AMY HUBERMAN came up with a pun-derful summation of the Paris Olympics' Opening Ceremony which has divided opinion. The three-hour spectacle took place on the river Seine - a complete departure from every other predecessor which has been confined to a stadium. On the plus side this meant viewers were treated to the historic beauty of the French capital as several gorgeous buildings were used as settings from which artists performed.
However, a common gripe among viewers was that there was less of an atmosphere with it being out in the open rather than the usual cauldron of a traditional sports venue. And even those who were enthusiastic about the bulk of the showcase likely found themselves checking their phone towards the end as two officials took turns to read out quite long speeches. On that point, the pun-loving actress quipped: "Just me or was that inseinely long?" The mystery around who would receive the honour of lighting the Olympic Torch was eventually revealed.
After cameos from global superstars such as Zidane , Rafael Nadal , Serena Williams and Carl Lewis, the figures of Teddy Riner and Marie-Jose Perec were less heralded individuals to close out the show. But when you learn that both are French Olympic legends it makes more sense as to why they were handed the ultimate honour. He is a three-time Olympic champion in judo whilst she won a comparable haul across the 200m and 400m sprints.
RTE commentator and athletics expert Greg Allen deserves a hat tip here as earlier in the broadcast he had predicted she'd be the one who'd to get to put the finishing touch on the $1.5 billion showpiece. Anyone who did stay up til the very end was rewarded by a stunning performance by Celine Dion atop the Eiffel Tower.
The 56-year-old sang au français in a reminder that she has amassed global stardom while not even singing in her native language as she is from the French-speaking Canadian district of Quebec. It was an instantly iconic display not only since it was delivered atop the Eiffel Tower but also because it was her first since being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome in December 2022. The drizzly backdrop didn't help proceedings throughout the whole thing.
However, musicians, dancers and other creatives gamely performed for the world in spite of the miserable conditions. Another memorable moment was a classical pianist being soaked to the skin while only wearing a silk shirt as he elegantly played his role. There was also a highly enjoyable change of tempo amid the classy and sophisticated intro provided by a heavy metal band rocking out from the side of a building.
That was accompanied by a female singer blasting out her vocals while in character as the decapitated Marie Antoinette. So whatever your own feelings on the opener as a whole, it was unmistakeably French in its dedication to sticking to the country's unique artistic tastes..
