Akylas's qualification was not simply expected. It was anticipated, desired and, to use a slogan that in this case sounds auspicious, it was fair and it was done. He didn't just make noise, he wasn't a product of the music and television system, he wasn't favored by cronies and the well-known "chair centaurs" of showbiz.
Akylas qualified for the Eurovision Final because he deserved it. Not with his sword but with his skates. This controversial medium, which, no matter how much it troubles and poses dangers on the boulevards, gave wings to his own feet and lifted him even higher. His presence on stage in the First Semi-Final of Eurovision was perfect. A story with a beginning, middle and end. A story that avoided the risk of becoming chatty and folklore and invested in emotion through a journey through time with scattered symbols that at all times stimulated the emotional. Set design, direction, lighting and conception are rated excellent. The references to Mana, to Ancient Greece, to Elena Paparizou, to video games, to speed, to colors and lights, to the tracks that the new generations run on as game protagonists, were pieces of a modern puzzle, which had been so well prepared that everything went brilliantly.
He himself, excited after qualifying, told reporters: "I'm very happy and excited. I believed it, but it's different when you really hear it! And on Saturday we're going to give it our all!" Confused by what happened, he had difficulty describing how he felt: "I don't know, I didn't understand. When I went down on stage I was like, 'What did I do?'". I don't remember anything. I want to watch the video to understand what happened, but the feeling was wonderful. The people were screaming and that gave me incredible strength. Nothing is like rehearsals, where the place is empty. The people were crazy, with people wearing caps."
In the ERT television segment, for another year we were fortunate to have Giorgos Kapoutzidis and Maria Kozakou in the commentary and description, where talent and experience combined with moderation and professionalism created an ideal equation. Enjoyment! As much as the teasing, the jokes, the enthusiasm, the laughter, the disappointment. A fact that the viewer now knows and expects as for years this particular duo can create a parallel scene with their commentary, equally enjoyable as that of the scene where the candidate songs are presented.
The First Semi-Final is complete, the Second Semi-Final is coming
The first “Good Evening Europe!” was heard by the two Austrian presenters of this year’s event, Viktoria Swarowski and Michael Ostrowski. The two of them, with their simple and Doric presentation without exaggeration, handled the first of the three nights of Eurovision most effectively.
What impressed and moved at the opening was the 70-member choir that performed “L' Amour est Blue” by Vicky Leandros with herself making a special anniversary appearance, with an impressive golden gown. The opening ceremony continued with a moving video where in Lugano, Switzerland in 1956, a little boy sees the competition on the screen for the first time. The images of Eurovision leap through time and simultaneously follow the competition and his life, as he grows up, comes of age and meets his love.
This was followed by the presentation of the songs and the announcement of the results, which largely confirmed the predictions.
The countries that qualified for the final in the order of announcement are:
1. Greece: Akylas– Ferto
2.Finland: Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin
3. Belgium: ESSYLA – Dancing on the Ice
4. Sweden: FELICIA – My System
5. Moldova: Satoshi – Viva, Moldova!
6. Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle
7. Serbia: LAVINA – Kraj Mene
8. Croatia: LELEK – Andromeda
9. Lithuania: Lion Ceccah – Sólo Quiero Más
10. Poland: ALICJA – Pray
The countries that were excluded are:
Portugal: Bandidos do Cante – Rosa
Georgia: Bzikebi – On Replay
Montenegro: Tamara Živković – Nova Zora
Estonia: Vanilla Ninja – Too Epic To Be True
San Marino: SENHIT – Superstar
In the Second Semi-Final, on Thursday, May 14 at 22:00, the following countries participate in order of appearance: Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Romania, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, France, Armenia, Switzerland, Cyprus, Austria, Latvia, Denmark, Australia, Ukraine, United Kingdom, Albania, Malta, Norway.
Eurovision culminates on the night of the Grand Final, on Saturday, May 16 at 22:00 PM, where 25 countries will compete for first place: ten from each semi-final, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy, which qualify directly as members of the "Big Four", as well as the host country, Austria.
At 20:00, the documentary "Ferto Promo Tour - The Movie" will be broadcast for the first time, following Akyla on the European journey of this year's Greek participation, from the stage of the Greek final to the stage in Vienna.
At 21:00, Michalis Marinos and "Eurovision Night", with special guests and direct connections with Maria Kozakou, Giorgos Kapoutzidis, Katerina Vrana, Kelly Vranaki and Thanos Papahamos from Vienna, will bring us the atmosphere of the big night from the Wiener Stadthalle, while they will return at 01:30 with all the behind-the-scenes coverage of the Final and the commentary on the results.
Source: protothema.gr
