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The Cauldron


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But why would the inside one have to be gigantic? It need only be decorative and theatrical. I think they may just use one of the 'overnight' cauldrons for that purpose.

Also, I don't think the roof is clear because they need darkness to rehearse during daylight hours

Fair enough, but who's watching the outdoor lighting live in person then? I can't imagine there will be a live site in the park on that night. It's a lot of bodies in one area and would be very congested when the ceremony ends.

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And I'm sure a Russian composed the piece used for Moscow 1980, but it was probably specially written for the event...I don't recognize it as anything classic.

No, it was Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto 1 which was used for the lightning of the cauldron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_WWz2DSnT8

Also I guess they might do something like Doha 2006. They lit the Astrolabe cauldron which was in the giant LED screen, then the Aspire Tower cauldron lit some seconds after.

PS: Please tell me how i can embeed videos properly in the forums.

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Fair enough, but who's watching the outdoor lighting live in person then? I can't imagine there will be a live site in the park on that night. It's a lot of bodies in one area and would be very congested when the ceremony ends.

Who were watching Gretzky light the outdoor cauldron in Vancouver? Who will be watching the fireworks? I believe the cauldron will reign over the Medals Plaza; so that would be ready with a stage to receive crowds. Fisht only admits 40,000 people, so there will be overflow people there in the plaza. I think they want it to festive -- not deserted. So there will be people out there to see it. Just the number of overflow performers alone, housed in one of the nearby stadia would probably spill out to the plaza to watch the end of the show....since their parts are done; and they would all have to head home anyway.

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No, it was Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto 1 which was used for the lightning of the cauldron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_WWz2DSnT8

Are you sure of that? Skip to the 21:00 minute mark:

http://youtu.be/7ErdCb9rIbY

Moscow 1980 Opening Ceremony

For Sochi, I highly doubt an indoor/outdoor style cauldron. That was just something that had to be done for Vancouver 2010 because of the old stadium roof.

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For Sochi, I highly doubt an indoor/outdoor style cauldron. That was just something that had to be done for Vancouver 2010 because of the old stadium roof.

No; because it is in the IOC Charter that the cauldron must be lit within view of the Tribune of Honor, i.e., accounting for the odd location of Beijing's cauldron. On the roof, perfectly visible to the Royal Box...but not for 1/4th of the stadium on that overhang of the roof. That outdoor one for Sochi will not really be easily viewed from the closed confines of the stadium. So they will just do a double cauldron. I mean, what's to stop them from employing the same m.o.?

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they will just do a double cauldron. I mean, what's to stop them from employing the same m.o.?

A desire to astound?

As it happens, I think you're probably right, but what we know of the set-up so far seems rather unimaginative, and I nurture the hope that the Russians have a crazy secret.

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Are you sure of that? Skip to the 21:00 minute mark:

http://youtu.be/7ErdCb9rIbY

Moscow 1980 Opening Ceremony

For Sochi, I highly doubt an indoor/outdoor style cauldron. That was just something that had to be done for Vancouver 2010 because of the old stadium roof.

That upload of the Moscow Opening Ceremony is edited at some parts, the music there in the cauldron lightning is not the original. I remember someone uploaded the lightning of the cauldron in an original unedited version some time ago and it had that music.

Plus, the official report says it was Tchaikovsky's music which was used for the cauldron.

Baron what was Beijing's original plan involving the Phoenix?

Yes, it was originaly going to be a Phoenix lightning the cauldron, but it was canceled due to technical difficulties

http://www.funtouristattractions.com/blog/22/a-phoenix-was-supposed-to-light-the-cauldron-at-the-beijing-olympics-opening-ceremony-pictures/

phoenix-0.jpg

phoenix-1.jpg

phoenix-2.jpg

phoenix-3.jpg

phoenix-4.jpg

phoenix-5.jpg

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Baron what was Beijing's original plan involving the Phoenix?

Ikarus has done a bang-up job explaining that. They couldn't get the stadium dark enuf for the projections to be effective and impactful. Which is why the retrospective of the torch relay was all rather nebulous and gauzy. So that was the reason they dumped the original phoenix scenario.

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While that clip looks so '80's, it's still impressive. I'm sure it was a spectacular scene on closing night in the Summer of 1984.

If LA does manage to deliver the goods for a third time, I hope they draw on the fun energy of 1984. Ceremony wise, I think the next US Olympics will be more fun and carefree like London- and less staid and sensible like Atlanta and SLC.

Perhaps the UFO could make a reappearance.

