Let the Games Begin!

Well, every major sporting event all started with an opening ceremony. This year’s London 2012 Summer Olympic Games is never less the same. Finally, after 4 years of waiting, we are off to enjoy 2 weeks of great and intense competition by the athletics from all around the world. This year’s Olympic ceremony is held at the newly-built London Olympic Stadium which is well situated inside the London Olympic Park at Stratford. Well, here I would like to round up last night’s action with my own opinion in it. Just to let some of you know, the opening ceremony is directed by Academy Award winner Danny Boyle.

The venue for 2012 London Olympic Games’ opening ceremony-London Olympic Stadium, which has a shape of a bowl.

The ceremony started with a countdown. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… Off we go! It all started with a two-minute film taking us from the rural times of British to the current modern era and after that it started with a performance of the old British times which sets the time between the pre-Industrial Revolution to 1960s. Youth choir begin to sing songs which represents the 4 countries in Great Britain. At the center of the stadium is a model village with live animals and performers wearing old rural clothings. Then, the performers transform the stage into the times of Industrial Revolution. The smokestacks begin to rise from the center of the stadium which symbolizes the booming economy during that time. Then, the first section of the performance ended when the 5 rings, 1 from the ground, the remaining 4 from 4 sides of the stadium joins together and forms a ring of 5, which is Olympic ring. For me, this is a great way to open the show, showcasing the British culture and gives the world a great idea of what Great Britain has done. But, I think when the stage was being transformed; it looks to me the stage is in a big chaos. Viewing from the top camera, you can’t really have a clear view and idea of what the performers are performing. It’s like at the same time, the group of performers did 10 or 20 different routines. I think this should be simplified, because as an audience I’m not sure who to focus on. A clear picture should be given to the audience.

The 5 rings, 1 from the ground and 4 from the corners of the stadium forms the Olympic Ring.  

Smokestacks rise from the center of the stadium symbolizes the industrial revolution.

The next part is a short video featuring Daniel Craig (James Bond) entering the Buckingham Palace escorting the Queen to the helicopter. After the video, the Queen is being introduced to the crowd at the stadium. In the meantime, the stunt crew jumps down from the helicopter on top of the stadium. Personally, I think this is a great way to introduce the Queen to the world. 

The stunt crew jumps down from the helicopter. In the short film, Daniel Craig (James Bond) escorted the Queen to the ceremony by the helicopter. 

The next section of the performance is from the National Health Service, some of them nurses and patients of Great Ormond Street Hospital, then entered the stadium to begin a sequence celebrating the Service. Children who participate in the performance sleep at the bed which is acted as a trampoline. Then, together they form the word “Gosh”. Then, a series of villain in children’s literature enter the scene, including Captain Hook and Lord Voldermort. Then, the ceremony continues with an orchestra performance by London Symphony Orchestra performing Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire. Oops, I nearly forgot to mention one very special guest, Rowan Atkinson a.k.a. Mr. Bean! The guy who filled my childhood with joy is performing on the stage with his usual acting that creates lots of humor across the world. He plays a single note on the keyboard while the orchestra continues their performance. Then, a short video continues with him (in his dream) running with a bunch of guys at the beach, attempting all sorts of way to win the race.

Perhaps he’s the most famous person on stage last night. Mr. Bean!

The show continues with a great mix of dance move and songs by a group of young girls and boys. With a series of popular British songs, the group of dancers performs different kinds of current and old dance routine. The dancers perform dance routine from songs in the 60s, then move on to the 70s, 80s, 90s and the current era. Then, the show continues with a show film featuring David Beckham riding the boat with the Olympic flame on it heading to the stadium. The performance ended with a group of dancers whom their performance are dedicated to those who died of war and the 2005 London bombings.

Then, this is the part where it took the longest time. Now it is the time for the athletics, officials and coaches of respective country to march into the stadium. Although this custom is the most important part of the ceremony, but unfortunately it also turns out to be the most boring part. But, it is a great time for you to check on your geography knowledge. Personally, I think I know about 85% of the countries, so I should consider myself still quite ok in my geography. The whole ceremony took roughly about 90 minutes to finish. Then, speeches by Sebastian Coe, head of the London 2012 committee and Jacques Rogge, President of the IOC. After both of their speeches, the Queen officially announced the start of the games. This part is what I think I should give credit to the organizers for good time management; after a section of performance is finish, these VIPs are already standing there waiting for their turn to deliver their speech. Unlike in some countries, where you need to wait for a long time for the VIPs to walk from their comfortable spot all the way down to the podium to give away the prizes. At times, it took some 10 minutes just to see them walking down. (Some of you might even know whom I’m referring to)

The Malaysian contingent marches into the stadium, led by Diving Queen-Pandela Rinong. But, seriously I think the outfit is a bit weird for the guys. I thought the girls look good with the costume. 

Then, the ceremony continues with David Beckham and his boat cruising down the small cannel at the Olympic park to hand over the Olympic flame to Steve Redgrave, 5 time’s Olympic gold-medalist in rowing. Steve jogs into the stadium and handed the flame to a group of 7 young athletic who are the future of Britain sports. After jogging a lap of around the stadium, these 7 young athletic move to the center and lit up one of two hundred and four copper petals. Every petal represents every nation competing in the Games. When the flame had spread to each of the petals, they were raised up and converged to form the Olympic cauldron. Before the ceremony, I was wondering how they are going to lit up the flame. Despite the process not that really spectacular, unlike what we see at Beijing, where the last person was lifted high in the air to lit the cauldron; while in Barcelona 92, an archer was selected to lit up the flame by shooting a flaming arrow across the cauldron, I like the idea that this time round the organizers really make every country’s presence felt. Not only that, each country’s flag are held high on the “valley” created at the corner of the stadium. Previously, these flags are all carried by their flag bearer throughout the whole ceremony. The show ends with performance by Paul McCartney, one of the members of the Beatles together with his band performance songs to signal the end of the opening ceremony. 

Each petal represents each country that is participating in the London Olympics. 

Overall, this is a great way to start the Olympics. I can see the effort and hard work being put by the organizers in the opening ceremony. The ceremony really shows the true identity of Britain from the golden age to the current modern era. But still, I’m a bit disappointed. Not because it is not as spectacular as Beijing’s opening ceremony. (Perhaps the organizers should get Christopher Nolan as the director, he’s a British too!) There are not much of surprises through the whole ceremony. The ceremony is a good one, but it’s not a spectacular one. Whether the opening ceremony is spectacular or not, the most important is the athletics performance. I hope all athletics will endorse the fair play rule and perform their very best for their own countries, breaking records and creating histories. As for my dear Malaysians, let’s hope our wait for a gold medal will finally end in the upcoming days. We don’t want to wait for another 4 years! Let the games begin!!!! 

Let the Games Begin!

By,

Zhe Xu

28/07/2012