PARIS: THE Eiffel Tower stood attentive, as if trying to capture the moment that will forever be embossed in the annals of Olympic history, adorned with a bouquet of adjectives: outrageous, bold, innovative and wild, yet beautiful and sublime. The Seine flowed majestically as ever beside it. The Trocadero stood on the other side where all the dignitaries sat in the immersive settings of the Opening Ceremony. Then it all began sharp at 7.30pm Paris time, with football legend Zinedine Zidane starting off things with a humorous skit.
The laser show from the Eiffel tower was spectacular and the adjective might just fall short to explain the grandeur and spectacle of the historic masterpiece. It rained, it poured yet it didn't deter the spirit of the Parisians, the athletes and all those who converged in the French capital to celebrate sports.
On a wet evening, Paris did not need an invocation of the spirits or intervention from divinity. For once, the city that had been an inspiration for many poets, artists, writers and composers was its own muse. From the depths of its heart, it sang melodious tunes and ushered in a new-age world of sport — an apt reflection of the central theme of unity and brotherhood the Opening Ceremony tried to showcase.
The Seine turned into a goddess. Like the director Thomas Jolly said, the river has two gifts – the power to heal and the power to grant wishes. On Friday, the city wished for a dry evening. The day started on a damp note. The biggest wish on Friday would have been to keep the rains away. There was some rain but not heavy enough to send the joyous crowd home.
The gigantic screens on the course of the river captured every movement of the 85 boats ferrying about 6800 athletes over 6km cheered by over 300,000 spectators congregating on the banks on various stages to watch their favourite athletes float by; like how dreams float in the air.
The Games are an opportunity to celebrate Paris in its essence. ‘Us’ is the underlying theme and the Ceremony was an amalgamation of history and innovation, heritage and creativity. It celebrated a city that has always been imbued with thought, art, festivity and daring, a world-city where the plurality of living together first emerged, birthing along with it, the possibility of an ‘Us'.
The challenge was keeping the audience engaged while the athletes sailed on their boats. Parkour, another reflection of modern urban sport, was like an interlude fusing the 12 tableau and while each composer presented their story. Lady Gaga did her gig too. The parade of boats along the Seine continued into the evening as athletes danced, waved their flags and wore their smiles easily.
From Saturday, though, the festivities will be replaced by the world's best athletes going against each other for global glory. Let the games begin.