If you’re planning to tune in to the Paris Olympics, you probably aren’t just looking forward to the feats of sporting excellence – you’ll be hoping to catch the cultural spectacle of the opening ceremony, too. These flashy events, which kick off each games, aim to tell fresh stories about the host city and country, and set new creative standards for live mega-events.
The ceremonies combine ritual elements from the Olympic Charter (the rules and principles of the International Olympic Committee) such as the athletes’ parade and the raising of the Olympic flag, and cultural performances designed by national organisers. They showcase international Olympic ideals and also communicate things about the host country’s identity and culture.
However, it took decades for Olympic opening ceremonies to reach this scale. At the first modern Olympics in 1896, in Athens, athletes simply entered the stadium to hear speeches and a specially composed hymn – though more than 50,000 spectators still attended.
The 1908 London Olympics, the first to have …