The contest you want
Photo: Thomas Hanses (EBU)

In late November we learned that Italian broadcaster Rai had selected the Italian design firm Atelier Francesca Montinaro to create the Eurovision 2022 stage. 

Now our friends at Eurofestival News — the Italian source for all things Eurovision — are reporting some more specifics about the stage inside Turin’s PalaOlimpico. It’s clear that the Italians are dreaming big.

Eurovision 2022 stage design includes “7 concentric platforms”

Eurofestival News have obtained a document detailing the plans. It’s a mouthful, so we’re reposting from their post below.

“The stage will be made up of 7 concentric platforms, with linear sliding movement of 180 degrees in both directions, which will carry a central wall and 6 concentric arches for a diameter of 19 meters and a height of 9 and a half meters.”

“The structures and motors to move the stage, together with the hatches and lights, drawbridges and a support for the LED walls, will be housed in a metal carpentry area of ​​630 square meters and 2 meters high, also to be built.”

“The stage will also consist of four portions of the floor measuring approximately 180 × 60, which will rotate, to facilitate the use of the scenographic elements. The Eurovision stage then traditionally has two entrances and these too will have to be specially built (precisely two motorised and two manual ones will be needed).”

“There will then also be two elevations which, in the intentions of the organisation, will have to provide a walkable space in glass with an underlying surface in which vision devices will be affixed.”

Atelier Francesca Montinaro’s stage design history

Atelier Francesca Montinaro is an established Italian design house specialising in sceneography, art and interior design. As well as designing stages for numerous large theatrical productions, Atelier Francesca Montinaro has twice created the stage for Italy’s iconic Sanremo Music Festival.

They designed the stage for Sanremo 2013, with its baroque-inspired themes. The stage included many moving parts that could be moved to change the feel of the stage — even including the iconic staircase.

Most recently, the atelier designed the stage for Sanremo 2019. They described the stage as “A dance between lights and spectacular kinetic effects” that also involved moving parts via a “motorised and avant-garde theatre machine”.

While Atelier Francesca Montinaro aren’t dropping any clues about their design for the Turin stage, it’s clear that their artistic approach will bring something different to the typical Eurovision stages of recent years.

68 Comments
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Yudhistira Mahasena
2 years ago

Clearly I’m not the only one thinking the stage will be based on pizza. The seven concentric platforms are made that way to resemble slices of pepperoni.

Erik
Erik
2 years ago

One part of me is thrilled by this complexity! The other part of me is thinking about all the errors, glitches and malfunctions possible from a stage this complex. Fast transitions not possible because the rotations stopped working. Reversals taking extra long time because of a wall did not rotate correctly. Something happening in the grand final during a performance. Does all that mean we should stop thinking wild and crazy? No. The stakes should be high, but it also enables a fall if it should fail.

I remember the Madonna-hype the week before she performed on the ESC stage

Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago

For completeness, even though slightly out of topic, here you are the first outlook on the stage design for Sanremo 2022. As you can see it’s very similar to Sanremo 2021. The designer is again from the veteran Gaetano Castelli and his daughter Chiara. Probably RAI has decided to save money on this design and spend it for ESC2022. I agree with them. This year the ESC2022 will be much more important than Sanremo. What do you think? Other rumours are that RAI has already contacted some of their cameramen who will work for Eurovision. So preparation is going on… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
sucof
sucof
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo

that video is a year old, and the scenography of 2021!
But what you’re saying????, avoid giving wrong information!

this is the scenography of 2022!
comment image

Last edited 2 years ago by sucof
Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  sucof

Caro/dear Sucof (dovremmo diventare amici io e te), look at the two designs. Even a blind man can detect they are quite identical. So either it’s a general store trade “buy one and get two” or there is a tradeoff on the innovation to keep the design investment costs down. The same elements are there. Same LED sized screen, same, sci-fi or spaceship concept, etc. Of course we need to wait for the final high resolution pictures or the first live show to judge, but you cannot say they are completely different. Don’t you think so? I believe it’s OK… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
sucof
sucof
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo

———

Last edited 2 years ago by sucof
Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  sucof

Oopps. Yes. You are right. Sorry! I was mislead because the FB page was Sanremo 2022. My apologies. I don’t know how to cancel or edit the comments. Sorry again. One bad thing of this site is that you can edit the comments only over a very limited time.

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
sucof
sucof
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo

🙂

Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  sucof

Anyway, I don’t want to be boring or repetitive when I say the 2022 stage reminds me some older stages in the past always designed by Castelli. Look at those in the years 2000-2009 designed by him.

sucof
sucof
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo
Last edited 2 years ago by sucof
Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  sucof

Oh, non ci arrabbiamo però. Che mi stai simpatico.

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
sucof
sucof
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo

I do not get angry 🙂

Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  sucof

Eh, figurati se non so com’è l’Ariston. It’s a miracle they can build such complex designs in such a cinema-like small stage/space. Anyway, yes, it reminds a little bit the 2020 one.

