Ben David stood on stage in white, surrounded by his dancers. Remarkable: eurovision.tv reports that there is good singing. That has not been done so far.

SERBIA: Konstrakta’s act is little different from what we saw during the national final. She has the healthy hair of Megan Markle, which she also sings about. She washes her hands regularly. The dancers around her carry towels. Everything to stay “In corpore sano”, in a healthy body.

AZERBAIJAN: It was to be expected: Azerbaijan has a standout act. Nadir Rustamli sings from a sort of staircase that looks like a grandstand. There is also a dancer in that stand. Halfway through the act, the stand is split in two and the dancer and singer can see each other.

GEORGIA: Circus Mircus represents Georgia. And clowns belong to a circus. A singer in a leather jacket and flying goggles, a man with an eye patch and a belly organ and a bassist who seems to have borrowed the hat from the Ukrainians. That last man has a beard of flowers. Many colors can be seen on stage. Surreal is how even the official site describes it.

MALTA: Emma Muscat performs in a dress covered with silver. She is flanked by four dancers. Later during the act, she sits behind a huge piano. She also uses the so-called B-stage, just in front of the green room. The sun springs into action and gives off its golden light during this act.

SAN MARINO: You can expect a striking act from Achille Lauro. He wears body stocking, cowboy boots and hat, a black boa and he is at a red rodeo. While you’d expect that with the title “Stripper,” the clothes don’t come off. Where there is smoke there is fire: that certainly applies to this act, which ends with a lot of pyro technics.

AUSTRALIA: Of course Sheldon Reily wears his jeweled mask. Surprising is the huge white suit he is also wearing. At the bottom of the suit is a huge tow. Eurovision.tv compares it to a wedding dress that drags on the floor. It almost seems as if Sheldon is staying in the clouds.

CYPRUS: Andromache is singing in a purple dress with what looks like a huge fan behind her. The dancers move around that fan. The fan is also used to display the graphics. Different colors are visible.

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History

Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest, part 6

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history! For the sixth episode, we look back at the nineties. With Tony Wegas’ double, and a total of three top-10 scores, the hard times began for Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest. 1992: Tony Wegas – “Zusammen geh’n” Tony Wegas, an Austrian singer and television actor, represented Austria at Eurovision 1992 with the power ballad “Zusammen geh’n”. Dieter Bohlen composed the music and Joachim Horn-Bernges wrote the lyrics, giving the song a classic pop-ballad style. Wegas delivered an emotive performance of this German-language track on the Malmö stage. “Zusammen geh’n” earned 63 points, securing a 10th place finish for Austria at the 1992 contest. 1993: Tony Wegas – “Maria Magdalena” Tony Wegas returned in 1993 to represent Austria with “Maria Magdalena,” a dramatic pop song with biblical references. He was selected internally, and presented 7 songs. Wegas, known for his singing career and TV acting, gave an engaging performance of this German-language track about Mary Magdalene. Christian Kolonovits and Johann Bertl composed the music, while Thomas Spitzer penned the lyrics, infusing the song with theatrical flair. Despite its uptempo style compared to the previous year, “Maria Magdalena” scored 32 points and placed 14th out of 25 entries at Eurovision 1993. 1994: Petra Frey – “Für den Frieden der Welt” Eight artists and songs competed in the national final. Simone participated but did not win. Petra Frey, only 16 years old at the time, represented Austria at Eurovision 1994 in Dublin with the ballad “Für den Frieden der Welt” (translated as “For the Peace of the World”). Alfons Weindorf composed the music, and brothers Karl & Johann Brunner wrote the lyrics, creating a heartfelt pop ballad calling for world peace. The song showcased Frey’s strong vocals, honed from her early schlager music career, and delivered a sincere message on stage. Austria’s 1994 entry earned 19 points, finishing in 17th place among 25 countries. 1995: Stella Jones – “Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt” Stella Jones, an Austrian singer with jazz and soul roots, took the stage in 1995 with “Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt” (meaning “The World Turns Upside Down”). Jones delivered a funky, blues-infused pop performance that reflected her versatile musical background. Michael W. Krausz both wrote the lyrics and composed the music for this entry, a song which stood out amid a contest often dominated by ballads. The Austrian entry scored 67 points, achieving a 13th place finish in the 1995 Eurovision final. 1996: George Nussbaumer – “Weil’s dr guat got” George Nussbaumer, a blind Austrian blues musician, brought a unique gospel-blues flair to Eurovision 1996 with “Weil’s dr guat got”. Sung in his native Vorarlberg dialect (the title roughly means “Because You’re Doing Well”), the song blended upbeat soul and pop elements. Nussbaumer co-wrote the entry himself. He composed the music and co-authored the lyrics with Michael W. Krausz and infused it with authentic blues style. His uplifting performance in Oslo resonated with the juries, as Austria earned 68 points and a 10th place finish at the 1996 contest. 1997: Bettina Soriat – “One Step” Bettina Soriat, an Austrian singer and stage performer, stepped into the spotlight in 1997 with “One Step.” Having been a backing vocalist for Austria’s 1996 entry, Soriat brought an upbeat dance-pop routine to Eurovision 1997. Marc Berry (stage name of Marcus Dlugaiczyk) wrote the song’s lyrics and co-composed the music with Ina Siber, crafting a catchy tune with playful choreography. Despite the energetic performance and its fun pop appeal, “One Step” received just 12 points, placing 21st out of 25 entries in the Dublin final. 1999: Bobbie Singer – “Reflection” Bobbie Singer (born Tina Schosser), an 18-year-old Austrian pop singer, returned for Eurovision 1999 after Austria’s one-year absence. She performed “Reflection,” a contemporary English-language pop song that projected a youthful, radio-friendly vibe. Dave Moskin wrote and composed “Reflection”, providing a modern pop sound accompanied by a live band on stage. Bobbie’s engaging performance in Jerusalem gave Austria a fresh image in the contest. The entry scored 65 points, achieving a 10th place finish out of 23 countries – Austria’s best Eurovision result of the 1990s.        

