Casey previously designed the stage for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1997 in Dublin, and was involved in 1994 and 1995 as well. "Even before I worked with the Russians on the TEFI Awards in Moscow in 1998, I was inspired by and drawn to art from the Russian Avant Garde period, especially the constructivists," Casey said to the website Livedesignonline.com. "Everything from this artistic time period - from the posters to the three dimensional constructions - has interesting perspective. The art presents an unexpected view or use of space. I've tried to come up with a theatrical design for the contest that incorporates Russian avant garde art into a contemporary setting, almost entirely made up of different types of LED screens," he explained.

A new era

The stage design for the upcoming running of Europe's favorite TV-show is one of the many signs that the Eurovision Song Contest is entering a new era. Last year, a second Semi-Final was introduced, while new rules made the outcome of the Semi-Finals more exciting and less predictable. Months ago, the European Broadcasting Union decided to re-introduce the involvement professional juries who will have a 50% say in the outcome of the Final. On top of that, the ambition to succeed in the competition seems to be bigger than ever across Europe, as many countries will be represented by their most popular, most successful and most experienced pop stars.

Stay tuned for more surprises in the lead up to the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest - you'll find them all on Eurovision.tv as we're getting closer to May!

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