Florian Wieder — the man behind the Eurovision stages in Düsseldorf, Baku, Vienna and Kyiv — has today been confirmed as the designer of the Eurovision 2018 stage in Lisbon.
Building on the Eurovision slogan “All Aboard” and its accompanying series of sea-inspired logos, the stage is, in the words of the EBU, inspired by “the hull of a ship and reflects Portugal’s history and culture.”
“The rich history of the Portuguese as a maritime nation reflects, without any boundaries, all of the values that make the Eurovision Song Contest unique today,” Wieder said in the EBU statement.
“Portugal and especially Lisbon are historic melting pots enriched by the impressions of newly discovered cultures that were brought back to the home port. This is mainly due to the Portuguese sailor men, who traveled the seas with courage and outstanding skills of navigation.”
“The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest will take you on an expedition through many different cultures in Europe and around the world. A journey through the high seas of music that pursues to discover, connect and ultimately unite the nations. Portugal stands for bringing together countries and their cultures. In 2018 Portugal will unite the music of Europe. With this Eurovision Song Contest stage, Portugal will be the navigator and compass again.”
Paulo Resende, Deputy Executive Producer of Eurovision 2018, had this to say:
“The conceptual requirements aimed to breathe a Portuguese identity, to be elegant, modern and, at the same time, unique and distinctive. To ensure the difference from previous editions this stage should represent a strong statement by itself. The result was an outstanding masterpiece designed by Florian Wieder that entirely meets the concept and editorial narrative for this project.”
“It reflects a Portuguese identity in a very elegant and distinctive way, addresses a certain modernity respecting the Portuguese legacy and, moreover, the created visual ambience underlines a consistent difference. This will be the right staging for all the performers to express their songs and artistic moments and, certainly, no one shall remain unresponsive and indifferent.”
RTP’s officials have repeatedly said that they plan to stage Eurovision on a budget. But clearly they have found cost efficiencies elsewhere, as the stage — perhaps the second most important element in the competition after the artists and their songs — looks nothing short of spectacular.
RTP’s team have also laid out precisely how the stage builds on Portugal’s culture and history, explaining that it nods to navigation, the sea, ships and maps.
Navigation: “the armillary sphere becomes the visual key element in the design concept.”
Sea: “the stage shows a modern interpretation of a sweeping wave and its organic shape.”
Ships: “the structure of the stage is inspired by pieces of boatbuilding art.”
Maps: “the radial lines of a map spread out in different directions.”
* Get the Lisbon Calling shirt
Who is the Eurovision 2018 stage designer?
Wieder is well experienced with Eurovision, having previously designed the stages for Eurovision in 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2017. His stages have frequently featured circular stages and undulating curves, and have always included awe-inspiring LED screens that help the acts really pop.
As well as Eurovision, Wieder has also worked on X Factor in both the United States and United Kingdom, the MTV Video Music Awards, and numerous German shows
What do you think of the new stage design? How does it compare to previous years? Tell us what your think below!
I bet water will be used for Led screens like they did at the FINA opening at Budapest this year. Watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=excgowLQgZ8
In other words, graphic images projected and/or displayed in fountains of water and plumes of mist, yes?
If they use mist as their graphic screen, they’d better make sure the machine that vacuums the mist (whether it goes from top to bottom or bottom to top) is fully functional. One malfunction and we’ll have the same mishap Nina Sublatti (2015) had to sing through when the smoke vacuum jammed in the middle of her Grand Final performance. And the floor behind the performers will be very wet
William Lee Adams :
”They are not gonna not have an LED, that would blow my mind. We are not in Oslo, they are not taking us back eight years”
Well, it seems we are eight years back. Some are happy it will look like 1997 or 2001 (@Cooky Montza)
And about the circles…they are just circles, don’t exaggerate with sea symbolism
And again the D alias strikes again. Are you always like that for every edition. You must be such an unhappy human being…
I think the best thing about there being no LED screen – as is being confirmed, I am reading – is that we won’t see faces every second song like we seemed to do in 2017. Guess our participants will have to be creative with the stage performance ideas once again!
This stage looks amazing! I’m sure it will be beautiful!
I love the fact that Portugal tries to showcase their culture.
As for the LED, it doesn’t bother me at all.
? Sorry I hate the mall … just like in America ??? but loved eveything else.
What are you smoking? You are told this stage will have less features and you are happier and happier. If tomorrow you’ll be told you’ll sleep in open space, you will be in 7th heaven.
Don’t be so pessimistic. Each act will have different lightning anyway.
The concept overall looks promising enough.
Well I think the one smoking is you and the substance is hate and bitterness and possiblilly even racism (possibly against your own people, because I wouldn’t be surprised if you were Portuguese and I even have a guess of your former alias beginning with a D…).
