Chiara's dress deemed 'awful'

Chiara had two dress rehearsals yesterday and in the official press centre her shimmering, lacy, deep red evening dress attracted more attention than her song Angel.

A number of journalists commented that the outfit was "awful" and made "her look twice the size" and much older than her 28 years.

"It's such a pity she is choosing to wear this dress - she looks like an opera diva who should be at La Scala, not here. She would have looked so elegant in a darker, simpler dress or the black outfit she wore at the technical rehearsal. I am waving the flag for Malta because I believe in Chiara but the dress is horrendous," an Irish journalist said.

Once they settled down commenting on the dress, complemented with a pearl necklace and matching earrings, the journalists' feedback on the song was good overall.

Overall Chiara is in good spirits, despite the fact that her father, Maurice Siracusa, was admitted to hospital in Kiev in the early morning hours of Thursday suffering from complications in his digestive system. His condition is stable and Chiara put her mind at rest after she visited him in hospital.

With just a few hours to go before the 50th Eurovision Song Contest kicks off at the Sports Palace, yesterday was taken up with speculation as to how Malta will place.

The results of Thursday's semi-finals generated numerous interpretations and while some believed that the placings gave Chiara a better chance, because many had anticipated a battle of the ballads with The Netherlands and Glennis had failed to make it, others felt this could be a clear signal that the audience was not keen on ballads.

Bookmakers seem to agree that the semi-finals have given Chiara a better chance and William Hill is now placing Malta in fourth place with odds of 11/1.

Bet365 is predicting that Chiara will place fifth with odds of 12/1.

Greece's Helena Paparizou and Norway's glam rock band Wig Wam, reminiscent of the 1980s band Europe, remain the top favourites with both bookmakers.

Security has tightened around the roads leading to the Sports Palace and the presence of police has multiplied to keep everything under control and ensure tonight's show runs smoothly.

The Ukrainian police are making sure there are no mishaps before tonight's show, which will be presented by Maria Yefrosinina and Pavlo Shylko (DJ Pasha).

Last year's winner Ruslana said yesterday tonight's winner will be presented with a unique, memorable prize.

The prize is crafted in the image of an ancient Scythian decoration (the Scythians lived on the territory of what is now southern Ukraine from 7th to 3rd century BC) and is made of pure gold weighting slightly less then 500 grams. The prize symbolises a universe of music where the Eurovision is the central planet surrounded by 39 orbiting planets, the participating countries.

Tonight's running order is as follows: Hungary, the UK, Malta, Romania, Norway, Turkey, Moldova, Albania, Cyprus, Spain, Israel, Serbia and Montenegro, Denmark, Sweden, FYR Macedonia, Ukraine, Germany, Croatia, Greece, Russia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Switzerland, Latvia and France.

The Eurovision will be broadcast live on TVM at 9 p.m.

Hamilton Travel made this coverage possible.