The Eurovision 2022 stage design, entitled “The Sun Within”, was meant to play on the movement and energy of the sun. The design, which you can watch in the animated rendering below, includes a series of moving arches. One side features an LED that should display stunning graphics, while the other side has countless lights that emit glorious hues across the spectrum.

Unfortunately the sun within ain’t moving. It now resembles a static black rainbow of death or an ominous space craft from Close Encounters of the Third Kind and has marred many of the rehearsals so far. Delegations — who spent months planning their stage shows around the large moving orb — have had to tweak their plans at the last minute. Let’s be real though: Not everyone is going to be able to put a Band-Aid over the out-of-place object that’s blocking the bigger LED graphics behind it.

Eurovision 2022 stage problems: Kinetic sun will remain in place

 

In a statement sent to Danish broadcaster DR, the European Broadcasting Union confirmed that the sun will remain in place even if it’s kaput.

“During the technical tests in Turin, the production team has experienced challenges with how long it takes to adjust the sun to different positions in the time between the different performances.”

“Together with the host broadcaster RAI (Italian TV), it was therefore decided that the sun will remain in the same position during all 40 songs, to ensure a fair competition for all participating countries.”

Is it fair though? Some countries seem to have suffered more from the large black expanse eating up TV space than others. 

In the main photo above, Romania’s on-screen graphics of the lyrics “Hola mi bebébé” are completely obscured. You’ll recall that they played a key role in WRS’ national final performance, helping people follow along with the song. 

As you can see in the photographs of Estonia’s performance below, the black arches are very visible on stage — blotting out what’s behind it. 

 
 
 
 
 
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Birgitte Næss-Schmidt — Denmark’s stage director for Eurovision 2022 — spilled a lot of tea to Danish broadcaster DR.

“We were told that the stage did not work three days before our first rehearsal,” she said. “Fortunately, we had chosen not to use the turntable itself in advance, because we did not think it worked optimally, so it has been fairly simple for us to adapt our performance.”

Cyprus is among the countries that have managed to dodge a sun-shaped bullet by not incorporating the kinetic sun into their original stage plans. 

By standing inside a glorious seashell, Andromache is able to serve non-stop colour and emotion without fear of those arches.

It’s a similar story for Portugal. By using Stage B — and tweaking camera angles — they will likely avoid the sunken star. 

 
 
 
 
 
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464 Comments
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Michael
2 years ago

How come Israel managed a moving stage very professionally over 40 years ago and Italy can’t in 2022?

Erik
Erik
2 years ago

Why didnt they just remove to sun?

DVDFGL
DVDFGL
2 years ago

Blimey, all these comments are exhausting. Lighten up guys, there is a war going on in Ukraine.

Fast Food Music Lover
Fast Food Music Lover
2 years ago

Florian Wielder come back!!

ogi
ogi
2 years ago

didn’t something similar happen in lisbon?

Tadhg
Tadhg
2 years ago

Interestingly I see no mention of the “black hole” on the section of the RAI website dealing with ESC, I wonder why?

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
2 years ago
Reply to  Tadhg

Embarrassed by their own incompetence, maybe? You have to wonder what this will do to viewership.

Nira
Nira
2 years ago

MGP stage 2016-2019 stage was better and looks like it!

Shemshem
Shemshem
2 years ago

Cannot believe this is actually happening… The scene this year looks absolutely horrible, the most affected performances are going to be the ‘colourful’ ones. Ballads sang in dark scenery are not going to be as affected cause the ‘rainbow’ is just black, there is no way of talking about fairness here. Big disappointment. After watching the official rehearsal videos posted on official Eurovision youtube channel I am just sad… some national finals were presented in a much better way.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
2 years ago
Reply to  Shemshem

Believe it. If there had been the potential for a safety hazard, and they left things as they are now, they’d be liable for negligence or worse.

As it stands, this could cost some contenders significant points for their efforts, maybe enough to cause some razor’s edge countries to fail to qualify.

If I were them, I’d bring big LED screens with them as props, pre-programmed by their teams for their performances, with graphics to appear as close as possible to what they intended for that kinetic sun-turned-black hole.

Amorata Delfont
Amorata Delfont
2 years ago

Oh, Italy….

