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Live: The opening ceremony for Eurovision 2009
- Watch the show here.
- View our gallery of pictures from the event at this link.
The programme opened with the performance of children impersonating former winners we have already seen in the Russian national final and during the draw of the running order. The hosts are Andre Malakov and Alsou. After an official opening welcome ceremony, we can now listen to a traditional balalaika performance.
Philip Kirkorov, Russian entrant in 1995 and composer of the Belarusian entry in 2007 and the Ukrainian entry in 2008, now performs the Kylie Minogue song Your disco needs you. Another songs follows before a snippet of the video for Mamo, the Russian entry this year, is shown.
Lys Assia is now on stage and performs a new version of Refrain, her winning song of the very first Eurovision Song Contest in 1956. She also represented Switzerland with a second song in 1956 and would return in 1957 and 1958.
Alsou now performs her 2000 entry Solo. She finished second in Stockholm, Russia's best result to that date. She is followed by the group Dschinghis Khan which represented Germany in 1979 and finished fourth. Their eponymous entry was a number one hit in Germany. The other song they perform is Moscow, which was equally successful despite not reaching the top of the charts. However, the English version of this song was a number one hit in Australia.
Three-time Eurovision Song Contest representative from Sweden, Carola, is now performing live her 2006 entry Invincible. She is followed by Ruslana, who won the Eurovision Song Contest for Ukraine in 2004 with Wild dances. t.A.T.u. now perform their 2003 Russian entry Ne ver, ne boisja. Dutch group Teach-In, who won the 1975 contest, now perform Ding-a-dong.
Marija Šerifovic is now on stage performing her 2007 winning song for Serbia, Molitva. She is followed by Dima Bilan, winner of 2008. He starts with his 2006 entry Never let you go. Of course, his 2008 winning song Believe follows right after. Anastasiya Pridhodko, Russian entrant this year, is up next with Mamo.
Now the countdown to the official opening of the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.
Tht concludes the show.
Related polls
- POLAND: Your favourite song in the national final?
- ARMENIA: Your favourite song in the national final?
- The Netherlands decided: How much do you like Ik be verliefd (Sha la lie)?
- Cyprus decided: How much do you like Life looks better in spring?
- Iceland decided: How much do you like Je ne sais quoi?
- Denmark decided: How much do you like In a moment like this?
- Norway decided: How much do you like My heart is yours?
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http://www.euro-party.blogspot.com/
You can visit and vote for your favourite song
http://www.euro-party.blogspot.com/
You can visit and vote for your favourite song
Let the show begin!!!!! 
Can somebody explain why the audience was so dead despite numerous attempts by ESC stars to get them excited? Where any of you guys there?
And yes, Malahov clearly wasn't comfortable hosting a show in English. In Russian, his talk shows are not bad.....
Hey Guys! there is little left..I am excited.
I'm from Turkey.GOOD LUCK TOO ALL COUNTRIES.The music win...
I am sorry to say that, but I felt really sorry for those great bunch of artists performing at the opening ceremony. It could have been 100 times better than it actually was. Male presenter was terrible. Shouting all the time, his English was just awful and this insane look in his eyes. Maybe he was nervous or something, but it was very very bad! Interpreteur wa also like from another planet. Russia, does anyone speak proper english in your country except Alsu? She was ok, seriously! Anyway, I was very dissapointed with all this, but I hope the show itself will be much better. I will pray
:[ The presenter is AWFUL, his shouting made me mad and I had to turn down the volume every time he had something to say. I can't believe after the GREAT presenters from 2008 and 2007 Russia had to pick exactly those two ...
The audience was a big problem. They were not responding to the singers nor to the hosts, emberrasing both in the process. Where did they find those people? I know there is a plenty of pop-music fans in Russia.
Molly, I agree. The public was really estranged and inert. But I enjoyed the artists, especially Chingis Khan with song "Moscow" to the accompaniment of Ukrainian folk dances
Very strange show. All of the artists seemed to be miming badly and the audience looked like they would rather be anywhere else but there. Why do Russian presenters ALWAYS HAVE TO SHOUT EVERYTHING?
Allan A., Filipp Kirkorov is well known in Russia as old friend and supporter of Sakis Rouvas, they sang in a duet, and many people believe he cann't head jury by this reason.
But on the other hand he can identify a winning horse and to "butter up" or I dont' know how say it in English: "примазаться к чужой славе".
I would advise to Rybak to keep the distance from this man... He cannot orientate in russian show business...
