Agather Meyer
Zim Now Reporter in Paris
Friday July saw the opening of the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris. The Olympic flame lit up the capital at 10:34 p.m., with Céline Dion's voice rising to Edith Piaf's “Hymne à l'amour”
It was almost 4 hours of an “unforgettable” ceremony, during which France displayed its share of unusual and moving artistic moments.
Minutes after French President E. Macron opened the festivities, a relay of France's greatest Olympic champions, along with Serena Williams, Nadia Comaneci, Rafael Nadal and Carl Lewis, carried the flame. In the end, it was judoka Teddy Riner and former athlete Marie-José Pérec, both three-time Olympic champions, who lit the Olympic cauldron. Installed in a hot-air balloon, it then took to the skies in the Jardin des Tuileries.
During the ceremony, which centered on the Seine, 12 “tableaux vivants” enlivened the evening, interspersed with the traditional parade of Olympic delegations along the river for almost 6 km.
From the Pont d'Austerlitz to the Pont d'Iéna, the route was marked by a variety of artistic performances, showcasing the monuments, bridges and cultural establishments around the river. The show featured many unique and daring interventions.
The ceremony was also marked by the presence of artists from all walks of life.
On the quayside, Lady Gaga opened the show with her rendition of Zizi Jeanmaire's “Mon truc en plumes”, in a number that hinted at cabaret and music hall.
Further on, perched on the walls of the Conciergerie, the metal band Gorija accompanied opera singer Marina Viotti: a flamboyant combination of controlled kitsch, in a passage evoking the French Revolution of 1789.
French R&B singer Aya Nakamura then took over, in a medley of her own songs and those of other famous french singers, notably Charles Aznavour. Coming out of the Institut de France, she was accompanied by the Republican Guard: a staging that left a lasting impression thanks to its audacity.
From the roof of the Grand Palais, opera singer Axelle St Cyrielle began the national anthem: dressed in a gown in the colors of the French flag, her song accompanied the appearance of golden statues on the Seine. Representing a cross-section of France's great female figures, they include philosopher Simone Weil and feminist lawyer and activist Gisèle Halimi.
Sofiane Pamart's piano lights up in the middle of the water. Amidst the flames, the pianist accompanied singer Juliette Armanet in a cover of John Lennon's “Imagine”.
Nearly a billion viewers tuned in to watch the broadcast of the ceremony, and one performance made an intriguing impression. Singer Philippe Katerine put on a show in his own image: painted blue and practically naked, he interpreted Dionysus in an offbeat reproduction of the Last Supper. Accompanied by extravagant dancers, the performance was an ode to diversity.
Finally, the ceremony marked the comeback of Céline Dion, who had been away from the stage for 4 years for medical reasons. From the second floor of the Eiffel Tower, in the rain, she gave a powerful and emotional performance.
A sensitive finale, where “Hymne à l'Amour” delivered its message of fraternity and inclusivity around the world.
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