The stars of Eurovision 2022 are ready to burn hot like the sun. And the clever minds at Italian design firm Atelier Francesca Montinaro will help them do that with a glorious stage design inspired by our most important star.
“The Sun Within” plays on the movement and energy of the sun with a series of moving arches. From the sun we all draw life, so it’s fitting that the stage will be framed by water and “a lush Italian garden”. Yellow sun, blue water, green bush — we honour Mother Earth and say Amen!
Italian designer and visionary Francesca describes her plans this way.
“The kinetic sun, source of spectacular movements and tricks of light, rules the stage and represents our Italian attitude: always on the move, rebellious, creative, welcoming, passionate, intuitive. We are the ones with the sun within, and this is our way to be in this world.”
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“The cascade of water that frames the stage, allegorically represents the sea that surrounds us, a symbol of our complex culture. The stage is our peninsula: a country where each contestant is welcomed, no matter where they are coming from.”
“The artists and their teams will be hosted in a lush Italian garden, where vegetation mingles with rays of light, suspended between reality and illusion, transporting them to a playful and architectural dimension.”
Unleash your inner fire: This sketch shows the sun, the centre of our universe, taking its place at the centre of the stage.
I don’t know if I like it, how could this help the scenography. Looking like this they are trying to minimize the artist and the song and most the scenario.
As tacky as you could expect…
I don’t understand why, to some people, Italy is always linked to the terms “dated” and “old-fashioned”. This doesn’t seem old-fashioned at all to me. It’s actually very refreshing compared to recent years. I’m sure the delegations will find very creative ways to stage their songs and we will have amazing visuals in Turin. Can’t wait to see more!
As many countries (but not the UK as far as I know) Italy has a TV license fee (canone) to finance the state broadcaster and since a couple of years, every Italian pays it because it’s linked to the electricity bill. Before many Italians didn’t want to pay it. This means, RAI has more money than ever and now they know how to spend it.
Unfortunately RAI has also a debt generated by the lack of the higher “license bill” or “canone” that should have to be paid by pubs, restaurants also during the lockdown in the pandemic period. Having lost all that money, RAI is currently struggling to cover the debt. Sanremo was able to secure RAI with a good revenue. Now let’s hope there will be a good italian audience during the 3 ESC shows in order to boost the advertisement revenues. Concerning BBC, if I remember well, they also have a “licence fee” which is very high. In Italy each family pays… Read more »
One question, the acts will be alllowed to perform on the stage above the waterfalls or it is made only for the perspective, I mean is it only for the decor or is it practicable for the acts? Maybe it’s too dangerous because of the moving sun.
Ok no answers and downvoted, I love some wiwi readers…
Being not a fan of the visuals of this esc year, I can say that I find the stage really promising and beautiful, I love sunsets over the sea, it’s poetic and very beautiful so I can only like this. I find the idea of the little waterfalls effective with the lights behind. The moving sun can give us interesting stagings. The big led screen seems impressive, everything is great on the paper so now let’s see how it will be in reality.
Very bad and dated. Pitty. When u see hairstyle of the designer, somehow u realize immediately that stage that she designs couldnt be a good one.
I like it! However, I am not quite sure how the waterfall thing can work. The main stage (the one in the back) may be lost for the public since it is quite on the back. So the interaction with the public may not work. On the other hand it may not be quite disturbing in terms of camera shots and flags.
It’s a lovely departure from the Wieder-designed stages. I suspect the solar rings are LED and meant to be spun, so it’ll bring some unique functionality into it. The waterfall will be a unique prop as well, giving some good background choices in the island.
However, it doesn’t mean I’m not concerning anything. Since the bridge is sloping down while curving with no rails, and the floors of the prototype seems so thin, I hope they will consider the safety of this stage further.
It reminds me of the ESC 1979 stage
Looks nice ! Good luck to everyone!
I can imagine Amanda slaying in that stage
I love this stage already. It’s a nice change from the Iast I-don’t-know-how-many stages. I can’t sing, but I wish I could go on that stage and sing and be a part of the show. 😀
Monika Liu is gonna EAT on this stage!
that’s the one that I’ve thinking!!! Lithuania’s best result ever in the making!
