08:23, 04 May 2009 | GMT +5
Eurovision-2009 rehearsals start in Moscow
MOSCOW. May 4. KAZINFORM. The first group of participants in the Eurovision –2009 song contest will begin dress rehearsals at Moscow?s Olympiysky sport complex on Sunday; Kazinform refers to Itar-Tass.

Representatives of nine countries who have made their way into the semis will appear on the stage at Olympiyskiy. The stage is fitted out with modern equipment, including 2.5 kilometers of state-of the-art light-emitting diode screens. Each concert piece has its own stage design. Patricia Kaas of France didn?t need decorations at all while Svetlana Loboda of Ukraine is preparing a spectacular acrobatic show.
Thirty-seven countries will compete for the right to be in the final. The jury and the audience will select 20 singers. Besides, in accordance with the Eurovision rules, France, Germany, Spain and Great Britain as well as Russia, which is hosting the Eurovision-2009, have already reserved a place in the final.
Anastasiya Prikhodko, 21, will represent Russia this year. She will sing her song ?Mamo? in Russian and Ukrainian.
The Eurovision-2009 song contest will officially open in the Manezh exhibition hall on May 10. The two semi-finals and the final will be held at the Olympiyskiy sport complex on May 12, 14 and 16, respectively.
The first Eurovision song contest was held in 1956. Russian singer Dima Bilan and his song ?Believe me? won the contest in 2008. Dima?s team also included violinist Edwin Martin and figure skater Yevgeny Plyushchenko. The Russian team gained 272 points by the final SMS-vote; Kazinform cites Itar-Tass. See www.itar-tass.com for full version.