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History

1965–1968: The Czechoslovak era

The first series of Intervision Song Contest, officially called Golden Clef Intervision Contest (Czech: Zlatý klíč Intervize)⁸⁹ ran from 1965 to 1968 in Czechoslovakia.¹⁰¹¹

1977–1980; 2008: The Polish Sopot era and fifth edition

Further information: Sopot International Song Festival

The first Sopot International Song Festival was initiated and organised in 1961 by Władysław Szpilman, assisted by Szymon Zakrzewski from Polish Artists Management (PAGART).¹² The first three editions were held in the Gdańsk Shipyard hall (1961–1963), after which the festival moved to the Forest Opera (Opera Lesna). The main prize has been Amber Nightingale for most of its history.

Between 1977 and 1980 Sopot was replaced by the Intervision Song Contest, which was still held in Sopot. Unlike the Eurovision Song Contest, the Sopot International Music Festival often changed its formulas to pick a winner and offered many different contests for its participants. For example, at the 4th Intervision Song Festival (held in Sopot 20–23 August 1980) two competitions were organised: one for artists representing television companies, the other for those representing record companies. In the first competition, the jury considered the artistic merits of the songs entered, while in the second, it judged the performers' interpretation.¹³ The festival has always been open to non-European acts, and countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Peru, South Africa and many others have been represented in this event.

The contest lost popularity in Poland and abroad in the 1980s. TVP's unconvincing attempts at organising several of the contests led to the authorities of Sopot giving the organisation of the 2005 Sopot International Song Festival to a private TV channel, TVN. Since 1999, there has been no contest. TVP chose to invite well-known artists instead, featuring the likes of Whitney Houston or The Corrs. In 2005, TVN was expected to bring the competition back. In 2006 TVN invited Elton John. The Sopot International Song Festival is usually considered[by whom?] bigger than the Benidorm International Song Festival because of its ability to attract star performers. In 2010 and 2011, the festival did not take place due to renovation of the Forest Opera. Since 2012, it has been called Sopot Top of the Top Festival and is broadcast annually by Polsat. The festival also provided opportunity to listen to international stars. It featured Charles Aznavour, Boney M, Johnny Cash, and more recently: Chuck Berry, Vanessa Mae, Annie Lennox, Vaya Con Dios, Chris Rea, Tanita Tikaram, La Toya Jackson, Whitney Houston, Kajagoogoo, as well as Goran Bregovic and Anastacia.

Eleven countries participated in the fifth edition in 2008, which was won by Tajikistan.¹⁴ In 2009, the then prime minister Vladimir Putin of Russia proposed restarting the competition, this time between Russia, China and the Central Asian member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.¹⁵¹⁶

Revival attempts

In May 2014, it was announced that the contest would return, featuring countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.¹⁷ Russian singer and producer Igor Matvienko, announced that the revival of the Intervision Song Contest would take place in October 2014 in the coastal city of Sochi, which played host to the 2014 Winter Olympics.¹⁸¹⁹ Seven countries had declared their interest to compete prior to the event's cancellation: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, China and Uzbekistan.²⁰²¹ Russia had also selected Alexander Ivanov as its representative.²² The contest was scheduled to take place in October 2014, ostensibly due to "Russian anger at the moral decay of the West", particularly in response to the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 winner Conchita Wurst. Moreover, the revival was seen as part of "Putin's broader cultural diplomacy agenda".²³ Despite plans to stage the contest in both 2014 and 2015, a revival has not taken place.²⁴²⁵ Ivanov later represented Belarus in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song "Help You Fly", but failed to qualify for the final.²⁶

In November 2023, Russian Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova and Channel One Russia's Director General Konstantin Ernst revealed at St. Petersburg's International Cultural Forum that the broadcaster planned to produce a revival of the Intervision Song Contest featuring the member countries of BRICS.²⁷ This occurred after the broadcaster's membership in the European Broadcasting Union was suspended, upon the exclusion of Russia from the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 due to its invasion of Ukraine.²⁸ On 8 June 2024, Russian government official Mikhail Shvydkoy told RIA Novosti that "more than 16 countries" would take part in the competition, naming Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brazil, China, Cuba, and Kazakhstan.²⁹

On 3 February 2025, now-president Putin signed a decree formalising the revival of the competition, which is scheduled to be held in the Moscow area later in 2025. Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko was appointed as chair of the event's organizing committee, while domestic policy chief Sergey Kiriyenko was installed as chair of its supervisory board. By then, more than 25 countries had shown interest.³⁰

Participation

The contest was formally open to members of the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation and any countries of the former Soviet Union.³¹³²³³

Winners

Winners by country

Winners by language

1. ^ VRT and RTBF alternate responsibilities for the contest.

