The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has released content to celebrate 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest.
70 years ago today, the first edition of the Eurovision Song Contest took place in Lugano in Switzerland. To mark the occasion, the EBU has released several pieces of content. Martin Green, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, said:
“For 70 years, the Eurovision Song Contest has shown what’s possible when public service broadcasters come together with a shared purpose: to create moments of joy, emotion and connection that transcend borders.
From a small theatre in Lugano in 1956 to stadiums and screens across the globe today, the Eurovision Song Contest continues to evolve while remaining true to its founding spirit – bringing audiences together through music.”
In collaboration with RSI, the Italian-language division of SRG SSR, the Swiss national broadcaster, the EBU has digitally restored and remastered the only known surviving footage of “Refrain” by Lys Assia, the winning entry from the very first Eurovision Song Contest.
Shot by photographer Vincenzo Vicari, the footage Lys Assia reprising “Refrain” on stage at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano on May 24, 1956. The film negatives have been carefully preserved in the archives of RSI but have not been digitised since the 1990s. Since technology has advanced since then, the EBU
approached RSI to have the negatives rescanned, graded and digitally restored in ultra high definition (4K), allowing audiences to experience one of the Contest’s most historic moments with unprecedented clarity.
Chris Fox, Senior Producer on the Eurovision Song Contest’s Digital Team explained:
“Preserving the history of the Eurovision Song Contest is something very close to my heart. I’m proud that the EBU was able to commission this restoration, so that fans can enjoy Lys Assia’s winning reprise in the best possible quality for years to come.”
Brecht Declercq, Head of Archives at RSI, added:
“The film footage of Lys Assia’s 1956 performance is a landmark piece of Switzerland’s audiovisual heritage. With this new digitisation, carried out in collaboration with the EBU, SRG SSR once again demonstrates the vital role of public service broadcasting in safeguarding such iconic moments in history.”
The Eurodex archive on eurovision.com has been updated with a collection of Vicari’s photographs of the 1956 contest, provided by the historical archives of the City of Lugano.
The EBU
The second piece of content is Crossing the Bridge. Set to “Über die Brücke gehn” by Ingrid Peters, the German entry for Eurovision 1986, the film features emotional moments of artists embracing on stage and backstage throughout Eurovision Song Contest history
From today, fans can browse 70 Fabulous Facts from 70 Years of the Eurovision Song Contest, a collection of iconic milestones and surprising statistics from Eurovision history. The collection can be accessed here.
The EBU has also launched Eurofan Voice, the contest’s largest ever fan feedback initiative, inviting audiences around the world to help shape the Eurovision experience for the coming years.
The survey explores how Eurovision can become even better connected with fans – from live experiences and digital content to community participation and year-round engagement.
The survey takes approximately 5–10 minutes to complete, closes on June 7 and can be accessed here.
Martin Green outlined the importance of this survey:
“In our 70th year, it feels especially important not only to celebrate Eurovision’s history, but also to listen to the people who make this Contest what it is – the fans.
Through Eurofan Voice, we’re opening our biggest ever feedback loop, inviting everyone from lifelong Eurovision enthusiasts to first-time viewers to help shape the future of the Eurovision Song Contest experience for the next generation.”
Earlier this year, the Eurovoix team shared their favourite memories in a special series called “70 Years, 70 Memories”. You can read some of our memories here.
Source: EBU
