From behind the scenes of Eurovision 2026: how Alexandra Căpitănescu tries to get rid of her emotions before the semi-final
A day before the Eurovision 2026 semi-final, Alexandra Căpitănescu and the Romanian delegation alternate intense rehearsals with moments of relaxation, trying to take advantage of every experience offered by the host city.
The representatives of Romania learned the secrets of Viennese schnitzel. PHOTO: TVR
For Alexandra Căpitănescu and the band representing Romania at Eurovision 2026, the days spent in Vienna have a dizzying rhythm. Rehearsals for the semi-final scheduled for May 14 follow one another almost without a break, the program is carefully calculated, and the pressure of the competition is felt more and more strongly as the moment of going on stage approaches.
However, the Romanian delegation tried to take advantage of every free hour to get out of the tense atmosphere of the contest and to discover the city that hosts this year's Eurovision.
From the stage, in the kitchen
After the two rehearsals on the stage of the competition, where Alexandra Căpitănescu and her colleagues have already attracted positive reactions from the Eurovision fans, the team led by Iuliana Marciuc left aside the choreography, lights and technical training for a few moments and mingled among the tourists who came to discover Vienna.
One of the experiences that brought the members of the delegation the closest was a workshop dedicated to the preparation of the famous Viennese schnitzel.
In a relaxed atmosphere, Alexandra and her colleagues entered the kitchen with Viennese chefs and learned how to prepare one of the most famous Austrian dishes. According to Click!, they went through all the stages, from the choice of ingredients to the technique by which the schnitzel gets that golden and crispy crust that has become emblematic of Viennese cuisine.
At the end, everyone presented their own dish, and the hosts jokingly offered them the title of “Master of Wiener Schnitzel”.
“It was one of the most relaxed and fun experiences so far. We laughed a lot, cooked together and, for a few hours, managed to get out of the very intense pace of Eurovision.” told Alexandra Căpitănescu.
The surprise from the recording studio
Beyond the artistic program, the Romanian representatives also wanted to discover the cultural side of Vienna. They visited the Imperial Treasury at the Hofburg, where some of the most important European historical symbols are kept, including the crown of the Holy Roman Empire and the imperial crown of Austria.
They also spent a few hours at the Art History Museum, one of the most appreciated museums in the world, known for its impressive collections and the works of Pieter Bruegel.
A moment that particularly impressed them was the visit to a Viennese orchestral recording studio, where soundtracks for international cinema and television productions were made. For Romanian artists, it was a rare opportunity to see from the inside how a space related to the great musical and cinematographic productions works.
At the end of the visit, the hosts prepared a surprise for them: the song “Choke Me”, the song with which Romania enters the competition, was played in the studio on some of the best performing professional audio systems in the world.
During these days spent in the Austrian capital, the Romanian artists continued the constant dialogue with Eurovision fans from all over the world, and the reactions received after the first rehearsal contributed to the consolidation of a real wave of sympathy around the representatives of Romania.
“For us, Eurovision doesn't just mean the three minutes on stage. It means people, emotions, meetings, stories and the extraordinary energy you feel here in Vienna. We are happy that we can represent Romania in an authentic way and that people resonate with us”. said the artist.
