Eurovision Song Contest 1956#Participants

{{further|History of the Eurovision Song Contest}}

The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) was formed in 1950 among 23 organisations with the aim of facilitating creative cooperation and the exchange of television programmes.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{cite news |title=Singing out loud and proud |date=17 May 2005 |work=Bristol Evening Post |location=Bristol, United Kingdom |quote=In the mid-1950s, the members of the European Broadcasting Union set up an ad hoc committee to investigate ways of rallying the countries of Europe round a light entertainment programme. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) was formed on 12 February 1950 by 23 broadcasting organisations from Europe and the Mediterranean at a conference in Devon, United Kingdom. It was on 6 June 1954, that Montreux became the venue for the first transmission by the EBU's Eurovision Network of the Narcissus Festival and its flower-bedecked procession floats. At Monaco, in late January 1955, this committee, chaired by Marcel Bezençon, director general of Swiss Television, came up with the idea of creating a song contest, inspired by the very popular San Remo Festival. The idea was approved by the EBU General Assembly in Rome on 19 October 1955, and it was decided that the first "Eurovision Grand Prix" – so baptised, incidentally, by a British journalist – would take place in spring 1956 at Lugano, Switzerland.}} The word "Eurovision" was first used as a telecommunications term in the United Kingdom in 1951, in reference to a programme by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) being relayed by Dutch television, and was subsequently used as the title for the union's new transmission network upon its creation in 1954.{{cite web |first=Patrick |last=Jaquin |date=1 December 2004 |url=http://www.ebu.ch/en/union/diffusion_on_line/television/tcm_6-8971.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040811033906/http://www.ebu.ch/en/union/diffusion_on_line/television/tcm_6-8971.php |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2004 |title=Eurovision's Golden Jubilee |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=29 May 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Waters |first1=George T. |title=Eurovision: 40 years of network development, four decades of service to broadcasters |url=http://www.ebu.ch/en/technical/trev/trev_262-editorial.html |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=29 May 2022 |date=Winter 1994 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060627213443/http://www.ebu.ch/en/technical/trev/trev_262-editorial.html |archive-date=27 June 2006}} Following the formation of the EBU, a number of notable events were transmitted through its networks in several European countries, including Belgium, France, West Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. A series of international exchange programmes were subsequently organised for 1954, with this "European Television Season" relayed live across Europe through the Eurovision network.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{cite web |title=Eurovision: About us – who we are |url=https://www.eurovision.net/about/whoweare |publisher=Eurovision Services |access-date=28 June 2020 |archive-date=14 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220614151137/https://www.eurovision.net/about/whoweare |url-status=live}}

Following this series of transmissions, a "Programme Committee" was set up within the EBU to investigate new initiatives for cooperation between broadcasters each year, with Marcel Bezençon of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR) serving as the committee's first president. This committee agreed to study the concept for a new televised European song contest during a meeting in January 1955, a concept initially proposed by the Italian broadcaster {{lang|it|Radiotelevisione italiana|i=unset}} (RAI) and inspired by its both the Sanremo Music Festival, held annually since 1951,{{cite web |last1=Sommerlad |first1=Joe |title=Eurovision 2019: What exactly is the point of the annual song contest and how did it begin? |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/eurovision-2019-song-contest-what-is-the-point-purpose-pop-history-a8916801.html |work=The Independent |access-date=29 May 2022 |date=18 May 2019 |archive-date=21 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821110315/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/eurovision-2019-song-contest-what-is-the-point-purpose-pop-history-a8916801.html |url-status=live}} and the Venice International Song Festival held in 1955 on the radio. The new European contest was subsequently approved at the EBU's annual General Assembly in October 1955, leading to the creation of the European Grand Prix.{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|pp=8–9}}{{cite web |last1=Roxburgh |first1=Gordon |title=A diamond day for the Eurovision Song Contest |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/a-diamond-day-for-the-eurovision-song-contest |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=24 February 2021 |date=19 October 2015 |archive-date=30 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170730223716/https://eurovision.tv/story/a-diamond-day-for-the-eurovision-song-contest |url-status=live}}

File:Teatro Kursaal, Lugano.jpg|i=unset}}, Lugano – host venue of the 1956 contest]]