Who U kiddin’? There’s something about this stage that reminds me of 1997. They didn’t have LCD or LED screens (which were VERY expensive back then), but considering the year and the technology that was available (–cough-cough-Windows95-cough–), they did a kick-ass job with the lights and the floor (full of picture-tube monitors).
Lisboa will do just fine with what they’ve got. 2001 was another year in which they did a very good job with the lights.
More errata to fix.
“2001 was another year in which the stage directors (in Copenhagen) did a very good job with the lights.”
i told you…i told you
Portugal will be a great host
Im not saying it will be the best eurovision song contest ever, im just saying that will be a great ESC with an amazing host
Go Portugal
YciBNp https://goldentabs.com/
The staging looks absolutely stunning.
I honestly can’t wait to see what it will look like on the TV screen.
William and Deban better get ready to perform on it.
Now that we have confirmation that there will be no LEDs but other features I got more exited about the stage to find out what those features are, I guess something innovative
PS: And if this means to cut down expenses, even better… one can be elegant and innovative on a budget.
@mad-professor
quote – ”there’s something kind of exciting about stripping things down after a number of years with increasing extravagance”
It’s amazing how you all would say anything to defend Portugal.
FANTASTIC stage! The stage design remineds me of the” nature waterfall stage from Chanel spring summer 2018 RtW show .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmPD4BSyRUE
Stunning! Elegant and simple at the same time. Even more, it reminds me of a jellyfish.
The stage is looking epic…very symbolic yet very modern. Love the connecting walkway! Don’t worry about LED screens. They’ve something better in mind, I’m sure! Good job, Portugal!
””They’ve something better in mind, I’m sure!””
The only thing they have in mind is low budget.
Stockholm 2016 was also under budget.
Under what budget? What budget they had to begin with?
SVT spent at least 13 million euros for Stockholm 2016, almost the same as Malmo 2013 and cheaper than that of Vienna 2015, and cheaper than Helsinki 2007. This is not taken into account the over-all estimated budget spent that year, which by my guess would have been more or less than 20 million. RTP will provide for more than half of the budget to be used for next year, around 12 million out of the expected over-all budget of 23 million euros. Compared to Kyiv this year, the budget for 2017 reportedly ballooned beyond control, apparently spending more for… Read more »
Por eso la energia sera renovable y fotovoltaica ,algo mas innovador e importante que tu comentario
To be honest, having had time to think about it, I’d honestly prefer if there wasn’t an LED back screen. They can still keep the LED floor, but there’s something kind of exciting about stripping things down after a number of years with increasing extravagance, and not having an LED screen was definitely not the issue with the stage in 2010 (the overwhelming darkness, on the other hand…). That said, it’s more important to compare it to the concept art for other years rather than the build; the last three years have all featured the LED screens in the concept… Read more »
And just as I post that, there’s confirmation from the man himself XD:
Ok, Florian Wieder confirms on Facebook that the stage WON’T have LED screens, but says it will have “some other interesting and exciting features”.
Like what? Tinfoil curtain?
Even pre-parties will look more expensive.
No hay nada mas caro que la mediocridad , la creatividad no es cuestion de dinero.
Amazing !! Maybe the background have “transparent screen projection” like Eurovision 2014 ! LOVE IT !!!
I love the transparent projection from Copahagen! They were a nice touch to the 2014 stage.
At the same time, I heard EBU may try out AR into the staging. Not so sure how this works out, but I’m glad Portugal are not comprising too much on the stage, considering their budget. This feels like a proper stage to me!
thank you ^^ ESC2014 Copahagen stage design is my favorite too .
I also love ESC2014 Copahagen lighting design
that picture sort of reminds me of the staging for leonor andrade (portugal 2015) hmmm mepersonally i think it’s too dark but i love the immense amount of symbolism put into this year’s contest
LEDs = videoclip behind to distract
maybe there are a ocult led (behind scenes) for some performances more interactive. Also Russia in 2016 they “bring” they own screen.
The lights are enough and make all more beautiful, less leds is better because they will save more songs/perfomances (Loreen says Hi, probably Edurne cant say the same).
it is distracting to you, not to other people
distraction that means that video/images on screen fits terrible with all stage. and everything is weirdo and too much. I wanna mean it’s to much lights everywhere. why seeing a singer face again on screen? if the cameras can do it better if they capt only the singer. I think the colours and the lights movement are enough to create the visual emotions of the song.(of course some appropriate images on screen can make everything more interesting).
Less is more 🙂
but obvious its just my opinion
There wasn’t a Portugese stage designer available?
There wasn’t an english teacher available for you? it’s *PortuGUEse
He has designed plenty of stages for ESC. The fact that a hater like you chose to focus on THAT says it all really. This stage has no flaws 🙂
I love the design, I don’t see myself as a hater but my first thought was its a shame they couldn’t get a local designer. It feels as if the contest is really inbreed sometimes.