Teddie
Teddie
2 years ago

If it stays like this it’s officially the ugliest stage in the history of ESC

Joe
Joe
2 years ago

I understand people’s disappointment, and yes, the EBU and RAI should’ve addressed this earlier. Counterpoint: if you don’t like it, don’t watch it. Yeah, maybe if your favorite was Romania, you’re going to be rightfully disappointed. But when push comes to shove, Eurovision with a faulty LED screen is still Eurovision. I’m here for some great performances and I’m gonna see ’em. If it’s not ruining the artists’ mood, it’s not ruining mine.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
2 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Thank you Joe.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
2 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Lithuania would beg to differ, if I read correctly about the chaos this malfunction caused for them.

Greco-French
Greco-French
2 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Well, my favorite is France this year and they didn’t plan to use the dead star for their staging, but I still think that it’s not fair for other delegations that spent months planning their performance. Italy started to build the stage way too late and didn’t think of any plan B. After the success in Rotterdam last year, it’s unforgivable. And their arrogance to warn the contestants 48h before their arrival…… no comment about that…

Adrián
Adrián
2 years ago

Just like an Italian car, looks 10/10, reliability 1/10

3art
3art
2 years ago

I still don’t understand why they can’t move that sun even if it means longer breaks . Last time Eurovision was in Italy it went over an hour over schedule, so why not now ?

Greco-French
Greco-French
2 years ago
Reply to  3art

Agreed

Yorkie
Yorkie
2 years ago

This just sucks 🙁 How have they not explored other options? If it takes, for example, 50 seconds to turn the sun around, make longer postcards. Is there something that can be done with the running order? Since that is now flexible (with the exception of Italy’s being 9th and first half/second half etc, can they not group all the LED sides in one section of the 1st half and the Lights side in another section, and repeat this process for the 2nd half, with ‘talking in the green room’ and ‘skits’ being aired in the time where the sun… Read more »

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
2 years ago

What chance is there that someone is going to resort to bringing their own LED screen as a prop for their performance, like Michael Schulte (Germany 2018) did?

3art
3art
2 years ago

THIS IS A JOKE!

On a different note, quite a lot of Polish staging videos can be found on this clip from Polish tv: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7lcnNjlmfo

Jonkonfui
Jonkonfui
2 years ago

I dont understand how it was supposed to work the sun thing. On the pic we see the Romanian act and behind the ‘sun’ there is a screen where we can partially read Hol bebé but it is blocked by the sun. Had the sun worked properly how would we have seen the screen anyway? Spinning or not spinning the sun would have been in the way.

Sometimes
Sometimes
2 years ago
Reply to  Jonkonfui

the text would have continued on the led screen of the sun

Rainbow of death
Rainbow of death
2 years ago

The Serbian song is terrible so it match

Xxx
Xxx
2 years ago

I don’t understand why can’t they just take the led screens from the sun and make a makeshift portable led screen for everyone to use.

Mitch
Mitch
2 years ago

So Danish delegation knew what’s going on days before the rehearsals, but others were just left to be surprised and improvise on the spot? Shameful

Vivian
Vivian
2 years ago
Reply to  Mitch

And yet their staging is worse than everyone else’s x)

Lawrence Gibb
Lawrence Gibb
2 years ago

What a lot of fuss about nothing. In the end whatever song connects with enough juries and televoters will win regardless of what the back drop looks like. Perhaps this is a good lesson for the EBU to instruct host broadcasters to keep it simple. Btw I totally agree with you Emma. There are a significant number of people commenting here who believe criticism and invective are the same thing.

Robert
Robert
2 years ago
Reply to  Lawrence Gibb

What are u talking about? Sweden for example wouldn’t have won in 2015 if the screen behind Mans didn’t work.

TJCat
TJCat
2 years ago
Reply to  Robert

“simple” doesn’t mean getting rid of the LED screens altogether?

Robert
Robert
2 years ago
Reply to  TJCat

Romania is keeping it “simple” but their entire concept is ruined because the sun isn’t working. What is your point?

Boozyfloozy99
Boozyfloozy99
2 years ago

Mess! Either turn it around to the LED side Or rip it out and then it’s a level playing field. Clearly not prepared or tested enough, disgusting hope all the delegations go hard on the complaints.

Gurl
Gurl
2 years ago

Just turn around the thing so at least we don’t have to see the eye of sauron in every performance! Because now it’s the only thing I can see on the stage, really.

UaleWonka
UaleWonka
2 years ago
Reply to  Gurl

They are not going to turn it around because most part of the delegations had already planned to use it on the side without the LED. So the problem and the unfairness remain for the delegations that planned to use LED.

