Israel 1999
All the news I have
from this year's host country:
There's news on the
Israeli entry right here, and below is the latest news on the
preparations (updated 13 May):
Interview
with presenters | Latest news - strikes, Dana
International's Interval Act | Earlier stories
Israel first to
announce song for May 29th news from
Itamar Barak in Israel:
The
Israeli entry for ESC'99 is: "Yom Holedet"
(birthday) performed by an unknown boyband named Eden (right).
A little more
information about Eden: Their first single "Me'ohav"("in
love") was released to Israeli radio today.I heard it and it
sounds really good. The ESC song "Yom Holedet"(Birthday)
was composed by Moshe Datz, who represented Israel in 1991
with his wife Orna and was also producer and composer of "Amen"
in 1995.Co-producer of Eden is no-other than Shlomo Tzach.This
is his 11th entry to Eurovision. He was manager of Yizhar Cohen (1978), Milk
& Honey(1979), Dafna Dekel(1992), Liora(1995), Ilanit
and more.One of the members of Eden is Doron Oren,who
participated in Israeli Kdam pre-selection in 1996.The rest three
members are an unfamiliar Israeli singer and two Americans.
Ellis Shuman
invites us all to the Israeli Culture website
- which introduces Israel's selection for the upcoming Eurovision
Song Contest, Eden. If you want to see his pages on Eden, follow
this link, and there are pages
on Dana International too.
Final in Jerusalem: Strike
threats/The Postcards/Dana's Interval act /Eden single soon /Set
design out
Itamar Barak
from Israel reports on preparations for the International final on
May 29th:
Presenters
1999
Itamar Barak
reports the ESC presenters have been chosen.
According to the 9
April "Yediot Akhronot":
A threesome will
present the ESC. Sigal Shachmon - She's a model and a very
popular TV presenter in Israel, Dafna Dekel - Israeli entrant
to ESC'92, with "Ze Rak Sport",
which reached 6th place, and Yigal Ravid - the Israeli Terry
Wogan. He was Israeli Televoting spokesman in the last ESC,and
presenter of the ESC on Israeli radio in recent years. He is a well
known Eurovision fan.
All three speak
fluent English and French, and Ravid also speaks German.
Thanks to
Itamar, who also supplied the photo.
Here's a part of a
very long interview with ESC'99 presenters, as posted in 24 April
Israeli "Yediot Akhronot" paper:
Sometime in the
middle of our meeting, Sigal Shahmon suddenly burst out in an
imitation of her favourite Eurovision song, "J'aime La Vie"
by the bouncy minor from Belgium, Sandra Kim. Her version was not
very far from the original.
Shahmon:
"I love this song. I won't forget how she jumped and sang hysterically."
We gathered in Yigal
Ravid's nice penthouse in north Tel-Aviv to discuss the
threesome's appointment as presenters of the 1999 ESC.
How do you
audition to this role?
Dekel:
"They asked to talk about everything that comes along in French.
I talked about my kid."
Who were your
co-presenters in the audition?
Ravid:
"I was. They asked me to stay and co-present with every female
candidate. They probably marked me earlier."
The rumours
indicated on Haim Topol and Yael Abekassis as presenters. No one
guessed they'd pick you.
Ravid-"They
also talked about Eden Harel."
Aharon
Goldfinger says That Yael Abekassis was turned down because she was
pregnant, and Haim Topol refused, although he was IBA's manager preference.
Dekel-
"Yigal will do the formal presenting and Sigal and me will give
it more spice".
Will we see any
provocations like the Swedish presenter who lost her skirt and stayed
in her underwear? Shahmon smiles.
Dekel-"Are
you up to something, Sigal?"
Ravid-"I
think that sometimes the over-sophisticated presenting in recent
years were a bit too much"
As we were
talking we noticed Yigal's impressive collection of old Eurovision
video tapes. With sore eyes we watched the circulating toilet bins of
ESC'79 in Jerusalem. -Is Eurovision still alive in Israel?
Ravid-"Sure.
Since our victory it has had quite an hysterical come-back .I admit
we had our share of fiascos: that singing officer ('96) that got us
kicked out even before the contest and Sara'le Sharon ('93).But I can
assure you, on May 29th you'll see what patriotism is".
