Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997

Portugal participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with the song "Antes do adeus" written by Thilo Krasmann and Rosa Lobato de Faria. The song was performed by Célia Lawson. The Portuguese broadcaster Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) organised the national final Festival da Canção 1997 in order to select the Portuguese entry for the 1997 contest in Dublin, Ireland. After five semi-finals and a final which took place between January and March 1997, "Antes do adeus" performed by Célia Lawson emerged as the winner after achieving the highest score following the combination of votes from 20 regional juries and a public televote.

Portugal competed in the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 3 May 1997. Performing during the show in position 15, Portugal placed twenty-fourth (last) out of the 24 participating countries and failed to score any points, making it the second time the nation had placed last in the history of the competition and receiving nul points.

Background
Prior to the 1997 contest, Portugal had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest thirty-two times since its first entry in 1964. The nation's highest placing in the contest was sixth, which they achieved in 1996 with the song "O meu coração não tem cor" performed by Lúcia Moniz. Portugal's least successful result has been last place, which they have achieved on two occasions, most recently in 1974 with the song "E depois do adeus" performed by Paulo de Carvalho. Portugal has also received nul points once in 1964.

The Portuguese national broadcaster, Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP), broadcasts the event within Portugal and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. The broadcaster has traditionally selected the Portuguese entry for the Eurovision Song Contest via the music competition Festival da Canção, with an exception in 1988 when the Portuguese entry was internally selected. The broadcaster organized Festival da Canção 1997 in order to select the 1997 Portuguese entry.

Festival da Canção 1997
Festival da Canção 1997 was the 34th edition of Festival da Canção that selected Portugal's entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1997. Eighteen entries competed in the competition that consisted of five semi-finals held between 25 January and 22 February 1997 leading to an eight-song final on 7 March 1997. All six shows of the competition were broadcast on RTP1 and RTP Internacional.

Format
The format of the competition consisted of six shows: five semi-finals held on 25 January 1997, 1 February 1997, 8 February 1997, 15 February 1997 and 22 February 1997, and the final on 7 March 1997. Each semi-final featured three competing entries from which the winning song as determined exclusively by public televoting advanced from each show and joined by an additional three automatic qualifying entries to complete the eight song lineup in the final. Results during the final were determined by the votes from 20 regional juries and public televoting. Each jury assigned points from 1-6, 8 and 10, while the televote awarded an additional set of points from 1-6, 8 and 10.

Competing entries
Eighteen composers were selected by RTP through two methods. Fifteen of the composers were selected by a jury panel consisting of journalists Jaime Fernandes and Nuno Infante do Carmo, singer Simone de Oliveira and RTP representative Fernanda Ferreira from 224 submissions received through an open call for songs, while the three remaining composers were invited by RTP for the competition with their songs automatically qualifying to the final: João Mota Oliveira, José Cid and Thilo Krasmann. José Cid represented Portugal in the 1980 Eurovision Song Contest.

Semi-finals
The five semi-finals took place during the television programme Há Horas Felizes between 25 January and 22 February 1997, hosted by Isabel Angelino. In each semi-final three entries competed and one advanced to the final based on the results from a public televote.

Final
The final took place at the Coliseu dos Recreios in Lisbon on 7 March 1997, hosted by António Sala and Cristina Caras Lindas. The five entries that qualified from the five preceding semi-finals alongside the three pre-qualifying entries competed and the winner, "Antes do adeus" performed by Célia Lawson, was selected based on the combination of votes of 20 regional juries and a public televote which acted as a 21st jury. In addition to the performances of the competing entries, among the artists which performed as the interval act included Portuguese Eurovision 1965 and 1969 entrant Simone de Oliveira and Portuguese Eurovision 1971 entrant Tonicha.

At Eurovision
According to Eurovision rules, the twenty-four countries which had obtained the highest average number of points over the last four contests competed in the final on 3 May 1997. On 28 November 1996, an allocation draw was held which determined the running order and Portugal was set to perform in position 15, following the entry from Bosnia and Herzegovina and before the entry from Sweden. Heading into the final of the contest, Portugal was considered by bookmakers to be the fifteenth most likely country to win the competition. The Portuguese conductor at the contest was the co-composer of "Antes do adeus" Thilo Krasmann, and Portugal finished in twenty-fourth (last) place failing to score any points. This was the third time Portugal finished in last place and the second time the nation received nul points, the previous occasions being in 1965.

In Portugal, the show was broadcast on RTP1 and RTP Internacional with commentary by Carlos Ribeiro. The Portuguese spokesperson, who announced the Portuguese votes, was Cristina Rocha.

Voting
Portugal did not receive any points at the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to Italy in the contest with the full breakdown of points awarded by Portugal displayed below.