ESCXTRA are live from Lisbon for day 1 of rehearsals ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest 2018! The countries rehearsing today, in chronological order, are Azerbaijan, Iceland, Albania, Belgium, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Israel, Belarus, Estonia and Bulgaria.
We’re streaming live from the press centre
Furthermore, read our handy guide for a more detailed look at this contest’s rehearsal schedule.
In addition, for our immediate reactions to every single rehearsal, you can follow our live stream from the press centre at the Altice Arena by visiting our YouTube channel.
The latest artist to rehearse is Elina Nechayeva from Estonia. We have just watched their first run through of La Forza live on screen and here is our initial reaction.
Staging
The first verse of the song focuses on Elina´s face, with the extent of the dress revealed as we entered the first chorus. The projections have changed since Eesti Laul, they are now brighter, and on the whole more effective. As the dress doesn´t extend to the edges of this massive stage as it did on the smaller Eesti Laul stage, the dramatic effect is minimised slightly due to the significant use of wide shots in the second half of the performance. Nevertheless, there is a beautiful camera shot from above at the end of the song of the swirling projection on the dress.
Vocals
Elina´s vocals are consistently impressive and her operatic voice is one of a kind. Undoubtedly, she is one of the best vocalists in the competition.
Costumes
As we expected, Elina is here with her magnificent projection dress. You all know what it looks like but, for those who do not, the dress extends all over the stage from Elina´s waist. The upper half of the dress is crystallised and purple in colour.
Watch the rehearsal!
Stay tuned for our reaction to EQUINOX as they rehearse Bones next for Bulgaria. If you want to know what to expect for the rest of the day, check out our rehearsal schedule here. Meanwhile, remember to tune in to our live stream from the press centre for instant reactions to each rehearsal.