The first Eurovision Song Contest took place in Lugano, Switzerland,{{cite web |title=Lugano 1956 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/lugano-1956 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523155354/https://eurovision.tv/event/lugano-1956 |archive-date=23 May 2022 |url-status=live}}{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|pp=8–9}} following an offer by the SRG SSR to stage the event at the EBU's General Assembly in October 1955.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}} In addition, Switzerland was a logical choice from a technical perspective for the hosting of what was a live, simultaneous, cross-border transmission, as its geographically central location in Europe facilitated terrestrial broadcasts across the continent, as well as being the location of the EBU's headquarters.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}} The selected venue for the contest was the {{lang|it|Teatro Kursaal|i=unset}}, a casino and former theatre situated on Lake Lugano. It had a capacity of 700 seats.{{Cite news |last=Pensa |first=Carlo Maria |title=La più bella d'Europa |trans-title=The most beautiful in Europe |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1956%7C21%7C000%7CP |work=Radiocorriere |location=Turin, Italy |page=16 |language=it |date=20–26 May 1956 |volume=33 |issue=21 |oclc=955831629 |via=Rai Teche}} 400 seats in the stalls were reserved for invited guests whereas tickets for the balcony were on sale from 17 May 1956 for {{currency|20|CHF}}.{{Cite news |last=Antonucci |first=Antonio |date=25 May 1956 |title=Il profumo dell'amore a vent'anni nella 'canzone più bella d'Europa' |trans-title=The scent of love at twenty in the 'most beautiful song in Europe' |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,7/articleid,1587_02_1956_0121_0007_22117671/ |work=Stampa Sera |page=7 |language=it |location=Turin, Italy}}{{Cite news |date=16 May 1956 |title=Cronaca cittadina: Gran Premio eurovisione 1956 della canzone europea |trans-title=City news: 1956 Eurovision Song Grand Prix |work=Corriere del Ticino |location=Lugano, Switzerland |page=2 |language=it |issn=1660-9646 |oclc=1284212173}} The theatre, used for theatrical and musical performances, ballroom dance and other shows, closed shortly after featuring its last performance in April 1997 before being demolished in 2001 to make room for the extension of the casino.{{cite web |title=History {{!}} Casinò Lugano |url=http://www.casinolugano.ch/en/story/ |publisher=Casinò Lugano |access-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180710195134/http://www.casinolugano.ch/en/story/ |archive-date=10 July 2018 |url-status=dead}}{{sfn|Dubin|Vuletic|Obregón|2022|loc=Carniel, Jessica. "High, Low and Participatory: The Eurovision Song Contest and Cultural Studies"}}

{{Further|List of countries in the Eurovision Song Contest}}

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{{ESC 1956 participants}}

Broadcasters from seven countries participated in this first contest{{snd}}{{esccnty|Belgium}}, {{esccnty|France}}, {{esccnty|Italy}}, {{esccnty|Luxembourg}}, the {{esccnty|Netherlands}}, {{esccnty|Switzerland}} and {{esccnty|Germany|t=West Germany}} (identified simply as "Germany" in the contest). Those from {{esccnty|Austria}} and {{esccnty|Denmark}} are believed to have also been interested in participating; however, they reportedly missed the cut-off point for entry.{{Cite news |date=25 May 1956 |title=Radio og Fjernsyn: Velkommen Eurovision |trans-title=Radio and TV: Welcome, Eurovision |work=Berlingske Tidende |page=6 |language=da |oclc=1367883859 |quote=Udsendelsen [...] bød paa international Sangkonkurrence med Deltagelse af Eurovisionens Lande med Undtagelse af Danmark, Storbritannien og Østrig, som havde meldt sig for sent. |trans-quote=The show [...] offered an international song contest with the participation of the countries of Eurovision, with the exception of Denmark, Great Britain and Austria, which had registered too late.}} These two, as well as the BBC in the {{esccnty|United Kingdom}}, would broadcast the contest along with those in the participating countries, with the BBC having chosen to not send an entry for this event in favour of organising their own contest, the Festival of British Popular Songs.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{cite web |last1=Jordan |first1=Paul |last2=Roxburgh |first2=Gordon |title=Shining a light on the United Kingdom: 60 Years at Eurovision |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/shining-a-light-on-the-united-kingdom-60-years-at-eurovision |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=31 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424001714/https://eurovision.tv/story/shining-a-light-on-the-united-kingdom-60-years-at-eurovision |archive-date=24 April 2017 |date=11 January 2017 |url-status=live}}

Two of the performers, Switzerland's Lys Assia and Luxembourg's Michèle Arnaud, performed both entries for their respective countries. Assia, as well as the Netherlands' Corry Brokken and Belgium's Fud Leclerc, would return to compete in the contest in future editions, with Assia returning {{esccnty|Switzerland|y=1957|t=in 1957}} and {{esccnty|Switzerland|y=1958|t=1958}}, Brokken also returning {{esccnty|Netherlands|y=1957|t=in 1957}} and {{esccnty|Netherlands|y=1958|t=1958}}, and Leclerc returning {{esccnty|Belgium|y=1958|t=in 1958}}, {{esccnty|Belgium|y=1960|t=1960}}, and {{esccnty|Belgium|y=1962|t=1962}}.{{cite web |title=Switzerland – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/switzerland |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517180117/https://eurovision.tv/country/switzerland |archive-date=17 May 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Netherlands – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/the-netherlands |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517163809/https://eurovision.tv/country/the-netherlands |archive-date=17 May 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Belgium – Participation history |url=https://eurovision.tv/country/belgium |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220515172952/https://eurovision.tv/country/belgium |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-status=live}}

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{{further|Rules of the Eurovision Song Contest}}

File:Marcel Bezençon (1980).jpg (pictured in 1980) was instrumental in the creation of the contest as president of the EBU's Programme Committee.|alt=Black-and-white photograph of Marcel Bezençon in 1980]]

