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From epic and legendary music performances to torch-bearing class A celebrities and shocking segments that caused controversy and, simultaneously, praise worldwide. This was the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony on Friday the 26th, one that went down in the history as the first of its kind happening on a river and not in the stadium and dubbed as the largest in the games history.
Biblical parody that made Olympics panel apologize? Shocking headless Marie-Antoinette theatrical display? Lady Gaga & Céline Dion leaving musical imprints under the Parisian sky and Gojira making history as the first Metal band to play at the Olympics. A star-studded torch-bearing route and so much more. Let's have a look at the best moments and highlights of the opening ceremony.
Opening Ceremony Boat Parade for the Paris 2024 Olympics initiation on the Seine River
Greek Boat Parade on the Seine River at Olympics Opening Ceremony
94 boats sailed down the Seine River in a spectacular parade showcasing all the participating countries and suming around 10,500 athletes competing in this year's Olympics- this is Paris's first opening ceremony in a century's time and it's the first ever to happen on a river, with multiple locations, orchestrated and directed to tell the story and history of France with bold, artistic segments.
Omar Al Marzouqi and cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh were the flag-bearers for the UAE at the opening ceremony which kicked off with ambition and lavishness.
UAE Boat Parade on the Seine River at Olympics Opening Ceremony
Did you hear? The Olympics and The Coca-Cola Company teamed up with Ryan Tedder, Gwen Stefani and Anderson .Paak to create a song that celebrates the magic that happens when the world comes together at the Olympic Games!
Watch the video here!
Heroic performance by the iconic Canadian star Céline Dion- known as "Queen of Ballads"- who made a live comeback at the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony.
The Canadian superstar had been rumoured to be singing a duet with Lady Gaga, but instead went solo on the Eiffel Tower in a breath-taking performance of Edith Piaf's classic L'Hymne à l'Amour.
Céline Dion's Tour Eiffel Performance
Céline Dion's Epic Performance after 4 years
Powerful performance by megastar Lady Gaga who was humbled and extremely honored to have been asked to perform during the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Lady Gaga, with 10 dancers wafting pink feathers and a 17-piece band in tow, was the first artist to welcome the athletes to the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on Friday 26 July. She performed Mon truc en Plume,' with her version of the song from iconic French revue artist Zizi Jeanmarie.
Lady Gaga in Cabaret Mode during Opening Ceremony Performance
Lady Gaga's Powerful Performance as the first Artist of the Opening Ceremony
History was made! Gorjira- the iconic French Metal band- became the first Metal band in the history of music to perform at the Olympics Opening Ceremony.
Jaw-dropping and unprecedented performance of the band set the world ablaze as members were strapped to the Conciergerie along the Seine River, first greeted with a headless Marie-Antoinette as a backdrop; Gojira teamed up with Opera singer Marina Viotti to deliver their interpretation of the French Revolution song Ah! Ça Ira.
Theatrical Show of Gojira & Marina Viotti at former prison-castle
Gojira made History at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony 2024
The Mysterious Torchbearer was a key highlight, clad in a black cloak and mask, who leapt across Paris rooftops and monuments.
The identity of this torchbearer remained a secret throughout the ceremony. The torchbearer met French football legend Zinedine Zidane at the end of the procession, handing the torch back before disappearing into the night. Most circulated analogy was that this was a nod to the famous games of "Assasins Creed".
Mysterious Masked Torchbearer
Zinedine Zidane was favored to light Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony Cauldron.
Zinedine Zidane and mysterious torch-bearer
A masked Amazon on a motorised horse participated in the ceremony, galloping down the Seine while wearing a cape with the Olympic rings. She carried the olympic flag from the Pont d'Iena to the Place du Trocadero on the metal horseback.
As she passed under bridges, she unfurled dove wings. The rider was Floriane Issert, a non-commissioned officer in the Gendarmerie Nationale. Following her, a group of Games volunteers carried the national flags.
Floriane Issert as masked figurine
The Flying Olympic Flame 2024
Paris Olympics organisers apologise to Christians for Last Supper parody - although this segment was meant as a Greek Satire to raise awareness “of the absurdity of violence between human beings".
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance,” the Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps told a press conference. “We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are really sorry.”
Theatrical Segment of the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony
On a different Fashion note, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande looked very stylish at the Opening Ceremony for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande
Olympian Serena Williams on the red carpet ahead of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024
LeBron James and U.S. teammates on a boat along the Seine River during the Opening Ceremony
In a nutshell, the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony was an event made for the books, went down in history as the first of its kind!
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