Joe
Joe
2 years ago
Reply to  UaleWonka

I mean, it kinda sucks to suck for the delegations that were over-reliant on LEDs. It’s like 2018 all over again: sometimes you gotta just bring the performance and hope that Europe follows along.

Emma
Emma
2 years ago

This is unfortunate. I feel for the acts who will be most effected by this and understand how disappointing it must feel after months of hard work. However, the needless toxicity and nastiness from so called ‘eurofans’ is utterly, utterly atrocious. Have Italy made a mistake, yes, are they therefore incompetent at hosting because part of the stage doesn’t work? uh no, it could’ve happened to anyone, hosting is more than the stage. I also find it disgusting, how a minority of people are using this to disrespect Mahmood and Blanco because they are the host act and well, they… Read more »

Helene
Helene
2 years ago
Reply to  Emma

Do you really think it could have happened to anyone? Maybe – but they would have tested it for a at least a month before the competition. The whole thing is highly unprofessional. It is a worldwide viewed television program – not some Sunday morning family show. Better to use experienced professionals that knows how to do it to be safe. But I hope we see some over reacting here. The delegations will find solutions to the problem. So I think it will be a great show anyway. Looking forward to it. And I see very few persons attacking Mahmoud… Read more »

joonas
joonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Emma

those tiktok videos are ads.

Sabrina
Sabrina
2 years ago

The whole “sun-gate” is annoying me in so many levels, from the fact EBU and RAI didn’t have a plan B and keep pretending it isn’t happening to part of the fandom eating up the drama and seizing the opportunity to be toxic. So let me propose a different angle: who has a problem with the “dark rainbow” on the stage and how they could deal with that. Latvia: Sure, their led is screwed, but in Supernova the performance was more about the guys. They’re entertaining, their outfits are colorful, they’re many and hyperactive. If wide angles are avoided, I… Read more »

Hankalu
Hankalu
2 years ago

In my opnion eclipse of sun will makes Mahmood chances in jury votes lower cause many will be think twice before risk again Italy 3rd time destroy esc .

UaleWonka
UaleWonka
2 years ago
Reply to  Hankalu

You could be right about the jury votes. Anyway, Italy isn’t destroying ESC this time: it is a big problem, but we can still try to enjoy the rest of the show which will be beautiful.

DomiNets5
DomiNets5
2 years ago

Back in February (when this stage design came to light), I remember having the hunch that this so-called “sunwas a disaster waiting to happen. Sometimes, pushing the envelope is not enough when overseeing teams lack expertise and professionalism. What a shame, anyway.

Nomo nomo
Nomo nomo
2 years ago

can we all stop calling it sun? it’s maybe a blackhole but noway a sun

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
2 years ago
Reply to  Nomo nomo

I’ve been calling it a black hole since Sunday morning!

I hope the Space Man can use it to his advantage!

ete sech
ete sech
2 years ago

This is just… disappointing

Tzs
Tzs
2 years ago

Sorry for saying this but Italian can only do staging with orchestra – it seems like everyone said Italy is perfect but somehow no and that’s the life … at the end of the day – it is a song Contest and not staging Contest – it always made me cancerthat people love songs based on staging and TV production… Lets move on – andiamoo

Sayonara
Sayonara
2 years ago
Reply to  Tzs

Måns Zelmerlöw wins ESC just because he’s staging was so good. We are living in 21st. century and visuals are important as much as song.

TJCat
TJCat
2 years ago
Reply to  Sayonara

maybe for some, but i voted for it because i likes the song

DonutLover
DonutLover
2 years ago
Reply to  Tzs

If it’s just a “song” contest let’s just cancel the show and air it on a radio..

Tzs
Tzs
2 years ago
Reply to  DonutLover

I did not say – it should be in radio but feels like visuals are more important than the songs 🙂

Tzs
Tzs
2 years ago
Reply to  Tzs

Thanks for dislikes 😉 but thats my opinion 🙂

Mitch
Mitch
2 years ago
Reply to  Tzs

Yes it is a song contest, and they had a nice idea that worked only in theory. This way it only showed how unprepared they were with everything. It seems like “the sun” was their least concern which became their biggest problem. And now they are not even trying to find a solution but instead are just oh well, it is what it is.

Adrián
Adrián
2 years ago
Reply to  Tzs

If staging wasn’t important why they created such a overcomplicated stage? Staging is important, maybe not for all performances but it’s important for the show, to keep people watching even the songs they don’t like.

