Eurovision Song Contest 1998
eurovision song contest rd edition annual eurovision song contest held may national indoor arena birmingham united kingdom organised european broadcasting union ebu host broadcaster british broadcasting corporation bbc presented terry wogan ulrika jonsson contest held united kingdom following country victory contest song love shine light katrina wave twentyfive country participated contest six participating country edition absent austria bosnia herzegovina denmark iceland russia relegated due achieving lowest average point total previous five contest italy actively choosing participate country replaced macedonia first contest appearance previously relegated absent country belgium finland israel romania slovakia winner israel song diva composed svika pick written yoav ginai performed dana international united kingdom malta netherlands croatia rounded top five dana international contest first openly transgender participant became contest first openly lgbtq winning artist however participation israel controversial among section israeli society resulted opposition death threat runup contest first contest result determined predominantly televoting would become last contest participant required perform language country last feature orchestra live music accompaniment competing entry contest took place birmingham united kingdom following country victory edition song love shine light performed katrina wave eighth time united kingdom hosted contest – setting new contest record – nation previously hosted contest london edinburgh brighton harrogate selected venue national indoor arena sporting venue indoor arena opened prior contest previously hosted ibf badminton world championship world netball championship well principal venue recording uk television programme gladiator many city across united kingdom expressed interest hosting contest first held country sixteen year venue aberdeen belfast bournemouth brighton birmingham cardiff edinburgh glasgow harrogate inverness liverpool london manchester newcastle sheffield considered following visit production team city belfast birmingham cardiff glasgow london manchester shortlisted potential host city birmingham national indoor arena subsequently announced host venue august per rule contest twentyfive country allowed participate event macedonia participated contest first time previously applied enter contest failing progress edition qualifying round due thenongoing macedonia naming dispute greece nation participated provisional reference former yugoslav republic macedonia shortened form fyr macedonia belgium finland israel romania slovakia made return contest replacing austria bosnia herzegovina denmark iceland russia relegated following previous year contest italy decided entering event italy would return contest among performer year contest five representative previously competed lead artist past edition two artist returned lead artist contest danijela previously represented croatia member group magazin josé cid member alma lusa represented portugal additionally three artist previously competed lead artist eurovision returned backing performer respective country year event josé maría guzmán represented spain event member group cadillac backing singer mikel herzog egon egemann previously represented switzerland contest performed stage violinist gunvor paul harrington winner contest ireland charlie mcgettigan providing backing vocal dawn martin due high number country wishing enter contest relegation system introduced order reduce number country could compete year contest relegated country would able return following year thus allowing country opportunity compete least one every two edition relegation rule introduced contest utilised ahead contest based country average point total previous contest twentyfive participant made previous year winning country host nation eighteen country highest average point total preceding four contest eligible country compete contest case average identical two country total number point scored recent contest determined final order austria bosnia herzegovina denmark germany iceland russia therefore excluded participating contest however italy declined participate germany subsequently provided reprieve allowed enter calculation used determine country relegated contest outlined table table key eurovision song contest produced british public broadcaster british broadcasting corporation bbc kevin bishop served executive producer guy freeman served producer geoff posner served director andrew howedavies served designer martin koch served musical director leading piece bbc concert orchestra arranging orchestrating music opening closing sequence interval act construction within national indoor arena began april build stage orchestral area contest well creating space green room dressing room press centre accreditation area small room use country individual commentator although arena could hold people assembled audience contest limited around ticket dress rehearsal live show awarded ballot contest organiser also engaged fan group ticket front row arena distributed among group first time green room situated behind stage designed resemble nightclub arena featured three large video screen enable audience follow voting video wall also constructed use stage press centre green room seat auditorium press conference booth journalist equipped phone line installed within press centre commentary box constructed arena accommodate team various broadcaster built television radio much press centre facility constructed contest subsequently retained augmented use th g summit held birmingham following week orchestral rehearsal rehearsal main element interval act took place may rehearsal competing country beginning may first rehearsal country lasting minute total followed minute press conference took place may second rehearsal country taking place may lasting minute three dress rehearsal held may audience attendance evening dress rehearsal may also recorded use case problem live contest resulted broadcast suspended