It’s like this stage was made for her. 70s vibes.
So many stage designers in comment section, wow! You really hate everything, right?
The Stage is MADE for Cornelia (Hold me closer – Melodifestivalen – Sweden)
And that’s a problem about this stage. It does not allow everyone to transfer their idea to the stage because its concept already restricts them.
Stop crying rivers over stage
No but for real, the stage is very unpractical
Can they remove that sun from stage? There is not a stage that I remember since I watch Eurovision where a host imposed what must be on stage in the background of every single performance. Eurovision should reflect the culture and style from a host too from one aspect, but it’s globally popular TV show and this just feels too local for such an event.
And I want my boy Liamoo to overpass Cornelia and win Melfest <3
i’m glad you’re watching esc for the 1st time
I’ve been watching ESC now for years and it’s true that all stages in previous years had nothing like this, which is a good point from one aspect.
“There is not a stage that I remember since I watch Eurovision where a host imposed what must be on stage in the backround of every single performance.” 2018 had a “wave” structure and no LED screens. 2014 had a massive square structure. 2013 had 2 polygonal towers with a weirdly shaped back-wall which caused some countries to adjust their staging. 2010 also didn’t had any LED screens. Only in 2007 that the LED back-wall was first used, but then it also had a structure right in the middle of the stage. Do you really prefer a flat, common, and… Read more »
LED Wall was used clearly in Istanbul in 2004 first. I suspect it used in Talinn in 2002 but I’m not sure if it was LED or projection.
Nothing can compare with Eurovision stage 1987.
Epic !
This looks really interesting to me. Something truly unique and memorable.
It will at the same time give a bunch of interesting opportunities to artists & also force them to be extra creative (as opposed as just slapping a graphic on a flat LCD screen).
I hope they release a concept video soon.
wait why do people not like it? i think it looks epic and definitely one of the best stages we’ve had in years
those people would truly prefer an uninspired stage like 2015, 2017 or 2019 where the only purpose is to make performances as led-reliant as possible. this stage will allow for more non led-related creativity.
I disagree, I’m afraid this stage restricts the possibilities of creativity for the artists and their team. They’re bound to these shapes, which are very eye-catching and prominent. This will cause the performances to look very similar to each other.
Completely agree!
I agree with you, the focus should be on the songs… but with this design it seems like the focus is on the stage. Take last year’s winners performance, for instance. They couldn’t have done that on this stage.
The power of their performance was partly due to the simplicity of the stage concept, they had all the stage to themselves and could rock out however they wanted to. With this stage they would be way more restricted.
“This will cause the performances to look very similar to each other.”
That way it will be all about the music & the singing, not the circus show going on in the background
Nothing screams ‘focus on the music’ like a stage with waterfalls and lots of concentric circles all moving differently. I think we share the same opinion about what Eurovision should be, but we differ on the execution.
I agree with you, this stage is trying to stole all the creativity to the artist. For Sanremo is great but for Eurovision I dont see it.
I agree, with the dependence of LED all the stages were very similar, weren’t most of them designed by Florian Weider? Time for someone new and something different, from the little I can see it looks good.
1979 was also the closest we came to having a garden.
Pretty disappointed overall
I feel like the rings will give the performances a uniform look. It’s very unpractical in my opinion. The waterfall is pretty useless as well.
Pleasant to look at though.
I feel sympathy for it.
It’s just not very thought-out and not really practical.
Some people are so easy to please, just give them water on stage.
Arent you people worried that this will hugely benefit some entries ( like River from Poland ) and will cost others? Like for a song about Fire… Imagine Eleni Foureira performing Fuego in a park ( waters and gardens ).
Its tacky, old and kitsch and potentially unfair. Its a patriotic idea ( we are the country of Sun water and green ) that belongs in 1980.