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History
Martijn

Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest, part 6

This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been won by Austria. It was the 57th Austrian entry. Reason for us to go back to all the Austrian entries in history! For the sixth episode, we look back at the nineties. With Tony Wegas’ double, and a total of three top-10 scores, the hard times began for Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest. 1992: Tony Wegas – “Zusammen geh’n” Tony Wegas, an Austrian singer and television actor, represented Austria at Eurovision 1992 with the power ballad “Zusammen geh’n”. Dieter Bohlen composed the music and Joachim Horn-Bernges wrote the lyrics, giving the song a classic pop-ballad style. Wegas delivered an emotive performance of this German-language track on the Malmö stage. “Zusammen geh’n” earned 63 points, securing a 10th place finish for Austria at the 1992 contest. 1993: Tony Wegas – “Maria Magdalena” Tony Wegas returned in 1993 to represent Austria with “Maria Magdalena,” a dramatic pop song with biblical references. He was selected internally, and presented 7 songs. Wegas, known for his singing career and TV acting, gave an engaging performance of this German-language track about Mary Magdalene. Christian Kolonovits and Johann Bertl composed the music, while Thomas Spitzer penned the lyrics, infusing the song with theatrical flair. Despite its uptempo style compared to the previous year, “Maria Magdalena” scored 32 points and placed 14th out of 25 entries at Eurovision 1993. 1994: Petra Frey – “Für den Frieden der Welt” Eight artists and songs competed in the national final. Simone participated but did not win. Petra Frey, only 16 years old at the time, represented Austria at Eurovision 1994 in Dublin with the ballad “Für den Frieden der Welt” (translated as “For the Peace of the World”). Alfons Weindorf composed the music, and brothers Karl & Johann Brunner wrote the lyrics, creating a heartfelt pop ballad calling for world peace. The song showcased Frey’s strong vocals, honed from her early schlager music career, and delivered a sincere message on stage. Austria’s 1994 entry earned 19 points, finishing in 17th place among 25 countries. 1995: Stella Jones – “Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt” Stella Jones, an Austrian singer with jazz and soul roots, took the stage in 1995 with “Die Welt dreht sich verkehrt” (meaning “The World Turns Upside Down”). Jones delivered a funky, blues-infused pop performance that reflected her versatile musical background. Michael W. Krausz both wrote the lyrics and composed the music for this entry, a song which stood out amid a contest often dominated by ballads. The Austrian entry scored 67 points, achieving a 13th place finish in the 1995 Eurovision final. 1996: George Nussbaumer – “Weil’s dr guat got” George Nussbaumer, a blind Austrian blues musician, brought a unique gospel-blues flair to Eurovision 1996 with “Weil’s dr guat got”. Sung in his native Vorarlberg dialect (the title roughly means “Because You’re Doing Well”), the song blended upbeat soul and pop elements. Nussbaumer co-wrote the entry himself. He composed the music and co-authored the lyrics with Michael W. Krausz and infused it with authentic blues style. His uplifting performance in Oslo resonated with the juries, as Austria earned 68 points and a 10th place finish at the 1996 contest. 1997: Bettina Soriat – “One Step” Bettina Soriat, an Austrian singer and stage performer, stepped into the spotlight in 1997 with “One Step.” Having been a backing vocalist for Austria’s 1996 entry, Soriat brought an upbeat dance-pop routine to Eurovision 1997. Marc Berry (stage name of Marcus Dlugaiczyk) wrote the song’s lyrics and co-composed the music with Ina Siber, crafting a catchy tune with playful choreography. Despite the energetic performance and its fun pop appeal, “One Step” received just 12 points, placing 21st out of 25 entries in the Dublin final. 1999: Bobbie Singer – “Reflection” Bobbie Singer (born Tina Schosser), an 18-year-old Austrian pop singer, returned for Eurovision 1999 after Austria’s one-year absence. She performed “Reflection,” a contemporary English-language pop song that projected a youthful, radio-friendly vibe. Dave Moskin wrote and composed “Reflection”, providing a modern pop sound accompanied by a live band on stage. Bobbie’s engaging performance in Jerusalem gave Austria a fresh image in the contest. The entry scored 65 points, achieving a 10th place finish out of 23 countries – Austria’s best Eurovision result of the 1990s.        

Read More »
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