Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rule-breaking opening ceremony studded with stars and fantasy.
PARIS — Celebrating its reputation as a cradle of revolution, Paris kicked off its first Summer Olympics in a century on Friday with a rain-soaked, rule-breakingOn-and-off showers — the first rain at a Summer Olympics’ opening ceremony in more than 70 years — did not seem to hamper the enthusiasm of the athletes.
The rain made for some bizarre scenes: a stiff upper-lipped pianist played on even as small puddles formed on his grand piano. A breakdancer flipped her moves on the sheen of a rain-drenched platform. Some athletes in Bermuda-style colorful shirts looked dressed for the beach, not a deluge.and joyous French cancan dancers featured early on. A humorous short film featured soccer icon Zinedine Zidane. Plumes of French blue, white and red smoke followed.
French President Emmanuel Macron, front left, and IOC President Thomas Bach in the stands in Paris, France, ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024.A singer resplendently dressed in the French colors of blue, white and red belted out France’s national anthem, La Marseillaise, from the iron- and glass-domed roof of the Grand Palais, the venue for fencing and taekwondo.
With the ambitious ceremony, the stakes for France were immense. Dozens of heads of state and government were in town, and the world was watching as Paris turned itself into a giant open-air theater. Along the Siene, iconic monuments became stages for dancers, singers and other artists.than would have been the case if they’d followed the example of previous Olympic host cities that opened with stadium shows.
The boats carrying the Olympic teams started the parade by breaking through curtains of water that cascaded down from Austerlitz Bridge, the start of the 6-kilometer parade route. The jetting waters were a wink at the splendid fountains of Versailles Palace, now the venue for Olympic equestrian competitions.
Some spectators who followed organizers’ advice to arrive well ahead of time along the ceremony route fumed over long waits to get to their seats.
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