Bryan Pinkall's World of Opera, Olympics, and More: History

Opening Ceremony Records

First Opening Ceremony in South America
First Presentation of an Olympic Laurel
First Two-piece Olympic Cauldron
First Kinetic Sculpture Cauldron

VIDEO

CEREMONY OVERVIEW

Rio exhibited the party culture of carnival with a serious message of becoming an eco-conscious planet. The ceremony used nearly 5,000 performers and exhibited much of the same technology that had been used in previous ceremonies, but a tiny budget especially compared to Beijing and Sochi. What Rio lacked in monetary support, it made up for in joyful spirit. The following is the ceremony overview from the official event guide:

Welcome to Brazil
Countdown: "The countdown is an Olympic celebration of gambiarra, the spirit of improvisation: the Brazilian way of making the most of almost nothing. A sheet of paper becomes a musical instrument and triggers and enormous batucada"
Brazilian National Anthem: "An artist alone on stage presents the national anthem in all its poetry. The anthem is yours, you can sing along. Athletes who gave us joy and medals at the Olympic Games encounter athletes of the new generation. They carry the Brazilian flag, great companion of their victories. The environmental police of Rio de Janeiro, guardian of the largest urban forest in the world, hoists the flag.
The Beginning of Life:

"A storm announces the forces of nature and the beginning of life on Earth. Microscopic beings appear and transform themselves. Organic lines, intertwined, tell of the birth of the immense forest. Each species is a triumph of life, a DNA that prevails in a process taking billions of years.
The Forest People: "Four million descendants of the first people who inhabited this forest were here when the Portuguese arrived, 500 years ago. Today there are 800,000 Indigenous people. As all around the globe, traditional cultures are the greatest protectors of millenary DNA. In Brazil, it is no different: Indigenous people protect 13% of our territory.

Geometrisation: "Over time, in Brazil and across the world, the process of civilization redesigned nature. Forests gave way to agriculture and pasturage, to mining, to the generation of power, to urbanization and industrialization, to what we are today. We built our identities replacing nature's complex geometry with our own.

The Old World Leaves it Mark on Pindorama: "In 1500, after a long journey across unknown waters, the Portuguese found 'the land where everything grows', the paradise to be conquered. From there, they extracted many riches. The first one was a tree, the 'pau brasil', that gave its name to the country. Thirty years later Africans disembarked, having been taken from their land to work as slaves. The great Brazilian riches that marked the colonial period, such as sugar cane, gold, silver, and diamonds were the product of black slave labor. Slavery lasted 388 years in this country, and as a result African culture has had a deep effect on Brazilian culture. From the 19th century, Brazil began to welcome large waves of migration from Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. We incorporated traces of their cultures without asking their permission. The Brazilian identity is the mix of those cultural traces.

Bossa -

A Brazilian Announces Modern Brazil: Santos Dumont: "It is true that many have contributed to the invention of the aeroplane, but it was Santos Dumont who made the first flight on a plane with his 14 bis, in Paris, in front of journalists and a large audience. According to the Aero-Club de France, he was the first man in the world to take off with a machine heavier than air. Before him others flew launched by catapults or down slopes or without witnesses." *these statements are factually incorrect as documented by many scholars of the Wright Brothers ability to take off many times prior to the 14 bis. This was added as "our patriotic licence" by the committee.
Modern Brazil or When Brazil was Born to the World: "Disregarding the straight lines of urbanization, the curves of Bossa Nova cross the seas. Through architecture, music, painting and literature, Tom Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Oscar Niemeyer, Burle Marx, and Jorge Amado, among others, created the image of a cool, sensual land with its beaches, music, colors, and curves. The mythical Girl from Ipanema "goes walking" all over the planet."

