New format of Romanian tryouts for the Eurovision Song Contest
Romanians are designating their representative to the Eurovision Song Contest.
Roxana Vasile, 12.02.2018, 13:36
The process of designating Romanias representative in the Eurovision song contest is reaching the finishing stretch. Whereas some countries simply nominate their candidates, Romania has organised, for many years now, national tryouts, signing up local music stars and budding musicians who want to make a good impression on the international music scene.
This year, the Romanian public television corporation is determined to break all records: in perfect contradiction to the very definition of the word “semifinal (each of the 2 rounds preceding the final stage of a competition), the national television corporation, TVR, has scheduled not two but five shows, in five different locations, in order to select the best finalists. Of a total of 60 pieces in the competition, namely 12 in each semifinal, performed by artists from various generations who have chosen different musical genres, only 15 will qualify into the final to be held in Bucharest on February 25, and only one will represent Romania in Portugal, the host of this years edition of the European song contest.
Doina Gradea, the President Director General of the public television company, is confident that the competition organised by the institution she runs will be a success:
Doina Gradea: “TVR wants to give back to Romanians what they want, namely an event in their own cities and towns. This means good music and Romanian talents which go beyond the national stage and perform in international competitions. It also means a lot of hard work, a real, united team, months-long efforts, decisions and joy at the end of each semifinal and of the final. Im sure we will manage to organize the biggest music show.
Four of the five semi-finals preceding the final have already been held, in Focşani, eastern Romania, Timişoara, in the west, Craiova, in the south and Turda, in the center. Organized on Sunday evening, this last but one semifinal was broadcast live by TVR from the famous Turda salt mine, at a depth of 90m, which is an absolute first in the Eurovision history. The singers stepped onto a stage mounted in a hall room with special acoustics, the Rudolf Mine, which is 42m high, 50m wide and 80m long.
And while this semifinal was held in a place dating back to the Middle Ages, the Turda salt mine, the last semi-final will be held next Sunday in Sighişoara, also in the center, the only mediaeval citadel in south-eastern Europe that is still inhabited today. Since 1994, when it made its debut at the Eurovision song contest, Romanias best performance was to get third-placed twice. And, just as every year, Romanias representative at the Eurovision will try to do better. It remains to be seen if this is possible in 2018.
(translated by: Diana Vijeu)
