In the world of sports, there is no other spectacle bigger than the Olympics and it is rightly called the greatest show on earth and all of them start with an opening ceremonies, which include performances, social depiction, dances and what the host country represents. The Olympics, ever since they were held for the first time in 1896, have grown in every conceivable aspect, be it size, stature, popularity or number of participants.
Trending
Another that has become over the years is the grandeur of opening ceremonies and the advent of money, television and the chance to show the world what a country is made of has given a whole new dimension to it. Over the years, we have seen some amazng opening ceremonies, which been watched by millions around the world. As the 2016 Rio Olympics get underway, we take a look at the greatest opening ceremonies of all time.
#5 Moscow 1980
A large number of people would remember the 1980 Moscow Olympics due to them being boycotted by the United States of America but anyone who saw the opening ceremony is not likely to forget it in their life. Held at the Grand Arena of the Central Lenin Stadium in the Russian capital, this extravaganza was filled with several displays of Soviet traditions, dances and performances.
The crowd was an integral part of the ceremony and on several occasions, card stunts were used for portrayal of detailed designs, which earned a lot of praise from everyone. Not only this, the levels of artistry on display at this opening ceremony set a new benchmark that was emulated by several other countries in the years to come. We will also not forget the rendition of “Moscow Fanfare,” which was composed by A Golovin.
#4 Los Angeles 1984
More than anything else, the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics were a huge commercial success and the opening ceremony was the apt stepping stone for the same. The infusion of private money and corporate sponsorship made a huge impact on the opening ceremony and its festivities. The use of crowd-facilitated mosaics was quite amazing and it filled the air in Los Angeles with colour.
However, the best moment of the ceremony, an unforgettable in the history of the event, was when Bill Suitor arrived into the stadium on a jetpack, yes, a jetpack. Other than Bill Suitor’s big fly-in, the opening ceremony featured the famous “Rhapsody in Blue” and John Williams’ Grammy-winning “Olympic Fanfare and Theme.”
#3 London 2012
There is quite no other nation that has more class than England and the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics was a fantastic representation of the same. Proper, spectacular and almost beyond reproach, this ceremony, held at Olympic Stadium, was seen by around 900 million people around the world. Arguably the best thing about the ceremony was its meticulous detailing and how it was kept as a secret despite the huge scale.
A large number of famous faces were a part of the ceremony, including actors Daniel Craig and Rowan Atkinson, which showed all the glory of Great Britain, right from the Industrial revolution, food, culture to the National Health Service. The use of music and an excellent sense of storytelling won over the hearts of fans from around the world and Britain was lauded for its “young” approach to the ceremony.
#2 Sydney 2000
The first Olympics of the second millennium took place in Sydney and no other nation would have represented sporting progress in the 21st century better than Australia. Held at the Stadium Australia, this ceremony represented the hope, progress and spirit of a young nation that was rising in the sporting world like few others. More than 10,000 performers came together to put on a magical spectacle for the world in a narrative, which was seen from a young girl’s eyes.
All components of Australia’s incredible cultural, geographical and historical landscape were on display in the ceremony, which depicted the Great Barrier Reef, rich flora and fauna, European colonisation and the Aboroginal past dating back to a 1000 years. The words “A New Era and Eternity,” a segment during the ceremony, perhaps summed up the Sydney Olympics better than anything else.
#1 Beijing 2008
If we are being honest then it would hard for any opening ceremony, at least for several years to come, to match the grandeur, magnificence and the sheer large scale of the 2008 Beijing Olympics event. Just to put things into perspective, it took around a great film maker in Zhang Yimou, 14,000 people and approximately $300 million to put together this show, which was unlike any other in Oympics history.
The highlight, by far, was the extraordinary fireworks display but the performance of the 2000 odd drummers at the beginning of the evening was equally stunning. China, perhaps, had realised that the world was watching and wanted to do everything possible to show its might. And it did so with quite some elan. Showcasing inventions, rich heritage, culture, modernisation, the 2008 opening ceremony was something never experienced before.
