An explosion of British eccentricity declares: Let the Games begin!
Source: Agencies |
July 28, 2012, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BELLS rang across Britain yesterday to signal the final countdown to the Olympic Games, which opened with an exuberant and eccentric ceremony celebrating the nation in an explosion of dance, music and fireworks inspired by Shakespeare's "Tempest."
The three-hour showcase created by Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle took spectators on a journey from Britain's idyllic countryside through the grime of the Industrial Revolution and ended in an exhilarating blast of pop culture.
Stirring music from Britain's past and present provided the soundtrack, which came to the fore in the latter stages with a psychedelic celebration of pop culture including songs, sitcoms and cinema classics.
The ceremony was watched by 60,000 people in the main Olympic stadium built in a run-down part of east London and a global audience estimated at more than a billion.
Sing-along spectacular
Spectators joined in sing-alongs to help create spectacular visual scenes at an event that set the tone for the sporting extravaganza, when 16,000 athletes from 204 countries and regions will share the thrill of victory and despair of defeat with 11 million visitors.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth was in the crowd, along with US First Lady Michelle Obama and a host of dignitaries and celebrities.
The Games will also answer the question on Britons' lips - were seven years of planning, construction and disruptions, and a price tag of 9 billion pounds (US$14 billion) during one of the country's worst recessions, actually worth it?
"There is a huge sense of excitement and anticipation because Britain is ready to welcome the greatest show on Earth," said Cameron. "This is a great moment for our country so we must seize it."
There have, however, been bumps along the way.
Media coverage was until recently dominated by security firm G4S's admission that it could not provide enough guards for Olympic venues. Thousands of extra soldiers had to be deployed at the last minute, despite the company's multi-million-dollar contract from the government.
Counter-terrorism chiefs have played down fears of a major attack on the Games, and Cameron said that a safe and secure Olympics was his priority. "This is the biggest security operation in our peacetime history, bar none, and we are leaving nothing to chance."
This year the Games coincide with the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich massacre when 11 Israeli Olympic team members were killed by Palestinian militants.
Heavy traffic in central London and severe delays on Britain's creaking train system have added to the grumbles.
A series of doping scandals has tarnished the Games' image in the buildup, with at least 11 athletes banned, and Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou became the Olympics' first "twitter victim" when she was withdrawn from the team over tweeted comments deemed racist.
The Games' first medals will be decided in the women's 10 meters air rifle final today.
The three-hour showcase created by Oscar-winning "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle took spectators on a journey from Britain's idyllic countryside through the grime of the Industrial Revolution and ended in an exhilarating blast of pop culture.
Stirring music from Britain's past and present provided the soundtrack, which came to the fore in the latter stages with a psychedelic celebration of pop culture including songs, sitcoms and cinema classics.
The ceremony was watched by 60,000 people in the main Olympic stadium built in a run-down part of east London and a global audience estimated at more than a billion.
Sing-along spectacular
Spectators joined in sing-alongs to help create spectacular visual scenes at an event that set the tone for the sporting extravaganza, when 16,000 athletes from 204 countries and regions will share the thrill of victory and despair of defeat with 11 million visitors.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth was in the crowd, along with US First Lady Michelle Obama and a host of dignitaries and celebrities.
The Games will also answer the question on Britons' lips - were seven years of planning, construction and disruptions, and a price tag of 9 billion pounds (US$14 billion) during one of the country's worst recessions, actually worth it?
"There is a huge sense of excitement and anticipation because Britain is ready to welcome the greatest show on Earth," said Cameron. "This is a great moment for our country so we must seize it."
There have, however, been bumps along the way.
Media coverage was until recently dominated by security firm G4S's admission that it could not provide enough guards for Olympic venues. Thousands of extra soldiers had to be deployed at the last minute, despite the company's multi-million-dollar contract from the government.
Counter-terrorism chiefs have played down fears of a major attack on the Games, and Cameron said that a safe and secure Olympics was his priority. "This is the biggest security operation in our peacetime history, bar none, and we are leaving nothing to chance."
This year the Games coincide with the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich massacre when 11 Israeli Olympic team members were killed by Palestinian militants.
Heavy traffic in central London and severe delays on Britain's creaking train system have added to the grumbles.
A series of doping scandals has tarnished the Games' image in the buildup, with at least 11 athletes banned, and Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou became the Olympics' first "twitter victim" when she was withdrawn from the team over tweeted comments deemed racist.
The Games' first medals will be decided in the women's 10 meters air rifle final today.
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