Melodifestivalen 2019 is due to begin in just over two weeks, and now broadcaster SVT has revealed one of the most important aspects of the show: the stage design. The stage of 2019 promises to have the widest Melfest stage yet, and comes with a versatile arrangement of lighting and LEDs.
The biggest feature of the 2019 Melfest stage is its width. The stage is 11 metres deep and a record-breaking 22-metres wide, described as the “widest danceable surface ever”. With Melfest allowing up to eight performers on stage, can we expect more “wall of sex”-style power dancing?
As well as width, the Mello 2019 stage is bringing all the lights. Rather than choosing between a traditional LEDs wall or Lisbon-style lighting effects, Melfest has opted to have both. SVT compares it to the sort of staging used with Måns’ Zelmerlöw’s “Heroes”, which used both wall effects and arena lighting effects to create the overall staging.
Also reminiscent of Eurovision 2015, the stage will include a giant circle in the back wall of the stage. The ring will be over six metres wide and weighs 1800kg. It’s loaded with powerful lights and lined with LEDs and will be used to create effects behind the performers.
Designer Viktor Brattström noted that the stage is versatile. He said, “The stage should be able to make at least 35 different expressions. It is a bit more of a chameleon than last year, with its rounder forms.”
And just in case the stage was threatening to get too high-tech, it also includes a very classical feature. Along the back of the stage, there will be a curtain. But as the stage is wide, so is the curtain: it’s made up of 37 sections measuring 7.6 metres each.
The limits of Melodifestivalen
The six Melodifestivalen shows come with their unique restrictions. As Melodifestivalen is a touring show, the stage must be able to be quickly disassembled, packed up and driven to the next town, then reassembled for the next show.
And while the grand final is always held in the large Friends Arena, the stage must still be designed to fit the smallest venue in the show each year, usually a small-town ice hockey arena.
This size limit is also why Mello can’t have a standing audience. While it would work at Friends Arena, the stage and camera angles have to be planned to work with the venue with the lowest roof.
You’ll be able to see the new stage in action at the first semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2019. The show begins on Saturday, 2 February, kicking off at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg.
What do you think of the new Melfest stage design? Would you like to see a stage like this at Eurovision? Tell us what you think in the comments section below!
Melo is hit or miss. The 2018 edition was appalling, different than the appealing 2017 edition.
It’s a pretty stage. Now let’s have some music. Please? Eventually.
A fun fact: Christer Björkman had a podcast with a swedish fan site recently. Schlagerprofilerna. He answered a lot of questions. He is a very nice guy and a REAL ESC fan so i dont get the hate. For example he said the spainsh fans are very supportive off their broadcaster even if they had done some really bad decisions. He have never got an complaint of any HOD about the running order because they know he wants everyone to do well. Its only fans that have sent him nasty mails. The Sweden hate he says its only hardcore fans… Read more »
Oh yeah, that’s why in objetivo eurovision 2017 fans attacked the jury members. It’s because they supported them.
yes i know and he said the year after the spanish fans was with the broadcaster again.
Thanks for sharing that. I also believe he is a nice guy and a true and longstanding Eurovision fan. He gave a very extensive and sincere interview to the Portuguese radio last year, where he even sang bits of his old-time favorite: “Desfolhada”, the 1969 Portuguese entry 🙂 He complemented the RTP immensely on its victory and organisation. He also shared the way he approaches the making of the entry lists, which for me seems very reasonable. Personally, I just think that he could try to expand a little bit the musical horizons of Melfest and the ESC in general.
I like him, I think it’s easy for non-Swedes who don’t know him to project whatever “evil genius” image they have onto him, fair or not. The only thing he introduced that I really don’t like is pre-recorded backing vocals…I’m glad the EBU have resisted that (so far).
That’s a biggie, though! Just imagine he convinces the spineless EBU dudes, then where does it end? Fully pre-recorded vocals, nobody having to sing live? That’s a deal breaker for me. Let’s hope it never comes to that.
You know he never will do that. Dont be like that
I personally think he has done an excellent work both Sweden and Europewise. I enjoy Eurovision much more since he is around and i completely understand what he is saying about heardcore and perpetually infuriated eurovision fans, lol. But he is not right about the Spanish fans AT ALL. No one in Spain, fan or not stay behind TVE´s creepy management of things. Actually if it was for the Spanish fans, the Spanish HoD would be hiding in a hut in the Congo Jungle by now.
oh i see. I think he means that even with the REALLY bad decisions the spanish fans still belive in their entry 🙂
I love the roundness, and the glam. But lit up white, like in the illustration, it looks kind of churchy and “angel wings.” It seems to have great potential, though – can’t wait to see it in action.
Looks like a bulky obsolete camera. Also, is that round thing stolen from Kyiv’s stage?
No standing audience is a very good thing, in my opinion. I would hate to see that at Melodifestivalen. Especially when you see all the families and children there, it wouldn’t be fair to have them pushed aside to make way for rabid fanatics who have attended 1,2390 Eurovision events already.
Yes! That’s something Eurovision should actually adopt from Sweden, unlike so many other things they do adopt.
The fun thing is, ESC 2009-2012 have adopted that system. It’s when in Malmö the standing audience thing was done again.
Amazing! Bright, shiny, classy. Can’t wait for Margaret to own the stage with “Tempo” and hopefully hot dancers <3
Is there no budget this time around?
Not really. They were budgets recent years due to the fact that eurovision 2016 (and 2013 for that matter) costed a lot and SVT probably has recovered since!
Well, approximately 220 m2 area of stage, three setup of lighting, approximately 160 m2 of curtains and tons of hanging structures.
Sure, no budget.
Maybe it looks a bit like a set for 80’s sf movie, but nonetheless I can’t wait to see that circle in action.
On the pictures it seems really nice and indeed it is remeniscent of the Lisbon stage, which is so ironic…
It’ll be interesting to see if and how it works on the specific performances. Like, if someone only uses LEDs, do they just stand and that one side of the stage all the time? In any case, I’m mostly hoping to get one or two good songs out of this, which is not a given.
So original! But weird that they don’t emphasize the LED screens this year as there will be lots of em in Tel Aviv
Maybe because people are getting tired of LEDs?…
Neva eva
Let’s talk in a few years time… Maybe even next year, after this year’s predictable overdose of LEDs
Don’t blame the LEDs if certain delegations lack creativity and opt for “something blue, maybe with water” or “something red, maybe with fire”. The few creative delegations should still get the option of using LEDs !!!
And don’t forget the “let’s put the giant face of the singer on the screen”
Right! So tacky.
This is what you get from LEDs
I don’t blame them. I just think that is over-reliance on LEDs and many times that leads to unbearable results – see Italy or Australia 2017 for example.
I disagree. I kind of liked Italy 2017 and Australia 2017 would have been unbearable either way.
Well, I beg to differ.
There were no LEDs in 2018 duh.
That’s how you design a fabulous stage , Someone send this to Wieder
Well, that understage lighting is so 2013
You haven’t seen it in action led fangirl
In fact, I’m a Lisbon lover. By the way, remember the lighting below the main stage back then in Malmö?
Serving washing machine
LMAO
flopping machine
Correction: Washer-Dryer. 😛
I really like it!
One good thing is that people will have to work hard and be creative in order to fill the stage
Otherwise, the stage might swallow them
Looked so retro, weird, and not really Melfest-y. The good thing is that this can accomodate more traditional performances better than the former, edgy stages. Another proof that meter-by-meter can look as interesting as ever, but i’m sure not everyone will love this.
Vienna Lisbon Mashup stage
Looks kinda retro, but I think I like it.