Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Open With Unique Four-Site Ceremony Amid Global Tensions
A record-breaking four-site, dual-cauldron opening ceremony kicked off the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, featuring a star-studded lineup that paid tribute to Italy's rich cultural heritage and iconic figures. The unprecedented format allowed athletes from around the world to participate in the Parade of Nations at separate venues, including mountain locales, where they were welcomed by simultaneous festivities.
The event began with a grand procession at Milan's San Siro soccer stadium, where Greece, Albania, Andorra, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina all made appearances, but no representatives from those countries showed up to participate. Instead, they joined thousands of fans in the stands cheering on Armenia as it entered with raucous applause. Meanwhile, Israel's four athletes sparked boos when they appeared on the arena's video boards.
Vice President JD Vance was jeered when shown briefly on the screen, a reflection of eroding support for the US among its allies due to the Trump administration's aggressive foreign policy stance. Conversely, Venezuelan and Ukrainian contingents received warm receptions, as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue four years after Russia's invasion.
The ceremony aimed to convey themes of harmony and peace while representing Italy's mountain-city dichotomy and appealing to unity during global tensions. New IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized the importance of respect when asked about potential crowd reactions.
The ceremony featured a medley of Italian culture, including tributes to Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Puccini, and Fellini, as well as nods to opera composers Giacomo Rossini and Giuseppe Verdi. A runway walk showcased outfits designed by the late Giorgio Armani, while balladeer Laura Pausini sang Italy's national anthem.
Mariah Carey performed a memorable rendition of "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" (aka "Volare"), which drew loud cheers in Milan and hundreds of fans singing along with her in Cortina. Local actress Sabrina Impacciatore led a segment showcasing past Olympics, while comedian Brenda Lodigiani demonstrated popular Italian hand gestures.
The ceremony concluded with the lighting of two cauldrons, one at San Siro and another 250 miles away in Cortina, as an homage to Leonardo da Vinci's geometric studies. The torch bearers then headed out toward their respective venues, kicking off a week-long schedule that will feature a diverse range of sports and events across eight competition venues spanning about 8,500 square miles.
A record-breaking four-site, dual-cauldron opening ceremony kicked off the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, featuring a star-studded lineup that paid tribute to Italy's rich cultural heritage and iconic figures. The unprecedented format allowed athletes from around the world to participate in the Parade of Nations at separate venues, including mountain locales, where they were welcomed by simultaneous festivities.
The event began with a grand procession at Milan's San Siro soccer stadium, where Greece, Albania, Andorra, Saudi Arabia, and Argentina all made appearances, but no representatives from those countries showed up to participate. Instead, they joined thousands of fans in the stands cheering on Armenia as it entered with raucous applause. Meanwhile, Israel's four athletes sparked boos when they appeared on the arena's video boards.
Vice President JD Vance was jeered when shown briefly on the screen, a reflection of eroding support for the US among its allies due to the Trump administration's aggressive foreign policy stance. Conversely, Venezuelan and Ukrainian contingents received warm receptions, as tensions between Russia and Ukraine continue four years after Russia's invasion.
The ceremony aimed to convey themes of harmony and peace while representing Italy's mountain-city dichotomy and appealing to unity during global tensions. New IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized the importance of respect when asked about potential crowd reactions.
The ceremony featured a medley of Italian culture, including tributes to Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Puccini, and Fellini, as well as nods to opera composers Giacomo Rossini and Giuseppe Verdi. A runway walk showcased outfits designed by the late Giorgio Armani, while balladeer Laura Pausini sang Italy's national anthem.
Mariah Carey performed a memorable rendition of "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" (aka "Volare"), which drew loud cheers in Milan and hundreds of fans singing along with her in Cortina. Local actress Sabrina Impacciatore led a segment showcasing past Olympics, while comedian Brenda Lodigiani demonstrated popular Italian hand gestures.
The ceremony concluded with the lighting of two cauldrons, one at San Siro and another 250 miles away in Cortina, as an homage to Leonardo da Vinci's geometric studies. The torch bearers then headed out toward their respective venues, kicking off a week-long schedule that will feature a diverse range of sports and events across eight competition venues spanning about 8,500 square miles.
. I mean, I get it, they wanted to represent Italy's culture and all that jazz, but come on, leaving out some countries like Greece and Albania? Like, what's the deal with that? 
. But you know what was awesome? Mariah Carey killing it on stage with "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" 
. That got this guy pumped up for the Olympics for sure!
. It's all about representation and unity, right? So, even with the weird stuff, it still felt pretty positive overall 
. It's fascinating to see how the IOC President Kirsty Coventry emphasized respect for diverse perspectives during such events, as the reception towards JD Vance was quite telling 
. Mariah Carey's performance of "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu" brought the crowd together with an unforgettable rendition 
.
they had to make an exception for every country except those two lol, but seriously what's up with all the drama? 
israel's presence sparking boos in italy just shows how divided we are already 
and that vice president guy getting roasted by the crowd is wild newsflash jd vance: you're not invited to the cool kids' party anymore 
i think it's cool they tried to do something different but also kinda made a big deal out of it 
guess that says a lot about how global politics is affecting sports events 
but what's up with the crowd reactions though? some ppl booing israel and the US 
kinda weird that they used american tv to show vance 
anyway, i'm hyped for the rest of the games 
️
. But, I wonder if it could've been more inclusive considering the US didn't get much love 
. Still, it was a great celebration of Italy's heritage and I'm excited for the rest of the Olympics! 
the fact that some countries didn't show up is wild, especially with all those fans cheering on Armenia 
but idk how much it had to do with politics, maybe it's just a vibe from the world rn i feel like they went for that unity theme and harmony vibes, which is def cool 
so instead of focusing on conflict, they highlighted italian culture and iconic figures which was awesome 
mariah carey's performance tho 
. I don't get why people are so upset about a US VP showing up on screen. It's just a symbol of tension between countries...can we please focus on the sports? 
. If people want to boo, that's their prerogative...but at least have some respect for the athletes and their countries.