The Opening Ceremony for the 2024 Summer Olympics was packed with memorable moments. In this list, we’ll discuss a few of these moments, and why they will surely leave a significant mark on the timeline of Olympic history.
The world bore witness to the audacious presentation of a post-guillotine Marie Antoinette, as well as jovially breathtaking performances from various pop stars, all wrapped up with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower.
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After seeing all of the performances from last week, here are the top four that still stood out!
4. Lady Gaga’s “Mon Truc en Plumes” (or, “My Thing With Feathers”)
If there’s one thing we know about Lady Gaga, it’s that she knows how to put on a show! This performance is no exception, with a live band and unique choreography to match the playful tone of “Mon Truc en Plumes.” The performance was clearly an homage to Zizi Jeanmaire, the original writer and performer of the song in France, 1961. The performance was clearly meant to be nothing but a fun time, celebrating classic French music with a jovial band and, of course, lots of feathers.
Gaga was once again back to her old tricks costume-wise, with a massive, feathery pink and black coat and a disposition that could make any viewer smile. She steps seamlessly into the classic French cabaret archetype that we’ve seen throughout entertainment history, performing the song entirely in French and reminding the audience once again why she deserves to be performing at the 2024 Olympics.
3. Aya Nakamura’s “Pookie” and “Djadja” Mashup
One of France’s most famous artists, Aya Nakamura, put on a blast of a performance during her set of the Opening Ceremony. With a mashup of her two songs “Pookie” and “Djadja,” Nakamura also mixed Afro-beats with a live French marching band, creating an interesting hybrid that carried the performance a long way.
Another fantastic element of her performance was the dancers. In both the outfits and the choreography, the movement never stopped, and the performance constantly felt exciting and energized. The pyrotechnics also complimented Nakamura and her dancers’ exclusively gold outfits.
Altogether, this performance was a fantastic representation of French talent, and will stick with audiences for years to come.
2. Gojira’s “Ah! Ca Ira” (or, “It’ll Be Fine”)
The next memorable moment from this year’s Opening Ceremony was the sudden appearance of a beheaded Marie Antoinette, singing the introduction to “Ah! Ca Ira,” a centuries-old song about French revolutionaries overthrowing a tyrannical government by means of force and bloodshed.
The short refrain is then swiftly picked up by the French heavy metal band Gojira, making for a heavy and impactful surprise entrance. The song is fueled by opera choruses and a mesmerizing display of pyrotechnics, along with red mists and streamers projecting from The Conciergerie, seemingly meant to represent real bloodshed in the French revolution.
This sort of reenactment of violence was certainly a bold presentation to audiences, but was effective in representing French history to the world.
1. Celine Dion’s “L’Hymne à l’amour” (or “Hymn to Love”)
Returning to the Olympic stage once again after her 1996 performance in Atlanta, Celine Dion pulled off an incredibly breathtaking performance of “L’Hymne à l’amour” from the Eiffel Tower itself. While the performance was powerful enough on its own, it’s worth noting that the singer was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder, known as Stiff-Person Syndrome, that can cause muscle spasms and make it difficult for a singer such as she.
Because of this, Dion has been performing less and less throughout recent years, which is why this comeback is so powerful to those who know her story. Nonetheless, the performance was a slug to the chest of any viewer, and it will not be forgotten the emotion and force she put behind a song from 1949. This performance, especially in context, is without a doubt the highest highlight of the Opening Ceremony.
One sure thing about this year’s Olympics is that the Opening Ceremony will likely be remembered for decades to come.