Eurovision, Achille Lauro gives the shock but is out of the final

"Are you hot?". Like Madonna in the legendary 1987 concert in Turin, Laura Pausini greeted the audience of the Olympic Pala starting the second semifinal of the Eurovision Song Contest which decreed the other 10 finalists who will battle for the final victory on Saturday evening.

Belgium, Czech Republic, Azerbaijan, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Australia, Sweden, Romania, Serbia join Switzerland, Armenia, Iceland, Lithuania, Portugal, Norway, Greece, Ukraine, Moldova, Holland who had already won the final on Tuesday. The "Big Five" France, Spain, Great Britain, Germany and Italy, with the duo Mahmood and Blanco , have direct access to the Saturday evening, for a total of 25 countries.

Great disappointment for San Marino who lined up Achille Lauro . The singer gave the building a shock that went crazy with his Stripper , but it was not enough to convince juries and televoting.

Exaggerated, excessive and overwhelming, the singer showed up amid flashes of fire, in a transparent black lace jumpsuit and a cowboy hat.

Before getting on the mechanical bull, Lauro - repeating a gesture already seen in Sanremo - approached his guitarist Boss Doms for a kiss on the mouth, sending the audience (and the one in the press room) into awe.

Emma Muscat for Malta, known in Italy for her participation in Amici , also remained out.

Alessandro Cattelan has the honor of opening the semifinal with a self-mocking portrait of the Italians. Then the race that, as the public has now learned, ran fast with the 18 competing countries who performed in an hour and a half.

From the powerful rock of Jezebel by Rasmus for Finland, to the scenographic Sheldon Riley for Australia with a sort of wedding dress and heavy retina covering his face, to the wild Romanian Wrs.

Laura Pausini and Mika , invoking peace , sang "Fragile" by Sting and "People have the power" by Patti Smith.

Guest of the evening "Il Volo" , in a semi-virtual version with Gianluca Ginoble remotely because he tested positive at Covid. The trio dragged the Pala Olimpico with a rock version of "Grande amore", with which he won Sanremo in 2015 and then participated at Eurovision.

(Unioneonline / vl)