Finally Rai brought back the circus to its core, the songs and the singers, because it’s a song contest not a dance contest. A great song and singer doesn’t need a globe in the air, mega trumpets or larger than life dresses. Sanremo has the same small stage for 25 contest without useless props, fills italian and global chart with all the songs and reaches 65% share in the final, why eurovision still need to be a kitsch carnival?
It’s such a unique and classic stage design. The greenroom (literally) has to be my favorite part of it all. It is ambitious and very interesting! I’ve missed such old-school stage designs, I’m glad that Italy’s bringing back a completely modernised idea of this style.
Beautiful. Love the ideas behind it. When they say it’s “framed by water,” does that mean there’s like a ring of water surrounding it, like the JESC 2008 stage?
And it’s great to see something really different for once. Like, I love Florian Weider’s designs, but it starts to feel a bit monotonous when they pick him to do it every year.
Exactly. In 90s Ireland hosted 3 years in a row and the stages all had a different feel. Whereas the modern contest goes to Stockholm, baku, Kiev, Lisbon, Vienna and it all felt more or less the same.
Brilliant!! I have always dreamt of having a waterfall type effect on stage and was hoping Lisbon would’ve done it given their theme, but figured it couldn’t be pulled off because the water falling would make too much noise and be picked up by the mics…so different from anything seen before…looking forward to see it in action
Water and a garden around the stage, seems a bit old/tacky to me but it will all depend on the execution.
Also, some entries ( like River from Poland ) will be much more benefited than a song, for example about Fire ( that has nothing to do with water ). The later could be negatively affected from the water on stage.
I dont think its well thought, the thinking behind this is very old.
agreed! also the lights in the arena might hinder Czech’s entry since the song is called “lights off” and north macedonia will be benefitted because their song is called “circles”
LOL
I really don’t understand all the love for this
2007 all over again, perhaps?
A few of you have mentioned 1979. It looks like that stage had a big prop of movable rings to resemble planets, a sun or other celestial body. It actually looks good for its time, so if 2022 is emulating 1979, then at least they picked a good one, right? Anyhow; they are completely different levels of tech, so they hardly compare.
The 1979 sculpture actually resembles the IBA logo which takes inspiration from radio waves. The 1999 stage, that also reminds this one, was an actual sun, and it also had moving parts and a big screen in the back (maybe the first use of a video wall in ESC?)
Thanks Ana. 🙂
I’m already seeing Blanco throwing himself into the pool during the winner performance.
Wow, this is ambitious! It feels like old times Eurovision in the way it uses stage elements with so much character that the performances won’t be able to “hide” them. But at the same time the big screen in the back and the smaller one on the side provide what are used to have these days. I guess even the sun can still be used as a mosaic screen. I like the fact that, just as it happened in Lisbon, the delegations will be challenged to be more creative.
it screams 70s… in a nasty way. all the songs with cascades on stage ew…
and that leds on the middle of every performance back videos. I feel sad for all the artists this year.
Cool design, very unique.
Spectacular!!! Rai is focusing a lot on Eurovision. Everything suggests that it will be something unique. The daytime broadcasts are already talking about Eurovision (never happened in previous years), a higher stage than Sanremo, the choreography will be super it seems, level presenters, the postcards will be breathtaking, I can’t wait to know the guests, red carpet in Venaria (live on Rai1?), I hope for a tribute to Raffaella Carrà, Mahmood and Blanco with their “Brividi”, Forzano (the show director) said that he has some surprises in mind that he cannot reveal… In short, what an excitement. And tomorrow night… Read more »
Spectacular!!! Rai is focusing a lot on Eurovision. Everything suggests that it will be something unique. The daytime broadcasts are already talking about Eurovision (never happened in previous years), a higher stage than Sanremo, the choreography will be super it seems, level presenters, the postcards will be breathtaking, I can’t wait to know the guests, red carpet in Venaria (live on Rai1?), I hope for a tribute to Raffaella Carrà during the interval act, Mahmood and Blanco with their “Shivers”, Forzano (the show director)said that he has some surprises in mind that he cannot reveal… In short, what an excitement.… Read more »
Not really a fan of the stage design to be honest. I don’t like the fact that the arches are blocking the LED screen.
