Producer: Peuli Bakshi

5 Best Olympics Opening Ceremonies

The Paris Olympic 2024 opening ceremony will take place on July 26, 2024. Here are the 5 prior best Olympic opening ceremonies in history.

Paul McCartney, Rowan Atkinson, Kenneth Branagh, and J.K. Rowling were the key performers. James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) and Queen Elizabeth II jumping out of a helicopter over the stadium was the highlight.

London, 2012

Singer Liu Huan, soprano Sarah Brightman, pianist Lang Lang, and Jackie Chan were the key performers. Dancers painting an enormous scroll and gymnast Li Ning suspended from wires were the highlights.

Beijing, 2008

Human Nature, Olivia Newton-John and singer John Farnham were the key performers. Aboriginal sprinter, Cathy Freeman lit the cauldron, despite a technical glitch, was a memorable moment.

Sydney, 2000

Icelandic singer Björk and Dutch DJ Tiësto were the key performers. The unfurling of Björk’s 10,000-square-foot dress in the shape of a world map was a memorable moment.

Athens, 2004

The Chicks, LeAnn Rimes, Kristi Yamaguchi, Scott Hamilton were the key performers. Taking place just five months after 9/11, the patriotic ceremony proved immensely moving.

Salt Lake City, 2002

These Olympic opening ceremonies have been a spectacular platform for host nations to proudly display their cultural identity and portray global unity.

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