External links

Media related to Intervision Song Contest at Wikimedia Commons

• BBC Magazine: The Cold War rival to Eurovision, Steve Rosenberg, 13 May 2012

References

1. Vuletic, Dean. "Dr. Dean Vuletic: Intervision: Popular Music and Politics in Eastern Europe". Universitat Wien. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 1 May 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230501080040/https://transformations.univie.ac.at/en/members/dean-vuletic/ ↩

2. Vuletic, Dean (25 July 2019). Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-10739-7. 978-1-350-10739-7 ↩

3. Vuletic, Dean (23 November 2021). "The Intervision Song Contest: Popular Music and Political Liberalization in the Eastern Bloc". Music and Democracy. Vienna, Austria / Bielefeld, Germany: mdwPress / transcript Verlag. pp. 141–156. doi:10.14361/9783839456576-006. ISBN 978-3-8376-5657-2. 978-3-8376-5657-2 ↩

4. Granger, Anthony (1 September 2014). "Intervision: 2014 Contest Is Cancelled". Eurovoix. Retrieved 1 September 2014. http://eurovoix.com/2014/09/01/intervision-2014-contest-is-cancelled ↩

5. Granger, Anthony (14 March 2015). "Intervision: Contest Moved To Autumn 2015". Eurovoix.com. Retrieved 16 April 2015. http://eurovoix.com/2015/03/14/intervision-contest-moved-to-autumn-2015/ ↩

6. "В России возродят советский фестиваль песен вместо "Евровидения"" (in Russian). The Moscow Times. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023. https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2023/11/17/v-rossii-vozrodyat-sovetskii-festival-vmesto-evrovideniya-a113523 ↩

7. https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/back-ussr-putin-revives-soviet-era-eurovision-with-new-allies-2025-02-04/ https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/back-ussr-putin-revives-soviet-era-eurovision-with-new-allies-2025-02-04/ ↩

8. Vuletic, Dean (23 November 2021). "The Intervision Song Contest: Popular Music and Political Liberalization in the Eastern Bloc". Music and Democracy. Vienna, Austria / Bielefeld, Germany: mdwPress / transcript Verlag. pp. 141–156. doi:10.14361/9783839456576-006. ISBN 978-3-8376-5657-2. 978-3-8376-5657-2 ↩

9. "The 'other' European song contest: Czechoslovakia's Intervision was meant to rival Eurovision". Prague, Czech Republic. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2024. https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/the-other-european-song-contest-czechoslovakia-s-intervision-was-meant-to-rival-eurovision ↩

10. Vuletic, Dean (25 July 2019). Postwar Europe and the Eurovision Song Contest. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-10739-7. 978-1-350-10739-7 ↩

11. Vuletic, Dean. "The many myths of the Intervision Song Contest — the first attempt to produce a regional version of Eurovision". wiwibloggs. Retrieved 12 May 2023. https://wiwibloggs.com/2020/08/20/the-many-myths-of-the-intervision-song-contest-the-first-attempt-to-produce-a-regional-version-of-eurovision/256850/ ↩

12. Szpilman, Wladyslaw (1 December 2005). "Songs composed by Wladyslaw Szpilman". szpilman.net. Retrieved 30 May 2014. http://www.szpilman.net/framesongs.html ↩

13. Waschko, Roman (6 September 1980). "Finn Singer Triumphant At Sopot Contest". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. p. 65. Retrieved 5 April 2011. Two competitions were held at the 4th Intervision Song Festival in Sopot August 20–23, 1980: one for artists representing television companies, the other for those representing record companies. In the first the jury considered the artistic merits of the songs entered; while the performers' interpretation was judged in the second. The outcome was a victory for Finnish singer Marion in the first contest, "Where Is the Love?" taking the Grand Prix. Six year ago, the same artist won Grand Prix at the Sopot International Song Festival. First prize was shared by Czech performer, Marika Gombitová with "Declaration", and Russian Nikolai Gnatiuk for the song "Dance on a Drum". https://books.google.com/books?id=NyQEAAAAMBAJ&q=marika+gombitova&pg=PT64 ↩

14. "Five Stars Intervision to open in Sochi". uzreport.uz. UzReport. 20 August 2008. Retrieved 9 June 2014. http://news.uzreport.uz/news_9_e_49317.html ↩