@ Layla Al-Magnuna:
Sure you're right to a certain degree. But sometimes you just can't help feeling there's not a fair winner, that other criteria were factored in. Turkey 2003 was a very fair winner. I didn't mind Ruslana winning, although it wasn't my top 5. But fair enough. Helena wasn't my number one, but didn't mind it winning 'cause it was as good a winner as any. Finland same. Serbia probably the fair and "true" winner. Of course it's subjective, but last year was so out of touch with a lot of people's sense of an "honest" winner that I actually contemplated to drop ESC altogether!
damn, i didn't knew Ruslana was there, otherwise i would have seen it
i saw a bit and it was boring
anyway, here is a video of Ruslana -Wild Dances performance at Eurovision 2009 opening ceremony
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=yXZXGKzW7JQ
Few days to go!
Good luck to all the countries!
Again everyone is bashing Russia and Dima. I wasn't a fan of Dima or his song last year myself, but I respect the televote even with its faults (no system is perfect and everyone can not get their way). How come no one is mentioning Ruslana? Take a look at HER performance! She sings horrible live... Nevertheless I voted for her because I loved that song and she won! She sings bad and she won!
Maybe you or I didn't like his song, but A LOT of others did, voted for it and it won! How can we who didn't like it be so arrogant and just decide which "didn't deserve" to win? Russia didn't earn THAT much votes from their neighbours when they sent Natalia Podolskaya, did they? It's not that long ago. I have more faith in televote than jury. At least then the majority gets their way.
Take a look at my profile, "the real winners", and you will see that a lot of songs I wanted to win never did. Just because you don't always get your favourite to win doesn't mean it is some scam or corruption going on. It's not like juries are less corrupt and biased than average people.
No wonder people booed for Dima. The reason we're in Moscow (Believe) is the biggest scam in ESC history since Estonia won in 2001. We all know that should've been France!
well actually i say it should have been Greece!But true!the estonian entry was awful...
@Dan N
Thanks for the link. I quite enjoyed seeing some of the old familiar faces, Dana, taTu, Carola et al. Glad I didn't have to sit through the whole show though. The audience wer very lack lustre except for the odd few.
Am still sure they will be quite spectacular shows next week and I for one am so looking forward to it all. Have a good week everyone and may the best song and performance win on the night.
Much love from Ireland
X
in the end go to win a stupid east entry, so work in the moment in this time songfestival, very sad, only politic ,I dont want anybody say me i am eurofan , i dont want be anymore , is hipocryte what i read many times here, for me is enough
If this show was as awful as they say, well Europe you've got what you deserved. Didn't Europe vote for Russia last year and considered it to have the best song? Then live with it and hope thes emis and the final won't be as boring as this opening ceremony. Small hint: Europe should have voted for Portugal last year. Besides having a winner song, I'm sure Portugal would surprise everyone with its ceremonies. Europe just doesn't want Portugal to host this event.
EWWWWWWWWWWWWW, This wasent good at all 
This is slamptastic !!!
I`m just wondering on something, Philip Kirkorov is the head of the Russian jury so is it normal for the jury members to hang out with the participants? Coz I`ve read few articles about how he`s been meeting with Norway`s Alexander Rybak few times and how they`ve had a dinner together etc... so is that normal for a jury member to spend so much time with one of the participants? Coz with all the Alexander Rybak hype in Russia and Phillip hanging out with him I`m not surprised that he (the Russian jury) will favor him
You can watch the videos here: http://eurovision.1tv.ru/video.html
Good luck to all countries !
Enjoy the music and the good performances. All countries will do their best.
MINA ( I hope, you see my message )
I want to Thank you for your support for Finland and Waldo this spring ! I think, it is very nice to know that Waldo has a distant supporter in Greece. Next year.....new songs.
I watched most of it too, and it was absolutely boring. Everything was done at fast pace: the hosts introducing one performer after the other quickly, like in a parade. It didn't make sense at all. The audience hardly clapped or showed any enthusiasm, at some point I thought they were asleep. Diva Bilan made the same gimmicks as always, dramatic and even silly.
Alsou was ok, but Malahov is 100% annoying. I can't believe he's gonna ba the host of the semifinals! 
Bummer! I've just got in and missed the show, is there any way of repeating it on here or is it on anywhere else? Would like to see it to form my own opinion. Please help someone, thanks.
VOTE FOR HUNGARY, VOTE FOR THE BIGGEST SHOW
THANKS 
After this i cna't wait to say "RUSSIA GOODBYE"(get the Verka Joke?)
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