SVT, the Swedish national broadcaster, has revealed the stage design for the upcoming Melodifestivalen.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a live audience will not be in attendance, with all shows taking place at the Annexet in Stockholm. Viktor Brattström this years stage designer has taken this into account with his design,
“The fact that there won’t be an audience is a big difference that we have had to take into account. But it also offers, in these contexts, new opportunities.” – Viktor Brattström
The stage will have features such as a lower than normal lighting rig and a reflective roof, that in normal years would have obscured the view of the audience. This year, the stage surface is shaped like a catwalk, with a narrow and deep stage layout, another design element made possible due to a lack of an audience. Several rows of different light sources and reflecting surfaces in floors to create a stage where the production can be varied. Three high resolution LED screens are also included in the design.
“It gives us a very broad scene and creates new image solutions to say the least” – Viktor Brattström
SVT has provided the following technical stats about the stage: Stage width: 10.7 m Scene depth: 20 m Reflective black roof: approx. 140 m2 3 LED walls: 4x4m LED floor: 20 m x 3.6 m LED waist: 66 m LED stripes in the ceiling & flanked floor: approx. 200 m
Melodifestivalen 2021 will commence on February 6. In another break from tradition, Melodifestivalen 2021 will not tour across the country and all six shows will take place in Annexet in Stockholm. The dates for the shows are as follows:
- Heat One – February 6
- Heat Two – February 13
- Heat Three – February 20
- Heat Four – February 27
- Second Chance – March 6
- Final – March 13
You can read more about all the competing acts and running order for this years Melodifestivalen here.
Image Source: SVT / Source: SVT
Sweden debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 and has gone on to be one of the contest’s most successful countries. The country has won the contest six times, the most recent being in 2015. Sweden’s first victory came in 1974 when ABBA won the contest in Brighton with “Waterloo”. Since missing out on the final in 2010, Sweden has gone on to finish 3rd twice and has won the contest twice, only in 2013 did the country place outside of the top 10 in the final.
