If there’s been a single moment representing the definitive emergence of the world from the Covid-19 pandemic, it was the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris. The Olympics needed this after the necessary, but emotionally stifling, lockdowns of the Tokyo and Beijing Games. The world needed this.
A coming-out party for the ages — and easily the best Opening Ceremony for a Summer or Winter Games since Rio’s in 2016, if not earlier — the July 26 ceremony featured several moments of transcendent emergence that will stick with viewers for a long time: There was the first ringing of the bells of Notre Dame since fire almost destroyed the 900-year-old cathedral in April 2019; Rafa Nadal, after all his injuries and still walking with slight hesitation, taking the Olympic torch to a waiting boat on the Seine, where Serena Williams was waiting (along with Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci) in what was kind of a whole end-of-that-era moment for tennis; and of course the extraordinary closing performance of Celine Dion , whose voice rang out from the second level of the Eiffel Tower in a triumphant rendition of Edith Piaf’s “L’hymne à l’amour.” Somehow, after everything she’s been through, Celine sounded better than ever — this was a performance on par with Whitney Houston singing “The National Anthem” at the Super Bowl or Aretha Franklin stepping in for Luciano Pavarotti and belting “Nessum Dorma.” Unforgettable in its titanic power and artistic command.
On NBC.