Congratulations: 50 Years of the ESC Full Show 2005 in Copenhagen (German Commentary Peter Urban)

Full Show with German Commentary by Peter Urban

Date: 22 October 2005
Host Venue Forum, Copenhagen, Denmark
Presenters: Katrina Leskanich & Renārs Kaupers
Conductor: Michael Bojesen
Directed by Lars Hammer
Executive supervisor: Svante Stockselius (EBU), Kjell Ekkolm (EBU), Søren Therkelsen (DR), Anders Kierulf (DR)
Executive producer: Jan Frifelt
Host broadcaster: EBU, Danmarks Radio (DR)
Opening act: Montage of selected songs
Katrina Leskanich and the "Parade of Flags"
Interval act: Mieskuoro Huutajat (first round), Riverdance, Johnny Logan performing "When a Woman Loves a Man",
Nicole & Hugo performed a shortened version of "Baby, Baby".
Ronan Keating sang "Life Is a Rollercoaster", Various medleys
Participants: 14 songs from 1958 to 2005

Congratulations: 50 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest was a television programme organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to commemorate the Eurovision Song Contest's fiftieth anniversary and to determine the Contest's most popular entrant of its fifty years. It took place at Forum, Copenhagen on 22 October 2005. The host broadcaster was Danmarks Radio (DR). Fourteen songs from the Contest's first half-century, chosen through an internet poll and by a jury, contested the event.
Thirty-one EBU-member countries broadcast the concert (although notably the United Kingdom, Italy and France did not) and televoting and juries in these countries decided the winner. A total of 2.5 million votes were cast during the night.
The event was hosted by Katrina Leskanich and Renārs Kaupers. The event was won by Swedish group ABBA, performing "Waterloo"; the band had originally won the Contest for Sweden in 1974.
To coincide with the event, the EBU released two double album CDs featuring Eurovision songs from the previous fifty years. Two DVDs with original Eurovision performances of these songs were also released.


The show started with the traditional Eurovision "Te Deum" theme followed by a message from Cliff Richard. After a quick montage of all 14 songs, the orchestra began playing "Ding-A-Dong" (Netherlands 1975), with dancers on stage. "A-Ba-Ni-Bi" (Israel 1978), "Le dernier qui a parlé..." (France 1991), and "Dschinghis Khan" (Germany 1979) was also played and accompanied by choreography, which was then followed by "Love Shine a Light" (UK 1997) sung by the co-host, Katrina Leskanich, who came out with flag holders of all the nations who ever participated in Eurovision.


Throughout the telecast, a number of highlights segments were presented which showed montages of various Eurovision performances which were either interesting, notable or unorthodox. There were 6 assortments, which were under the categories described by the hosts as 'past winners', 'political, daring, larger than life', 'cute men', 'unforgettable interpretation of dance', 'girlpower' and 'close/narrow second-place finishers'. A number of high-profile Eurovision artists returned to help introduce and present the show, these were: Carola Häggkvist, Massiel, Dana International, Birthe Wilke, Anne-Marie David, Sandra Kim, Elisabeth Andreassen, Hanne Krogh, Olsen Brothers, Emilija Kokić, Marie Myriam, Sertab Erener, Elena Paparizou, Nicole & Hugo, Cheryl Baker and Lys Assia. Cliff Richard and Nicole gave pre-recorded messages as they were unable to attend.


During the show, there were many presentations by various guest artists during the voting and tallying period. These consisted of the Finnish shouting choir Mieskuoro Huutajat, Riverdance (the 1994 interval act), Ronan Keating (the 1997 co-host), and Johnny Logan, singing his new single When a Woman Loves a Man, as well as an appearance by the Belgian duo of 1973, Nicole & Hugo.


There were three medleys, consisting of performances of past Eurovision songs. The first consisted of : Dana International, singing Parlez-vous Francais (originally performed by Baccara for Luxembourg in Eurovision Song Contest 1978); Carola Haggkvist, singing Främling (1983, 3rd place); Alsou, singing Solo (2000, 2nd); Fabrizio Faniello, singing Another Summer Night (2001 9th); Marie Myriam, singing L'Amour est bleu (originally performed by Vicky Leandros for Luxembourg in 1967); Richard Herrey, singing "Let Me Be the One" (originally performed by The Shadows for United Kingdom in 1975); and Thomas Thordarson, singing Vi Maler Byen Rød (originally performed by Birthe Kjær for Denmark in 1989).


The second consisted of: Gali Atari, singing Hallelujah (1979, winner); Bobbysocks, singing La Det Swinge (1985, winner); Anne-Marie David, singing Après Toi (originally sung by Vicky Leandros for Luxembourg in 1972, winner); Lys Assia, singing Refrain (1956, winner), Sandra Kim singing Non ho l'Eta (originally sung by Gigliola Cinquetti for Italy in 1964, winner) and Bucks Fizz singing Making your Mind Up (1981, winner).

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