Pop: "What identifies us as Brazillians comes from popular culture. This is the force that takes over the stadium. Through music and dance, Brazilian culture is reborn every day, absorbing and recreating the influences of the global pop scene with an exuberant creativity. We celebrate this vibration without hiding our differences in a country still striving for social balance. We do not want a divided country or world, and for this reason we propose the harmony of a huge Brazilian soul party. Stadium, Brazil, the whole world: let's dance together!"
After the Party: "The party was good, but we've gone too far. We are beginning to pay the bill. After all, everything we buy contains a piece of the world we live in. Science shows us maps that are like x-rays of our illness. Oil and coal use is increasing the greenhouse effect. The planet is warming up faster than expected. The Arctic and glaciers are melting. Droughts last longer and deserts are expanding. Coastal cities are threatened by the sea level rise. A message that the world knows but pretends not to know: Re-thinking our way of life and adapting ourselves to climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity now."
A Simple Solutions/Parade of Nations

But Wait, There Is a Light At the End of the Tunnel: "Trees capture the main gas that traps heat in the atmosphere - carbon - and reduce its concentration. Replanting forests is the fastest, most efficient and cheapest way to revers global warming. And on top of that, it brings back shade and fresh water, the song of birds, the multitude of life. There are large reforestation projects taking place around the world. It's a big movement. We invite everyone to join in: where there is room fro a tree, plant a seed.
One Athlete = One Tree: "207 delegations, 207 species. Upon entering the stadium, each athlete will receive the seed of a native Brazilian tree specie to plant in a tube filled with soil. Over 10,000 seedlings will be planted in the "Athletes' Forest" at the X-Park in Deodoro: a legacy for the city of Rio de Janeiro."

Peace: "The white dove has been a symbol of peace since Ancient Greece. in the Olympic Ceremonies, the flight of doves marks the commitment to peace among peoples. We went to the children of public schools in Rio de Janeiro to ask what peace meant to them."
Speeches, Laurel, Oaths
Olympic Flag and Anthem: "Carriers of the Olympic flag unite their ideals for the promotion of a better world. Brazilians, leaders in sport and life, symbolize and inspire our commitment to the Olympic values. The Olympic anthem is performed by the More Project NGO children choir. The organization works among communities in Niteroi promoting cultural and sport activities for children. The children were invited to sing the anthem after the ceremony's music composers saw a video fo the choir, that had gone viral on the internet, produced by the children themselves."
Apotheosis: "We will give the athletes the party that they have traveled thousands of miles for! A carnival powered by the percussionists of Rio's 12 main samba schools and the colors and shapes of carioca contemporary artist Beatriz Milhazes."
Cauldron Lighting

Rio Opening Ceremony - Girl from Ipanema

Favela Funk

Olympic Cauldron is Lit

Rio Olympic Medals

Rio Olympic Torch

OLYMPIC CEREMONY DATABASE

SUMMER

1896 1900 1904 Intercalated 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952
1956 Equestrian 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

WINTER

1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 20141980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006
2010 2014 2018

Monday, July 11, 2016

1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony (entire ceremony)

www.olympicceremony.org

Lake Placid 1980 - Calgary 1988

XIV Olympic Winter Games

Sarajevo, Yugoslavia
February 8, 1984

OLYMPIC CEREMONY DATABASE

SUMMER

1896 1900 1904 Intercalated 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952
1956 Equestrian 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

WINTER

1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 20141980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006
2010 2014 2018

1992 Albertville Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony (entire ceremony)

www.olympicceremony.org

Calgary 1988 - Lillehammer 1994

XVI Olympic Winter Games

Albertville, France
February 8, 1992

OLYMPIC CEREMONY DATABASE

SUMMER

1896 1900 1904 Intercalated 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952
1956 Equestrian 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

WINTER

1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 20141980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006
2010 2014 2018

Friday, February 21, 2014

2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony (entire ceremony)

www.olympicceremony.org

2010 Vancouver - Pyeongchang 2018

XXII Olympic Winter Games

Sochi, Russia
2014

Troika pulling the sun, thawing the ice in the Opening Ceremony segment "Rite of Spring"

Olympic Ceremony Records
italics indicate records at the time

First entrance of the Parade of Nations from below the stadium floor
Most Nations Competing in an Olympic Winter Games - 88 (previous 82 Vancouver)
First continuous use of projections
First use of prop trains above the stadium floor
Most expensive Olympic stadium (est. $750 million - $1 billion)
First stadium specifically built for an Olympic ceremony