A planning sub-group, headed by Eduard Hass of SRG SSR, was formed following the sign-off on the organisation of the event to build out the rules of the competition. Taking inspiration from the Sanremo Music Festival and the Venice International Song Festival as a basis in planning the new contest, the group made several amendments and additions to these rules to suit its international nature.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{cite web |last1=Zwart |first1=Josianne |title=A decade of song: Eurovision winners through the years (1956–1959) |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/a-%20decade-of-song-eurovision-winners-through-the-years-1956-1959 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104115113/https://eurovision.tv/story/a-%20decade-of-song-eurovision-winners-through-the-years-1956-1959 |archive-date=4 November 2017 |date=4 November 2017 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title='Made in Italy': How Eurovision almost ended up in Venice annually! |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-almost-in-venice-annually |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=29 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220513065229/https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-almost-in-venice-annually |archive-date=13 May 2022 |date=13 May 2022 |url-status=live}} Ideas suggested but ultimately rejected during this planning phase included featuring each song a second time with a piano accompaniment instead of orchestral backing, as well as technical initiatives such as a separate producer from each participating broadcaster involved in the contest's organisation. Prize money for the winners was also ruled out at this stage.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}} The rules of the contest were finalised and distributed to EBU members in early 1956. The rules set out in detail the criteria for the participating songs and performers; production details and requirements; timelines for the submission of materials by the participating broadcasters; the method by which the winning song would be determined; details related to the financing of the event; and the responsibilities which lay with the host broadcaster and the participating broadcasters.{{cite web |title=Exclusively from the archive: The Rules of 1956! |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/exclusively-from-the-archive-the-rules-of-1956 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=31 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202185547/https://eurovision.tv/story/exclusively-from-the-archive-the-rules-of-1956 |archive-date=2 December 2020 |language=en-gb |date=18 December 2008 |url-status=live}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}}

The inaugural Eurovision Song Contest was produced by the Italian-language radio broadcaster {{lang|it|Radio svizzera italiana|i=unset}} (RSI), in cooperation with the television service of SRG SSR, which brought a television production truck from Zurich to Lugano.{{efn|In 1956, SRG SSR had a single television service, which was the only one operating in the country. This service was directly managed by the corporation with a provisional license, and had two production centers, one in Zurich for German-speaking Switzerland and one in Geneva for French-speaking Switzerland.{{cite book|url=https://www.srgssr.ch/fileadmin/dam/timeline/PDF/Buecher_Geschichte_der_SRG/Geschichte-der-SRG-Band-1-Teil-1_de.pdf|title=Radio und fernsehen in der Schweiz|pages=175–186|language=de|publisher=Swiss Broadcasting Corporation}}}}{{Cite news |date=9 May 1956 |title=Une série d'émissions du Tessin |trans-title=A series of broadcasts from Ticino |language=fr |page=6 |work=Journal et feuille d’avis du Valais |location=Sion, Switzerland |url=http://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=FDV19560509-01.2.53 |access-date=31 December 2023 |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}}{{Cite news |date=26 May 1956 |title=Für Radiofreunde: Die Schweiz gewinnt den europäischen Chansonswettbewerb |trans-title=For radio fans: Switzerland wins the European chanson competition |language=de |page=4 |work=Oberländer Tagblatt |location=Thun, Switzerland |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=OTB19560526-01.2.25 |access-date=31 December 2023 |issn=2673-2157 |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}} Franco Marazzi served as director of the event on behalf of RSI, with Rolf Liebermann overseeing the production and the jury deliberations on behalf of the EBU as its executive supervisor and jury president.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|p=100}}{{Cite news |date=28 May 1956 |title=Malgré 'Refrain', il n'y eut que peu de smokings... |trans-title=Despite 'Refrain', there were only a few tuxedos... |language=fr |page=7 |work=Gazette de Lausanne |location=Lausanne, Switzerland |url=https://www.letempsarchives.ch/page/GDL_1956_05_28/7/article/2796396/ |access-date=8 November 2023 |issn=1010-206X |oclc=1367317950}}

Each participating broadcaster submitted into the contest a maximum of two songs not exceeding three to three-and-a-half minutes in duration, which must have been solely original compositions.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}} They had sole discretion on how to select their entries for the contest but were strongly encouraged by the EBU to hold their own national contests to determine their representatives.{{sfn|EBU|1956}} Following the performance of all songs, the winner was determined by an assembled jury composed of two individuals from each country, with each individual member rating secretly each song between one and ten, including those representing their own country, with higher scores given to more appreciated songs.{{sfn|EBU|1956}} The jury followed the contest in the bridge room in the same venue in Lugano through a small television screen, replicating the conditions as close as possible to how viewers at home would watch the contest.{{Cite news |date=26 May 1956 |title=Alla canzone svizzera ‘Refrain’ il ‘Gran Premio Eurovisione 1956’ |trans-title=The Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 to the Swiss song 'Refrain' |work=Corriere del Ticino |location=Lugano, Switzerland |page=2 |language=it |issn=1660-9646 |oclc=1284212173 |quote=[...] ma durante quel venti minuti che i giurati hanno dedicato alla fase conclusiva della loro deliberazioni nella sala del bridge il brioso duo del 'Rossignols' e i tre argutissimi menestrelli si sono prodotti [...] |trans-quote=[...] but during those twenty minutes which the jurors dedicated to the final phase of their deliberations in the Bridge room the lively duo 'Rossignols' and the three very witty menestrels performed [...]}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}} The winning song was thus that which gained the highest score from the votes cast by all jury members.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}} In the event of a tie between two or more entries all songs with the highest score would have been declared winners.{{sfn|EBU|1956}}