It's always very
campy this show ,isn't it? That's why they say the Eurovision is a
gays thing?
Shahmon-"If
that's what's going to bring the victory, then I don't care. If we
stand on that stage because of them I will not see a problem. I love gays".
What about the
costume dress changing?
Dekel-"Without
12 dresses each, I don't go on stage ,right Sigal?"
Ravid-
"Frankly, I'd rather get my own clothes and give the IBA the receipt"
Aren't you a bit
worried that the IBA is producing the show?
Ravid-"Rabin's
(the late Israeli prime-minister) theory of "you can count on
me" does not apply here. We are dealing here with a bunch of
people who are taking this matter very seriously. What's the most
embarrassing mistake you are afraid of?
Shahmon-
"Language mistake"
Dekel-"
Language?! - Falling! Did you see Carola falling of her chair in the
green room in '92?"
Ravid-"I
think the funniest was in 1990 when Toto Cutugno won the contest and
all his hair colour dropped of his hair to his jacket".
There are always
stars for a moment, those who give the national results. Do you know them?
Ravid-"I
was one of them last year"
I'm talking
about those who talk about the shining sun and the nice flowers in
their home-countries.
Ravid-"Last
year they went too far with this routine: 'thank you, you're
wonderful. No, you're wonderful...'Eventually Dana sang with credits
on her face. It won't happen to us".
Dekel-"This
year the presenters became more important than our home entry".
Ravid-"I
hope everything will go according to plans. I want us to enjoy this.
Dekel and Shahmon
burst out together in English: "Ladies and gentlemen, we invite
you to sit back and relax".
Shalom, Itamar
Barak, Israel.
Here is some
news as reported today (10 May 1999) in Israeli newspapers:
The
technicians union of the IBA is threatening once again to disrupt
the preparation and the live transmission of the ESC'99.
The union's claim
is that the IBA's management has hired external employees to work on
the ESC production, since Channel One has also to deal with the
coverage of the general elections in Israel, next Monday.
By this, the IBA's
employees status is damaged and also their salary.
They expressed
their protest a while ago, but now they repeat and declare they will
act and disrupt the production.
IBA's management
has decided that no candidate for the Israeli prime ministry will be
present at the ICC on the big night.
The election's
second round will be held on June 2nd. After consultation between
IBA's managers, they came to a decision that the show must be clear
of politics and out of politicians reach, since they could try and
use this event as last moment attempt to gain votes.
So, once again we
won't have the head of state in the show, since the current Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is running for a second term in office.
Jerusalem's police
are preparing very intensively for tomorrow, when Dana International
(picture right) will shoot her part of the interval act.
The religious
population in Jerusalem is demanding that the singer will not perform
in King David's tower grounds and will not sing the song
"Free" which is based upon a biblical poem "Deror Yikra".
The religious
population is threatening to disrupt the shootings by demonstrations
Shalom, Itamar
Barak, Israel.
Earlier stories:
As reported today
in Israeli (24/2)"Ma'ariv" paper:
The IBA's employees
union is threatening to disrupt the broadcasting of the 1999 ESC on
May 29th.
They claim against
the management of IBA's Channel One, that it has hired an independent
firm of employees to work on the production of the contest.The union
has given the EBU it's reasons and warned from the protest expected
on May 29th. Their biggest weapon can be declaring a strike on that
night, which will paralyse the production.
The IBA hired the
extra-workers,since the first channel will have to deal with the
up-coming elections,as well as the ESC. IBA's general manager, Uri
Porat, refered to this threat as "an outrage".
Meanwhile, Yoav Ginay,
lyricst of "Diva",was chosen as the Israeli
televoting spokesman in this year's Eurovision song contest.
As reported today
(24/2) in Israeli "Yediot Achronot" paper:
The bible's legends
and stories will be used as the theme for the minute long passages
between the 23 songs in this year's ESC.
The stories that
have been chosen have the most piquancy and stings than the
rest.These stories will be showed with humour and much respect to the
feelings of the three religions.These passages will be a combination
of animation and live filming in different sites, under supervision
of directors Levy Ziny, Amnon Vinner and No'am Meshulam.
