The fabulous ViennaSphere has made its way to London this week and tonight was its opening event. The Vienna Tourist Board certainly knew how to put on a show for us too y’all, with Eurovision co-host Arabella Kiesbauer acting as our host for the evening. We were also treated to a fabulous performance from her fellow co-host and Eurovision winner Conchita!
The multimedia event takes place inside an inflatable dome that is well over 65 feet in height, with a video show in 360 degrees that focuses on the 150th year of Vienna’s iconic Ringstrasse, as well as the city getting ready for the 60th Eurovision Song Contest. The show almost did not go ahead after a major electrical fire knocked the power out in all the surrounding area, but thankfully a backup power supply saved the day!
Arabella said how thrilled she was to be able to show off her hometown of Vienna. The head of the city’s tourist board, Norbert Kettner, went in to further detail about the Eurovision plans too, saying that “of course it’s a great challenge. It’s a fun thing…we can prove two things – we are great hosts and music plays a huge part in the city…we want to make it the most welcoming contest.”
Of course, London gave another huge welcome to Conchita when she came to on to the stage too, where she performed both “Rise Like a Phoenix” and her new single “We Are Unstopabble” on the middle of a rotating platform at the heart of the ViennaSphere.
@conchitawurst treating us to ‘You Are Unstoppable’ here at the Vienna Sphere! #eurovision
A video posted by wiwibloggs (@wiwibloggs) on
The two Eurovision co-hosts also talked a little bit more about things coming up for Conchita, including her autobiography (“it’s a book worth a read!”) and her debut album which is set to come out on the 18th of May. Touching on her role as host of the green room, Conchita also said that “my little mission is to bring back the fun…it’s very stressful there”. Sorry, Lise…
The ViennaSphere is set to run in the heart of London until April 4th and is completely free to enter. They are also giving away free tickets and flights to the Grand Final on the 23rd of May every single night! Make sure to check back soon on the website as well as our Youtube channel for more videos from the show, including interviews with both Arabella Kiesbauer and Conchita.
@ Um @ William
” a microphone in a bucket” hahaha, lovely 🙂
Absolutely delightful interviews! Thank you!
Arabella said she hopes no man is required.
I think Denmark might disagree after last year with Nikolaj and Pilou and Esben and Jacob in DMGP 2015. Albeit the Danes themselves had 3 female hosts as well for DMGP 2013. Same with Sweden and Melodifestivalen 2012.
lol, those interviews were really enjoyable.
I wonder if people are aware of the fact that Arabella more or less discovered Conchita on her Starmania stage back in 2006
I can see Arabella making an excellent straight-man for Alice and Mirjam. Or who knows? Maybe she’ll surprise me and be the Pilou-style zany one.
Yeah, I know. I meant the YouTube ones. They sound all echo-y and equally terrible. :/ And I’ve seen videos from the ViennaSphere in other cities where the sound was much better – sort of echo-y still, yeah, as part of it is the environment, but they at least sounded like a coherent whole whereas in these the music sounds far less clear than the vocals (kind of like if the backing track was being played through a poor stereo). Was that how it sounded live? :/
The sound on those videos is terrible, especially the performance one. Did you record it with the microphone in a bucket?