standin studio also prepared studio bbc television centre london pebble mill studio birmingham case emergency national indoor arena resulted evacuation swedishbritish television presenter model ulrika jonsson irish television radio presenter terry wogan presenter contest wogan previously provided television radio commentary bbc since performed role contest broadcast bbc one separate commentary booth erected behind stage addition role contest presenter draw determine running order held november national indoor arena compered wogan katrina leskanich lead vocalist contest winner katrina wave country opted utilise orchestra performance separate musical director could nominated lead orchestra performance host musical director martin koch also conducting country nominate conductor entry belgium greece germany israel malta slovenia switzerland performed entirely without orchestration however case germany slovenia conductor country present contest stefan raab writer german entry pseudonym alf igel intention conducting orchestra insisted taking customary conductor bow entry slovenian entry due performed orchestra change mind songwriter rehearsal led full backing track used conductor mojmir sepe instead signalling start track french entry planned performed completely backing track rehearsal decision reached incorporate additional live string accompaniment orchestra directed martin koch rehearsal conflict occurred contest organiser greek delegation greek unhappy way entry presented screen aggressive behaviour greek composer yiannis valvis dress rehearsal led accreditation rescinded day contest greek broadcaster hellenic broadcasting corporation ert withdrew contest decision ultimately reversed minute later issue also arose rehearsal turkish entry conductor ümit eroğlu found leading orchestra slow tempo resulting performance running three minute limit thus breaking rule contest ultimately final performance lasted two minute fiftynine second ensuring turkey could disqualified exceeding time limit final would remain competition trophy awarded writer winning song designed anongkarat unyawong student birmingham school jewellery competition conducted school occasion winning performer received glass bowl designed susan nickson bearing eurovision song contest logo winner heralded trumpeter life guard entered stage award presented katrina leskanich rule eurovision song contest published november document set overall aim contest provided detail organisation event qualification process criterion competing song performer voting system used determine result contest well right responsibility conferred european broadcasting union ebu onto participating broadcaster participating broadcaster submitted one song contest required longer three minute duration performed language one language participating country short quotation another language single phrase repeated maximum three time permitted entry able utilise part live orchestra could use instrumentalonly backing track second edition contest entire song could performed backing track following contest previously backing track used could include sound instrument featured stage mimed performer maximum six performer allowed stage country performance performer must reached age year contest selected entry permitted released commercially january entry permitted released selected contest allowed released country represented contest held entry required selected country participating broadcaster march final submission date selected entry received contest organiser set march submission required include score song use orchestra sound recording entry backing track use contest text song lyric original language translation french english distribution participating broadcaster commentator jury first time watermark included screen entry name country performed innovation become standard feature contest edition contest would conversely last country would obliged perform language last feature orchestra accompanying competing entry following year contest participating country able send entry language organising broadcaster longer obliged provide orchestra subsequent year rule would modified remove option entry accompanied live music entirely result contest determined scoring system first introduced country awarded twelve point favourite entry followed ten point second favourite awarded point decreasing value eight one remaining song featured country top ten country unable vote entry first time participating country required use televoting determine point country weak telephone network prevented holding largescale televote granted exception followed trial held contest televoting used determine point five twentyfive competing country viewer total five minute register vote calling one twentyfour different telephone number represent twentyfive competing entry except represented country voting line opening following performance last competing entry phone line opened video recap containing short clip competing entry accompanying phone number voting shown order aid viewer voting window system also put place prevent lobby group one country voting song travelling country point country unable use televoting determined assembled jury sixteen individual required split evenly member public music professional comprised additionally equal number men woman year age addition country using televoting required appoint backup jury eight member would called action upon technical failure preventing televote result used equal split gender age occupation jury member voted secret awarded one ten vote participating song excluding country abstention permitted vote member collected following country performance tallied nonvoting jury chairperson determine point awarded case two song top ten received number vote show hand jury member used determine final placing tie still remained youngest jury member would deciding vote entry preceded video postcard served introduction competing artist country well providing opportunity showcase running artistic theme event creating transition entry allow stage crew make change