At 20:15 CET tonight, Germany will air its selection for the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. Three well-known artists have been selected internally.
The show will be hosted by famous comedian and 'Grand Prix' fan Thomas Hermanns, who annoucned the German points in the final of the 2005 contest. Former German representatives in the Contest will be live on stage: Mary Roos (1972 with Nur die Liebe läßt uns leben and 1984 with Aufrecht geh'n), Joy Fleming (1975 with Ein Lied kann eine Brücke sein), Ingrid Peters (1986 with Über die Brücke geh'n), Michelle (2001 with Wer Liebe lebt), Corinna May (2002 with I can't live without music and Lou (2003 with Let's get happy). Furthermore, the British winners of 1976, Brotherhood of Man with Save your kisses for me, Dana International, who won the contest for Israel in 1998 singing Diva and the Danish winners of 2000, the Olsen Brothers and their song Fly on the wings of love, will be part of the show.
Three participants will try to get the ticket for Athens:
Former Modern Talking singer Thomas Anders will perform his self written song Songs that live forever. He will sing while playing the piano, wearing a white suite. Two femal violin players and background singers will complete the stage appearance. Moreover, he will sing a Eurovision classic: Volare, the Italian entry back in 1958.
The entry of the 'country cover band' Texas Lightning is called No, no never and was composed by front singer Jane Comorford, who will wear a pink dress and pink cowboy boots. The other members of the band will wear stetsons. On stage, they will use a wind machine to illustrate their entry. As a classic they have chosen Waterloo to perform.
Vicky Leandros, former Eurovision Song Contest winner will present her song Don't break my heart by using dramatic light effects. For the stage performance she has chosen a red dress. The song itself was composed by herself, the lyrics were written by somebody else. As a classic she will sing her own winning song of 1972: Après toi
Other guests in the show will be comedians Hape Kerkeling and Dirk Bach, singer Lucy Diakovska and actor Georg Uecker who will all perform Eurovision Song Contest songs. On the official German website eurovision.de you can find pictures of the lates rehearsals.
The show will be screened this evening at 20:15 CET, broadcast through ARD. A webcast will also be made available.
Despite a last place in Kyiv with Gracia and Run & hide, Germany will directly enter the final in Athens as they are one of the so-called 'Big 4'.
