Beijing Olympic Closing Ceremony Unrehearsed

Beijing News reported Monday that the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing Summer Games will be unrehearsed. It seems the men's marathon will end at the National Stadium (Bird's Nest) about noon where the Closing Ceremony is being held, leaving only eight hours for the organizers to prepare for the Closing Ceremony. The newspapers added that small rehearsals are being held at training sites away from the stadium.

Also time has been allotted to London 2012 organizers to rehearse an eight-minute handover ceremony.

Zhang Yimou, chief director of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, said earlier this month that the climax of the show would come as the Olympic flame is extinguished. He said, "we are dedicated to creating a happy atmosphere at the Closing Ceremony. The message is to say goodbye, and to promise to meet again in four years".

Meanwhile organizers have reportedly made contingency plans for any emergency that might occur during the event, including rain. According to the newspaper organizers may have to cut or readjust part of the show should there be rain, but on the whole it should not spoil the event.

The China Daily reports Tuesday the Closing Ceremony includes a performance by world famous Spanish tenor Placido Domingo in a duet with Chinese soprano star Song Zuying.

Tao Chunjie, director of the first scene of the Closing Ceremony, told Chinese media earlier that the program will feature elements of south-western China's Yunnan culture.

There will also be a kung fu display featuring 350 practitioners from a local marital arts school in addition to 60 players of the Chinese string instrument "erhu".

The British Daily Mirror reports that football star David Beckham will appear during the handover ceremony. Beckham is expected to arrive on top of one of London's famous red double-decker buses before he kicks a football into the crowd. Hundreds of dancers from Britain will then perform ballet and break-dancing routines as the countdown to 2012 begins.

During the handover ceremony former Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page will perform a duet with pop star Leona Lewis, reports the Daily Telegraph.

China Daily reports British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will be handed the Olympic flag on behalf of London.

According to the BBC, those connected with the London segment said it will be in stark contrast to the Chinese goodbye and will also "contain quite a lot of humour".

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