Jump to content

Opening Ceremony


Recommended Posts

Exactly, Ikarus. There are very good reasons why Greece and no other nation leads the parade. I guess that the Commonwealth Games organisers only let parade the previous host as the first in their parade because they desperately want to do somewhat of an equivalent to the role of Greece in Olympic parades of nations.

So absolutely no reason to change that rule for the Olympic Games. And the previous as well as the next Olympic host nations sometimes get a special cheer by the audience anyway. A good example was Munich 1972: The audience cheered or applauded particularly loudly for Japan (host of the "sister Games" in Sapporo in 1972), Canada (host of the next Summer Games in Montreal in 1976) and Mexico (host of the previous Summer Games in Mexico City in 1968).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LA8b7zifqA

Japan: 33:57 minutes

Canada: 37:42 minutes

Mexico: 49:05 minutes

And on a side note, I find it always interesting what a rousing cheer the USA got at 1:21:35. It was maybe particularly friendly at that time because of the Cold War and the USA being the most important German ally against the threat of the Eastern Bloc, as well because Munich was in the American-occupied zone of Germany in the first years after World War II and the people of Munich and Bavaria made pretty good experiences with the American troops. But it also shows that in general, there's a strong connection between Germany and the USA -- and so I think the reception for an American team would be comparably warm even today at Olympic Games hosted by a German city.

And what is also very interesting is how the audience restrains its ovations for their home team Germany until the announcer has announced "Deutschland" at 1:23:53. Nowadays, the big cheers for the home team already start when the first spectators get a glimpse of the home team's flag in the tunnel -- and the announcers have to shout to be heard against all that cheering to announce the host country's name. ;)

So one can say that a couple of decades ago, not only the parades of nations were conducted in a very orderly fashion, but also the audience cheers were. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 2.6k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

My goodness, look how organized and well-behaved the athletes are as they march in (yes i'm still stuck on that) I like how Munich has a short piece of music tailored to the entry of each country (As the Saints Go Marching In for the USA Oh the good old days... :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And they did it in Seoul and Sydney as well. When I watched parts of the new Youtube video of Seoul's opening ceremony a few days ago, I noticed that the Seoul organisers even re-used three melodies from Kurt Edelhagen's music for the parade of nations in Munich.

Namely when Nigeria enters at 1:04:07, when Uganda enters at 1:43:49 (the melody is played for only a few seconds) and when Kenya enters at 1:55:11:

A fun fact I also noticed during Seoul's parade: Apparently, the Miss Universe of 1988 was allowed to accompany the athletes from her home country Thailand in the parade. She can be seen very shortly at 1:58:14.

Quote from Wikipedia:

She accompanied the Thai athletes during the Opening Ceremony of the 1988 Summer Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porntip_Nakhirunkanok

Link to comment
Share on other sites

386049_10150477556259444_734774443_8458359_329219225_n.jpg

i was thinking about the entrance of the Parade Of Nations during OC… it make sense that the athletes enter the stadium from the "south door" mark in GREEN, similar to TORINO 2006....

the traditional way make it complicated for the outside entrance because it is too the road is too narrow ..

what u guys think??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

/\ Gosh, Ozkar, do you really think you can influence how the Nations will march in? They will enter where the producers will direct them to enter.

hahaha maybe u r right.. but they might be having the same thought... i mean it will look better (and it could be a faster) if they enter thru the south.

i'll call Mr, Boyle later on today! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hahaha maybe u r right.. but they might be having the same thought... i mean it will look better (and it could be a faster) if they enter thru the south.

i'll call Mr, Boyle later on today! ;)

It all depends on where they will be asked to wait. I think they will be placed in the Swimming Venue first before marching into Olympic Stadium. So wherever the swim stadium is in relation to O, is how they will enter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It all depends on where they will be asked to wait.

Basketball Arena.

They will then be escorted across the Park main bridge, south across the Heneghan Peng bridge, down onto the slope by the canal onto the stadium floor level and into the stadium via the north west entrance.

The bridge from the Aquatic Centre only leads into the podium level of the stadium and is inaccessible to the stadium floor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The bridge from the Aquatic Centre only leads into the podium level of the stadium and is inaccessible to the stadium floor.

OK, then the Swim stade would serve as the holding tank for the performers. But how is that possible if the Aquatic Tongue doesn't have access to the stadium floor?? Where will they place the 10,000 performers?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, then the Swim stade would serve as the holding tank for the performers. But how is that possible if the Aquatic Tongue doesn't have access to the stadium floor?? Where will they place the 10,000 performers?

Basketball arena? Temporary tents? Secret underground Anderson shelters left over from the blitz? Hidden inside the undergrowth of Mayor Boris' unkempt hair?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Elgar is expected to feature in the London 2012 opening ceremony after forming part of the soundtrack to video presentations used to persuade David Cameron to stump up another £40 million to the staging costs.

Cameron was shown two six-minute films by opening ceremony director Danny Boyle on a visit to Downing Street, one based on a £40 million ceremonies budget, the other on an £80 million spend.

The presentation was pivotal in Cameron giving the go-ahead for additional public spending, arguing that the ceremonies represent an unparalleled opportunity to showcase Britain to the world. In his New Year’s message the Prime Minister said: “We have to go for it.”

Elgar’s Nimrod, from the Enigma Variations, is thought to have featured in the films, though the man considered by some the greatest of English composers will be joined by far more contemporary music as Boyle seeks to marry tradition with the best of modern creative Britain.