Opening Ceremony

Fisht Olympic Stadium (40,000)
February 7, 2014

Official Report

No Official Report ... yet

Official Video
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Opening Ceremony Highlights

The Sochi opening ceremony was one of the most elaborate in the history of the Olympic Games. Notably, the enormous props, guided through the stadium with the help of a train system on the roof provided some of the most elaborate scenes in Olympic ceremony history. The ceremony was a tribute to the history of Russia as told through its various rich art traditions including ballet, music, and literature. Concerning the size of the ceremony, with a custom built stadium with a custom built roof for moving props held in massive containment buildings adjacent to the stadium, the Sochi opening ceremony was the most expensive ceremony ever produced. With reported stadium costs and ceremony budgets, the production easily exceeds $1 billion; if true, it would be the first in history to break that mark.

A malfunctioning Olympic ring blighted an otherwise emphatic reception of the ceremony, which featured world famous musicians, thousands of dancers and volunteers, and a massive recounting of the history of Russia. Sochi took much of the recent evolution of the Olympic ceremony to massive proportions, and although few true innovations occurred, the Sochi ceremonies perfected the projection techniques first implemented by Vancouver in 2010, the suspension of massive props first implemented by Sydney 2000, and narrative film elements first implemented by London 2012. With Sochi, the Olympic Ceremonies are now trending toward productions of living cinematic art.

Viewers' Guide

0:00:00 - Pre-Ceremony Entertainment

0:20:39 - Opening Flyover

0:34:40 - Cyrillic Alphabet Countdown Film

0:38:44 - Artistic Segment - Flight through Russia

0:45:00 - Introduction of the Presidents of the Russian Federation and IOC
0:46:00 - Russian National Anthem
0:50:30 - Olympic Torch Relay Film
0:52:30 - Parade of Nations
1:49:00 - Giant animatronic mascots of Sochi 2014
1:51:07 - History of Russia Film
1:54:00 - Artistic Segment - Rite of Spring
2:02:00 - Artistic Segment - Peter the Great
2:06:30 - Artistic Segment - War and Peace
2:13:00 - Artistic Segment - Russian Revolution
2:21:00 - Artistic Segment - 20th Century
2:29:00 - Olympic Torch Relay Film
2:31:00 - Speech by SOCOG President
2:37:30 - Speech by IOC President
2:47:00 - Vladimir Putin Opens the Games
2:48:00 - Artistic Segment - Doves of Peace
2:52:00 - The Olympic Flag and Anthem
3:00:00 - Olympic Oaths
3:03:30 - Artistic Segment - Olympic Gods
3:08:45 - The Olympic Flame
3:14:00 - Firebird, Finale, Fireworks

Photos

Sochi Olympic Medals

Sochi Olympic Logo

Sochi Olympic Torch

Sochi Olympic Stadium and Cauldron

Girl flies through the topography of Russia

Malfunctioning Olympic Ring

Opening Ceremony segment remembering those lost in WWII

Opening Ceremony segment commemorating the USSR

Doves of Peace

OLYMPIC CEREMONY DATABASE

SUMMER

1896 1900 1904 Intercalated 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952
1956 Equestrian 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016

WINTER

1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 20141980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006
2010 2014 2018

Thursday, January 10, 2013

1932 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony

www.olympicceremony.org
1928 St. Moritz - Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1936

III Olympic Winter Games

Lake Placid, New York
1932

Governor of New York, Franklin Roosevelt opens the 1932 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid

Olympic Ceremony Records
italics indicate records at the time

First Winter Games in North America
First Winter Olympic Opening Ceremony to Use Loudspeakers
Fewest Events (tied 1928 St. Moritz) - 14

Opening Ceremony

Olympic Stadium (7,475)
February 4, 1932

Video

Opening Ceremony Highlights

The Opening Ceremony of the third Winter Olympics were held on a bright and sunny morning. Notably, this was the first Winter Olympic ceremony to use loudspeakers and the Governor of New York, Franklin Roosevelt opened the games. Roosevelt would later win the 1932 Presidential Election. This brief ceremony lasted less than 30 minutes in length.