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago

According to some additional info on the stage design available on some competitor’s website, the stage will be like a big sun, while in front there will be a wreath. There will be no second smaller stage, as there were in previous contests. There will be a ledwall. A key difference with previous stages is that this will be able to rotate. So, either it rotates in order to prepare the stage for the following act hidden from the audience (like it happens in many theatre stages were the stage is a rotating platform to ease the preparation of the… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
Ana
Ana
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo

It won’t make much sense to rotate it to prepare the stage to the next act because that’s what the postcards are for. Eurovision is not a theater play, it’s a TV show.

ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago

I’m very intrigued by this description, I can’t picture anything even remotely in my mind. Sounds exciting, but terrifying at the same time.

Indahe
2 years ago

I just have one sentence “Please make it save to all the participants” because I dont know why I feel quite terrified with so many moving parts on the stage

John
John
2 years ago
Reply to  Indahe

And in Tel Aviv someone died during the construction of the ESC stage.

Ana
Ana
2 years ago
Reply to  John

In Tel Aviv a man died in the PARKING LOT OUTSIDE the venue while unloading heavy equipment. It happened when the stage was already built and people were rehearsing on it. No need to twist information.

Fast Food Music Lover
Fast Food Music Lover
2 years ago

Hopefully the can persuade the acts to make use of all the fancy stage design elements otherwise they will all be a waste.

Kaija
Kaija
2 years ago

Handful of countries cannot afford to use them properly anyway.

Last edited 2 years ago by Kaija
Rúben
Rúben
2 years ago

To be honest, i’m trying to make a sketch of the stage, and my brain is totally buged.
I’m curious, but i’m so confused.

Jo.
Jo.
2 years ago

sounds like a disco themed flying saucer…
100% on board

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago

A central wall on the stage…interesting, I guess it will have leds on it, and like everything seem to move I think this wall will too, maybe, but as it will be a circular stage what will happen behind this wall? The green room?

Gav
Gav
2 years ago

Well it sounds simpler than the instructions I got with my new wardrobe from Ikea to assemble.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago

All that text left me confused! All I think of are revolving doors going back and forth. Guess I have to wait and see until later to get clarity..

Matrix 12
Matrix 12
2 years ago

Are there artist impressions available yet? I would really like to see something.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago

Like a kind of carrousel ? Or like kind of revolving doors ? That’s what comes to mind reading this, I don’t know…

Last edited 2 years ago by Esc addict
Roodi
Roodi
2 years ago

Hopefully Italy will never win again so they can not host again

DonutLover
DonutLover
2 years ago
Reply to  Roodi

I hope your life is at least a bit more positive then the comment you wrote…

ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago
Reply to  DonutLover

It’s probably not their case. I remember being a troll in Twitter when I was a teenager, and my teenage years were mostly miserable 🙁

Roodi
Roodi
2 years ago
Reply to  DonutLover

Yes it is

Leoni445
Leoni445
2 years ago
Reply to  Roodi

I sense you’re from a country that has never won, I can feel the bitterness, cry a bit harder

Sucof
Sucof
2 years ago

At the Moment I’m curious to see this year’s scenography of the Sanremo festival!

Last edited 2 years ago by Sucof
Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  Sucof

The Sanremo 2022 stage design is already known, but it’s not very different from the one of last year. Search with Google “Scenografia Sanremo 2022” and you will find a video, with the wonderful “End Titles from Bladerunner”, from my beloved Vangelis, highlighting the lights effects of the new stage design. It’s still the same designer as last year, Gaetano Castelli and his daughter, Chiara Castelli. I would have preferred Riccardo Bocchini, for a change, this year, being Montinaro already busy for ESC. I have the idea RAI has not invested much in the Sanremo set design this year, making… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
Sucof
Sucof
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo

that of Sanremo will still be beautiful and majestic!

Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  Sucof

You can see it here:

https://fb.watch/aESuroRXtD/

Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  Vincenzo

Sorry, it’s not the 2022 but the 2021. My mistake.

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago

I don’t know why, but “seven concentric platforms” somehow makes me think of the world’s seven seas. The words seven seas makes me think of pirates and pirates make me think of Ancient Greece (piracy originated here). Ancient Greece had connections with the Roman Empire (now Italy) culturally.

So who knows, we might see some Ancient Greek/Roman style design for the stage. It most likely won’t happen tho. I am just exaggerating with creative thoughts.

Jonkonfui
Jonkonfui
2 years ago

Eurovision rule 1: only 6 people on stage
Eurovision rule 2: on a stage at least 2km long.

dygh
dygh
2 years ago

Am I the only who can’t imagine how this will look? Can somebody make a rendition of this? It sounds very confusing.

Kaija
Kaija
2 years ago
Reply to  dygh

Just don’t think about it and wait until you can see it.

Aria
Aria
2 years ago

Nice. My fear was that they were going for something uneventful like Portugal. But it seems they understand the importance of the stage. It’s not like the music will be Sanremo quality throughout.

