Press release
08.06.2010 - Holte
Sennheiser brings The Eurovision Song Contest home – to Germany
The Eurovision Song Contest May 29 2010 at Telenor Arena in Oslo, Norway, gathered a TV audience of some 120 million. A wide selection of songs, styles, dancing, costumes – and a spotless and highly praised TV show, the biggest in Eurovision history. (An elaborate article about the technical aspects of the arrangement has already been published May 27 2010.)
The Eurovision Song Contest 2010: “It was quite simply a magnificient and technically spotless arrangement!”, “new moments to share next year!”, “charming program hosts”, “a production to be proud of” and “technical delivery on the highest possible level”, these are among the many quotes from the press after the show, including statements from competing TV stations.
Now – let us try recreating the mood and feel in the huge hall, when it all started. We arrive Telenor Arena thirty minutes prior to the announced closing of the doors. We are met by an exemplary security arrangement, friendly security guards discretely carrying out body search, before we enter the hall.
We find our seats, and soon, the waiting time is shortened. A charming dance instructor is entering the stage. We all are going to participate – during a break, later in the show. After a few minutes of effective instruction, the audience counting approximately 18 000 people are enthusiastically dancing – the “flashmob dance”!
Three to four minutes prior to showtime, Anne Lindmo from the NRK is entering the stage. Her important task is to give practical information about the show, a task she performs in a highly professional, convincing, but still very pleasant way. About the moving camera crane in front of the stage, for instance … ”Stay low!”
It is showtime …
A direct transmission of a TV production of this magnitude, brings a special pulse and atmosphere to us being present at Telenor Arena. The wellknown Eurovision theme song is played, and the show starts. ”Good evening, Europe!”
The three program hosts – Nadia Hasnaoui, Erik Solbakken and Haddy N'jie all contribute in binding the show together, during the show also from green room, where the artists are eagerly waiting for the voting results.It is not within the scope of this article to review all the songs. Sufficient to say, a variety of styles are represented, from calm ballads to uptempo songs, and costumes spanning from conservative suits and dresses – to huge butterfly wings!
The progress of the show, as seen from Telenor Arena
Only 30 seconds will pass, from one country is finished with their song, until the artists from the next country are on stage, with their Sennheiser wireless microphones and in ear monitoring equipment. And where TV viewers will see a very brief video in between, we who are present in the hall, notice how the engineers, quietely and discretely, are running onto the stage: In just a few seconds time they remove instruments, stage elements – and wireless microphones – before the setup for the next country is prepared. This is repeated, throughout the whole show. Fascinating!
When Spain’s Daniel Diges, being the second act on stage, is in the middle of his song, an interloper unfortunately manages to get on stage. Luckily he had not been able to get hold of a Sennheiser wireless microphone, in addition to the highly unwelcome visual presence!
From a technical point of view, though, it is worthwhile considering all the decicions now needed to be made – quickly – behind the scenes: Because of this short interruption, Spain will perform their song once more, at the end of the show. And bearing in mind all messages needed to be given, also implying various technical aspects, also regarding sound and wireless equipment.
Let’s take a break - and do the flashmob dance
After a little more than two hours, we have heard all the songs, even a short recap of them, and the voting process is also finished. Lead by rap group Madcon, it is now time for the flashmob dance. Live performance happening in the hall, is on TV showed together with video clips with similar performances in other European countries. It may sound like a cliché, but: It is alsmost as we all are there together, all together!
The voting – the winner!
It soon became quite clear, when all contestants had sung their song, that Germany’s somewhat funky song, Satellite, performed by 19 year old Lena Meyer-Landrut, would have great chances to win. Finally, there is no doubt, Germany’s song, written by American Julie Frost and Dane John Gordon, has become the winner of the 55. Eurovision Song Contest!
Charming Didrik Solli-Tangen, from host country Norway, however, comes in as number 20 only, with the ballad My heart is yours. After having answered the mandatory question during the press conference subsequent to the show, about “huge disappointment”, he reflected: “Disappointed, why? I got to sing for some 120 million people!” And we would like to add: The song sounded crystal clear, through a Sennheiser SKM 5200 wireless microphone!
Download press release in word format here
The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The family-owned company, which was established in 1945, recorded sales of over €385 million in 2008. Sennheiser employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, around 55% of whom are in Germany. Sennheiser has manufacturing plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA, and is represented worldwide by subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as by long-term trading partners in many other countries. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones), K + H Vertriebs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Klein + Hummel studio monitors, installed sound) and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centres).
You can find all the latest information on Sennheiser by visiting our website at www.sennheisernordic.com, or by contacting:
Sennheiser Nordic A/S Denmark
Skovlytoften 33 • DK-2840 Holte
Phone: +45 70 26 66 33 • Fax: +45 70 26 67 11
e-mail: sennheiser@sennheisernordic.com
www.sennheisernordic.com