stage postcard contest continued theme opening segment clip focussing particular theme – either object place concept – creating juxtaposition older newer version postcard accompanied extract britpop classical music pattern featured final moment footage forming flag country perform various theme postcard musical accompaniment featured listed order performance contest took place may bst lasted hour table outline participating country order performed competing artist song result voting contest began video entitled birmingham old new presented overlapping image birmingham archive footage city including shot brindleyplace boat city canal network music bbc concert orchestra fanfare trumpeter life guard greeted contest presenter entered stage also featured opening section broadcast summary video contest first held united kingdom year presenter katie boyle – individual host four contest – attendance special guest special appearance also featured katrina leskanich carrie crowley copresenter contest appeared via video link dublin interval performance entitled jupiter bringer jollity based music movement name orchestral suite planet english composer gustav holst medley vocal instrumental piece inspired english scottish welsh irish indian zulu culture segment included performer featured music bbc concert orchestra performance soprano lesley garrett violinist vanessamae sutherland pipe band andrew findon tin whistle carys hughes harp bhangra dance group nachda sansaar canoldir male voice choir grimethorpe colliery band trumpeter band blue royal excerpt patti boulayes sun dance winner israel represented song diva composed svika pick written yoav ginai performed dana international marked israel third contest win following country backtoback victory dana international contest first openly transgender participant also became first openly lgbtq first openly transgender artist win event united kingdom earned recordextending fifteenth second place finish malta third place finish equalled previous best contest performance netherlands obtained best placing since recent victory finishing fourth place following victory dana international also caused delay production following conclusion voting changed outfit one specially designed contest jean paul gaultier ultimately used original performance led scene towards end broadcast host terry wogan ulrika jonsson last year winning vocalist katrina leskanich looking perturbed confused delay location dana international following contest announced result spanish vote incorrectly tabulated resulting germany awarded twelve point receiving point subsequently impact remaining country awarded point spain table article present corrected result published ebu country nominated spokesperson responsible announcing english french vote respective country case since contest spokesperson connected via satellite appeared vision broadcast spokesperson contest listed voting procedure ulrika jonsson unplanned comical moment dutch spokesperson conny vandenbos vandenbos expressed sympathy performer contest – previously represented netherlands – added long ago comment heard audience arena due noise jonssons reply long time ago leading reaction crowd due perceived rudeness remark context televoting used determine point awarded country except hungary romania turkey announcement result country conducted order performed spokesperson announcing country point english french ascending order detailed breakdown point awarded country listed table table summarises maximum point awarded one country another winning country shown bold malta united kingdom received maximum score point four country germany israel receiving three set point croatia netherlands receiving two set belgium cyprus estonia greece norway sweden turkey receiving one maximum score participating broadcaster required relay live full contest via television nonparticipating ebu member broadcaster also able relay contest passive participant passive country wishing participate following year event also required provide live broadcast contest deferred broadcast within hour broadcaster able send commentator provide coverage contest native language relay information artist song viewer contest transmitted european country well australia canada south korea known detail broadcast country including specific broadcasting station commentator shown table barbara dex award created fansite house eurovision awarded performer deemed worst dressed among participant winner germany representative guildo horn determined founder house eurovision site edwin van thillo rob paardekam selection dana international israeli representative contest israel broadcasting authority iba created uproar among member orthodox jewish community israel taking issue singer transgender status group mounted street protest selection also received death threat ahead contest selection also opposed political figure deputy minister shlomo benizri demanding removal referring singer abomination selection sending message darkness arriving contest dana international accommodated hyatt regency birmingham hotel birmingham bulletproof window accompanied public armed guard diva subsequently nominated compete congratulation year eurovision song contest special broadcast determine contest popular entry first year part contest anniversary celebration one entry chosen compete – song list – diva ultimately finished thirteenth place oconnor john kennedy eurovision song contest official history nd ed london united kingdom carlton book isbn pajala mari closeting eurovision heteronormativity finnish national television queer eurovision suomen queertutkimuksen seuran lehti – archived original june retrieved june roxburgh gordon song europe united kingdom eurovision song contest vol four prestatyn united kingdom telos publishing isbn thorsson leif verhage martin melodifestivalen genom tiderna de svenska uttagningarna och internationella finalerna melodifestivalen age swedish selection international final swedish stockholm sweden premium publishing pp – isbn eurovision song contest official website