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
2 years ago

Konstrakta replied to someone’s message on instagram and said that the sun was off the table and that they needed to figure out how to get the most out of the lights now.
First she wasn’t allowed to use subtitles, now there’s gonna be no meaningful visuals. I hope the few key translations they planned were gonna be an overlay (or are gonna become now) because without at least some text on the screen she’s screwed.

Fernando
Fernando
2 years ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

Can you elaborate a bit on the subtitles thing? Is there an official rule against those? I’ve always advocated for the possibility of optional subtitles via DUAL technology or sth like that. Since the EBU is also in theory devoted to tech breakthroughs for me it was a glaring an absurd omission that they have never considered it…

Now I read your comment and my hunch was kind of confirmed, they simply wouldn’t (why? because they think most lyrics are lackluster?)

joonas
joonas
2 years ago
Reply to  Fernando

there is no rule against subs. just most broadcasters dont use them. estonia has had subs for every song for over 20 years.

Anna Banana
Anna Banana
2 years ago

I thought the sun was a bad idea anyway, why having such a massive object when most delegations don’t even need it and makes it harder for them to do the show their way. The sun can destroy the vibe. Better have a plain stage.

sam
sam
2 years ago

serbia and lithuania, my top 2 have both been hurt the most by this. it’s really infuriating

jot
jot
2 years ago

I just realised that the official logo looks exactly like the black sun blocking the background. Their vision has become reality.

Opus1612
Opus1612
2 years ago

Imagine being a designer with the job of making all the LED and light design of a performance, and then, three days before, you are informed that a bunch of tasteless and basic steel and lights strobes will block and ruin your ideas.

Seriously, this is totally unprofessional and an embarassment to the italian organisation

Sayonara
Sayonara
2 years ago
Reply to  Opus1612

Imagine artists like Konstrakta… Most of her visual identity was based on LED screens. That’s so awful! I don’t even know why she still perform under miserable conditions.

Roo
Roo
2 years ago

It can’t be fixed? There is still time to fix it.

DonutLover
DonutLover
2 years ago
Reply to  Roo

Even if there is,the simply won’t do it..

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
2 years ago
Reply to  DonutLover

If there was a safety issue involved, there’d be hell to pay for that kind of attitude. If it collapses during mid-show, they’d have a safety issue on their hands and would be required to stop the show for repairs; maybe postpone the show, and have all the contenders perform their songs again at a later date should an even bigger malfunction or collapse occur before the last contender gets to perform.

JSZ
JSZ
2 years ago

They should rotate the first, third and fifth ring to show the LED side and leave the other three with the lights as it is .

TJCat
TJCat
2 years ago
Reply to  JSZ

good idea!

JSZ
JSZ
2 years ago

At least they can rotate the first, third and fifth ring and leave the other three with the lights as it is

Vale
Vale
2 years ago

If history is repeating itself, Italy should withdraw from Eurovision in 2 years time!

Emma
Emma
2 years ago
Reply to  Vale

Wow really? If this had happened with any other country, you’d be saying the same thing. The country is irrelevant. This toxic Italy hate is frankly disgusting and I’d be saying the same thing if another country had stage issues.

MTD
MTD
2 years ago

I saw a small video of the Latvian on-camera.
It looks even more miserable on camera – all that blackness in the middle of the stage is just, not cool.

Akai
Akai
2 years ago

Hi guys.
As an Italian that has been following Eurovision since 2007 (before we even returned, I’m half Romanian), I’m completely heartbroken for what’s been done.
I feel ashamed for the lack of organization, I’ve dreamt about Eurovision being popular again in Italy, was absolutely excited about this moment, but you can’t deny how HORRIBLE and wrong this looks.

I’m so sorry.

Emma
Emma
2 years ago
Reply to  Akai

JFC why should you feel ashamed, just because all the toxic people are making you feel ashamed? Its not your fault.

TJCat
TJCat
2 years ago
Reply to  Akai

I am sure the morning after the grand final most people will be praising Italy for a fantastic show.
I am sure you will have lots of reasons to be proud

Craigee_mac
Craigee_mac
2 years ago

I went to see my nephews school drama play last weekend.. They had LCDs and a movable stage? He is 10 years old. The kids did all the work with lighting, changing the stage, and effects. If a bunch of 10 year olds can do that, how come these people in Italy can’t manage a decent stage for such a huge event?

Adrián
Adrián
2 years ago
Reply to  Craigee_mac

I don’t know what’s exactly the problem, but that thing must weight A LOT and it’s probably very complicated to move fast enough safely.

