On eve of great show- Today.Az to broadcast ‘Eurovision-2012’ first semi-final live - UPDATE

Just few minutes left for the start of the First Semi-Final of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest  in Baku, Azerbaijan, where 18 countries will compete for just 10 places in the Grand Final.

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Users of Today.Az web site will be able to watch live the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 on the agency's website. The first semi-final will be held from 00:00 to 02:00 local time.

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Today Azerbaijan's capital will host the first semi-final of Eurovision 2012.

The contest will be held at the Baku Crystal Hall, built on the shores of the Caspian Sea specifically for Eurovision 2012. Baku Crystal Hall seats 23,000 spectators, another 16,000 spectators will be able to watch live the contest's semi-finals and final on big monitors. Television audience of Eurovision 2012 is more than 100 million people in 50 countries.

Baku Crystal Hall of metal structures was built in record time - in less than 8 months. In form it resembles a faceted crystal - hence the name of the Hall. Baku Crystal Hall is especially beautiful in the evenings, when numerous crystals attached to the façade begin to shine by artificial light.

The semi-finals will be held on May 22 and May 24 and the final on May 26. The logo for the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest is Fire Flower, while the motto is Light your fire.

Representatives of 42 countries will participate in the 57th contest. The show will begin at 00:00 local time.

The 18 acts competing in the first semi-final of the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in order of appearance are: Montenegro, Iceland, Greece, Latvia, Albania, Romania, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland, Israel, San Marino, Cyprus, Denmark, Hungary, Austria, Moldova and Ireland.

Azerbaijan won the right to host the prestigious European song contest after the victory of Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal (Ell / Nikki) at Eurovision 2011 in Dusseldorf, Germany last May.