In news reports at the time, according to one Dutch juror, the jury members were removed from the jury room once they had cast their votes and were therefore unable to follow the tabulation of the final results.{{Cite news |date=28 May 1956 |title=Jury mocht niet bij telling in Lugano |trans-title=Jury were not allowed at the count in Lugano |language=nl |page=4 |work=De Telegraaf |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:110586508:mpeg21:a0111 |access-date=5 November 2023 |location=Amsterdam, Netherlands |oclc=643834779 |via=Delpher}} The jury members from Luxembourg were unable to attend the contest in Lugano, and subsequently the EBU allowed two Swiss nationals to vote in their place.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|p=99}} This would remain the only contest in which many of these rules would be utilised, and several changes were made ahead of the 1957 contest. These included restricting each country to only one song, expanding the number of performers allowed to participate for each country, introducing a more visible voting system, and restricting each country from voting for their own entry.{{cite web |last1=Escudero |first1=Victor M. |title=#ThrowbackThursday to 60 years ago: Eurovision 1957 |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/throwback-thursday-1957 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=3 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102163146/https://eurovision.tv/story/throwback-thursday-1957 |archive-date=2 January 2018 |date=26 October 2017 |url-status=live}}

Each song was accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra, with members of the Radiosa Orchestra supplemented by strings of the Italian Swiss Radio Symphony Orchestra, presided over by the contest's musical director, Fernando Paggi.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}} Each participating broadcaster was allowed to supplement the orchestra with their own musical director for the performances of their entries, with the host musical director also conducting for those which did not appoint their own conductor.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}} Broadcasters were required to submit to the EBU by 10 May 1956 scores for their participating songs for use by the orchestra, audio recordings of each song, and copies of the songs lyrics in the original language, as well as translations into French or English to aid the jury members and commentators.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}} The confirmed selection of each country's musical director (if separate to that of the host) was required to be communicated between 21 and 24 May.{{sfn|EBU|1956}} Rehearsals in the contest venue with the competing artists and the orchestra began on 21 May 1956.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}

According to the rules, the order in which the countries and songs were performed was to be determined artistically by the host broadcaster, with input and support by the musical directors from each country.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}}{{sfn|EBU|1956}} However, a draw determining the order of countries seems to have taken place in Gardone a few days prior to the contest.{{efn|A meeting of EBU's working group GTV/2 (Eurovision) took place from 21 to 25 May in Gardone.{{Cite journal |date=March–April 1956 |title=Nouvelles internationales : Calendrier des conférences et réunions internationales intéressant à quelque titre la radiodiffusion |trans-title=International News: Calendar of international conferences and meetings of any interest to broadcasting |journal=Bulletin de l'U.E.R. |language=fr |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |location=Geneva, Switzerland |volume=7 |issue=36 |page=211}}}}{{Cite news |last=Biscossa |first=Giuseppe |date=26 May 1956 |title=A une romantica canzone della Svizzera francese il G. Premio Eurovisione 1956 della canzone europea |trans-title=A romantic song from French Switzerland was awarded the 1956 Eurovision Grand Prix for European song |url=https://www.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&paper=gdp&day=26&month=5&year=1956&page=2&allpages=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 |access-date=4 January 2024 |work=Giornale del Popolo |location=Lugano, Switzerland |page=2 |language=it |issn=1660-9662 |oclc=173873718}}

File:Lys Assia (1957).jpg (pictured in 1957) was the first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, and would represent her country in the contest again in {{escyr|1957}} and {{escyr|1958}}.|alt=Black-and-white photograph of Lys Assia in 1957]]

The contest was held on 24 May 1956, beginning at 21:00 (CET) with an approximate duration of 1 hour 40 minutes.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}} The event was hosted in Italian by Lohengrin Filipello. This remains the only time in which the contest was hosted by a solo male presenter, and one of only two contests not to feature a female presenter, alongside the {{escyr|2017||2017 contest}} held 61 years later.{{cite web |last1=Jordan |first1=Paul |title=Let's hear it for the boys! Meet the hosts of Eurovision 2017 |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/let-s-hear-it-for-the-boys-meet-the-hosts-of-eurovision-2017 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424001032/https://eurovision.tv/story/let-s-hear-it-for-the-boys-meet-the-hosts-of-eurovision-2017 |archive-date=24 April 2017 |date=27 February 2017 |url-status=live}} Additionally this would remain the only contest to feature a male presenter for 22 years, until the {{escyr|1978||1978 contest}} featured a male and female presenting duo.{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|p=72}}