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No; because it is in the IOC Charter that the cauldron must be lit within view of the Tribune of Honor, i.e., accounting for the odd location of Beijing's cauldron. On the roof, perfectly visible to the Royal Box...but not for 1/4th of the stadium on that overhang of the roof. That outdoor one for Sochi will not really be easily viewed from the closed confines of the stadium. So they will just do a double cauldron. I mean, what's to stop them from employing the same m.o.?

True. And since they don't need the stadium's infield during the course of the Games, they could even put the "indoor" cauldron in the centre of the infield and keep it burning there over the course of the Games. Unless that temporary roof above the infield isn't as delicate as BC Place's old inflated roof. ;)

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Ikarus has done a bang-up job explaining that. They couldn't get the stadium dark enuf for the projections to be effective and impactful. Which is why the retrospective of the torch relay was all rather nebulous and gauzy. So that was the reason they dumped the original phoenix scenario.

How close to the games was it when the idea was scrapped?

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Between the (closed) July 16 dress rehearsal and the 2nd open one of August 2nd...wherein Plan B was first tried. So they had about 2+ weeks to come up with Plan B.

Interesting to know! I can hardly imagine how stressful that must have been for the developers of the lighting scenario. You plan something for so long and then you realise that your plan doesn't work in reality on such short notice. But do they really not have a Plan B prepared at all times? I mean, in such delicate affairs like the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, it's probably better to have a possible alternative right from the start.

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Or just keep it simple!

I'm hoping Tokyo delivers something really special and humble- perhaps reusing the cauldron from 1964, or even replicating a similar one and having two stadium cauldrons, a la Innsbruck- perhaps one at each end of the FOP

I'm thinking Rio will be elaborate, and PC probably will too.

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Interesting to know! I can hardly imagine how stressful that must have been for the developers of the lighting scenario. You plan something for so long and then you realise that your plan doesn't work in reality on such short notice. But do they really not have a Plan B prepared at all times? I mean, in such delicate affairs like the lighting of the Olympic cauldron, it's probably better to have a possible alternative right from the start.

Oh, they also probably tried rehearsing it already in secret even before Aug 2nd; and then tweaking it more w/ each rehearsal.

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Am I missing something? I don't see anything anywhere that says Fisht Olympic Stadium has a fully enclosed roof. It looks to me more like a smaller Stadium Australia or Olympic at OAKA in Athens in form than the old BC Place design. Two arches the cover the stands with openings on either end. The roof above those two arches is also translucent and quite high up. A cauldron at either end of the stadium would be easily visible from within.

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That upload of the Moscow Opening Ceremony is edited at some parts, the music there in the cauldron lightning is not the original. I remember someone uploaded the lightning of the cauldron in an original unedited version some time ago and it had that music.

Plus, the official report says it was Tchaikovsky's music which was used for the cauldron.

I had to look that up. The report doesn't mention Tchaikovsky.

http://library.la84.org/6oic/OfficialReports/1980/or1980v2pt1.pdf

From page 294...

"Before the eyes of the amazed spectators a pathway connecting the field with the Bowl of the Olympic Flame took shape above the heads of athletes in the

East Stands. Sergei Belov ran up along it to the Bowl and lit the Olympic Flame. Thousands of pigeons soared skywards, to the strains of the "Ode to Sport", written for the Opening

Ceremony by Soviet composer Eduard Artemyev.."

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If that had been Beijing 2012, with the huge powered projectors that Vancouver & Joburg used, do you think think they'd have actually done that for real?

The projection technology for both Beijing and Vancouver were the same. Both were custome systems developed over the course of a couple years at design facilities in Kitchener, Ontario. For Beijing the systems were built in Shenzhen and for Vancouver they were built in Kitchener.

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Am I missing something? I don't see anything anywhere that says Fisht Olympic Stadium has a fully enclosed roof. It looks to me more like a smaller Stadium Australia or Olympic at OAKA in Athens in form than the old BC Place design. Two arches the cover the stands with openings on either end. The roof above those two arches is also translucent and quite high up. A cauldron at either end of the stadium would be easily visible from within.

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I don't think it's really going to be a clear view. Some seats may see it but not all. And again, to use the analogy of a birthday cake -- what sort of a commemoration of the an evening is that if the cake is lit in the other room? I mean, since Helsinki 1952, there's one main cauldron on the floor, and then another one almost 73m high. It fulfills the 2 requirements of the IOC; and the IOC has not banned the m.o. either.

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