Turin Opening Ceremony Garners Mostly Positive Reviews
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Ferrari Makes Appearance
In Opening Ceremony |
The Turin Olympics officially began Friday night with the Opening Ceremony, and
during NBC’s broadcast of the event, NBC’s Bob Costas said the 35,000-seat stadium
was “filled to capacity. ... The most expensive ticket for this Opening Ceremony
comes to just over a $1,000 U.S. The most expensive ticket for an event: figure
skating at more than $400.” During the Opening Ceremony, an F1 Ferrari car appeared
on-stage with the pit crew performing a pit stop. The car had the Italian flag
on the nose and Olympic rings on the side and rear spoiler. The driver did several
“donuts and burnouts” on-stage. NBC’s Brian Williams: “I’m pretty sure that’s
a first for an Opening Ceremony” (NBC, 2/10).
PEACE OF MIND: In Houston, Dale Robertson wrote, “With tensions worsening
between Christians and Muslims, and the war in Iraq dragging on, the show’s organizers
were apparently given the green light by the [IOC] to give the show a bit more
of a political edge, something recent Opening Ceremonies have gone to great lengths
to avoid.” Opening Ceremony Exec Producer & Creative Dir Marco Balich: “We wanted
to make a strong statement of peace tonight” (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 2/11).
GOOD SHOW: In DC, Mike Wise wrote the Opening Ceremony was “delivered in
the most breathtaking, theatrical and, if we’re being honest, occasionally kitschy
way imaginable. An amalgam of history, culture, pride and pyrotechnics captivated
the stuffed and standing Olympic Stadium, ... ushering in a new era of progress
for the Turinese and their industrial, often-overlooked city” (WASHINGTON POST,
2/11). In Boston, John Powers wrote the ceremony was “a mad artistic sprint
from the Renaissance through the Baroque to the fast-forward future” (BOSTON
GLOBE, 2/11). In L.A., Alan Abrahamson: “The pageantry mixed scenes from Italy’s
Renaissance years with rave dancing, marrying the appearance of famed operatic
tenor Luciano Pavarotti with the roar of a red [F1] race car” (L.A. TIMES,
2/11). On Long Island, John Jeansonne: “The event, in a city that considered
itself a fashion capital before its neighbor Milan was, had a certain runway feel”
(NEWSDAY, 2/11). In N.Y., John Dellapina wrote the ceremony “celebrated
the entire scope of the history and traditions of the country, and the Piedmont
region in particular” (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 2/11). The NATIONAL POST’s Cam
Cole noted the event included “homebrewed icons such as actress Sophia Loren,”
one of eight women who carried the Olympic flag. Pavarotti left “nary a dry eye
in the house after a heart-pounding rendition of Nessun Dorma from Puccini’s Turandot.
Even an old sportswriter got a little choked up” (NATIONAL POST, 2/11).
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Some Call Opening Ceremony
Overdone And Confusing |
A LITTLE OVER THE TOP: In Baltimore, Rick Maese wrote the ceremony “remained
true to Olympic pattern: overdone and simplistically naïve” (Baltimore SUN,
2/11). In Atlanta, Karen Rosen: “Without any exploratory programs, the ceremony
was about as confusing to the 35,000 people in Stadio Olimpco as the new figure
skating scoring system” (ATLANTA CONSTITUTION, 2/11). In St. Paul, Tom
Powers: “At times, the ceremony was as confusing as a Fellini movie. The only
thing in greater supply than cries for world peace was symbolism. There was so
much of it during Friday’s festivities that volunteers were passing out symbolism
‘cheat sheets’ to the press” (ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 2/11).
DISCO PARADE: In Seattle, Art Thiel wrote the “most enduring hit was, as
always, the parade of athletes from 82 nations. Maybe it was because the Winter
Games parade is less than half the size of its mammoth summer counterpart, or
maybe because the entry music was everything from disco to Doobie Brothers, but
the sometimes-tedious tradition moved along smartly and happily” (SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER,
2/11). In Miami, Linda Robertson noted the music selections included “YMCA”
and Barry White, and wrote, “Curiously, the home of Verdi and Vivaldi chose a
medley of disco hits for the parade of athletes. ... But as with anything done
in the inimitable Italian style, the disco concept worked” (MIAMI HERALD, 2/11).
But in L.A., Bill Plaschke wrote, “What was supposed to be the highlight of every
opening ceremony became the fifth inning of a minor league baseball game” (L.A.
TIMES, 2/11).
MEN WITHOUT HATS: Bode Miller was the only U.S. athlete at the Opening
Ceremony not wearing a hat that was part of the team’s uniform (NBC, 2/13).
Miller’s manager Jake Serino and agent Lowell Taub attended the Opening Ceremony.
Serino in his blog wrote, “If you watched on television, you might have noticed
that everyone in the stands was wearing white ponchos to make up for the lack
of snow on
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Rogge Addresses Doping
In Opening Remarks |
the surrounding landscape. We were not. All through the beginning of the performance,
this guy kept telling us it was a sin not to wear the poncho, and he didn't
want to be the one sitting next to the people who wouldn't participate. He even
went so far to ask if we were in the right seats. (The ticket price was around
$1,000.)” (NBCOLYMPICS.com, 2/11).
ROGGE’S REMARKS: IOC President Jacques Rogge during his opening
remarks said, “Athletes, you are role models; your achievements both on
and off the field of play will inspire and motivate the future generations.
Please compete in a spirit of fair play, mutual understanding and respect and,
above all, compete cleanly by refusing doping.”
HAVING SOME FUN: To view the “Top
Ten Signs You’re Watching A Lame Olympics Opening Ceremony” from CBS’ “Late
Show” Friday night.
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