The star of Friday night’s opening ceremonies of the 2024 Summer Olympics was the Eiffel Tower, but for spectators at the nearby temporary stadium, nearly all of the show could only be seen on giant screens, including the much-anticipated arrival of athletes traveling by boat along the Seine River.
Rain fell throughout the nearly four-hour program, which featured lasers streaming from the iconic landmark dressed in the five Olympic rings and a torch relay that ended with the lighting of what seemed to be a tethered hot-air balloon located some distance away.
There were only a few performers who appeared live to the spectators huddled under plastic ponchos in the stadium, located at the Trocadéro park beside the Eiffel Tower. Celine Dion was one of them, but the singer made her first public performance since being diagnosed two years ago with stiff person syndrome perched high above in the tower.
Read more of the Deseret News’ on-the-ground coverage of the Paris Games.
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