The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra will have the honour of kicking off the Opening of the Eurovision Grand Finale on 23 May the gardens of Schönbrunn Palace. Viewers from all the 40 competing countries and beyond will be taken on a cinematic journey through some of Austria’s the most beautiful and picturesque cities and landscapes and will land at the Wiener Stadthalle, where well known violist Lidia Baich  will treat the audience with a snippet of the 1966 Austrian Eurovision winning entry Mercie Cherie
Immediately afterwards

Next it will be Conchita Wurst who will take the stage and perform with the Vienna Boys’ Choir, the multinational Suparar Choir and the Austrian rapper Left Boy the official Building Bridges anthem. They will be  accompanied by the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra.

The main highlight of the opening act will be the Magical Bridge. All the 27 competing acts in the grand final will enter the stage via the Magical Bridge through the audience.