Festival da Canção 2021 started it’s rehearsals on February 17th with strict safety measures due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. The artists, hosts, composers and everybody else involved in the show, have to follow many rules, in order to guarantee a safe production.
Firstly, all the participants will be tested before the show. In case of a positive test, the affected act won’t be able to perform at the festival. However, if a finalist is tested positive inbetween the time of the semi-final and the final, the recording of the semi-final performance will be shown on TV and the act will continue to participate on the show.
The candidates won’t enter the RTP premises up until 15 minutes before the planned time of their performance, in order to avoid any crowding and during the change of acts, the entire setting will be cleaned.
Each individual involved in the show will have their own dressing room, which is one of the reasons, why this year’s Festival da Canção is taking part in the RTP studios, to make sure there is enough space for every participant. Also, the stage members will only be allowed to leave their dressing rooms, minutes before entering the stage, to avoid any unnecessary contacts.
After the act’s performance, only the interpreter and the composer will head to the green room. The rest of the team will go back to their dressing rooms and follow the show from there.
Festival da Canção 2021 will officially start on Saturday, February 20th with the first semi-final. The final, which will decide Portugal’s entrant for the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam, will take place on March 6th.
How do you feel about RTP’s safety measures? And who is your favorite to win Festival da Canção this year? Let us know in the comments and vote for your favorite in our polls below.
