News - Azerbaijan: Technical problems for Elnur & Samir | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2009 Moscow, Russia 

The Azerbaijani duet Elnur & Samir were left disappointed despite qualifying to the Eurovision Song Contest Final on their first attempt. The Azerbaijani singers were not completely satisfied with their semi-final performance and today's first final rehearsal. Technical issues precluded the duet from demonstrating the full power they wish to portray for their act Day after Day.

In terms of equipment and stage costumes, Day after Day has been one of the more complicated acts in this year's Eurovision Song Contest. The duet, dancers and technical personnel have faced challenges in successfully carrying out the Day after Day act. Complex costumes, which are transformed during the song; the wine that the Demon pours on the dancers, and which shouldn't spill on the stage; a multitude of pyrotechnical effects; and finally, the most important angel-and-demon accessories – the white wings designed to open during the act and the black throne built to fall apart in the culminating moment of the performance with the final pyro explosions.

Some of the carefully choreographed and rehearsed elements of the act did not work. First, the angel's wings, which are an important symbol of good in the act, broke down and refused to open. Then the mystical forces turned their attention to the main prop of the performance – Samir's huge demonic throne. According to the script, the throne should explode spectacularly in the end of the performance to symbolize the triumph of Good over Evil and the return of demon Samir to angel Elnur. Unfortunately, the audience of the semi-final had no chance to witness this conclusion. After the show, Elnur and Samir appeared visibly shaken by this technical mishap.

By the time of the first rehearsal of the Eurovision final on Friday, 23 May, the Arena personnel under the guidance of Andrey Yeremin, production director of the act, had done their best to fix the Angel's wings and make sure the Devil's throne explodes in the end of the performance. Unfortunately, their efforts have were completely in vain as none of these performance elements worked. 

After the rehearsal, Adil Kerimli, Head of the Azerbaijani Delegation, said that everything will be done to fix the persisting problems with the wings and the throne and that if no extraordinary forces come into play during the Eurovision Song Contest final on the night of 24 May, millions of viewers around the world will finally be able to see the "Day after Day" act as intended.

Also joining Elnu and Samir in Belgrade are the other two finalists of the Azerbaijani national selection "Land of Fire", which took place in Baku on 2 February. . Aynur and the rock band Unformal were invited by the Azerbaijani delegation to Belgrade and will also support Elnur and Samir in Beogradska Arena during the final on 24 May.