A Tale of Two Cities: The 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony divides audiences

The hotly anticipated 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off with an eclectic and fragmented opening ceremony that broke tradition by taking place along the Seine River instead of a stadium. Over 10,000 athletes paraded on various-sized boats of fluctuating stability, showcasing the city's iconic landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Louvre Museum.

The unique, open-air format emphasized the beauty and iconic nature of Paris, and transporting the athletes on the city’s waterways highlighted the historical significance of the Seine in Parisian life, allowing a more intimate experience for both athletes and supporters. Designed with accessibility and inclusivity at the forefront, with many areas along the river open for free viewing to both locals and visitors, this refreshing approach beautifully reflected the French value of community.

The data shows that mega events such as the Olympic Games and World Cups are steadily declining in popularity. France has also just gone through a tremendously challenging election, with the political landscape still fragmented and many contentious issues still unresolved such as economic challenges, immigration, and threats to national security. The desire to refresh the image of the Summer Games increase its appeal and somehow use the event to recapture Paris's magic and rekindle the French people's self-confidence was palpable in today’s ceremony.

It was a hugely ambitious task for the showrunner, award-winning theater director Thomas Jolly. Although Paris’ signature cityscape offered a playground of rooftops and historic monuments for his imagination, it also opened up a world of security concerns. Thousands of police and military had to be deployed, but that wasn’t enough to stop a series of coordinated malicious attacks on the French train network, disrupting attendees’ travel to the dispersed event.

The ceremony itself was an explosion of artistic expression and celebration, finely balancing heritage with innovation, combining traditional French cultural elements with modern artistic expression, creating a dynamic representation of contemporary Paris while honoring its historical roots. Again, breaking from tradition, the Parade of Nations was broken into segments and interspersed between the theatrics. Personally, I found this blend more enjoyable than the traditional prolonged break in proceedings for the athletes’ parade.

The clouds had been hovering all afternoon and it wasn’t long before the rain started, progressively getting heavier. The umbrellas and ponchos came out, but the crowd remained thick and resolute. As history has shown us, Paris is resolute. The reaction to proceedings online however was less optimistic, with many viewers taking to social media to profess boredom compared to previous years, finding the ceremony very disjointed and lacking an overall defining concept.

Unfortunately, I can’t help but agree with the keyboard warriors on this one. Comparing it to London 2012 seems harsh, as acclaimed director and producer Danny Boyle put together a masterful and vibrant representation of British culture and history that year, weaving together various elements that celebrated the nation's identity. The key element was that his ceremony was structured around a very distinct narrative that used iconic British figures to take us through cultural milestones. Boyle included beloved British cultural references incorporating a layer of humor and familiarity that resonated with both local and global audiences.

The London 2012 ceremony also celebrated Britain’s rich diversity of cultures, the contributions of immigrants, and the UK’s iconic musical heritage with performances from a variety of British musical acts appealing to a broad audience, and they paid homage to national institutions such as the NHS, a tribute to the values of care and community that are central to British identity.

Although there were flashes of celebration of French culture and history in tonight’s ceremony, with tributes to French music, literature, and art, and themes of liberty, equality, and fraternity which are central to French identity, from its revolutionary history to its ongoing belief in and commitment to these ideals, there was no interweaving thread tying everything together. There was no story, no narrative, just a bunch of random concepts flung together.

At most, I only ever felt mildly entertained. I felt confused a lot of the time, and utterly bewildered at some points. There was literally a singing naked man, painted blue and served on a giant fruit platter at one point. He has since been revealed as a virtual national treasure, famous actor and singer Phillippe Katerine, but I still feel somewhat disturbed by the whole thing.

Boredom definitely crept in. The iconic lighting of the flame seemed to drag on for at least an hour too long as they traveled the nearly 4-mile length of the parade route to take in all the sights of the city. It started to feel like every athlete in French history was going to get to carry the torch. 

I was also disappointed by the over-reliance on big-name international superstars to entertain rather than turning to local talent. Although I cannot deny Celine Dion’s powerful performance of "Hymne A L’Amour" was not to be missed in her long-awaited return to the stage after being diagnosed with a rare neurological condition in December 2022.

A special mention should also go to French-born Axelle Saint-Cirel who delivered a spine-tingling rendition of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise from the roof of the Grand Palais, as well as the supremely awesome Aya Nakamura, France’s top-selling artist worldwide who overcame horrendous racist abuse and xenophobia from her own people to perform today.

Overall, I feel disappointed by today’s ceremony, however, I was lucky enough to visit Paris in 2014, and seeing it again on screen had me yearning to go back. And I am still unbearably excited for the next 16 days of thrilling athletic and sporting competition. So, mission accomplished, I guess. The Games may have gone off with a fizzle rather than a bang, but they will undoubtedly still provide unforgettable moments as the athletes strive for Olympic glory.