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 ALEKSEEV from Belarus. We have just watched their first run through of Forever live on screen and here is our initial reaction.
Staging
ALEKSEEV is on a platform at the beginning of his performance with a camera shot tight on his face disguising this prop. He picks up a red rose from the floor and then proceeds to sing to it, presenting it to the camera which spins around holding it, handing it over to a dancer before we head back to ALEKSEEV on his platform.
The dancer prances around before picking up an arrow and firing the rose THROUGH ALEKSEEV’s hand. Yes, this is as ludicrous as it sounds. There’s some augmented reality, throwing thousands of rose petals at the camera as we enter the last chorus. Then, the lift raises up from the stage, whilst the dancer throws herself around on the floor.
ALEKSEEV ends the performance with his back to camera, showing a grizly blooded back.
Talk about kitchen sink, eh?
Vocals
The vocals are perfectly capable and the backing vocals provide a really solid interpretation of the choral effect from the studio version.
Costumes
A white shirt and black trousers are the choice of outfit for ALEKSEEV. His dancer is in a full length red Flamenco inspired dress.
Watch the rehearsal!
Stay tuned for our reaction to Elina Nechayeva as they rehearse La forza next for Estonia. 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.
