ITALY – The Eurovision 2022 Heads of Delegation Meeting has begun in Turin. Each of the 40 nations participating in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be given a briefing on the city’s preparations for the 2022 competition.

THE DRAW OF ITALY

Host country’s Grand Final appearance was decided today in a special drawing at the conference. In the Eurovision 2020 Grand Final, Mahmood and Blanco will perform #9 on May 14th. “Brividi,” their smash song from the venerable Sanremo Song Festival in February, helped the couple win the prestigious 2022 edition.

UKRAINE

It seems that Ukraine will compete in Eurovision 2022, with the live-on-tape video of the Kalush Orchestra, unless the war ends by May when the band will be able to go to Turin to sing live on stage.

Kalush Orchestra reported on the issue:

“Despite the battles, KALUSH ORCHESTRA will record their performance in a safe place, which will be sent to the organizers of the song contest and in case of our victory over the conquerors by May, our delegation will go to Italy and sing live throughout Europe!”

Thus, after yesterday’s confirmation by the Italian organizers that Ukraine will take part in the competition, despite the Russian invasion, now the way of participation of the Kalush Orchestra has been clarified. In the next few days, the Ukrainian band will have to videotape the live-on -tape video of their participation and send it to the EBU.

Simona Martorelli (Rai’s director of international relations) said in a statement on Monday (March 14th) that Ukraine’s public television would normally take part, while she was also impressed by their compliance with all the deadlines.

“The Ukrainian delegation” has confirmed its presence and so far has met all the deadlines. He is also preparing to make the backup video of the show, which is requested by all delegations in case the delegation or part of it cannot be presented in Turin.”

With Stefania constantly improving their odds on bets and being the top favourite to win, the Ukrainians seem to have thought of every detail to ensure their presence in Turin, despite the Russian invasion of the country, for three weeks.

According to what was announced, all participating broadcasters were asked to record a live performance of their participation. This recording will be delivered before the competition and will take place in a studio. The recording will take place in real time (as it would in the Competition) without making changes to the vocals or any part of the show itself after the recording.

There will be freedom in the missions, to present as they consider their participations better, but instructions will be given which will ensure the fairness and integrity of the competition. There will be no audience and the recording should be unique and not published before the event in May.

Shipments are allowed to use similar technical capabilities and dimensions that would be available on stage in Turin but are also free to choose a more limited production facility. Video recordings should not contain augmented or virtual reality, overlays, confetti, drone shots, water, colour use or green screen.

This is the second year that live-on-tape videos are required from all participants. This video will be used instead of the live appearance on the Turin stage, in case a mission can not travel in May or a member of the mission falls ill with a coronary artery and the first rehearsal has not taken place.

THE STAGE

The construction of the stage – designed by Atelier Francesca Montinaro – began today. And it is the latter who spoke about her project to ANSA:

“This is a stage that, like the Italians, must know how to welcome diversity and adapt, must know how to reposition itself as we often do, even politically.”

A work that is also symbolic, given the times:

“Yes, but the idea was already there after Covid. These two years have made us understand that only by being united can we be saved. Union is the future and this stage, which features only young people, only wants to bring positive signs. In this sense, its meaning is even stronger at this time. And it defines the scene, between rotating arches and its drop shape with water all around, “like Italy in the Mediterranean”.

For the Green Room, however, the comparison is:

“A real baroque garden with real plants that resemble those of Villa d’Este, Castel Gandolfo, Villa Lante and many other similar ones scattered throughout our country.”

Francesca Montinaro, in the past, has already made the stage of the Sanremo Festival twice, in 2013 and 2019. And there is a nice series of curiosities for which the paths of Francesca Montinaro and Mahmood cross.

In 2019 she was responsible for Soldi in Sanremo Festival. Mahmoud ranked second and keep in mind he performed 9th! as he will do again with Blanco in Turin!

THE OPENING CEREMONY

Via Solferino newspaper reports that alongside Corsi there will be Cristiano Malgioglio, his travel companion in the commentary booth on Rai1 last year in the final and, for all evenings, this year.

Not only that: the attendance of Mario Acampa, who replaced Corsi due to Covid-19 in the draw for the semifinals, and of Laura Carusino, who has already commented on Junior Eurovision 2017 with him are also indicated (for her also the story of 2016 together with Simone Lijoi).

The event, as well as on the Eurovision YouTube channel and on RaiPlay, will also be broadcast by radio on Rai Radio2 live from Reggia di Venaria, a place of extraordinary iconicity.

The traditional ceremony allows the public, under normal conditions, to closely observe the competing artists: authentic rivers of people have often been seen on the sides of the barriers.

It is worth mentioning, in particular, the very popular events in Vienna and Stockholm in 2015 and 2016.

In Stockholm, however, there was also the experiment of extracting the halves of the performance order in the final of the Big 5, which was never (fortunately) repeated. In 2021, for health reasons, the public was not admitted.

After the show, there will be a welcome evening, this time for delegations only, and Eurovision will be really in full swing.
an oikotimes original text

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