ESC Today

The first day of rehearsals are now underway and this morning, Montenegro, Israel, Estonia nad Moldova will complete their first technical rehearsals and press conferences. You can read the reviews below from the rehearsals and later today, our media partner, 12points.tv will provide video footage. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11337)

British broadcaster, BBC, have updated their Eurovision website for the forthcoming song contest. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11340)

Serebro the Russian representatives at the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki have released their new video Opium. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11339)

The panel of the judges of the TV show Inside Eurovision Song Contest 2008 on SVT 1 choose their 10 countries that they think are going to qualify from the first semifinal of ESC 2008 in Belgrade last weekend. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11338)

Deep Zone & DJ Balthazar are offering five lucky esctoday.com readers the exclusive chance to win a pair of VIP tickets to the official Bulgarian delegation party in Belgrade on 19th May at the Euroclub, at 20.00 (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11336)

Good morning and welcome to the start of esctoday.com's live 2008 Eurovision Song Contest coverage. In under 30 minutes, Stefan Filipovic, Montenegro's representative, will step out onto the Belgrade stage for the first of 43 countries' rehearsals (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11335)

The Montenegrin delegation arrived in Belgrade today and already Stefan Filipovic has appeared on Serbian television. The Montenegrin act will be directed by Gorčin Stojanović, the man behind Marija Serifovic's winning entry in 2007. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11333)

RTS, Serbian National Television organized last night a special cocktail party dedicated to Jelena Tomasevic and the whole team who will represent the country in 53rd Eurovision Song Contest. esctoday was there, too. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11314)

The press centre at Belgrade's Sava Centre opened this morning and the general view is 'so far, so good'. The area is different to previous years, with several press rooms for computers, a fan zone, viewing room, huge press conference area, large restaurant, cafe and plenty of fan areas. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11331)

The farewell party organised for Kalomira by OGAE Greece proved to be the most successful of its kind in the country so far. Hundreds of Eurofans gathered at the Aftokinisi Club in Athens on Thursday to wish Kalomira good luck in Belgrade and meet the special guests who included past Greek entrants as well as four if this year's contestants in the Eurovision Song Contest. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11332)

James Fox, the United Kingdom's representative at the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest is heading for a return to the UK top 40 charts, half a decade after his last hit. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11330)

Pirates of the sea, who will be representing Latvia in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest are about to release their first CD single, Wolves of the sea. The CD will be distributed to fans and press during the band's Press Conferences in Belgrade. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11329)

Nico, Vlad Mirita, the Romanian representatives of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 and Andrei Tudor, the composer of the Romanian eurovision entry "Pe-o margine de lume" are ready for Belgrade as they declared yesterday during the press conference that was held at TVR, the Romanian broadcaster. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11325)

The representative for Malta in this years Eurovision Song Contest, Morena, will be jetting off to the Serbian Capital on the 13th May in tme to start rehersals for her participation in the Second Semi Final on the 22nd, with her song Vodka. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11327)

DJ Balthazar and Joanna who will be representing Bulgaria in the 2008 Eurovision song Contest, spent the past few days in Greece where they concluded the extensive Bulgarian promo tour. In Athens they took part in the most popular TV shows, and were also guests of honour at the OGAE Greece farewell party for Kalomira. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11328)

Hind, the Dutch hope in this year's Eurovision Song Contest, will leave for Belgrade tomorrow. Before taking off to the Serbian capital ,fans, family, colleagues and friends will have the chance to say goodbye and wish her luck. Tonight, there's a special 'goodbye-party' organised in 'FAME', the biggest music store of Amsterdam. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11326)

Eurovision: Countdown tv show 2 is now available on the Dutch Eurovision website. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11324)

Three Senhora do mar CDs are up for grabs by three lucky esctoday.com readers. Just answer three questions about Vania Fernandes , this year's Portuguese entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest, and Portugal and one of them could be yours. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11310)

French TV producer and lyricist Pascal Sevran died yesterday, from lung cancer, at the age of 62. The man was a strong supporter of French-speaking chanson and he was closely involved in the 2006 French selection for Eurovision. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11323)

This year results of Estonian televote will be presented by Sahlene. Swedish Sahlene represented Estonia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2002 in Tallinn and finished third. (http://www.esctoday.com/news/read/11322)