Singer Antonino, from Italy, is the winner of the 2009 edition of the Golden Stag, with the song September, Monday, composed by Horia Brenciu and Un ultimo brivido.

“Thank you all”, were the only words that Antonio told the audience, visibly overwhelmed by winning the trophy, worth e10,000.

The Silver Stag, worth e7,000, went to the Romanian band The Marker, winner of the 2008 national competition of “the Battle of the Band”.

Ovi of Norway is the winner of the Bronze Stag worth e5,000 and of a e3,000 popularity prize. “This is a great surprise. Anything I’ll do next in my career will be as if I had won the Golden Stag,” Ovi said at his second participation in the festival. The jury’s prize, worth e3,000, went to Glen Vella.

American guitarist Steve Vai won an excellence prize for his entire career offered by the president of the jury, Dida Dragan. The other prizes were awarded by Dumitru Morosanum, Stefan Gheorghiu, Michael Lally and Antero Paivalainen, all jury members.

Geta Burlacu, from Moldova, Jasmine of Romania, Laura of Finland, Ori Piaf of Israel and Orlin Pavlov of Bulgaria were among finalists.