Jonkonfui
Jonkonfui
2 years ago

That is what this Festival has come to be… The stage, fireworks, a man in a hamster wheel. Songs and music alone is not enough.
In 20 years Esc will be a Star Wars movie where eventually some people sing.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonkonfui

A problem is that the community expects every year the stage should go from better to even more spectacular. That also means that every year it would also become a bit more expensive and unrealistic for a small broadcaster to organize like for example if iceland were to win one day.

Last edited 2 years ago by Frisian esc
Jonkonfui
Jonkonfui
2 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

The problem is paying any attention to what the community wants or expect. Younger Esc fans are weird, they ask for very stupid things. I have read so many crazy suggestions coming from eurofans about how the staging for a given artist should be.
If Iceland wins one day they should do what they can afford and if the community doesnt like it they can go and f… themselves.

GojoSatoru
GojoSatoru
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonkonfui

Spitting facts.

Roodi
Roodi
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonkonfui

ok boomer

hhhhurricane
hhhhurricane
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonkonfui

thats what separates mere singers from popstars. the willingness to go above and beyond to transform a song into a multisensory once-in-a-lifetime experience for fans. songs and music are enough if you wanna be an irrelevant flop come july

Jonkonfui
Jonkonfui
2 years ago
Reply to  hhhhurricane

Yeah yeah sure. Multisensory once in a lifetime experience? I dont know what you are talking about but it seems drugs friendly.

Vincenzo
Vincenzo
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonkonfui

The man in the hamster wheel was a cute addition, but it had to be naked (or at least topless) because a real hamster doesn’t run dressed in a suit in the hamster wheel. 🙂 Well, the 3 topless men playing drums in the Love Love interval act from ESC 2016 in Stockholm were perfect as hamsters ready for the wheel (and for our eyes).

Last edited 2 years ago by Vincenzo
Jake
Jake
2 years ago

feels like there will be levels to create more depth than we typically see…Lisbon had a bit of that with the elevated platform and the bridges which Austria and Lithuania used quite well….but this idea seems even more involved so it would be awesome to see how it comes to life…at least its not a x shape stage, with a rectangular LED behind and a uniquely shaped proscenium around…that’s been largely what we have seen lately especially with the Wieder designs

esc1234
esc1234
2 years ago

Florian wieder must be shocked reading this, he only learned now you can design a stage that isn’t circular/boring/basic/ depending on LED. Well done for supporting local talent Italy, the idea sounds very interesting

Loek
Loek
2 years ago

Might be my language barrier, might be my lack of knowledge about geometry, but:

What does concentric mean?

Apollo
Apollo
2 years ago

I have no idea how to process this information but it sounds very… interesting?

Ina
Ina
2 years ago

I get that they will really try to bring in depth, height, dimension in general. It should be a nice departure from the flatter designs we’ve seen the past few years!

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago

It sounds impressive. The thing I found most intriguing about the article was that stage construction is supposedly planned to start already on the 21st of march and finished by the 11th of april! Last year construction only started on the 11th of april and I wonder what’s up with that. Do all the technical components take up that much extra time to check?

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

Now that I think about it, one thing to take into consideration is that eurovision 2021 started one week later than turin 2022 on the 18th of may

voix
voix
2 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

Stage designs by Wieber can be build in less than 2 weeks because they are simple without any complexity and depth. Italy is following another direction, thank god

Last edited 2 years ago by voix
musica
musica
2 years ago
Reply to  voix

Not that I have anything against the concept for Turin, which sounds interesting, but why should a stage design be complex? Do you always go to a concert hoping to see the most complex stage they could think of?

voix
voix
2 years ago
Reply to  musica

Eurovision is the most watched non sport event of the year. That says it all

musica
musica
2 years ago
Reply to  voix

So? What does that have to do with the complexity of the stage? The stage has to be functional, it’s the artists who should shine.

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  musica

I agree, but I also feel that the contest should be beneficial to all areas of broadcasting. I wish it was more like the twentieth century contests where RAI’s own stage designers might be given a chance to shine in a big way. Not just Florian Wieder every year, and at least this is not that.

GDV
GDV
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Rai has started building the sanremo stage at early december and it was finished last week (almost a month before last years timing). They will do the same with Eurovision and the reason is to take as much time as necessary for construction and rehearsals to prevent any production emergency covid-related.

Daan
Daan
2 years ago
Reply to  voix

Just because a stage has a more minimalistic design doesn’t mean there isn’t any technical complexity

voix
voix
2 years ago
Reply to  Daan

It can certainly mean that it is basic and doesn’t look good on camera (hey kyiv 2017)

Jenny
Jenny
2 years ago

I can’t really visualise it from this description but still I’m intrigued. At least it seems that it won’t be just a flat LED wall like in recent years. Hopefully the delegations will take advantage of all the moving parts so that we can feel like every performance is different

Ixuxu
Ixuxu
2 years ago

Finally! Something new and expeeeeeensive.