During the interval between the final competing act and the announcement of the winner, performances by {{lang|fr|Les Joyeux Rossignols|i=unset}} and {{lang|fr|{{ill|Les Trois Ménestrels|fr}}|i=unset}} were featured to entertain the audience, with the latter performing "Guerre de Troie" and "Ma mie, ma caravelle" along with other works.{{sfn|O'Connor|2010|p=216}}{{cite web |title=Kodaliste for fjernsyn – Torsdag den 24. maj 1956 – 21.00: Eurovision |trans-title=Coda list for television – Thursday 24 May 1956 – 21:00: Eurovision |url=https://www.dr.dk/alletidersprogramoversigter/?from=1956-05-24&to=1956-05-25&date=1956-05-24&fileIndex=8 |publisher=Danmarks Radio |access-date=14 March 2024 |language=da}}{{cite news |title=Chronique de la Télévision |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=TDG19560531-01.2.20.5 |access-date=7 April 2025 |work=Tribune de Genève |date=31 May 1956 |location= |volume=78 |issue=126 |page=9 |language=fr |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}} Upon the announcement of the results, the winning artist returned to the stage for a reprise performance of the winning song to end the broadcast.{{sfn|EBU|1956}}{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=96–100}}

The winning song was "{{lang|fr|Refrain|i=unset}}", composed by Géo Voumard, written by Émile Gardaz, performed by Lys Assia and representing the host country {{esccnty|Switzerland|y=1956}}.{{cite web |title=Lugano 1956 – Lys Assia |url=https://eurovision.tv/participant/lys-assia-3 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=18 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220408000304/https://eurovision.tv/participant/lys-assia-3 |archive-date=8 April 2022 |url-status=live}} During the reprise performance of the winning song, Assia became emotional and suffered a lapse in memory of the song's lyrics, subsequently requesting a restart by the orchestra.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=96–100}} After the show, a reception for the participating delegations was held in the upper hall of Teatro Kursaal on behalf of the host city Lugano, the canton Ticino, and SRG SSR.{{Cite news |last=Fasolis |first=Ugo |date=26 May 1956 |title=Il premio Eurovisione 1956 |trans-title=The Eurovision prize of 1956 |language=it |page=7 |work=Libera Stampa |location=Lugano, Switzerland |url=https://www.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&paper=ls&day=26&month=5&year=1956&page=7&allpages=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8&papername=Libera%20Stampa |access-date=11 November 2023}}{{Cite journal |date=March–April 1956 |title=Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 de la Chanson européenne |trans-title=Eurovision Grand Prix 1956 for European Song |journal=Bulletin de l'U.E.R. |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |location=Geneva, Switzerland |language=fr |volume=7 |issue=36 |page=323 |issn=0770-7487 |oclc=473721192}}{{Cite journal |date=July–August 1956 |title=Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 de la Chanson européenne |trans-title=Eurovision Grand Prix 1956 for European Song |journal=Bulletin de l'U.E.R. |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |location=Geneva, Switzerland |language=fr |volume=7 |issue=38 |pages=641 |issn=0770-7487 |oclc=473721192}}

The full results of the contest were not revealed at the time, with only the winning song named at the end of the show by the jury president Rolf Liebermann; the full breakdown of the scores of each juror has not been retained by the EBU, and is presumed lost.{{cite AV media |date=24 May 1956 |title=Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson Européenne 1956 |trans-title=Eurovision Grand Prix of European Song 1956 |type=Television programme |language=fr, it |location=Lugano, Switzerland |publisher={{lang|it|Radio svizzera italiana|i=unset}} (RSI)}} Attempts to reconstruct the voting through interviews with jury members have also failed to reveal a reliable result. An article in Italian newspaper {{lang|it|La Stampa}} published on 25 May 1956, the day after the contest, reported that Switzerland's winning entry received a score of 102 in total, while in a post-contest interview with {{ill|Stelio Molo|de|i=unset}}, the Director General of SRG SSR, published in the Italian magazine {{lang|it|Settimana Radio TV}} in the weeks following the contest, the gap between the first- and second-placed songs was revealed by Molo to be two points, and that the remaining entries also finished close to the winner.{{cite news |title=Canzoni tristi al concorso di Lugano |trans-title=Sad songs at the Lugano contest |url=http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,3/articleid,0059_01_1956_0121_0003_14018800/ |access-date=1 June 2022 |work=La Stampa |date=25 May 1956 |page=3 |language=it |location=Turin, Italy |archive-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220601183940/http://www.archiviolastampa.it/component/option,com_lastampa/task,search/mod,libera/action,viewer/Itemid,3/page,3/articleid,0059_01_1956_0121_0003_14018800/ |url-status=live}}{{cite magazine |title=Il premio Eurovisione 1956 per la canzone europea a Lugano: ha vinto il Refrain di marca elvetica |magazine=Settimana Radio TV |trans-title=The 1956 Eurovision prize for European song in Lugano: the Refrain of the Helvetic brand won |language=it |issue=23 |date=3–9 June 1956}} These claims have however failed to be corroborated by the contest organisers in the years since.

