Hi from the Wiener Stadthalle!
All accredited press can follow along with the first dress rehearsal this afternoon and I'll be trying to liveblog it all for you, WiFi permitting of course.
Here is a quick picture I snapped of the stage right before a very Austrian woman told me I had to return to my zone. Vicky Leandros was already on stage, lipsyncing for her life.
Eröffnungszeremonie
The first dress rehearsal started at 15:30:00 on the dot but without any additional heads up or welcoming to the press. Semi 1 is opened with the Life of Toni montage which is already on YouTube if you're too curious. It really is beautifully made, I think.
Afterwards we are treated to an impressive choir on stage that performs an abridged version L'amour est bleu, including Vicky Leandros herself. No live vocals detected, but: pyro!
Next we meet our hosts. They're dressed in white and silver. She looks gorgeous, he doesn't. It's giving 70s circus host vibes. They make a few (language) jokes that don't land particularly well but they say and do what they have to. Michael pretends to not know how the voting system works. Appropriate, because who can still keep up, really?
01. Moldau
It's really cool how the LED projections are not only visible in the arena on the wall behind the artists, but also on the floor below them, which goes all the way down the catwalk and even behind the greenroom.
This is the perfect opener - a highly energetic, pro-European stomper. There is a wonderful touch here with Aliona Moon performing her bit in a gigantic dress that is very deliberately resembling her 2013 version, which the crowd loves of course. Lots of pyro in the final chorus. This works really well.
02. Schweden
Basically what we saw in Melfest but with a bit more fun in the light show and projections. It all feels a bit by numbers at this point. Felicia was good but not extremely convincing. I'm honestly not sure if this is convincing enough to qualify or if a fate similar to Red Sebastian awaits.
03. Kroatien
I have to also admit that the postcards this year are absolutely gorgeous. Very stylish shots of the artist in a different Austrian landmark, ending with the artist holding an actual postcard of their own country. Super neatly done.
Neatly done is also how I describe the Croatian performance, which has had a major upgrade compared to Dora. One of the five singers is seated on a high chair, onimously towering over her four colleagues - she comes down during the second verse.
The background projections really help telling the story of the song and there is the same level of fire here you would expect during, well, Fire. The vocals are also on point today and much better than during Dora. I can't really focus on the camera work from where I'm sitting, but at least on the stage this looks great.
04. Griechenland
...
05. Portugal
...
06. Georgien
...
XX. Italien
...
07. Finnland
...
08. Montenegro
...
09. Estland
...
10. Israel
...
XX. Deutschland
...
11. Belgien
...
12. Litauen
...
13. San Marino
...
14. Polen
...
15. Serbien
...