21:01, 26.07.2024
em,aw,tb; France info, The Guardian
As per tradition, Greece led the parade, paying tribute to the origins of the sporting competition. This took place on the river Seine, which is a first for the competition, as the parade usually proceeds inside a stadium.
As Lady Gaga welcomed the first boats to leave from the Pont d'Austerlitz (a bridge that owes its name to the 1805 battle of Austerliz during the Napoleonic Wars) she opened the ceremony with a song by Zizi Jeanmaire - a legendary French performer who gained her fame in the 1950s. The song was "Mon truc en plumes," which Gaga performed in the French artist's characteristic pink feathery costume.
Later, the French heavy metal band Gojira, blasted their set from the windows of the Conciergerie, a famous former courthouse and prison in the city. They were accompanied by French-Swiss songwriter, Marina Viotti, who sang the revolutionary song “Ah! Ca ira”.
This was directly followed by a passionate rendition of the French opera ‘Carmen’ by Georges Bizet, interpreted by Marina Viotti.
French footballer Zinédine Zidane was seen taking a turn carrying the Olympic flame, as well as the American rapper Snoop Dogg.
In keeping with tradition, the identity of the last torchbearer, however, has been kept a secret. They will transport the torch to the Olympic cauldron and light it at around midnight, at which time the identity of this person will be revealed.