They obviously could, and they have tons of portuguese working and giving ideas there, but they chose him. Eurovision has always been about coming together and not being individualists, with lots of countries participating and helping each other. That’s what ESC is about, unity.
Even Sweden has chosen designers or producers from other countries, but you wouldn’t say it’s a shame because it’s Sweden. That’s wrong and it shows the prejudice that many people still have towards other countries, just like they had with their eurovision entries.
Si y se presentaron varios proyectos, se eligió al trabajo no a la persona, estamos en un mundo globalizado. En tu ciudad seguro hay arquitectos de muchos países en obras emblematicas, si es que vives en una ciudad importante
Everything (life itself) in our world began in the SEA <3
#All Aboard
Reminders me of 2001 stage in Copenhagen.
I totally agree, it was my first thought as well. I actually kinda liked the 2001 stage even if it didn’t look that good on screen.
@JL: You beat me to it. Must be the arches…
wieber must be the laziest designer ever. A led background and something between or above the stage with it. Pls honey..
Honey where’s the LED -.-
You see the blue lights in the back in a rectangular pattern? That’s how it looked this year when the LED wasn’t on.
Amazing !! Maybe the background like Eurovision 2014 have “transparent screen projection” ! I also love the bridge ideal ! love it !!
I think it is not bad. The big arches over the stage gives it a larger amplitude, which I think will get through TV very well. Whether it will have LEDs or not is still disclosed information. But I for one would go for no LEDs, for once. I actually loved the 2010 stage with no LEDs and the last year some of the images were really distracting… But I would doubt it very much that there are no LEDs in this year and age. One thing that disturbs me a bit is the sculptural element in the middle of… Read more »
What if there’s a projection screen like in Stockholm to bring background images to life? Like either in Dami Im’s performance, or Jamie Lee’s.
I guess that could work and I am sure they will incorporate something like that, because delegations expect this now…
Amazing !! Maybe the background like Eurovision 2014 have “transparent screen projection” ! I also love the bridge ideal ! love it !!
The stage background. It’s like the map of Singapore.
Better view, fascinating to see, and.. it reminds me of the JESC stage back in 2015 but a million times better.
Ecsactly what I thought at first glance – JESC 2015.
Apparently the stage has a bridge in it, which I don’t understand why. Also, I’m pretty sure the people who are sitting underneath it will have a hard time seeing anything.
To arrive from central stage to the outer circle I suppose
”melting pots enriched by the impressions of newly discovered cultures”
They could’ve been more discreet about this part of history.
There is nothing to be discreet about. Unlike other Western Europeans, the Portuguese have a rational (rather than emotional) approach to their country’s past. It was what it was, the Portuguese of today have nothing to do with what was done by their ancestors, therefore they are not embarrassed. Period.
Absolutely agree with you.
ho-ho-ho, first of all, us portuguese are probably the ONLY western europeans who are NOT ashamed of our past. We embrace it. We didnt do anything, but we are proud of all the discoveries and amazing things our ANCESTORS did. We are very nationalistic and patriotic, if you dont like that you better not come to our country. Just my two cents, because you wont find any ‘celebrate diversity’ theme here. We just like to preserve our culture and identity, unlike most europeans countries nowadays. We are small country and the only western european country with low immigrants here, we… Read more »
also i’m not saying that we need or want multiculturalism, quite in the contrary. So foreigners should respect us and our culture. thanks.
Im sorry but Portugal is not shamed or embarrassed about their History and identity
The problem with no LEDs is that low-budget countries will be even more screwed over when it comes to staging, and richer ones will bring their own a la Gaitana, cluttering up the stage. The rest of it looks great though.
Hmm… remember when Germany (a rich country) won in 2010 with a extremely simple performance on a stage without LED screens (Oslo)?
The 2010 stage was awful though – it was just a load of nothingness.
Since then, technology and the contest have moved on – some form of LED is expected, otherwise things start to look like Festivali I Kenges circa 2007. Also, if there’s no LED, Macedonia will have nothing for the staging, especially since their close call with debts – that could work for a ballad, but if they send a dance banger, they have less than no chance.
Macedonia sent a dance tune in May, and yet still they failed to use the stage to its fullest. I expected the stage to be full of flashing lights and lasers, like a mini-rave. Whether it was the lack of a dance-club feel to the tune, or that Jana couldn’t do all the things she wanted to do because she was pregnant, The FYR team failed her that night.
My mistake.
Whether it was the VISUAL lack of a dance-club feel to the tune…
Beautiful!!!
LED background or not, I am TOTALLY in love with the staging! Not only did it fits Portugal very nicely, it also gives the entries more versatility in how they want the staging to look like.
