The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony, held on Friday, was a dazzling event featuring stunning performances by world-renowned artists, including Lady Gaga and Celine Dion.
Lady Gaga kicked off the festivities with a spectacular rendition of Zizi Jeanmarie’s “Mon truc en plumes.” Performing along the Seine River—a first for the Olympic opening ceremony, traditionally held in a stadium—Gaga was surrounded by dancers in black outfits, holding pink feathers, and a live band. Reflecting on her performance, Gaga shared her gratitude on Instagram, expressing how humbled she felt to honor the French people’s rich history of art, music, and theatre. She described her connection with French culture and her desire to create a performance that would warm the hearts of the French people and celebrate their art and music.
Celine Dion closed the ceremony with a powerful performance of Edith Piaf’s iconic “Hymne á l’amour” at the Eiffel Tower. This marked her first live performance since announcing her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome in December 2022, which led to the postponement and eventual cancellation of her Courage World Tour dates for 2023 and 2024. Dion’s moving rendition followed the official opening of the Games and the lighting of the Olympic cauldron in the Tuileries Garden.
Athletes from each national delegation paraded on boats along the Seine, concluding in front of the Trocadéro, offering a spectacular view of the Eiffel Tower. The ceremony also featured performances by French Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who sang her hits “Pookie” and “Djadja,” and the orchestra of the French Republican Guard, performing Charles Aznavour’s classics “For Me Formidable” and “La Bohème.”
A highlight of the evening was a vibrant can-can performance by 80 artists from the Moulin Rouge, dressed in pink costumes specifically designed for the event. French heavy metal band Gojira and opera singer Marina Viotti also delivered electrifying performances. French mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel sang the French national anthem from the roof of the Grand Palais.
After the Parade of Nations, where LeBron James and Coco Gauff served as the flag-bearers for Team USA, Juliette Armanet performed John Lennon’s “Imagine,” accompanied by Sofian Pamart on piano.
The 2024 Paris Olympics come three years after the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s ceremony celebrated the spirit of resilience and global unity, set against the backdrop of one of the world’s most magical cities, Paris.
By Ebubedike Ochu
