The four-hour event took place at several iconic Paris locations.
TOP 10 OLYMPIC OPENING MOMENTS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
- After days of rumors that she would perform at the ceremony alongside Celine Dion, Lady Gaga appeared solo and rocked it. Hidden at the start by fluffy pink pom-poms, she sang Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc en Plumes” entirely in French.
- During the “Synchronicité” section, members of an orchestra played a beautiful number while standing in the windows of a Parisian building. Dancers in metallic costumes splashed and danced along the Seine paying tribute to the artisans and builders who made the Games possible.
- The “Liberté” section of the opening ceremony began with a tribute to the French Revolution through a short rendition of Les Misérables from the Théâtre du Chatelet, followed by opera singer Marina Viotti and heavy metal band Gojira, who wowed crowds with a fiery performance of “Ah, ça ira,” a famous song by the French revolutionaries, in front of bursts of flames and dozens of Marie Antoinettes holding their own decapitated heads.
- French singer from Mali, Africa, Aya Nakamura was the star of the “Egalité” section, appearing in a sparkling feathered dress alongside a troupe of dancers and the orchestra of the French Republican Guard. The singer performed her song “Pookie, Djadja” to perfection, as well as Charles Aznavour’s “For Me Formidable” and “La Bohème” as she walked across the Pont des Arts, a bridge that links the Institut de France to the Louvre Museum, as a catwalk.
- Mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel gave a stunning operatic rendition of La Marseillaise, as she stood on the roof of the Grand-Palais.
- France took a moment to show off one of the things it does best: fashion.
In a catwalk show directed by French producer Barbara Butch, the country’s young designers showcased their work with several celebrities, one of whom was Italian Paralympic fencer Bebe Vio. - An emotional high point came after the procession ended, when everyone gathered at the base of the Eiffel Tower.
Just before the cauldron was lit, the tower stunned the audience with a colorful light show, with laser beams projecting out across the city. - Symbolizing the unity achieved by the world’s nations at each Olympic Games, pianist Sofiane Pamart and singer Juliette Armanet performed a delicate version of John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Imagine” while adrift on a flaming raft on the Seine.
- Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci took turns holding the Olympic torch as they sailed on a small boat down the Seine
- Finally, Celine Dion made her long-awaited and glorious return to the world stage, sounding better than ever as she sang a triumphant rendition of Edith Piaf’s “Hymne a L’amour.” The stunning ballad was the perfect ending to the ceremony, moving NBC commentators to tears. People had hoped, as confirmed the day before, that she would be joined by Lady Gaga to sing “La Vie en Rose,” but she wowed the crowd solo.
