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Nerves turn to joy
Norwegian envelope relief
The last envelope is a particular special affair, given that at this point, millions of fans will be on the edge of their seats, calculating how many of the big favourites are still to be read out. Last year it was Moldova’s turn to bear the overjoyed relief of being the last one saved; this time it was Maria’s glory.
On the way to the semi-final winners’ press conference, Maria told journalists that she felt “completely fantastic”, and was revelling in the “great feeling” of being catapulted to the final on the very last envelope. “I was unsure towards the end, when there was only one envelope left – and then it was us!” she explained, surrounded by beaming Norwegian smiles.
At the subsequent conference, Maria told how the supportive cheers from the arena crowd had given her "great power", and reiterated the team's delight at their success.
Norway’s debut commentator Hanne Hoftun was doubtlessly one of many Norwegians whose joy was particularly vocal after the final envelope was read out. As despair exploded into sheer relief and pure joy, Norway also gains the further privilege of ending the 2008 final – a position traditionally regarded as a strong advantage for a Eurovision Song Contest entry.
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Congratulations to Maria! 
you were glamorous on Tuesday! Scandinavian girls rock! 
GRATULERER NORGE!
ITS SO NICE THAT NORWAY IS IN THE FINAL...
HOPE FOR A GOOD RESULT AT THE END OF THE FINAL
GOOD LUCK NORWAY!!! LYCKA TILL NORGE...
HEJA NORGE
I'm very glad for Norway! Congratulations! It was a very charming peformance and the best proof that you don't need gimmicks and an entire circus to do well. A great voice and a solid nice composition... For me this was the best entry in the first semi. Hope that it will do well in the final (were unfortunately with all countries voting I'm pretty sure that "old" voting patterns will reappear...). I cross my fingers!
Even if I support Armenia, I should admit that Norway was the best during the 1st semi-final. I also loved Israel's Boaz and Isis Gee from Poland. The only sad moment is that Hind from the Netherlands didn't qualify though she deserved it.
Maria was absolutely fabulous! Amazing dress, chorus and very subtile choreography (yes shae had a choreography ... one doesn't need to move only your legs to dance)! Bravo Norway, I'll vote again for you Go Maria!
Maria made the best performance at this semi-final. Good luck at the final
It will be a perfect ending to the final!
norway, my number 1 in 1st semifinal!
Well done Norway and congratulations Maria you were fantastic !
Vote Sweden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How did this below average song go through?!?!? Not against Belgium and Slovenia guys. Sorry! Good luck competing for null points in the final against the UK. Who whill do worse of the 2????
Fantastic performance of Maria. Norway usually achieves their best places with this kind of songs and this year will not be different
Gratulere Maria and Norway...
GRATTIS NORGE 
I'm happy for you. Hope we will join you on Saturday.
- Am I the only one who's had great problems with this website the last few days?
What was the Norwegian song about? Can anone remember?
Gratulerer Norge - you deserved the passing to the Final!
It was the best performance along with Poland. Congratulations Norway.
Well Done! She will do great
@Richard West-Soley: Your articles are always well-written, and such a joy to read!
Maria is soooo great! Scandinavian girls rock congratulations to Norway for getting to the final! greetings from Finland
Norway's entry was my personal favourite of the night. When it wasn't coming out of the envelopes I thought 'here we go again' as another great song fails to qualify. Thank goodness it made it. Overall - and unusually - those that qualified were the right ones, although is it just me that found the Russian performance rather creepy? If Dima was chocolate he would eat himself.
There was no surprise here when Norway got the final envelope. In fact, the suspense was minimal, the only surprising qualifiers having already been announced by that time. Norway's was a strong song and very well performed live, improving on the promotional video. It was coming third after Greece and Armenia in the ESC Today poll for people's favourite semifinal song before the voting began.
YES YES YES!!!! I was so happy when Norway qualified!!!! They really really really deserved it and it shows the West can still be in with a chance!
And I was also so happy when Finland qualified, because their song was absolutley AWESOME performed live and I really wasn't expecting them to qualify, so that was a nice surpise!
And Israel qualified, YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!!! Israel really do deserve to be in the final
Also despite the fact that I really really really didn't like Dima's rehearsals, his performance was alright at the semi and Russia do deserve that place in the final.
Although Ireland and the Netherlands didn't . . . . . . . shame!
But overall I was happy with the results, and I was happy because there were some good ballads that qualified, some western countries and some eastern countries.
Can't wait for semi 2 now . . . . .!!!! 
Definitely worth a place in the final! Well done Norway!
Norway was my favourite last night so I'm very glad they qualified
Israel, Poland, Norway in. Ireland, Estonia out... The songs won. Congratulations.
I WANT TO CLAIM AN OBVIOUS IRREGULARITY DURING DRAW IN THE PRESS CONFERENCE OF SEMI-FINAL QUALIFIERS LAST NIGHT.
BEFORE THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO WATCH THAT PRESS CONFERENCE AND TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE MOMENT WHEN RUSSIAN DIMA BILAN IS TAKING HIS NUMBER IN THE RUNNING-ORDER FOR THE FINAL.
FIRST, HE STOOD UP.
ALL THE OTHER PARTICIPANTS WERE SITTING DOWN AND NONE OF THEM DID THE SAME IN ORDER TO TAKE A NUMBER FROM THE HEAT. HE OBVIOUSLY STOOD UP TO PROVIDE HIMSELF A BETTER LOOK TO THE HEAT AND THEN STARTED TO DO AS FOLLOWS: GIVING AS A PRESENT A PILLOW TO THE LADY WHO KEPT THE HEAT WITH THE NUMBERS IN IT, TAKING OFF HIS ACCREDITATION AND PUTTING IT ON HER NECK AND THESE TRICKS HAD BEEN DONE TO MOVE THE ATTENTION OF THE VIEWERS. AT THE SAME TIME, HE LOOKED AWAY TO THE HEAT SECRETLY.
AFTER THAT, HE TOOK THE PAPER WITH A NUMBER, LOOKING AT EVGENY PLUSHENKO WHO WAS SITTING ALL THE TIME AND THEN OPENED THE PAPER AND SHOWED THE NUMBER.
THAT'S EXACTLY HOW THE SITUATION WAS GOIN' ON.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A PAPER OR PAPERS READY IN THE HEAT THAT HE COULD RECOGNIZE.
DEAR FRIENDS, ESC FANS, I WISH YOU TO WATCH THE WHOLE PRESS-CONFERENCE AND ESPECIALLY THE MOMENTS WHEN DIMA WAS IN THE CENTRE OF CAMERA ATTENTION AND THEN JUDGE FOR YOURSELF. I WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU TO REACT.
IT'S SUCH A DIRTY PLAY IN THIS YEAR'S EUROVISION SONG CONTEST!
PLEASE, IF ANYONE CAN DO SOMETHING ??!
THIS IS A CRIMINAL!
PLEASE, ESCTODAY PUT THE LINK OF THE PRESS-CONFERENCE!
Wow, it's simple : I no longer have nails this morning ! haha.
I was a little bit disappointed about Maria's performance, especially after Poland made a great live, so throughout the show I was checking if there were 9 performances worse than Norway. During the results, after the 9 first envelopes I really thought Norway was out (as I was disappointed by the performance), but NO ! I am so relieved !!!
Another great song was O julissi, that I discovered yesterday night, it's just genuine !
On saturday, I'll finally be able to vote for Norway and Finland !
Overall, a good show, btw.
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