The 2026 European Television Song Contest (Eurovision) has opened in Vienna, the capital of Austria. Photo: eurovision.com
As part of the vibrant and colorful opening ceremony, later that afternoon local time, the Austrian capital hosted a parade featuring 35 delegations from countries with contestants participating in the competition. The program showcased the best and worst performances of the past seven decades on a giant screen opposite the Neo-Gothic-style town hall. The square in front of the town hall was transformed into a dedicated fan zone.
Vienna has poured all its resources into hosting the 70th edition of the world's most-watched televised music competition. The city is also planning numerous side events for tourists and locals in the run-up to the final on May 16th.
The Eurovision contest attracts over 170 million viewers worldwide via television channels and billions more views on digital platforms. Finnish singer Pete Parkkonen and violinist Linda Lampenius, considered the strongest contenders this year, hope to win with a duet performance. Representatives from France, Greece, Denmark, and Australia are also highly regarded. Meanwhile, Israeli contestant Noam Bettan will perform a song in French.
Due to Israel's participation, television stations in Spain, Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, and Slovenia announced they would not attend in protest against Israel's military campaign in Gaza. Over 1,000 artists and bands, including Peter Gabriel and Massive Attack, also called for a boycott of this year's competition for the same reason. On May 9th, a pro-Palestinian demonstration took place in central Vienna to protest Israel's participation in the competition. Hundreds of police officers were deployed to ensure security throughout the event.
According to VNA
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/khai-mac-cuoc-thi-am-nhac-eurovision-2026-a485172.html
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