15. Intervision: The Russian proposed song contest with China, Central Asia (Shanghaiist: Shanghai News, Food, Arts & Events) http://shanghaiist.com/2009/10/16/intervision_the_russian_proposed_so.php ↩

16. Putin mulls Intervision Song Contest (BBC World Service) https://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/news/2009/10/091016_intervision_et_sl.shtml ↩

17. Bartlett, Paul (23 May 2014). "Bearded Lady Spurs Russia to Revive Soviet-Era Song Contest". eurasianet.org. eurasianet. Retrieved 30 May 2014. http://www.eurasianet.org/node/68401 ↩

18. Bartlett, Paul (23 May 2014). "Bearded Lady Spurs Russia to Revive Soviet-Era Song Contest". eurasianet.org. eurasianet. Retrieved 30 May 2014. http://www.eurasianet.org/node/68401 ↩

19. Kozlov, Vladimir (26 May 2014). "Russia launches Song Contest as Eurovision alternatives". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 31 May 2014. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/russia-launches-song-contests-as-707076 ↩

20. Granger, Anthony (23 May 2014). "Russia: Intervision To Return This October". Eurovoix. Retrieved 26 May 2014. http://eurovoix.com/2014/05/23/russia-intervision-to-return-this-october/ ↩

21. Ko, Anthony (23 May 2014). "Russia: Intervision Song Contest to return this October". Wiwibloggs.com. Retrieved 30 May 2014. http://wiwibloggs.com/2014/05/23/russia-intervision-return-october/51126/ ↩

22. Granger, Anthony (15 June 2014). "Russia: Alexander Ivanov Wins "Five Stars"". Eurovoix.com. Retrieved 15 June 2014. http://eurovoix.com/2014/06/15/russia-alexander-ivanov-wins-five-stars/ ↩

23. Lee-Adams, William (25 July 2014). "Following Outrage Over Conchita, Russia Is Reviving Its Own Straight Eurovision". newsweek.com. Newsweek. Retrieved 30 July 2014. http://www.newsweek.com/2014/08/01/following-outrage-over-conchita-russia-reviving-its-own-soviet-eurovision-260815.html ↩

24. Granger, Anthony (1 September 2014). "Intervision: 2014 Contest Is Cancelled". Eurovoix. Retrieved 1 September 2014. http://eurovoix.com/2014/09/01/intervision-2014-contest-is-cancelled ↩

25. Granger, Anthony (14 March 2015). "Intervision: Contest Moved To Autumn 2015". Eurovoix.com. Retrieved 16 April 2015. http://eurovoix.com/2015/03/14/intervision-contest-moved-to-autumn-2015/ ↩

26. Vasilyev, Mikhail (22 January 2016). "Belarus: IVAN will sing "Help You Fly" at Eurovision 2016". Wiwibloggs.com. http://wiwibloggs.com/2016/01/22/belarus-ivan-will-sing-help-you-fly-eurovision/117603/ ↩

27. "В России возродят советский фестиваль песен вместо "Евровидения"" (in Russian). The Moscow Times. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 17 November 2023. https://www.moscowtimes.ru/2023/11/17/v-rossii-vozrodyat-sovetskii-festival-vmesto-evrovideniya-a113523 ↩

28. "Європейська мовна спілка призупинила членство російських ЗМІ" [The European Broadcasting Union suspends the membership of Russian media outlets] (in Ukrainian). Suspilne. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2024. https://corp.suspilne.media/newsdetails/5047 ↩

29. "Более 16 стран примут участие в музыкальном конкурсе "Интервидение"" [More than 16 countries will take part in the Intervision music contest] (in Russian). RIA Novosti. 8 June 2024. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024. https://ria.ru/20240608/shvydkoy-1951601188.html ↩

30. "Putin Signs Decree Creating Russian Eurovision Alternative". The Moscow Times. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 4 February 2025. https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/02/03/putin-signs-decree-creating-russian-eurovision-alternative-a87845 ↩

31. Granger, Anthony (23 May 2014). "Russia: Intervision To Return This October". Eurovoix. Retrieved 26 May 2014. http://eurovoix.com/2014/05/23/russia-intervision-to-return-this-october/ ↩

32. Bartlett, Paul (23 May 2014). "Bearded Lady Spurs Russia to Revive Soviet-Era Song Contest". eurasianet.org. Retrieved 30 May 2014. http://www.eurasianet.org/node/68401 ↩

33. Olga, Elenskiy. Rossiя našla zamenu "Evrovideniю" (in Russian). dni.ru. Retrieved 1 June 2014. Rossiя našla zamenu "Evrovideniю" ↩

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