Lady Gaga, Celine Dion, and French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura were among the stars who joined dancers, an opera diva, and even a heavy metal band in a groundbreaking opening ceremony for the Paris Olympics. This first-ever ceremony held outside a stadium, on the River Seine, faced challenging weather conditions with persistent rain casting a somber mood over the City of Light.
Directed by acclaimed French theatre director Thomas Jolly, the ceremony was designed to impress both the global TV audience and those who braved the harsh weather and strict security to attend in person. French President Emmanuel Macron, who watched from a VIP stand with other dignitaries, expressed his enthusiasm on X, saying, “It is now. The world is watching us. Let’s open the Games in style!”
In tribute to French culture, US pop star Lady Gaga emerged from behind a fan of pom-poms held by her dancers to perform ‘Mon truc en plumes,’ an iconic French music hall hit by Zizi Jeanmaire. Gaga later shared on social media, “It is my supreme honor to sing for you and cheer you on,” highlighting her special connection with French culture and music.
Franco-Malian R&B sensation Aya Nakamura, the world’s most listened-to French-speaking artist, delivered a medley featuring her hits ‘Pookie’ and ‘Djadja’ alongside Charles Aznavour’s classic ‘For Me Formidable,’ marking a century since the singer’s birth. Despite facing backlash and racist abuse from extreme right-wing groups, Nakamura’s performance was notably accompanied by musicians from France’s Republican Guard.
Canadian singer Celine Dion, making a dramatic return after a rare illness, concluded the ceremony with a powerful rendition of ‘Hymn to Love’ by Edith Piaf from the Eiffel Tower.
Thomas Jolly, supported by novelist Leila Slimani and screenwriter Fanny Herrero, described the ceremony as a celebration of France’s diversity and inclusivity, representing not just one France but many. The event featured 12 phases, including Guillaume Diop, the star ‘etoile’ dancer of the Paris Opera, performing on a Paris rooftop.
A standout moment for many French viewers was the surprise appearance of heavy metal group Gojira, who performed on platforms set up at the Conciergerie, a historic site from the French Revolution. Their performance included a mannequin of a headless Marie Antoinette and the revolutionary chant “Ah! Ca ira.”
In a unique pairing, Gojira was joined by French-Swiss mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti, known for her love of both metal and classical music. Polish counter-tenor Jakub Jozef Orlinski, who also break-dances, combined his talents with an aria from Rameau’s Les Indes Galantes.
The four-hour ceremony began with a clip of French actor Djamel Debbouze mistakenly carrying the Olympic torch to the Stade de France instead of the river. With the help of football legend Zinedine Zidane, Debbouze embarked on an underground journey through Paris, ultimately passing the torch to a group of children, guided by a mysterious masked figure, leading to the final relay and lighting of the cauldron.
