Following the cancellation of the 2020 contest, traumatised fans will remember that the construction of the Eurovision stage was a landmark event in preparations that ended up not going ahead. Thankfully, over a year on, the EBU has confirmed that the construction of the stage and its surrounding fittings has begun!
As reported earlier this week by Eurovision.tv, the construction of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 stage and all of its surroundings has officially started. According to the EBU’s bulletin, the first trucks entered Rotterdam Ahoy on Sunday (11 April). Between now and the end of the month, the team will be building the stage, setting up the backstage area, creating the press centre and other required Eurovision facets. The report calls the project ‘perhaps the most complex TV production in Dutch history.’
After almost two years of preparation the Eurovision Song Contest has finally arrived to Host City Rotterdam. Together with our suppliers and our partners we are working hard to make Rotterdam Ahoy our home. We cannot wait to show everyone what we have worked so hard for.
Sietse Bakker, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021
Heading for Scenario B?
The staging s set to be complete on 28 April. After that, technical and stand-in rehearsals will start. The first delegations are expected to arrive on 8 May. Even under a Scenario B situation, delegations will be spending most of their time in hotel quarantine outside of rehearsals in order to minimise transmission risks.
We have asked them to stay in the hotel and only use our official transport. In this way we hope to keep the virus out as much as possible.
Sietse Bakker, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021
Bakker also confirmed that the current plan is for 3,500 spectators to be in the audience, with 4,500 seats remaining empty. However, in practice this means that the second tier of seating will not be visible on the broadcast.
We think that those 3,500 people can also create a fantastic atmosphere.
Sietse Bakker, Executive Producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2021
Are you excited? Or are you just relieved? Let us know! Be sure to stay updated by following @ESCXTRA on Twitter, @escxtra on Instagram and liking our Facebook page for the latest updates! Also, be sure to follow us on Spotify and YouTube to see our reactions to the news in the run up to Rotterdam!
