I know its a bit early to start the rehearsals topic now, but seeing as there has been a big announcement on eurovision.tv HERE about them I thought we might as well!

 

http://www.eurovision.tv/save-files/resizes/f8/4e/88/f9/56/58/3b/ca/62/bf/16/99/e1/b0/1c/76/infographic_rehearsals-1.jpg

 

As part of the ongoing efforts to prepare more efficiently for the Eurovision Song Contest, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and Host Broadcaster SVT revised the contest's rehearsal schedule. After discussions with organisers, delegations, journalists and fans, the setup of the event weeks has also been revised. These changes were thoroughly discussed in the Reference Group and approved during its December meeting.

 

"The media industry, whether we talk about television or journalism, has changed a lot the past decade. However, the event weeks of the Eurovision Song Contest have not changed. Over the past months, we've spoken to many of the parties involved and came to a slightly different approach," says Sietse Bakker, Event Supervisor of the contest at the EBU.

 

Delegations, journalists and fans mainly criticised the lengthy and thus expensive stay at the host city and the usually low attendance at the delegations' first out of two press conferences. Meanwhile, numerous artists expressed their wish to have a first rehearsal without media attending, filming and taking photos, allowing them to get used to the stage, light and sound, before revealing fully their act to the world via the press and social media.

 

What does this mean, concretely?

• The event weeks will kick off on Monday, 6th of May, one day later than usual. The EuroClub will open the same day
• Until Thursday, 9th of May, all Semi-Finalists will rehearse once behind closed doors. Journalists and fans can follow their rehearsal on screens at the EuroClub, which will facilitate the basic needs of the press. After their rehearsal, artists will be transported to the EuroClub, where they can give a short statement, do one-on-one interviews and photo shoots
• On Friday 10th of May, the Press Centre will open, right next to the Malmö Arena. A kick-off press conference will be given by the EBU and SVT in the early afternoon
• A second round of rehearsals, which lasts from Friday, 10th of May until Sunday, 12th of May, is open to the media and will start at 16:00
• After their second rehearsal on stage, the artist will give a 20-minute press conference, which can be followed by one-on-one interviews and a photo shoot as usual
• The 'Big Five' (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) and host country Sweden will rehearse on Sunday 12 May and Wednesday, 15th of May
• The Dress Rehearsals and live shows will take place following the usual schedule, from Monday 13th to Saturday 18th of May

Sietse Bakker adds: "This solution gives artists the privacy they want, journalists the opportunity to do their work efficiently and fans to enjoy the EuroClub from the very start of the event week. For those who wish to attend the full period, we save one day in the host city, and there is that very good option to join on Friday, 10th of May when we scale up the preparations. This setup works particularly well in Malmö, where everything is very centrally located."

 

The 2013 Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Malmö, Sweden, on 14th, 16th and 18th of May. Traditionally, participants, their delegations, journalists and fans come together in the city the preceding week to prepare and enjoy the so-called Eurovision weeks, during which the host city becomes the buzzing capital of European music.

The rehearsals start in less than 2 weeks (:o) so who is everyone looking forward to seeing the most?

 

Of course I'm looking forward to seeing my favourites, but especially Ukraine (always have amazing stage presentation), Germany (looking forward to seeing how they stage 'Glorious', I enjoyed the staging in the national final) and San Marino!

I'm curious to see if Elitsa en Stoyan are any good

Given my LIFE will be made by the inevitable VOX OVERLOAD of Gravideeeee I'm DEEPLY ANTICIPATING Ms Ognevich

 

Also BIRDS

This time next week, we will be well into or have already finished the first day of rehearsals! :o Can't believe that it's so close now!

Oh really? :o So fast!

 

I'm very curious to see what Anouk did to make the song even better.

 

Here's me hoping she's added some extra disney-like background music to give it that little extra!

I also hope she'll fly through the air

According to some reports including ESC Xtra, the videos from the first rehearsals will only be 30 second 'wide-shot' video clips. :o No information on whether this will be the same for the second rehearsal videos too.

 

I think I'm glad about this as it'll allow me to get an impression of each country's stage presentation without ruining the whole performance, but then again watching the full rehearsals has never ruined the actual shows for me.

 

ESC Xtra will once again be live streaming from the Euroclub (during the first rehearsals) and the Press Centre (during the rest of the rehearsals) to give us their opinions on each rehearsal (but obviously they can't show the rehearsals themselves! :kink:)

I'm guessing the AKOE blog is as good as dead, then? I've always enjoyed their rehearsal coverage but their site has gone and their blog hasn't been updated since last June. :(

According to some reports including ESC Xtra, the videos from the first rehearsals will only be 30 second 'wide-shot' video clips. :o No information on whether this will be the same for the second rehearsal videos too.

 

There will be full videos of the 2nd rehearsals because the press will be allowed into those.

Found a picture on ESC Forum of Zlata with her "giant" that is supposed to be on stage with her! :D

 

http://cs307308.vk.me/v307308509/99b7/zMl_R3nUUpg.jpg

Here are the Eurovision.tv videos of the 4 rehearsals from this morning: Austria, Estonia, Slovenia and Croatia.

 

 

 

 

I'm listening to the rehearsals via ESC Xtra, and Russia is rehearsing at the moment and it really sounds like a winner. Dina will definitely be top 3 if the presentation is as good as it can be as the vocals and backing vocals sounded fantastic even just from stream!

 

Emmelie sounded fantastic too, and from the 4 videos above - loving Natalia and Birgit particularly! :wub:

Sorry, but what the HELL are Ukraine doing. D:

All of the press members were finding the beginning of Ukraine's performance hilarious where the "giant" carries her onto the stage! In the first run though, Zlata's dress started falling off her too and apparently she was even laughing when the "giant" was carrying her onstage.

It seems that when the giant carries Zlata onto the stage, there are really loud "stomping" sound effects and the screen shakes! Her vocals and the rest of the performance is fantastic though.

 

Even after all 4 run throughs, all of the press members still finding it hilarious!

Coming back to 2007 it seems? :D

People are surprised by Ukraine doing something batshit crazy at Eurovision? Really?

Oh this is going to be something SPECIAL to watch. *.* I thought Gravity couldn't get any more (wonderfully) ridiculous. Clearly the event performance of the year.

Here are the rehearsal videos from this afternoon: Denmark, Russia, Ukraine and The Netherlands.

 

 

 

 

I'm guessing the AKOE blog is as good as dead, then? I've always enjoyed their rehearsal coverage but their site has gone and their blog hasn't been updated since last June. :(

Keith isn't going this year, he hates Sweden. (Who'd have thought!)