2000 Sydney Summer Olympic Opening Ceremony (entire ceremony)

www.olympicceremony.org

1996 Atlanta - Athens 2004

The Games of the XXVII Olympiad

Sydney, Australia

2000

Olympic Ceremony Records (Records at the time)

• First Olympic Cauldron Lit into Water
• First Mechanically Moving Olympic Cauldron
• First Use of Suspended Puppetry
• First Use of Suspended Performers
• First Use of Fire-breathers
• Largest Stadium to Host the Opening Ceremony (110,000) - previous Los Angeles 1932 (105,000)
• Largest Crowd to Attend the Opening Ceremony (110,000) - previous Los Angeles 1932 (105,000)
• Largest Crowd to Attend an Olympic Ceremony (114,714 - closing ceremony)
• Most Nations Participating (199) - previous Atlanta 1996 (197)
• Most Athletes Participating (10,651) - previous Atlanta 1996 (10,320)
• Most Olympic Events (300) - previous Barcelona 1992 (286)

Olympic Torch Relay Records

italics indicate records at the time

• First Olympic Cauldron Lit into Water
• First Mechanically Moving Olympic Cauldron
• First Flame Bungee Jumped
• First Flame Surfed
• First Flame Carried by Camel
• First Flame Carried Underwater
• First Flame Skied (summer Olympic record)
• Longest Torch Relay - 38,646km (previous Atlanta 1996 - 34,011km)

Opening Ceremony

Stadium Australia (110,000)
September 15, 2000

Complete Video
(viewer's guide below in Ceremony Highlights)
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Opening Ceremony Highlights

At the time of the Sydney 2000 Opening Ceremony, it was acknowledged universally as the greatest Opening Ceremony ever.  The pageantry and music were present on a most enormous scale.  The Olympic Opening Ceremony had established itself as one of the world's leading and most prestigious art forms with this impressive ceremony.  In addition, a competitiveness arose in how to "beat" previous ceremonies in the spectacular nature of the event.  Sydney astonished the world in a most ingenious cauldron lighting and in a theatrical display that left many to wonder if this ceremony could ever be "beat".

• 120 riders on horseback form Olympic Rings (0:01)
• Governor-General of Australia arrives with dignitaries
• National Anthem (6:30)
• "Deep Sea Dreaming" artistic segment (11:45)
• Hero Girl dreams of sea life, swimming among the creatures
• Hero Girl is sucked into a whirlpool
• "Awakening" (19:40)
• Hero Girl awakes to the dawn of Australia guided by a Songman
• Songman awakens the land spirits; aboriginal dance/ceremony
• "Nature" (31:20)
• Bolt of lightning causes giant brush fire
• Regeneration of life
• "Tin Symphony" (43:20)
• Europeans arrive to Australia
• "Arrivals" (56:40)
• The world immigrates to Australia
• "Eternity" (1:07:50)
• Modern Sydney
• Sydney Olympic Band performance (1:21:00)
• Parade of Nations (1:33:50)
• "Dare to Dream" performed by Olivia Newton-John and John Farnham (1:54:30)
• Minister Knight, Sir William Deane declares the games open
• "Heroes Live Forever" performed by Vanessa Amorosi; giant Olympic flag/projection of dove covers spectators (1:59:40)
• Olympic Flag enters the stadium and raised to the Olympic Hymn (2:04:40)
• Athlete's and Judge's Oaths (2:12:40)
• "The Flame" performed by Tina Arena (2:14:00)
• Olympic Flame arrives at the stadium; cauldron lit into water by Cathy Freeman (2:18:00)

Photos

Gold Medal from the 2000 Olympics in Sydney

Olympic Torch from the 2000 games in Sydney

Official Poster of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney

Sydney 2000 Olympic Band performance during the Opening Ceremony

Cathy Freeman lights the Olympic Cauldron

Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney

Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney

Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Olympics in Sydney

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