Eurovision 2009 Opens in Moscow

The venue of the Eurovision competition, Olympiyski Indoor Arena, has an impressive record of hosting major TV events in recent years. Photo by EP/BGNES

Moscow will officially open on Sunday the 54th Eurovision Song Contest, which it hosts for the first time after last year's success of Dima Bilan in Serbia.

The venue of the competition, Olympiyski Indoor Arena, has an impressive record of hosting major TV events in recent years, including the all-European tennis and basketball finals. For the Eurovision, it has been transformed into a giant concert hall.

On Tuesday the first of two semi-final competitions will open with eighteen countries to be whittled down as viewers vote for their favourites to go through to the grand final on 16 May.

Krasimir Avramov will represent Bulgaria in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with his song "Illusion" despite the slashing criticism over his poor performance and accusations of rigging the vote.