23:00, 19 May 2012

Baku opens "Eurovision-2012"

The official opening ceremony of the 57^th international song contest "Eurovision-2012" took place in Baku at 9:00 p.m. local time on May 19. Delegations of all 42 countries participating in the contest were invited to the ceremony.

The main events of the "Eurovision" will be held next week, the semi-finals are scheduled for May 22 and 24; the final – for May 26. Twenty finalists will be defined during the semi-finals.

Besides, on May 26 the stage of the Baku Crystal Hall, which will host the contest, will see participants from the "Big Five" – Germany, Spain, Britain, France and Italy – and the singer from Azerbaijan, as the winner of the contest in 2011, the "Interfax" reports.

Today, the first rehearsal was attended by performers from Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Britain and the participant from Azerbaijan. Also today, the singers from Slovenia, Croatia, Sweden, Turkey and Georgia, who take part in the second semi-final have rehearsed, the "Apa.az" reports.