{{Legend|gold|Winner}}

Broadcasters competing in the event were required to relay the contest via its networks; non-participating EBU member broadcasters were also able to relay the contest.{{sfn|EBU|1956}} In addition to the television channels of the seven participating broadcasters and three non-participating passive broadcasters, the contest was also broadcast live on seven radio networks and recorded for later transmission by another 13.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}} The United Kingdom's BBC took only partial live transmission of the event, joining 45 minutes into the contest and only showing the second set of entries from each country.{{sfn|Roxburgh|2012|pp=93–96}} Due to a technical fault, the transmission of images was interrupted during Mathé Altéry's performance for about three minutes on German, Danish, and French television.{{Cite news |last=Becker |first=Rolf |date=26 May 1956 |title=Im Fernsehen: Solche und solche Gesichter |trans-title=On television: All kinds of faces |work=Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger |location=Cologne, West Germany |page=36 |language=de |oclc=724431472}}{{Cite news |last=Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française |date=24 May 1956 |title=Rapport du chef de chaîne |work=Rapport du chef de chaîne |page=2 |language=fr |via=Institut national de l'audiovisuel}}

No video footage of the whole contest is known to exist, with the only known footage being clips of the reprise performance of the winning song via newsreel and other recordings. As such, this is one of only two editions of the contest, along with the {{escyr|1964||1964 contest}}, to not have video recordings of the full event retained.{{cite web |title=Copenhagen 1964 |url=https://eurovision.tv/event/copenhagen-1964 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170802043239/https://eurovision.tv/event/copenhagen-1964 |archive-date=2 August 2017 |url-status=live}} Audio of most of the contest has, however, survived, with only the majority of the contest's interval acts currently lost. Attempts to find audiovisual materials related to the contest have yielded some results in recent years, including a large cache of photographs and some video footage taken by Swiss photographer Vincenzo Vicari from inside the venue.{{cite web |last=Ibrayeva |first=Laura |title=New Footage and Photos From the Eurovision Song Contest 1956 Uncovered |url=https://eurovoix.com/2022/04/14/new-footage-photos-eurovision-1956/ |publisher=Eurovoix |access-date=1 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414080249/https://eurovoix.com/2022/04/14/new-footage-photos-eurovision-1956/ |archive-date=14 April 2022 |date=14 April 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=EA exclusief: Foto's van het ESF 1956 in Zwitsers archief gevonden |trans-title=EA exclusive: Photos of ESC 1956 found in Swiss archives |url=http://www.eurovisionartists.nl/index.htm?esfreportitem.asp%3FID=462 |publisher=Eurovision Artists |access-date=1 June 2022 |language=nl |date=29 March 2022 |archive-date=17 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517161556/http://www.eurovisionartists.nl/index.htm?esfreportitem.asp%3FID=462 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |last=Granger |first=Anthony |title=New Photos From Eurovision 1956 Uncovered |url=https://eurovoix.com/2022/10/12/new-photos-from-eurovision-1956-uncovered/ |publisher=Eurovoix |access-date=17 October 2022 |date=12 October 2022 |archive-date=17 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221017131818/https://eurovoix.com/2022/10/12/new-photos-from-eurovision-1956-uncovered/ |url-status=live}}

Broadcasters were able to send commentators to provide coverage of the contest in their own native language and to relay information about the artists and songs to their television viewers. Known details on the broadcasts in each country, including the specific broadcasting stations and commentators, are shown in the tables below.

{{sticky header}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=23 May 1956 |title=La radiodiffusion |url=https://www.proquest.com/hnplemonde/docview/2500053571 |url-access=subscription |access-date=2 November 2024 |work=Le Monde |location=Paris, France |page=13 |language=fr |via=ProQuest |issn=0395-2037 |oclc=224461606}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="4" | {{Flagu|Germany}}

| ARD

| {{lang|de|Deutsches Fernsehen|i=unset}}

| Irene Koss

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite journal |last=Grassl |first=Andreas |date=October 2024 |title=Der erste Song Contest 1956 |journal=Euro-Voice |location=Munich, Germany |issue=67 |page=100 |oclc=1190215751}}{{Cite news |title=Das Fernsehprogramm – Donnerstag |trans-title=The TV programme – Thursday |url=https://druckschriften-digital.marchivum.de/zd/periodical/zoom/577320 |access-date=8 September 2024 |work={{ill|Mannheimer Morgen|de}} |date=19 May 1956 |location=Mannheim, West Germany |page=20 |language=de |via={{ill|Marchivum|de}}}}

