An Epic Spectacle – The Opening Ceremony of the 33rd Summer Olympics in Paris

It was one of those rare nights that will be remembered for a long time: The Opening Ceremony of the 33rd Summer Olympics in Paris on July 26, 2024, was a world-class event, reminiscent of the legendary 50th Super Bowl Halftime Show, but on a different scale. Even though I could only watch the event live on ARD in 720p50, the production was breathtaking. But let's be honest: such a spectacle deserved at least Full HD. It's high time we switch to 4K60p to enjoy these moments in their full glory.

Moreover, I would have preferred to focus more on the event itself rather than on the many comments heard throughout the evening. This is a general issue with German television – immersion is lost. Of course, some commentary is useful, especially if you don't understand the original language. However, during musical performances and similar moments, it would have been better without comments. It would also be nice to have an additional audio channel with the direct stream of the event. This flood of speech was present in many countries and was criticized by many, as also noted by DWDL: Redeschwall bei der Olympia-Eröffnung: Sprachlos? Von wegen!.

A Feast for the Senses

The ceremony's opening along the Seine was overwhelming. Choosing the Seine as the central stage was a brilliant move, showcasing the beauty and historical heritage of Paris. From classic elements like the Can Can to modern performances, such as the beheaded Marie Antoinettes in the windows of the Conciergerie, while the French metal band Gojira played on balconies, and a boat with one of France's most famous opera singers floated by – the ceremony was a kaleidoscope of the arts. All this was presented by over 3,000 artists in the city center.

Incidentally, the surfing competitions will take place further away – in Tahiti, which is part of French Polynesia. There was also a local celebration, as The Sydney Morning Herald shows: Highlights from the other Olympic opening ceremony.

Lady Gaga was also a highlight of the evening. With her revue piece "Mon truc en plumes" on the Seine with a view of Notre Dame, she captivated the audience. French rappers like Aya Nakamura performed with the Republican Guard and delivered a remarkable performance. Throughout the 4-hour evening, virtually every style and trend was represented, including Eurodance and French-language classics.

The musical diversity ranged from traditional opera and classical ballet to modern music genres like rap and metal. This mix of old and new, of tradition and modernity, made the event particularly unique and reflected the rich culture of France, visible in every scene and thematized in various ways, including numerous video segments.

The Magic of the Night

The sound design was excellent and continuous, and the build-up of tension was masterful. One particularly impressive scene featured a metallic horse – some call it the Steampunk Horse, others the Roboriver Horse or Chrome Spirit Horse – with a rider gliding over the Seine, accompanied by suspenseful, electronic, atmospheric music. Despite the heavy rain, which had been seen as a disadvantage the previous evening, the weather contributed to the unique atmosphere. The laser show and lights were even more impressive due to the rain.

As it grew darker, the Seine transformed into an even more striking backdrop. A dance stage with LED panels, gliding over the water at 9 km/h, provided a platform for dancers from various subcultures and styles. Drag queens, LGBTQ+ supporters, and people from diverse subcultures showcased a wonderful variety. One particularly moving performance during the laser show at the Eiffel Tower featured a dancer interpreting a song in sign language. He wore large metal tunnels, adding a unique visual component to the performance.

Parade of Nations

The German delegation was relatively early in the lineup (Allemagne, in French alphabetical order), which meant it wasn't as spectacular as later boats. Nevertheless, it was impressive how over 80 boats carried the delegations down the Seine to the Trocadero. The parade of flags in the Trocadero was equally imposing. The multitude of flags made every vexillologist's heart beat faster. Combined with fitting music and countless scenes from past Summer Olympics, this was a highlight. The Olympic flag was brought by the mentioned mysterious rider on the aforementioned metallic horse gliding over the Seine.

Despite small errors, such as the incorrect announcement of the South Korean delegation as North Korea (The Japan Times reports: South Korea expresses 'regret' over Olympics opening ceremony gaffe) and the Olympic flag being hoisted upside down (thanks to the ARD commentator for pointing this out), the Opening Ceremony was a complete success. The New York Times criticized the event as overloaded (Opening Ceremony Misses the Boat), but most viewers were impressed, as noted in news from around the world:

• BBC Sport: Opening ceremony lights up Paris in unique style
• Le Monde: JO 2024 : Zinédine Zidane, Lady Gaga, Céline Dion, un spectacle total sur la Seine et le déluge… Paris s’offre une cérémonie d’ouverture inoubliable
• The Sydney Morning Herald: Seine spectacular: Paris Games open with light and wonder

The broadcast went well overall. There were only a few brief image outages when accompanying some delegations or the camera lens was fogged up or covered in raindrops. This was unfortunate for some countries, as each country was only shown for a few seconds.

Emotional Highlights

The speeches were sophisticated and typically Olympic, without the commercial touch often seen with organizers like FIFA. Many well-known athletes were involved in the final torch relay. This included not only Paralympic athletes and celebrities like Zidane or Nadal, but also the oldest former Olympic champion Charles Coste, who at 100 years old was still present and passed the flame. The modern electronic music created a great tension until the Olympic flame was lit. This ascended in a hot air balloon, exactly where the first hot air balloon in Paris once took off.

To top it all off, Céline Dion sang Edith Piaf's famous song "L'Hymne à l’amour" from the Eiffel Tower – it couldn't have been more fitting, as noted by the Guardian: Céline Dion returns to the stage to kick off Paris Olympics.

A Global Festival with French Flair

The Opening Ceremony was an epic event with high symbolism and a contemporary flair that perfectly captured the spirit of the modern 2020s. More colors, more diversity, more entertainment – it was a celebration that showcased modern France in all its splendor in this post-Corona era. This celebration was not only distinctly European (including the EU flag), but a global event as envisioned by the creators of the modern Olympic Games in the 1890s. It was a homage to the spirit of European sport, but with global reach and relevance.

Although it would have been wonderful to be there in person, the television broadcast provided the most comprehensive perspective on the event, as you are always directly at the highlights. These are great times we live in, where such an event can be experienced in real-time on a big TV with decent surround sound! And knowing that these moments are being broadcast worldwide to countless countries and watched by millions of people.

I highly recommend zapping through the ceremony to get a sense of its scale while the entire evening is still available. Highlight videos show the most important clips, but the full tension and scale of the event can only be appreciated in full. For example, the rising tension as Nadal, Serena Williams, Carl Lewis, and Nadia Comaneci glide over the Seine with the torch towards the Louvre.

Did you watch the Opening Ceremony? What were your highlights? Share your impressions and comment below!