Aare

The Aare (German pronunciation: [ˈaːrə]) or Aar is a tributary of the High Rhine and the longest river that both rises and ends entirely within Switzerland.

Its total length from its source to its junction with the Rhine comprises about 295 km (183 miles), during which distance it descends 1,565 m (5,135 ft), draining an area of 17,779 km² (6,865 sq mi), almost entirely within Switzerland, and accounting for close to half the area of the country, including all of Central Switzerland. There are more than 40 hydroelectric plants along the course of the Aare River.

The river's name dates to at least the La Tène period, and it is attested as Nantaror "Aare valley" in the Berne zinc tablet which dates back to Roman Gaul. The name was Latinized as Arula/Arola/Araris

Course

The Aare rises in the great Aargletschers (Aare Glaciers) of the Bernese Alps, in the canton of Bern and west of the Grimsel Pass. The Unteraargletscher (Lower Aare-Glacier) is the main source of the water, for the source Lake Grimsel, along with the Finsteraargletscher, Oberaargletscher (Upper Aare-Glacier), and Lauteraargletscher. It runs east to the Grimsel Hospice, below the Finsteraarhorn, and then northwest through the Haslital, forming on the way the magnificent Handegg Waterfall, 46 m (151 ft), past Guttannen. Between Innertkirchen and Meiringen, the river carves through a limestone ridge in the Aare Gorge or Aareschlucht. It is here that the Aare proves itself to be more than just a river, as it attracts thousands of tourists annually to the causeways through the gorge.

Sergey Lazarev

Sergey Vyacheslavovich Lazarev (Russian: Серге́й Вячеславович Лазарев, born 1 April 1983) is a Russian singer, dancer and actor. He is most famous for his singing career, when he rose to fame as the dark-haired member of the group Smash!!. The group broke up in 2006. Since then Lazarev has pursued a solo career. He will represent Russia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm, Sweden.

Biography and career

Early life and child stardom

From ages six to nine Lazarev went in for artistic gymnastics. Lazarev began his acting and singing career before the age of 10, singing in the Lokteus Children Choir. At the age of 14, he had already received his first musical award, won several children's song contests, and ended up as a member of child group Neposedi (Непоседы), the same group in which Yulia Volkova and Lena Katina of t.A.T.u. met each other. Also his friend Vlad Topalov (Влад Топалов) joined the group, who later would become the other half of the group Smash!!.

When he was eleven, he sang in the Pokrovsky Theatre, had parts in many plays. In 1995, at the age of 12, Sergey entered the fidgets band, the same year he won the TV contest of children's gold key. As a part of the fidgets group Sergey took part in famous Russian TV programs and contests, such as "Guess the Tune", "Grasp Me", "The Morning Star", "Look Out", "The Blue Light" and "The Slaconic Bazaar". In September 1996 Sergey won the first prize at the contest Bravo Bravissimo in Italy. The same year he sang with the president orchestra led by P. Ovsyannikov.