|-

| BR

| {{lang|de|Radio München|i=unset}}{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 30 June 1956 at 20:15 (CET)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=24 June 1956 |title=München |work=Bild+Funk |page=46 |language=de |issue=26/1956 |oclc=643528928}}{{Cite news |title=Rundfunk– u. Fernsehprogramm |trans-title=Radio and television programmes |url=https://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/0006/bsb00064952/images/index.html?id=00064952&groesser=&fip=193.174.98.30&no=&seite=395 |access-date=13 December 2024 |work=Passauer Neue Presse |date=23 June 1956 |location=Passau, West Germany |page=15 |language=de |via=Bavarian State Library}}

|-

| RB

| {{lang|de|Zweites Programm|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite magazine |date=20 May 1956 |title=Bremen |language=de |page=47 |work=Hör zu!, Norddeutsche Ausgabe |location=Hamburg, West Germany |issue=21/1956 |oclc=724053084}}

|-

| SWF

| {{ill|S2 Kultur|de|lt=SWF2}}{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 18 June 1956 at 23:00 (CET)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=17 June 1956 |title=Rund ums Programm |language=de |pages=4, 20 (supplement "Sendewoche vom 17. bis 23. Juni 1956") |work=Funk und Familie |location=Hamburg, West Germany |issue=25/1956 |oclc=648143500}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="2" | {{Flagu|Italy}}

| rowspan="2" | RAI

| {{lang|it|RAI Televisione|i=unset}}

| Franco Marazzi

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite magazine |title=Televisione {{!}} giovedì 24 maggio |trans-title=Television {{!}} Thursday 24 May |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1956{{!}}21{{!}}000{{!}}P |magazine=Radiocorriere |location=Turin, Italy |date=20–26 May 1956 |volume=33 |issue=21 |page=39 |access-date=26 May 2024 |language=it |via=Rai Teche}}

|-

| {{lang|it|Secondo Programma|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite magazine |title=⁎ Radio ⁎ giovedì 24 maggio |trans-title=⁎ Radio ⁎ Thursday 24 May |url=http://www.radiocorriere.teche.rai.it/Download.aspx?data=1956{{!}}21{{!}}000{{!}}P |magazine=Radiocorriere |location=Turin, Italy |date=20–26 May 1956 |volume=33 |issue=21 |page=38 |access-date=26 May 2024 |language=it |via=Rai Teche}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Luxembourg}}

| CLT

| {{lang|fr|Télé-Luxembourg|i=unset}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Télé-Luxembourg |url=https://viewer.eluxemburgensia.lu/ark:70795/fqzdsrh4j/pages/8 |access-date=6 November 2022 |work=Luxemburger Wort |location=Luxembourg City, Luxembourg |date=24 May 1956 |language=de, fr |page=8 |archive-date=6 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106180551/https://viewer.eluxemburgensia.lu/ark:70795/fqzdsrh4j/pages/8/articles/DIVL663 |url-status=live |via=National Library of Luxembourg}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Netherlands}}

| NTS

| NTS

| Piet te Nuyl Jr.

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=19 May 1956 |title=Binnenlandse televisieprogramma's |trans-title=Domestic television programmes |url=https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=MMNIBG01:005188020:00039 |url-access=registration |work=Omroepgids |location=Wageningen, Netherlands |page=39 |language=nl |via=Delpher |volume=32 |issue=20 |oclc=72761986}}

|-

! scope="rowgroup" rowspan="5" | {{Flagu|Switzerland}}

| rowspan="5" | SRG SSR

| SRG

| {{ill|Fritz Schäuffele|de}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Fernsehprogramm |trans-title=Television programme |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=NZN19560524-03.1.2 |access-date=3 November 2024 |work=Neue Zürcher Nachrichten |page=2 |date=24 May 1956 |location=Zurich, Switzerland |language=de |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}}{{Cite news |date=20 May 1956 |title=Do. 24. Mai |trans-title=Thu. 24 May |work={{ill|Bild+Funk|de}} |page=43 |language=de |issue=21/1956 |oclc=643528928}}

|-

| TSR

| Raymond Colbert

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=À la radio {{!}} TV programme |trans-title=On the radio {{!}} TV schedule |url=https://www.scriptorium.ch/zoom/154632/view?page=4&p=separate&tool=info |access-date=6 January 2025 |work=La nouvelle revue de Lausanne |date=24 May 1956 |location=Lausanne, Switzerland |page=4 |language=fr |via=Scriptorium}}{{Cite news |date=2 June 1956 |title=Avec la télévision romande |trans-title=With Swiss French television |language=fr |page=31 |work=La Liberté |location=Fribourg, Switzerland |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=LLE19560602-01.1.31 |access-date=8 November 2023 |oclc=632871126 |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}}

|-

| Radio Beromünster

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Radioprogramm |trans-title=Radio programme |url=https://www.e-newspaperarchives.ch/?a=d&d=NZN19560524-03.1.2 |access-date=3 November 2024 |work=Neue Zürcher Nachrichten |page=2 |date=24 May 1956 |location=Zurich, Switzerland |language=de |via=E-newspaperarchives.ch}}

