06 Timisoara

Welcome to Timisoara
"An elegant Home of performing Arts"

Timisoara is the capital city of Timis County, and the main social, economic and cultural centre in western Romania. The third most populous city in the country, with 319,279 inhabitants as of the 2011 census, Timisoara is the informal capital city of the historical region of Banat. In September 2016, Timisoara was selected as the European Capital of Culture for 2021. In the Middle Ages Timisoara was first mentioned as a place in either 1212 or 1266 as Castrum Temesiense. The territory later to be known as Banat was conquered and annexed by the Kingdom of Hungary in 1030. Timisoara grew considerably during the reign of Charles I, who, upon his visit here in 1307, ordered the construction of a royal palace. Timisoara's importance also grew due to its strategic location, which facilitated control over the Banat plain. By the middle of the 14th century, Timisoara was at the forefront of Western Christendom's battle against the Muslim Ottoman Turks. French and Hungarian crusaders met at the city before engaging in the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396. Beginning in 1443, John Hunyadi used Timisoara as a military stronghold against the Turks, having built a powerful fortress. The city was repeatedly besieged by the Ottomans in 1462, 1476, 1491, and 1522.

Host City / Timisoara, Romania
Venue / National Opera House
Hosts / Monica Barladeanu and Stefan Banica Jr

Participating countries / 24
Debuting countries / None
Returning countries / Albania, Australia, France, Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and United States
Withdrawing countries / Germany, Ireland and Lithuania

Debuting players / Alex V. for France, Fredrik for Norway, Khalid for Turkey and Mario for Slovenia

Returning Artists

Jessica Folcker / for Sweden / placing 14th
Sasa Lendero / for Slovenia / placing 5th
Sertab Erener / for Turkey / placing 10th

The Result

Countries receiving most 12 points / Turkey, 4
Countries giving 12 points to the winner / Norway and Finland
Countries receiving points from most juries / France and Sweden, 17
Highest placing country not scoring a top mark / Denmark in 6th place with 10 points from Australia and Romania as highest marks
Lowest placing country scoring a top mark / Albania in 21st place getting 12 points from Israel

Romania started off strong, receiving the first two top marks and was in the lead for the first five juries, looking to make it three victories in a row. However, the points changed focus and about half way through, Sweden pulled away and never looked back claiming their second gold medal. Turkey was not that far behing, taking home the silver, while the bronze went to Slovenia. Interestingly, the three medals thus went to the three returning artists. France and United States rounded out the top 5.

Sweden has taken part in all editions so far and kicked off their Global Music career with a gold medal. For the next couple of editions they finished outside the top 10, only to bounce back in GM04, winning the silver, and now on their 6th participation Sweden becomes Double Global Music Champion. Well done Sweden, Jessica Folcker and Pascal!