The ladies escorting every nation’s athletes through the Parade of Nations wore floor-length puffy coats and outsized sun shades, in the dead of night of night time.
Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs
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Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs
MILAN — Fireworks. Mariah Carey. A dancing stovetop espresso maker.
The Winter Olympics kicked off in Italy on Friday with all that and extra.
Milan’s San Siro Stadium performed the position of major host. However, within the spirit of those unusually widespread Video games, simultaneous celebrations have been additionally held within the clusters of Livigno, Predazzo and Cortina d’Ampezzo, which — for the primary time ever — lit a second Olympic cauldron.
These NPR reporters have been within the stands in Milan, cracking open their hand heaters and a bag of chips to settle in for the large present. Three and a half hours, 92 international locations and a few 1,400 costumes later, this is what stood out to us:
1. There may be stuff you do not see on TV (shock!)
Watching from the stands means getting a glimpse of some behind-the-scenes magic, like cameras zipping throughout cables overhead and the expertise — whether or not dressed as Italian opera masters, architectural marvels, cooks or Pinocchio — ready within the wings between acts. A few of the a whole bunch of volunteers rolled prop carts round and helped carry the hem of Mariah Carey’s gown. And plenty of of them have been side-stepping and bobbing alongside to a set by DJ Mace, who was additionally busting strikes nonstop, even when the cameras weren’t on him.
2. However we nonetheless had to take a look at the TVs
There have been loads of causes for these within the stadium to concentrate to the TV screens (there have been six). For one, a lot of the motion — together with complete parts of the Parade of Nations — occurred elsewhere. That was the one method to see international locations’ delegations backflipping and mean-mugging from locations like Cortina and Livigno, type of alternating with the parade in Milan. The TVs additionally confirmed the pre-taped segments and sometimes the names of individuals (like flag- and torch-bearers) onstage.
Athletes in Milan completed their Parade of Nations route at rows of seats simply offstage.
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Maja Hitij/Getty Photographs Europe
3. It was chilly
The roof of San Siro was partially open, and three-plus hours of sitting nonetheless on plastic seats made the air really feel a lot colder than the (per the forecast) low 40s. There is a motive all of the group uniforms embody jackets, hats and gloves — and far of it’s that they spend loads of time sitting nonetheless too. They march over to rows of seats and watch the remainder of the ceremony sitting there, not in contrast to the procession of a highschool commencement. Everybody within the press space was bundled up too, though not in color-coded parkas.
4. There have been Italian icons …
Massive, foam-headed opera greats – Rossini, Verde and Puccini – mingled with dancing stovetop coffeemakers. The performances kicked off with a winged Cupid and Psyche coming to life amongst Roman busts and neoclassical sculptures. Fashions strutted down a runway within the colours of the Italian flag – a tribute to the late designer Giorgio Armani. The Mona Lisa, Italian cooks, and guys dressed up as a collage of well-known buildings – the Colosseum! And Brunelleschi’s dome! – appeared in technicolor.
5. … and never simply Italian icons
Mariah Carey carried out early within the night time, delighting the group by singing in Italian.
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Sarah Stier/Getty Photographs Europe
Andrea Bocelli gave the group chills, as his sturdy tenor voice introduced the Olympic torch into the world. Italian pop star Laura Pausini belted out the nationwide anthem. And Mariah Carey – who’s Irish, Black, Venezuelan, American (not Italian) – made an unforgettable impression in her 4 minutes. She arrived middle stage decked out in sequins and fur, began singing in Italian and obtained large cheers when she hit a excessive be aware.
6. Politics weren’t middle stage
For all of the issues about anti-ICE protests and anti-American sentiment disrupting the opening ceremony, real-world conflicts remained largely on the periphery. Applause for Workforce USA turned to boos when Vice President JD Vance appeared onscreen. There was noticeably enthusiastic applause for Ukraine’s athletes and boos for Israel, as was the case in 2024. Olympic officers’ speeches appeared to circle the difficulty with out particularly naming it. They preached unity in divisive occasions and praised athletes as examples that a greater world is feasible, which the group appeared to endorse.
The formulation of the Olympic rings — and fireworks bursting out of them — drew giant cheers from the group.
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Maja Hitij/Getty Photographs Europe
7. The athletes have been hyped (and Brazil flipped)
A Brazilian athlete threw a backflip within the snow. Austria’s flagbearer was carried in on a teammate’s shoulders. Czechia rocked their patterned outfits. The Greek contingent got here out with a coordinated dance. The final Winter Olympics, held in Beijing throughout COVID, have been subdued. These athletes have been clearly excited to be performing in entrance of a dwell viewers, with household and mates cheering them on.
And shoutout to the snow queens in shiny silver puffer-coat-gowns, who donned giant sun shades inside to guide every nation’s group into the stadium in Milan, holding a placard to introduce them.
8. The group had clear favorites
It is exhausting to measure applause, however there have been sure moments that appeared to land further exhausting with the in-person crowd, like fireworks bursting from the Olympic rings, the arrival of the Italian athletes and Boccelli’s drawn-out belt, rousing among the loudest cheers of the night time. Sure, they have been splashy — however they have been straightforward to see from even the nosebleeds.
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