John
John
2 years ago

y’all, you should all remember that Italy is a third world country with good food and nice architecture

Bella
Bella
2 years ago
Reply to  John

Next time you’re thinking about posting a comment, I would like you to take 1 minute to think about it, then write it down on a piece of paper, and push it back deep in your an*s where it belongs. You’ll feel better. Ok buddy? 😉

Jghtl
2 years ago
Reply to  Bella

Why are you so hurt by his comment, I don’t get it.

Daniel
Daniel
2 years ago
Reply to  Jghtl

Uhm…third world country? Does that sound like something normal to refer to any place, furthermore in Europe?

Elfi
Elfi
2 years ago
Reply to  John

….. you clearly need some vitD in your life…

gea
gea
2 years ago
Reply to  John

Have you even been in a third world country?

Sven
Sven
2 years ago

I found this, looks like broken sun screwed Kalush performance same as others, oh hell , please fix this , I’m scared to watch second rehearsals tomorrow… 🙁

https://twitter.com/tasha_tsuman/status/1521441089500196865?s=20&t=Z5gLFGdj2w1iyj9nfXV_Dg

Nick
Nick
2 years ago
Reply to  Sven

that sounds bad, Kalush is one of contenders,even if I don’t think Ukrainians really want to win this year but I would still be pissed if my planned staging being screwed by black hole as for everybody else too, nobody deserves this, about half of countries are done dirty by this stage

Vivian
Vivian
2 years ago

If the stage is called ‘the sun within’ this certainly looks more like a solar eclipse. Seriously why not just flip the stupid thing around if it ‘takes too long to turn in between performances’? Then at least the thing won’t block the back LED as much as it does now

johnny
johnny
2 years ago

i actually dont mind the sun at all.. i think it gives the stage of a character and makes it different from all the other eurovision stages in the past. i do believe that it kills some of the acts but it rly helps some others. i think its how the each country uses it .

sam
sam
2 years ago
Reply to  johnny

stop lying, it’s like getting a black eye and putting cheap concealer over it… an eyesore, literally

Emma
Emma
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

They’re obviously not lying if that’s their honest opinion.

Adnama
Adnama
2 years ago

Ah Italians. Just like Greeks, full of passion but not a grain of proper organisation
( but tbf, Greeks did host a great Eurovision back in 2006 )

vamoss
vamoss
2 years ago
Reply to  Adnama

we had 6 giant led pieces changing for every act 16 years ago, we did it much better and there is not even a point of comparison

Zuzu
Zuzu
2 years ago
Reply to  Adnama

We lack many things, but we as Eurovision hosts were very decent, just like the Olympics in 2004.

MTD
MTD
2 years ago
Reply to  Zuzu

I loved the Olympics back then. They had a human touch, even with all those issues of sorts. I can’t say the same for recent OGs.

Konstantinos
Konstantinos
2 years ago
Reply to  Adnama

Greeks are not organised but they do their best when they host Eurovision or Olympic Games for example. Fokas Evangelinos, the Greek director and choreographer is the most successful director in Eurovision history

Rainbow of death
Rainbow of death
2 years ago
Reply to  Adnama

Eurosivion 2006 was freaking awesome 🙂

jugofuturizam
jugofuturizam
2 years ago

Why wouldn’t they rotate it asymmetricaly to make it look like on the original drawings, that would totally feel nice and the lights attached to it would have it covered just fine while making LED screen in the back fully visible.

jugofuturizam
jugofuturizam
2 years ago

Even though I’m sad because this is happening to Italy as a host, there are no excuses for this situation.

On the other side, I am not surprised ‘cause this kind of stage didn’t seem logical and very realistic from the beginning.

People would think that designing a complex staging like this would have some kind of testing months before the contest in some real time simulation… I still hope they’re gonna figure something out, let’s not judge before the official statement.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
2 years ago
Reply to  jugofuturizam

They have one week. I can imagine Osterdahl’s ears are ringing with all the screaming coming through his phone.

Héctor
Héctor
2 years ago

What a complete mess. The EBU or the RAI should be returning the money those delegations affected by this malfunction invested in professionals for developing the visuals or the staging itself. We could even argue if are elegible for a compesation as the career of various professionals involved are on the line.

The organization seems to have given up and they are not even trying to fix it at this point. Also, I wouldn’t say this is the fairest solution. Now a lot of performances will look very similar and those who have brought their props and “stage” will benefit.