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Rating: Helsinki 10/12 May 2007
The 52nd Eurovision Song Contest, known in Italy by most as Eurofestival, the largest singing event of the old continent, which every year enjoys enormous success with audiences and critics across Europe, and which has more than once launched artists into the international music market who later became world-famous, such as the Swedish Abba, the Canadian Céline Dion (who represented Switzerland), the Israelis Ofra Haza and Dana International, the Russians TaTu and many others, has just concluded.
This year, given the victory of the Finnish Lordi in the previous edition, the singing competition was held at the Hartwall Arena in Helsinki.
Forty-two nations competed: all countries affiliated with the EBU (European Broadcasting Union) participate in the event, except Italy, Slovakia, Luxembourg, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan.
The show followed the trends of recent years, featuring futuristic scenery, full of lights, special effects, grand theaters, a playful atmosphere, and an ostentatious show of friendship and brotherhood among peoples.
The most frequent criticism of the Eurofestival from the Italian public is that it is a trash event.
Take a diverse continent like Europe, put it in an arena, place a singer from each nation inside, give them three exact minutes to sing a song that encapsulates their country's culture mixed with innovation and spectacle, and it is clear that the result is at least varied.
Almost all musical genres were explored, performances ranging from refined to the bleakest trash, resulting, in my opinion, in a fun experience, which would also be beneficial for the Italian audience.
After the festival, the double CD comprising the 42 competing songs was released.
Among the many stands the winner, Marija Sefirovic, with her “Molitva”, representing Serbia. A sweet, refined piece, highlighting the vocal gifts of the artist. It is not a dance piece like two years ago or a hard rock like last year: Sefirovic offers a heartfelt ballad in the Serbian language, truly moving.
Of a completely different genre but equally refined and an extremely successful mix of folklore and electronic is “Voda”, by Elitsa Todorova and Stoyan Yankulov, representing Bulgaria. Typically Bulgarian vocalizations performed by Todorova have been combined with electronic and trance rhythms and wild percussion, for an unusual and truly intriguing ensemble. Equally particular, but less successful, is the combination of dance music and classical music vocalizations for the Slovenian Alenka Gotar and her “Cvet Z Juga”, where the young soprano demonstrates her vocal power.
Another surprise is “Visionary Dream”, performed by Sopho, for Georgia. The style is reminiscent of that of Björk during the Post and Homogenic era, but the voice of the Caucasian singer is decidedly more pleasant than that of the Icelandic lioness.
We further mention the blues of the Hungarian Magdi Rusza performing “Unsubstantial Blues”, the rock of the Moldovan Natalia Barbu with “Fight”, and again the dance with the Turkish Kenan Dogulu and his “Shake It Up Shekerim” and the representatives of the Russian Federation, Serebro, with the rocky and pumped “Song N#1”. Disappointment for the only group in the competition famous also in Italy, The Ark, for Sweden, with their “The Worrying Kind” which did not go beyond the eighteenth place in the standings, despite the high expectations on the eve of the event.
If only such an award could be assigned, the prize for the bleakest trash would surely be contested by the representatives of the United Kingdom (Scooch), Ukraine (the drag queen Verka Serduchka), and Denmark (the other drag queen DQ).
A touch of color (or rather tricolor), despite the absence of our country, was given to us by Latvia, represented by the group Bonaparti.lv, which includes Roberto Meloni, a Sardinian boy transplanted to the Baltic country. The song, entirely in Italian, is titled “Questa Notte” and adheres to the canons of the classic Italian melody from Sanremo, with a decidedly syrupy text, an outdated melody, and forcibly tenor voices but of limited capacities. Another tribute to Italy comes from Romania, with Locomondo and their “Liubi Liubi, I Love You”, performed in English, Italian, Spanish, Russian, French, and, of course, Romanian.
In conclusion, therefore, a pleasant and fun event, provided that one has that minimal open-mindedness to accept songs, singers, and languages that do not come, as always, from the United States and Great Britain.
See you in Belgrade for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008.
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