31 replies to this topic

[Athensfan]

The LA card stunt was probably the best ever. The flags of every competing nation all the way around the stadium. It was spectacular.

[SkiFreak]

Sydney 2000 - The whole ceremony was enjoyable
Athens 2004 - The drummers, the flame rings
Beijing 2008 - The opening ceremony soundtrack
Lillehammer 1994 - Setting it at the ski jump venue was unique
Vancouver 2010 - The whales on the floor of BC Place, flag at half-mast to honor a fallen athlete, and the flame lighting which was concluded at the beginning of the closing ceremony. Oh, and Gretzky almost slipping on the back of the pick-up truck.

[Jonafin]

Sydney was my first OC that I saw, from that my favourite segments would have to be:

• The multicultural segment and the climax at the end of the segment where the performers stood in an outline of Australia.
• The entire cauldron lighting segment (celebrating women at the Olympics, i think)
• The national anthem, I know I am biased, but i reckon its up there as one of the best renditions of any anthem performance.

For Athens:

• The costumes in the historical parade. I particularly liked the hydra puppet.
• The giant head appearing from the centre of the ground and the DNA helix structure.
• I like the cauldron, simple and clean.

On a side note, at the closing ceremony.... the handover to Beijing (with those girls playing "Mo Li Hua") and the giant red lanturn were also memorable for me. Oh, and the millions of fake wheat planted into the stadium floor.

The Beijing ceremony was a grande experience, my most memorable segments would have to include:

• Sarah Brightman and Liu Huan performance of "You and Me", the smiley face fireworks and the kids on the umbrellas.
• The dream like music during the illumination of the rings on the floor and as they rise into the air.
• The dragon pillar segment, all those ladies in those costumes dancing. The giant scroll was great as well!

Vancouver was interesting.... at the opening: the failure of the 4th cauldron arm and how they turned it into something humourous at the closing ceremony. The welcome by the indigenous nations (plus, the guy in the wolf costume, was hot). Alanis Morisette's performance of "Wunderkind".

I can't wait to see what London has coming up.

[Olympic Fan Darcy]

for commonwealth games would either be jai ho 2010 commonwealth games (A.R Rahman) or Delta Goodrem together we are one 2006 commonwealth games Melbourne OR winking Matilda in Brisbane (but of course i'm going to say that one)

[Quaker2001]

My vote is for the cauldron lighting in Sydney. Still consider that OC 1 of my favorite Olympics television watching experiences of all time because I got to watch it live starting at 3:45am ET while the majority of the United States had to wait another 16 hours. Sad to say I dosed off a couple of times during the telecast, but fortunately I was smart enough to tape it so I was able to watch the parts I missed the next morning.

[afiqnadzir]

this is beyond epic

[tikus_kecil]

Me :

1st. Barcelona flamming arrow, my 1st experience watch an olympic i watch it via television, it also the time when my country won 1st gold medal

2nd. The Beijing 2008 opening, my first Asian - olympic games, and for me that so spectacular , the giant roll and the lightning process all of the show

[hiroamorim]

Exciting moment




Goosebump



WOW moment (wooohooo)




Words can't explain this moment, the best and the most imaginative of an opening ceremony ever. Don't you agree?

[Olympian2004]

There are so many memorable moments for me in the opening ceremonies I've watched (either live on TV or afterwards on Youtube), so I'd rather name the most emotional moments for me:

1) The WTC flag brought into that dead silent stadium in Salt Lake City. It still brings tears to my eyes to this day, after seeing it for maybe two dozens times.

2) Two moments from Munich 1972: The huge cheer Team Germany got when it entered the stadium and (also quite a tearjerker moment for me) when the Olympic Flag went up the flagpole under the applause of the audience.

3) The "Both Sides Now" performance with the boy flying above the "wheat fields" in Vancouver. So beautiful in its simplicity and humaneness.

4) The cauldron lighting in Sydney, especially the image of an aborigine like Cathy Freeman holding the torch proudly in front of that stunning waterfall. What a strong symbol that was!

5) Two moments from Barcelona 1992: The entry of the Spanish team with that outburst of truly Spanish joy, and the corresponding outburst of joy when the cauldron lit up.

6) The moment when they projected those faces, hands etc. on the pieces of the Cycladic head in Athens. That was the moment when my friends fell dead silent while we watched the OC live.

7) When Li Ning ran around the rim of the Birds Nest's roof, accompanied by that beautiful "You and Me" theme song. It was contemplative, silent, emotional, impressive and exciting (because one kept guessing which lighting method Beijing would use) at the same time.

8) The "Reach Out And Touch" performance by Vicki McClure in the LA 1984 OC, when the whole audience, including the athletes, joined hands.

[Athensfan]

I thought "reach out and touch" was in the closing. Can't find program, though. Are you sure?