This decision will
save the IBA the trouble and cost of taking all the entries members
to the usual "scenery postcard".
The idea of this
theme was initiated by Jerusalem-born artist, Yossi Abu'Lafia,
who will be the artistic supervisor of this project. The concept is
to show the link between modern Israel and the biblical one.There
will be use of engravings and paintings of renowned artists in the
making of the clips.
Shalom from Itamar
Barak, Israel.
A special interview
with Dana International was printed today (19 February) in
Israeli "Ma'ariv" newspaper.In this article Dana speaks
about the night on May 9th last year,about her success in
Europe,about "Woman in Love" (her single from a charity
album of Bee Gees covers:
GH)
and her new album and about this year's interval.
According to the
article Dana is supposed to be the star of the interval.She is
planned to perform Stevie Wonder's "Free" from a special
set constructed in "Breichat Ha'sultan" in Jerusalem.
Some resistance to
this plan is expected, and it is claimed that the objecters are
already protesting, but, as the time being, it will continue
according to the plan.
Eden: As
reported today (19 February) in "Yediot Akhronot"
newspaper,"Yom Huledet", Israeli entry for ESC '99,will
make it's debut performance in over a month from now.Eden's managers
plan to release the single as the fourth and last of the band's up
coming album. As a result, The single will reach radio stations in
Israel at the end of March or the beginning of April.
The television
broadcast is more complicated. It seems there is no suitable
programme in the IBA's first channel for "Eden" to
perform.If no other alternatives raise,the first screen test of
"Yom Huledet" will be five weeks before the contest, in
Channle One's main show for Israel's 51st independance day.
Shalom,from Itamar Barak,Israel.
Set: As
reported today in Israeli "Maariv" paper (February 17):
The Israeli
artist,Ya'akov Agam, will not design this year's ESC set. (his
design is shown right)
This desicion was
taken a few days ago in the IBA, after Agam had submitted a model to
the production team, which was found unsuitable. Now, three months
before the show is due, the IBA started negotiations with a new set
designer. The idea of of asking Agam, an international renowned
artist,came from IBA's chief executive, Uri Porat. Seniors in the IBA
refered to the model as "Very Bad". These sources also
revealed that "This adventure with Ya'akov Agam cost the IBA 100.000$".
Yair Stern,IBA's
channel one manager,confirmed that Agam's proposal was "inappropriate".
Shalom from Itamar Barak,Israel.
As reported in
Israeli "Yediot Achronot" (15/1/99) paper:
The 1999 Eurovision
song contest will be held on May 29th in Jerusalem.
Uri Porat,
IBA's chief executive, confirmed it yesterday. In the beginning of
the week Porat implied there was a threat that the IBA wouldn't be
able to organise this year's contest due to financial problems,
consequently to the '99 state's budget problems. However, in a
meeting of the ESC production team yesterday, Porat assured that the
financial matter had been clarified and the production can now
advance and go ahead.
Shalom, Itamar
Barak from Israel.
Here is an
article from today's Israeli "Yediot Achronot" paper: (13 Jan)
Financial problems
A couple of days
ago, Uri Porat, IBA's chief executive, stated that the ESC'99
in Israel is under a threat because of financial problems. But it
seems that no one bothered to inform the EBU about it, so officials
in Geneva were quite surprised to hear it. Christine Marchal,
first heard these news from the paper's reporter and was astonished: "This
is very unprecedented. There has never been a country that took upon
itself the task of hosting and didn't meet it's obligations.I don't
even want to think of the possibility that Israel will not be able to
host this year. If such a scenario happens, THERE WILL NOT BE A
CONTEST IN 1999.I can hardly imagine another country taking this in
such a short notice. Anyway,all technical co-ordinations have been
taken care of and even hotel rooms are reserved. As far as were
concerned the contest is taking place in Jerusalem on May 29th,as planned".
Elections on May
17th add pressure
Officials in the
IBA also believe that the contest will go ahead in Jerusalem. The
belief is that Porat made this declaration in order to stimulate the
government to give the IBA the needed amount to proceed in the
production. But the budget is not the only problem.12 days before the
contest elections will be held in Israel. IBA's Channel 1 will have
to manipulate between these two mass productions. "It will be
difficult, but we have succeeded before in these situations and I
believe we can also do it this time" says Uri Porat. "In
regards to the ESC we are in a two months delay. If this situation
continues for about ten days,we will reach rock bottom, where we
won't be able raise from, but I'm more optimistic about it."