Dance act Underworld, who collaborated with Boyle on Trainspotting, are musical directors for the show and will add a keener edge to the ceremony soundtrack. Sir Paul McCartney has also been tipped to perform at the opening or closing ceremonies in London, with organisers aware of the huge popularity of classic British acts with audiences round the world, especially in the US.

Boyle is also understood to be trialling state-of-the-art technology for the ceremony, including advanced CGI film techniques borrowed from film that will allow London to match-up to Beijing’s spectacular £65 million opening ceremony without being able to call on the massive number of performers present in China.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/news/8990819/London-2012-Olympics-Elgar-and-Sir-Paul-McCartney-to-feature-in-opening-ceremony.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can see Nimrod being a tearjerker if it's definitely included, but if they decide to make a contemporary twist then they'll need to be very clever to pull it off successfully! Can't believe these games are just around the corner :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The use of CGI and the mix of classical and contemporary music -- sounds very interesting and even fascinating so far. And if they really use "Nimrod", it will be yet another "This music means so much to me" goosebump ceremony for me, just like in Vancouver when they played "Both Sides Now". It's such a emotional and majestic piece of music, and I love it to pieces. Although I can't listen to it when someone I liked has died or any other bad thing has happened.

By the way: The musical style of "Nimrod" reminds me strongly of the 6th movement of Gustav Mahler's 3rd symphony -- which Dimitris Papaioannou used for the Cycladic head segment at the Athens 2004 opening:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8w1gZ8M4b4

(starting at 0:58)

Besides "Nimrod", "Jerusalem" (at best, sung by the whole stadium audience) would be the perfect musical choice for the opening ceremony in my view. And then, of course, they should let the audience chant "Land of Hope and Glory" and "Rule Britannia" at the closing ceremony, making it the "Last Night of the Olympic Proms". ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is it just me or it seems that, after they said they didnt wanted to surpass Beijing, now it looks like the complete opossite? The fact that they're receiving more budget for the ceremonies and are talking about using CGI techniques (this could be spectacular), and that the newspapers are talking about matching Beijing kinda gives you a hint that Zhang Yimou ceremony was still casting a huge shadow over Danny Boyle one. Either way, i'm glad they're going to give it more attention and money, and that the ceremony will begin at night instead of daylight like it was originally planned.

Nimrod sounds like something you can use for a very emotional moment of the ceremony, although still a rumour I hope they use this piece (maybe they will use Elgar Pomp and Circumstance as well).

About Jerusalem, maybe it could work as a music for the entering of the olympic flag (sans the lyrics, since it has religious references and i dunno if the IOC owould allow that). Rule Britannia is a must since is one of England most popular songs arround the world :) (along with Greensleves)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Umm, am I the only one not 'wowed' by this "Nimrod" piece of music... I don't get what all of the fuss is about... I had never heard of it before a week ago, listened to it twice since, did not move me in any way whatsoever... I'm no classical expert by any means but I am certaily more appreciative of the genre than your average 29 year old American... but i'll take John Williams over this piece anyday... ` <_<

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know how much Elgar is performed in other countries. Nimrod is one of the Enigma Variations, each one written for - and reflecting the character of - one of the composer's friends. I think this variation is a very beautiful piece; understatedly British in its way, and whilst I wonder if it's too sombre for the occassion I'd certainly prefer it to the Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 if we're going to have some famous Elgar in the ceremony!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that it's not too somber for an opening ceremony. Just remember how many rather contemplative or even sad pieces of music they used only in recent Olympic opening ceremonies: Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings (which is an even sadder piece than Nimrod in my opinion) for the parade of the US athletes in Athens 2004 and again in the Sacred Grove segment of Vancouver 2010; the highly contemplative "Imagine" in Torino 2006; the rather contemplative and silent "You and Me" theme song in Beijing 2008; the highly contemplative and melancholic "Both Sides Now" and "Hallelujah" in Vancouver 2010, just to name a few.

In my opinion, it's an essential part of every Olympic ceremony that it also has its contemplative parts, even parts in which you shed a tear. Just as life is always a mix of laughter and sadness. And the experiences the athletes will make in the Games will also be joyful or sad.

Also, I already experienced that Nimrod goes very well also with joyful occasions. They used it for the 60th anniversary of my home state North-Rhine Westphalia, which was celebrated in 2006 in the Tonhalle, a big concert hall in the state capital Düsseldorf. And I thought they made a very good choice with that piece. It was such a strong reference to the Britons who founded North-Rhine Westphalia during their occupation of the region in the first years after World War II. And it was melancholic, but also created a mood of gratitude for what the Britons did for us in the first years, especially for the build-up of a new democracy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if we may see a performance at the top of the Orbit.

I’m still grasping the fact that its is finally 2012. it still sounds very futuristic to me.

And there is a lot to do,

We haven’t seen any dramatic re design of the 2012 website , but I do like davepodmores rain umbrella logo signature, which unfortunately reminds me of the 1988 Jean Michel jarre destination docklands concert which was nearly canceld because of the weather,

My be Jean Michel Jare should be invited back to perform at the Olympics to help the Entente cordiale.

I also hope the Black friers bridge construction work in central London is finished for the Olympics

As its so close to St Paul’s and the Tate Modern were I’m sure opening ceremony events will be happening.

That looks like it going to go up to the wire if indeed it is finished.

And I do hope places like Trinity Buoy wharf play a full and proper part in the opening cerimany,Fat walk or not, it will be exciting to see how the lower lee valley is decked out as I’m sure the waterways will be playing an important part in the opening ceremony.

All in all the combination of Urban street culture, Heritage beauty spots and culture should be explosively exciting , roll on the year of the Dragon ,

Incidentally my sign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...