PARIS– O Paris Olympics’ The opening ceremony began after a difficult start to the Summer Olympics on Friday, with rainy sky over the Seine and suspected acts of sabotage aimed at France’s main high-speed rail network.
French football legend Zinedine Zidane began the opening ceremony with the Olympic flame in his hands. In a pre-recorded video, he is seen running and weaving through a Parisian traffic jam before handing the flame to a group of children on the metro, who then make their way through the Catacombs and onto a boat, at which point the broadcast switches to a real . panoramic view of the River Seine.
Lady Gaga delivered a stunning performance as the first musical act during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – except it was all pre-recorded. The Grammy and Oscar-winning artist began her performance on the steps along the River Seine, singing “Mon Truc en Plumes” by Zizi Jeanmaire. Gaga’s appearance was a surprise — she wasn’t listed in a program provided to the media in advance — but there were plenty of rumors after the singer and actor was spotted in Paris.
It’s from “Phantom of the Opera” or “Assassin’s Creed”? In fact, it is both and much more. The mysterious torchbearer who appeared in a masked and hooded costume was inspired by several characters from French culture: Belphégor, the Iron Mask, titular character from “Phantom of the Opera”, Fantomas, Ezio from “Assassin’s Creed” and Arsène Lupine. The torchbearer ran to the top of the Musée d’Orsay, ran across the Pont Neuf, rode in a boat with a child holding the flame, and then somersaulted across a red track.
“We were impressed with the opening ceremony and very proud to see that Assassin’s Creed was one of the inspirations for the show’s talented creators. It’s a true testament to the influence of video games on popular culture,” said a spokesperson for Ubisoft, creators of “Assassin’s Creed.”
The first would be French singer and actor Philippe Katerine, singing “Nu” (“Naked”). Katerine, 55, became popular in France in the 2000s with her dance beat “Louxor, j’adore”. Katerine appeared resting on a rug, painted blue from head to toe and apparently dressed in just a handful of leaves and flowers. He was channeling Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and feasting, the media guide said, with a song about “the absurdity of violence between human beings.”
Your character is suitable if you consider artistic director Thomas Jolly’s grades. “Sequana, daughter of Bacchus, god of wine (and of celebration and excess!), was pursued by Neptune, who coveted her for her beauty. The nymph managed to escape from him by transforming into a river: the Seine,” he wrote. (Bacchus is the Roman equivalent of Dionysus.)
Some time after Katerine’s introduction, a shining metal horse galloped across the water with an Amazon riding in armor. The Amazon, Gendarmerie non-commissioned officer Floriane Issert, was supposed to be “the representation of the Olympic and Sequana spirit”. She and her faithful horse – which eventually turned into a real equine – passed under successive bridges as dove wings unfurled to symbolize a message of peace.
Despite the rain, joy and happiness still filled the gloomy skies of Paris. Musical performances, colorful plumes of smoke in the air and an emotional audience applauded as each boat floated across the Pont d’Arcole. From every window along the river, groups of people waved enthusiastically to the athletes, who danced and celebrated to the sound of lively music. While each team was equipped in different uniforms, the transparent poncho united athletes of all nationalities.
Top French artists from different musical genres showcased themselves on the global stage. Opera singer Marina Viotti combined her skills with the death metal style of Gojira. Singer Aya Nakamura paraded down a golden carpet on the Pont des Arts. In a golden feather costume, the French artist from Mali sang her hits “Pookie” and “Djadja” alongside choristers from the French Army and members of the French Republican Guard orchestra. Parisian rapper Rim’K also made an appearance, while mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel gave a stirring rendition of the French national anthem “La Marseillaise.”
Underneath the Olympic rings of the Eiffel Tower, Celine Dion showed that she is back in singing form after a career-threatening diagnosis, as her vocals soared on Edith Piaf’s “Hymn to Love.” As a pianist played beside her, Dion reached out to the gathered crowd, who applauded her excellent performance before the monument began to glow. It was an impressive showing for Dion, who canceled her world tour after revealing her diagnosis of stiff person syndrome. It is a rare neurological condition that causes muscle stiffness and painful muscle spasms. She returned to the Olympic forefront nearly three decades after performing “The Power of the Dream” during the opening ceremony of the 1996 Atlanta Games.
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Associated Press reporter Sarah Parvini contributed from Los Angeles.
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For more Paris Olympics coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games.
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