Eurovision 2021: First impressive pictures of the stage in Rotterdam Ahoy go public
Just over three weeks the 2021 Eurovision stage in Rotterdam Ahoy is almost completed with the first impressive images going public.
With the stage construction almost completed the organizers gave to the media representatives a first opportunity for a glimpse. It was immediately noticeable that the stage is immense and that no cuts have been made on the screens and the lighting installation.
Erwin Rintjema is in charge of the production of this spectacle says on the stage arrangement in Roterdam Ahoy:
“The Eurovision song contest is the Champions League in our profession. It is very special because of the size, the number of participants, the level and the innovations on the podium.”
This will be the biggest stage built in Rotterdam Ahoy, with Rintjema adding:
“It is very diverse and it contains all kinds of hidden tricks, with which we make the performances beautiful. For example, we have a TV screen that is 52 meters wide and 12 meters high. Inside there are doors that can open. That has never been done on such a scale. “
Every day 150 to 200 people are working in Ahoy to set up the festival. Sietse Bakker, executive producer of the show says:
“We waited forty years for the organization in the Netherlands and had to postpone it for another year. And that in challenging circumstances. We are constantly making adjustments. Soon 180 million people will see what it turned out to be. Hard to comprehend!”
Marnix Kaart has the honor to direct the show, together with a large team. Kaart says about his assignment:
“I’ve been doing big shows for 25 years, but that doesn’t come close to this.”
For the show he will be working with 21 cameras. With this being a challenge he says:
“Especially because it is such a wide stage. It is difficult to hide cameras, especially when they fly through the air. You try to keep all this out of the picture and that is a puzzle!”
The 65th Eurovision Song Contest will take place on May 18, 20 and 22 May, 2021 in Rotterdam with a total of 39 countries set to compete over the three shows.
Source: Rijnmond.nl / ESCToday
Cover photo credit: Dennis Kranenburg