Hopefully, this will top Russia 2009’s amazing Eurovision stage. Portugal 2018’s staging feels as wide as Russia 2009’s.
If there won’t be any LED screens, I hope it will look better than 2010 at least. IMO 2010 stage had such a dark, depressing atmosphere. So much black space with annoying blinking lights as the only real visuals. People love to complain about LED screens, but they help give each song some unique visual flair IMO, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg for the entrants. With no LED, it will be the ones who can spring for their own screens and props that end up standing out visually. And while one can say “it should be… Read more »
I completely agree with you! And I don’t want just the background LED, but a floor LED too (for those lovely aerial shots)… With LED’s, performances come to life and are unique from each other. For me, Oslo 2010 was such a downgrade following Moscow 2009, mainly because of the lack of LED’s.
“We aren’t revealing what this stage actually can do at this moment. Only the general look of it.” by Ola Melzig; so I’m expecting quite a few more surprises
Some songs will actually shine better without a led display i think. For example i think this kind of stage would suit blanche much more than the one she performed on in kyiv.
It looks like a giant version of Bulgaria’s JESC stage…
Really beautiful, strong and modern…. but I still hope that there is a LED background behind all of this
No LED screens? Why? 🙁
They intend to let the songs stand out on its own merits. The lights look like a stripped-down version of the 2015 stage, and the LED lights in the back of the stage look like 2010. Will the floor be void of any graphics this time around (and when was the last time the contest had no graphics or visuals on the floor?), or will it be a throwback to 1997 (which I think is one of the best stage setups ever, before graphic screens dominated); the only difference being that, instead of picture-tube television screens under the floor (like… Read more »
It would actually be a kinda nice to have a led free stage for once. It would shake things up a bit. The stage looks great!
It looks really F-ing amazing, I would love to see This irl
Wow.
That is absolutely beautiful. Good job, Portugal.
Everyone went into panic mode when RTP said with would be a low-cost event.
Nobody is panicking now!
Well done RTP, the stage looks simply amazing.
Organisation this year is 10/10
Agreed!
Wow it looks amazing!
Why that’s stunning I think it’s the best staging for Eurovision ever! Hope it looks better irl
Wonderful! Amazing job RTP!!
Well, compared to last year’s disaster, it’s obviously 1000 times better.
At least, visually, it has an unique ambience. It looks also so much better, compared to the ones of 2015 and 2011.
Additionally, we never saw a stage of this type, so congratulations Portugal!!
If we could just get to know the host as well.. However, till now, Portugal is already a better host conutry than Ukraine, in my eyes. Even if Ukraine tried their best. 🙂
Catarina Furtado is rumored to be one of the hosts, but she will be hosting, I’m almost 100% sure of that. Filomena Cautela is the fan favorite and is likely to be in the green room. That’s how much we know thus far.
They will definitely pick someone with an international career, my bet is on Daniela Ruah, she’s living in the US atm and her english is perfect. I also think Diogo Morgado would go.
RTP said that they WILL choose someone who is already working for them – which excludes Daniela and Diogo. They even said that they don’t plan on asking other Portuguese broadcasters to let some of their exclusive stars to host Eurovision. So it is definitely going to be Catarina Furtado, Filomena Cautela and some other RTP name. My bet is on Silvia Alberto, because last year this trio worked really well in the Festival da Cancao’s final.
not true filipe
I’m portuguese. Daniela has done something from rtp recently so she can definitely be chosen. Not to mention Diogo who has done many works with them too. Another thing is they said they were open to anyone from anywhere in the country.
Catarina and filomena wont be picked, that’s just an opinion from most portuguese euro fans cause they’re more known. RTP will be surprising everyone im sure of it.
I don’t think last year’s stage was a disaster. Eurovision last year was great, the only let down was the hosting.
I’d prefer a stage where there is less dependence on an LED backdrop. Allow the song to shine more without being swallowed by what’s behind the performing artist.
then you must be pretty happy with this LED free backdrop
Love it, absolutely love it. Probably one of the best looking ones so far in esc history! Interesting that there will be a lack of LED, but that could be a good thing, it will force contestants to either focus on their song instead, or do a sergey lazarev and bring your own screen
this stage is at least 10 times better than kyiv!!!!! absolutely in love with it!
Where is LED Display?
I am curious about that too, but we could do without one. I mean, look at 2010
oooh that would be cool too! This is the first sneak peek, maybe we will get more details in the second peek?
2014 had the lights shine through the big led screen too, they could do that too
Maybe that wavy thing IS the LED – the smaller parts just rotate to form one big one LED display.
Yeah, kinda like how parts of the Rear-projection screen in Malmö would move to reveal lights for some of the songs.