The one who didn't stay an optimist is Amnon Barkay, ESC executive
producer. He is also Channel One's news senior producer. After
elections were scheduled for May 17th he submitted his resignation.
Officials in the production see him as "the wind in the ESC
wings, without him it will be hard to manage four months before the
show". "I still haven't accepted his resignation" says
Porat. "I can understand his distress. But as soon as all the
problems are solved I'm sure he will stay".
A poor contest
But even if the
contest eventually takes place in Jerusalem, there is no certainty
how it will look. The previous contest in Jerusalem in 1979 was a
great success. According to some officials there won't be a resemblance."The
contest will be very poor" says a senior in the production.
Four months before the show, the presenters were not chosen yet, the
interval or the passages between songs are still in vague. All these
are consequences of the budget.
Topol as presenter?
People in the IBA
say that Uri Porat wishes to give the contest an international look
with as much glamour.That's why he insists on the artist Ya'akov Agam
as set designer, which is quite an extraordinary choice. The artistic
supervisor will be Ralph Inbar,the Israeli/Dutch TV producer. Porat
also want's Haim Topol, star of "Fiddler on the roof",
as presenter. His choice also raises some protest:He had a TV show a
couple of years ago,which was eliminated shortly after it went on
air. The IBA's management claim all possibilities are still open for
presentation:Eeden Harel(MTV Europe presenter and Miss World 99
presenter);Noa Tishby; Milly Avital (a successful actress in
Hollywood); Meirav Michaely; Yael Abekasiss(A TV presenter who is
really keen on hosting the ESC, especially with her husband, the
actor Lior Miller). On the male side the names given are some TV
presenters like Avri Gilaad,Erez Tal,Kobi Meidan and Yigal
Ravid(Israeli jury spokesman in 1998). But there is no rush to solve
this problem in the IBA, Uri Porat: "First we build the
house, then we will furnish it".
Shalom from
Itamar Barak, Israel. Thanks!
Earlier news
from Itamar:
As reported today (8 Jan) in Israeli "Yediot Achronot" paper:
Uri Porat,
IBA's chief executive, has refused to accept Amnon Barkay's
resignation as ESC'99 executive producer. Barkay, who is the senior
producer in the news section of IBA's TV branch,wishes to be released
from the ESC task after elections in Israel were declared and
scheduled for May 17th.
Most probably,
elections second round will be on June 1st. Barkay wishes to express
his great difficulty to manage between the two events, because the
ESC will be stuck in the middle of other big events which will demand
his full attention. Uri Porat objected to Barkay's standpoint and
gave him the full support to go on,in spite the obstacles.By this,
Porat recognizes Barkay's ability as one with the highest salaries in
the IBA.
Even earlier
news from Itamar, this time more positive:
Here is some news
as reported today (20th December) in Israeli "Yedioth Achronot" paper:
Last weekend the
IBA ESC committee assembled.
In that meeting
Channel One chief executive, Yair Stern, gave some new information:
The whole budget of
this production is 27.5 million Shekels (about $6,875,000). Half of
this amount will be contributed by the EBU, and the rest will be
raised by governmental aid and Israeli or foreign sponsors.
Jerusalem is
expected to host a total of some 1500 guests, during Eurovision week.
Due to technical requirements of the set design, TV and cameras
equipment, inside the ICC in Jerusalem, there will only be a 1000
seats available. All of those seats will, unfortunately, only be
vacant to invited guests.
Several days before
the contest, a special artistic show will be filmed in "Breichat
Ha'Sultan" (The Sultan's Pond), right under the ancient
city's walls. This show will probably be the interval act, or will be
used for the passages between the songs. The producers are
considering selling tickets to this show. There is also concern that
the dress rehearsals, usualy held on the Friday and Saturday will
violate the Jewish Sabbath. Staging the show in Jerusalem like this
risks extreme religious opposition.
Shalom from
Itamar Barak, Israel. Thanks!