|-

| Radio Sottens

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" |

|-

| Radio Monte Ceneri

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Pro memoria delle manifestazioni |trans-title=Memorandum of the events |url=https://www2.sbt.ti.ch/quotidiani-public-pdf/main_part.php?fullscreen=true&paper=gt&day=24&month=5&year=1956&page=2&papername=Gazzetta%20Ticinese&allpages=1,2,3,4 |access-date=3 July 2024 |work={{ill|Gazzetta Ticinese|it}} |date=24 May 1956 |location=Lugano, Switzerland |page=2 |language=it |via={{ill|Sistema bibliotecario ticinese|it}}}}

|}

| style="text-align:center" | {{Cite news |date=24 May 1956 |title=Radioprogramme |trans-title=Radio programs |work=Wiener Zeitung |location=Vienna, Austria |page=8 |language=de |oclc=1371238305}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Belgian Congo}}

| {{ill|National Broadcasting Institute|fr|Institut national de radiodiffusion|nl|Nationaal Instituut voor de Radio-omroep|lt=NIR/INR}}

| RNB Congo{{efn|Delayed broadcast on 24 June 1956 at 21:30 (WAT)}}

| {{N/A|}}

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite news |title=Le Courrier de la Radio |trans-title=The Radio Courier |url=https://uurl.kbr.be/2180894 |url-access=registration |date=14 June 1956 |work=Le Courrier d'Afrique |location=Léopoldville, Belgian Congo |access-date=28 November 2024 |page=15 |language=fr |via={{ill|BelgicaPress|nl}}}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|Denmark}}

| {{lang|da|Statsradiofonien|i=unset}}

| {{lang|da|Statsradiofonien TV|i=unset}}

| Jens Frederik Lawaetz

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite web |title=Alle tiders programoversigter – Torsdag den 24. maj 1956 |trans-title=All-time programme overviews – Thursday 24 May 1956 |url=https://www.dr.dk/alletidersprogramoversigter/?date=1956-05-24 |publisher=DR |language=da |access-date=20 May 2024}}{{Cite news |date=24 May 1956 |title=Radiolytterens programmer |trans-title=Radio listener's programs |work=Berlingske Tidende |location=Copenhagen, Denmark |page=28 |language=da |oclc=1367883859}}

|-

! scope="row" | {{Flagu|United Kingdom}}

| BBC

| BBC Television Service

| Wilfrid Thomas

| style="text-align:center" | {{cite magazine |title=Thursday 24 May – Television |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/8550f816c7ad447fbfccbf0903ad4814?page=38 |access-date=2 June 2022 |magazine=Radio Times |date=18 May 1956 |page=38 |location=London, United Kingdom |archive-date=11 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220811084616/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/page/8550f816c7ad447fbfccbf0903ad4814?page=38 |url-status=live}}

|}

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite web |title=Règlement du Grand Prix Eurovision 1956 de la Chanson Européenne (version définitive) |trans-title=Rules of the Grand Prix of the Eurovision Song Competition 1956 (final version) |url=https://eurovision.tv/upload/history/1956/56_rules.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160620231134/http://www.eurovision.tv/upload/history/1956/56_rules.pdf |archive-date=20 June 2016 |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |location=Geneva, Switzerland |language=fr |ref={{harvid|EBU|1956}}}}
• {{cite book |editor1-last=Dubin |editor1-first=Adam |editor2-last=Vuletic |editor2-first=Dean |editor3-last=Obregón |editor3-first=Antonio |title=The Eurovision Song Contest as a Cultural Phenomenon: From Concert Halls to the Halls of Academia |date=2022 |publisher=Routledge |location=Abingdon-on-Thames, United Kingdom; New York, NY, United States |isbn=978-1-003-18893-3}}
• {{cite book |last=O'Connor |first=John Kennedy |author-link=John Kennedy O'Connor |title=The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History |date=2010 |publisher=Carlton Books |location=London, United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-84732-521-1 |edition=2nd}}
• {{cite book |last=Roxburgh |first=Gordon |title=Songs for Europe: The United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest |date=2012 |publisher=Telos Publishing |location=Prestatyn, United Kingdom |isbn=978-1-84583-065-6 |volume=One: The 1950s and 1960s}}
• {{cite book |last1=Thorsson |first1=Leif |last2=Verhage |first2=Martin |title=Melodifestivalen genom tiderna : de svenska uttagningarna och internationella finalerna |trans-title=Melodifestivalen through the ages: the Swedish selections and international finals |date=2006 |publisher=Premium Publishing |location=Stockholm, Sweden |isbn=91-89136-29-2 |language=sv}}

{{commons category|Eurovision Song Contest 1956}}

• {{Official website|https://eurovision.tv/event/lugano-1956}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest 1956}}

{{Eurovision Song Contest}}

{{Portal bar|Eurovision Song Contest}}

1956

Category:Music festivals in Switzerland

Category:1956 in music

Category:1956 in Switzerland

Category:20th century in Lugano

Category:Events in Lugano

Category:Music in Lugano

Category:Lost television shows