First 10 Semi-Final 1 acts complete second rehearsals in Vienna
- Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova and Montenegro completed Eurovision 2026 second rehearsals in Vienna as public TV clips finally dropped. - Each act got a shorter return slot before dress rehearsals, and the EBU released 30-second “as seen on TV” snippets with live vocals. - That matters because Semi-Final 1 is now moving from closed rehearsals into broadcast-facing previews ahead of the first live show on May 12.
Eurovision rehearsal week has moved into the part fans actually care about — the point where the bubble stops being totally closed. The first 10 acts from Semi-Final 1 have now finished their second rehearsals at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, and the big change is simple: there’s finally public footage. Instead of backstage notes and still photos, the EBU has started releasing 30-second broadcast-style clips with live vocals. That makes this the first real look at how these songs are landing on camera, not just in theory. ### Which countries rehearsed? The first batch was Belgium, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Moldova and Montenegro. These are all Semi-Final 1 acts, and they returned to the stage after already having one longer closed rehearsal earlier in the week. Euro-fan outlets also tracked the same lineup as the first second-rehearsal group in Vienna. What makes a second rehearsal different? The first rehearsal is where delegations test the whole package — camera plan, lighting, props, costumes, sound, all of it. The second rehearsal is shorter and more focused. This year’s second-rehearsal slots for those countries were about 25 minutes, and they’re basically the last meaningful on-stage adjustment before dress rehearsals start. So this isn’t just another practice run — it’s closer to a pre-broadcast lock-in. ### Why are the clips a big deal? Because these are the first “as seen on TV” previews. The official Eurovision channels said in advance that first-look videos would arrive from the artists’ rehearsals, and fan coverage notes that the clips released now are 30 seconds long and use the TV feed with live vocals. That matters more than people outside the Eurovision bubble might think. A performance can feel huge — sets are the first test of the actual television product. ### Where does the schedule go next? The rehearsal train keeps moving fast. Eurovision’s published schedule shows the next 10 Semi-Final 2 acts due for second rehearsals on Friday, May 8, followed by the last five Semi-Final 2 acts plus the Big Five and host Austria on Saturday, May 9. The live shows are close now: Semi-Final 1 on Tuesday, May 12, Semi-F