I think the arches are a LED screen too
Such a cool stage! I especially like the water that surrounds it. I hope some act will use it in their staging.
If it is possible to walk (and dance!) inside the little pool in front of the waterfall, as I think it is, it would be amazing. I was just thinking about Chanel’s performance on this stage… “Agua!”
It’s an incredible design! It’s modern yet retro and of course it’s leagues above than what we’ve had lately. I didn’t expect less from Italy! 😀
I have so many questions. Is there a waterfall? Are those fountains? Are they putting a real garden in the arena? Where’s the green room? I love it and I want more!
Yes. There is a border waterfall at the edges of the stage. The green room is organized as an italian garden with shaped rectangular bushes and small trees separating the delegations. The back of the stage is composed by 6 rotating arches with light effects and (probably) transparent LED screens as backdrop. There is a, huge ledwall at the back of the stage, etc. The most astonishing things are the waterfall border simulating the seas surrounding Italy and the “green” room as an italian garden.
Spettacolare, Vincenzo. Rai sta puntando tantissimo su Eurovision. Tutto lascia presupporre che sarà qualcosa di unico. Le trasmissioni del daytime stanno gia’ parlando di Eurovision (mai successo negli anni precedenti), stage superiore a Sanremo, le coreografie saranno super a quanto sembra, presentatori di livello, le cartoline saranno mozzafiato, non vedo l’ ora di conoscere gli ospiti, red carpet a Venaria (diretta Rai1?), spero in un omaggio a Raffaella Carrà, Mahmood e Blanco da “Brividi”, Forzano ha detto che ha in mente delle sorprese che non puo’ rivelare… Insomma, che eccitazione. E domani sera incollato a vedere “Una voce per San… Read more »
Penso anche io. Incrocio le dita. Forzano secondo me farà cose super. Faranno venire un travaso di bile a molti qui.
Sanremo non si discute ! Se mi dici che questa e migliore di una scenografia qualsiasi di Castelli per Sanremo allora vuol dire che non capisci un …… 😉
Sucof, sono belle tutte e due, Castelli father and daugther non si discutono, certo. Ma questa sembra…. differente, solo a leggere la descrizione mi sono venuti i ” brividi”….. La settimana di Eurovision sarà per me come la settimana di Sanremo. Ferie durante Sanremo e programmate ferie durante Torino 2022. 🙂 ciao
Castelli è bravissimo, però le sue ultime 3 scenografie sono tutte simili. Bellissime, ma simili. Mentre la Montinaro ha fatto qualcosa di radicalmente diverso per due volte. Anche Riccardo Bocchini ha realizzato due o tre scenografie diverse tra loro.
I like it very much. Imagining it come to life makes me like it even more.
This is different to what we have had lately. I love the garden features aspect. Also I know it’s wishful thinking but… is the lower level for a live orchestra? I can dream.
Really a stunning stage. I only hope that delegations take full advantage of the various elements. Italy has taken risks here, please do the same.
this year the rai has earned 43 million euros in advertising with the sanremo festival!
Awful. Lol
Love it!
I am sure it is one of the written requirements from EBU.
It wasn’t in 2018. There’s only so much money the EBU can force a broadcaster to spend.
Italy went for waterfall and a rotating led sun and we have no other choice than to stan.
1996 and 2014 both had water, but it was hard to even notice – hopefully, this will be different.
I knew for 2014 but 1996??? Damn they failed to show that didn’t they
It was very obvious and explicit…but maybe u dont remember.
I loooove that the stage incorporates Italian elements while still looking fresh and modern. This is very impressive from Francesca and Rai, can’t wait to see it in action! I’m also very intrigued by the garden thingy they showed, even tho the picture is kinda dark it still looks very pretty.
True, the entries are so disappointing so far, and I think there will be a lot more… It seems to be one of the weakest year in terms of songs since a long time… I thought 2020 was bad (we had like 10-12 excellent songs and the rest was average/bad) but this year looks even worse…