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FACTBOX: THE 2012 EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-us-azerbaijan-eurovision-contestbre84n0ur-20120524,0,660793.story
May 24 2012
(Reuters) - Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim ex-Soviet republic, is to
host the grand final of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday.
Azerbaijan sees the competition as a chance to showcase the country
and - flush with cash from oil and gas sales - has spent $60 million
on a city facelift intended to show its achievements.
However, activist groups advocating a broad spectrum of issues -
from human rights to religion - have also sought to use the occasion
to draw attention to their campaigns. Armenia pulled out of the
contest in March, underscoring tensions over the disputed enclave
of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian-backed forces wrested the mainly
Armenian-populated enclave inside Azerbaijan, from Azeri control
after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Here are some facts about song contest:
* The first contest took place in 1956. It was originally conceived
in Monaco by Marcel Bezencon and based on the Italian Sanremo Festival
held since 1951. Switzerland won the first contest.
* The Eurovision Song Contest boasts a television audience estimated
at around 125 million people each year.
EUROVISION RECORDS:
* Singer Johnny Logan won the contest three times. In 1980 and 1987
he represented Ireland and won both times. In 1992 he wrote Linda
Martin's winning entry.
* ABBA is the most successful Eurovision Song Contest winner. The
Swedish band won the contest in 1974 with the song "Waterloo".
* The most covered song in the contest is Domenico Mudugno's "Nel
Blu Di Pinto Di Blu," also known as "Volare".
Norway came last most often -- in 1963, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1981,
1990, 1997, 2001 and 2004. However, they have also won three times
-- in 1985, 1995 and 2009. Ireland has won seven times, Luxembourg,
France and the United Kingdom five times. Sweden and the Netherlands
have won four times.
* Most winning songs were performed in English - songs (mostly) in
English won 24 times. French is also popular, with 14 victories. Dutch
and Hebrew songs won 3 times each
* Dima Bilan gave Russia its first victory in the Eurovision Song
Contest in 2008 with a rock ballad "Believe."
* More than 1,000 songs already have taken part in the Eurovision
Song Contest. In 2006, the song of Ireland's Brian Kennedy was number
1,000. Number 100 was "T'en Va Pas", performed by Esther Ofarim
for Switzerland and Luxembourg presented the 500th song in 1986,
"L'amour De Ma Vie".
* In 2008 and 2011, a record number of 43 countries participated
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011:
* Azerbaijan won the 56th Eurovision song contest with the romantic
ballad "Running Scared".
* The song was about a love-struck couple and was performed by
21-year-old student Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, 30, a mother-of-two
who lived in London. The duo was known as Ell-Nikki.
* Italy was second and Sweden came third in the contest, hosted
by Germany.
Sources: Reuters/Eurovision Song Contest Website
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Chicago Tribune
http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/sns-rt-us-azerbaijan-eurovision-contestbre84n0ur-20120524,0,660793.story
May 24 2012
(Reuters) - Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim ex-Soviet republic, is to
host the grand final of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday.
Azerbaijan sees the competition as a chance to showcase the country
and - flush with cash from oil and gas sales - has spent $60 million
on a city facelift intended to show its achievements.
However, activist groups advocating a broad spectrum of issues -
from human rights to religion - have also sought to use the occasion
to draw attention to their campaigns. Armenia pulled out of the
contest in March, underscoring tensions over the disputed enclave
of Nagorno-Karabakh. Armenian-backed forces wrested the mainly
Armenian-populated enclave inside Azerbaijan, from Azeri control
after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Here are some facts about song contest:
* The first contest took place in 1956. It was originally conceived
in Monaco by Marcel Bezencon and based on the Italian Sanremo Festival
held since 1951. Switzerland won the first contest.
* The Eurovision Song Contest boasts a television audience estimated
at around 125 million people each year.
EUROVISION RECORDS:
* Singer Johnny Logan won the contest three times. In 1980 and 1987
he represented Ireland and won both times. In 1992 he wrote Linda
Martin's winning entry.
* ABBA is the most successful Eurovision Song Contest winner. The
Swedish band won the contest in 1974 with the song "Waterloo".
* The most covered song in the contest is Domenico Mudugno's "Nel
Blu Di Pinto Di Blu," also known as "Volare".
Norway came last most often -- in 1963, 1969, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1981,
1990, 1997, 2001 and 2004. However, they have also won three times
-- in 1985, 1995 and 2009. Ireland has won seven times, Luxembourg,
France and the United Kingdom five times. Sweden and the Netherlands
have won four times.
* Most winning songs were performed in English - songs (mostly) in
English won 24 times. French is also popular, with 14 victories. Dutch
and Hebrew songs won 3 times each
* Dima Bilan gave Russia its first victory in the Eurovision Song
Contest in 2008 with a rock ballad "Believe."
* More than 1,000 songs already have taken part in the Eurovision
Song Contest. In 2006, the song of Ireland's Brian Kennedy was number
1,000. Number 100 was "T'en Va Pas", performed by Esther Ofarim
for Switzerland and Luxembourg presented the 500th song in 1986,
"L'amour De Ma Vie".
* In 2008 and 2011, a record number of 43 countries participated
WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011:
* Azerbaijan won the 56th Eurovision song contest with the romantic
ballad "Running Scared".
* The song was about a love-struck couple and was performed by
21-year-old student Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal, 30, a mother-of-two
who lived in London. The duo was known as Ell-Nikki.
* Italy was second and Sweden came third in the contest, hosted
by Germany.
Sources: Reuters/Eurovision Song Contest Website
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress