2010 opening – olympic? No, human-scaled.
The 2010 Winter Olympics began yesterday in Vancouver. Despite the tragic death of the young Georgian luger, the games opened and went on.
I was very happy to see that Canada did not attempt to trump the jumbo-sized Beijing summer spectacular (could anyone?). Instead, they opted for a more relatable, humble ceremony that set the stage for the games and the athletes – Vancouver chose to let them shine – instead of stealing their thunder. The mechanical glitch during the flame-lighting ceremony felt even more endearing.
With all the engineering feats, performance-enhanced equipment and aero-dynamic design, the competition still comes down to human elements: skill, preparation and endurance. It’s refreshing to be reminded of that from the start.
The winter games are more intimate than the summer – fewer countries compete – “…present[ing] …fewer opportunities for fashion disaster” as this article in the NYTimes humorously points out. Adding further:
“This ceremony was not without its special-effects marvels: there was a giant bear, whales spouting their way across the stadium floor… But a bigger part of the appeal was that the proceedings actually had some content.
The ceremony was long, a little dull at times, but it was also thoughtful and stirring. It was authentically and unabashedly Canadian.”
Did you watch the opening ceremonies? What did you think of this simpler approach as compared to Beijing’s opening ceremonies?
February 16th, 2010 at 9:08 am
While long, overall I enjoyed the opening ceremonies. My favorite part of any Olympics opening is the Parade of Nations. To me, it is exciting to hear each nation announced and interesting to see who carries each country’s flag and to hear a bit of the personal bio about that flagbearer. And, who didn’t think that the Great One would light the Olympic flame?
Couldn’t agree more about the refreshing simplicity of the opening ceremony. It was a pleasure to see the athletes be the focus and the beauty & wonders of Canada celebrated. Unfortunately, this understated and somewhat restrained presentation became all the more appropriate due to the horrible tragedy of the death of the young luger from Georgia.
February 16th, 2010 at 10:30 am
There’s a difference between human and boring. Those ceremonies were boring.
February 16th, 2010 at 10:33 am
Would you care to elaborate further?