Ponomariov: “I didn't shave to bring Ruslana luck”

by Itamar Barak 362 views

Ruslana brought Ukraine it's first victory ever, only on it's second year in the contest. The only past Ukrainian entrant, Oleksandr Ponomariov, told The Day about his emotions of his colleague's victory.

“I am proud to be Ukrainian. Meanwhile, I was thrilled for Ruslana even more than I was for myself at the Eurovision Song Contest 2003”, said Ponomariov to The Day and added that in order to bring Ruslana luck on May 12th semi final, he didn't even shave that day.

“She showed a miniature theater play titled 'Wild dances'” says Ponomariov. “After watching the dress rehearsal, I called Ruslana in Istanbul and suggested that she move a little less onstage, since the bad sound settings spoiled the overall picture. She heeded my advice, and if you compare the performances on May 12th and 15th, her performance in the finals was more of a success”, said Oleksandr Ponomariov and added that he is proud Ruslana managed to receive 280 points, “despite the bad camera work of the contest's directing team”, as he puts it.

The Day joins the sceptic mood regarding the Ukraine's ability to stage next year's contest, which will celebrate the jubilee of the contest. According to The Day, there is currently no appropriate venue for the contest, a fact which means a construction of a new venue or a reconstruction of an existing one, an opinion expressed on a BBC interview, by Ruslana herself who was recently appointed as the Eurovision advisor to the state's prime-minister.