Eurovision Song Contest 1956
The Eurovision Song Contest 1956 was the first edition of the annual Eurovision Song Contest, organised by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and host broadcaster Radio svizzera italiana (RSI) on behalf of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. The contest, originally titled the Gran Premio Eurovisione 1956 della Canzone Europea, was held on Thursday 24 May 1956 at the Teatro Kursaal in Lugano, Switzerland, and hosted by Swiss television presenter Lohengrin Filipello, which remains the only time that the contest has been hosted by a solo male presenter.
Teatro Kursaal, Lugano – host venue of the 1956 contest
Marcel Bezençon (pictured in 1980) was instrumental in the creation of the contest as president of the EBU's Programme Committee.
Switzerland's Lys Assia (pictured in 1957) was the first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, and would represent her country in the contest again in 1957 and 1958.
The Eurovision Song Contest, often known simply as Eurovision, is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union. Each participating country submits an original song to be performed live and transmitted to national broadcasters via the Eurovision and Euroradio networks, with competing countries then casting votes for the other countries' songs to determine a winner.
The opening act during the final of the 2011 contest in Düsseldorf, Germany
Press conference with the Israeli delegation following its win at the 2018 contest
The EuroClub at the 2012 contest in Baku, Azerbaijan
Martin Österdahl, the contest's Executive Supervisor since 2021
