In brief
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games were officially inaugurated with a vibrant ceremony held across four venues, headlined by performances from Mariah Carey and Andrea Bocelli. The event celebrated unity and Italian culture, concluding with the lighting of two Olympic cauldrons, one in Milan and another in Cortina.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games are officially under way after a vibrant opening ceremony split across four locations.
Milan's iconic San Siro stadium served as the main venue, with significant elements also taking place in Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo. Despite initial concerns over the logistics of a multi-venue approach, the production was seamless and highly impressive.
Notably, two Olympic cauldrons were lit—one in Milan and the other in Cortina—while Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli captivated audiences with a powerful rendition of 'Nessun Dorma' as the Olympic torch made its grand entrance.
A jubilant parade welcomed athletes, with Team Italy receiving loud cheers across all four venues. Flagbearers included figure skater Lilah Fear for Great Britain in Milan and bobsledder Brad Hall in Cortina.
While Italy received a heartfelt welcome, the Ukrainian athletes were met with even greater enthusiasm, and Team USA also garnered loud applause. In contrast, a few teams, including the U.S. vice president JD Vance, faced mixed reactions from the audience.
Before the parade commenced, creative director Marco Balich's show, themed 'armonia' (meaning harmony), focused on uniting territories and people through a shared vision. This section included tributes to fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who passed away in 2025 at the age of 91.
Pop diva Mariah Carey, adorned in a shimmering white outfit, performed a rendition of 'Volare' while International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry, marking the first female IOC president, declared the Games officially open.
Coventry emphasized that the Olympic spirit reaches beyond competition, inspiring the best in humanity: “This is the magic of the Olympic Games, inspiring us all to be the best that we can be, together.”
Although events like curling and figure skating have already commenced, the first five gold medals of the Games will be contested starting Saturday.
