2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony

Last updated

2012 Summer Olympics
closing ceremony
Part of 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.jpg
Date12 August 2012;12 years ago (2012-08-12)
Time21:00 – 00:11 BST (UTC+1)
Venue Olympic Stadium
Location London, United Kingdom
Coordinates 51°32′19″N0°01′00″W / 51.53861°N 0.01667°W / 51.53861; -0.01667
Also known asA Symphony of British Music
Filmed by Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS)
Footage The ceremony on the IOC YouTube channel

The closing ceremony of the London 2012 Summer Olympics, also known as A Symphony of British Music, [1] was held on 12 August 2012 in the Olympic Stadium, London. The chief guest was Prince Harry representing Queen Elizabeth II. The closing ceremony was created by Kim Gavin, Es Devlin, Stephen Daldry, David Arnold and Mark Fisher. The worldwide broadcast began at 21:00 BST (UTC+1) and finished on 13 August 2012 at 00:11, lasting three hours and eleven minutes.

Contents

The stadium had been turned into a giant representation of the Union Flag, designed by Damien Hirst. Around 4,100 people partook in the ceremony; which reportedly cost £20 million. The 2012 Summer Olympics were officially closed by Jacques Rogge, who called London's games "happy and glorious." The ceremony included a handover to the next host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics, Rio de Janeiro and saw the Olympic flame extinguished and the Olympic flag lowered. The main part of the evening featured a one-hour symphony of British Music as a number of British Pop acts appeared. Tributes to John Lennon and Freddie Mercury and the fashion industry were included in the section. Rio marked the handover with an eight-minute section known as "Embrace" created by Cao Hamburger and Daniela Thomas, featuring Pelé. Sebastian Coe gave a speech, and the volunteers of London 2012 were thanked.

An average of 23.2 million viewers in the United Kingdom watched the event, with an estimated 750 million worldwide. Critics were generally positive. There was also a concert in Hyde Park to close the Olympics, featuring Blur, New Order, and The Specials. [2]

Production

The creative director and choreographer was Kim Gavin, [3] [4] with Es Devlin responsible for design and David Arnold as musical director. [5] When Arnold was announced in his role he said that doing the closing ceremony was an honour and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, [6] while Gavin stated that he was really excited and honoured to be involved. Devlin said that she was delighted to be part of the "greatest show on earth". Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport and the Olympics, stated that he was delighted to have a high-quality team working on the ceremony, while Boris Johnson stated that "we have the best of British creating the spectacular bookends of our Games". [7] Stephen Daldry was the executive producer and Mark Fisher was in charge of production design. The ceremony cost £20 million, with the artists paid just £1 for contractual purposes. [8] Around 4,100 performers took part, comprising 3,500 adult volunteers, 380 schoolchildren from the six original host boroughs, and 250 professionals. There had been around 15 rehearsals for the volunteers at the Three Mills Studio and at a full-scale site in Dagenham, East London. [9]

Gavin said that "the show we are putting on is very shiny, it's very colourful. We don't want to bang on about our culture. We just want to have fun". Es Devlin added that it "has to make sense in Bognor and Bogotá." [10] She said that the creators had happily indulged in the chance to "visually draw on everything" that British imagination can offer. [9] David Arnold said "It's going to be beautiful, cheeky, cheesy, camp, silly and thrilling", [11] and added that "we could have done this 15 times over, and not had the same show, and it would still have been full of amazing British music". He thought that it should be the "greatest after party" and was "really a celebration of Britishness in terms of [all] the arts". Arnold himself had devoted two years working on the ceremony and had turned down all other work including Skyfall , but said that it was the "most fun" he had "ever had in music". [12] In the handover section Rio aimed to express "multicultural embrace." Daniela Thomas stated that Rio "want to show you how sophisticated we mix things, what we do with the things you believe we are, how we mix with pop culture." [13]

The representation of the Union Flag used as an arena centrepiece was designed by Damien Hirst to celebrate the "anarchy and diversity of British pop art, and by extension the energy and multiplicity of contemporary British culture". Hirst had been approached in November 2011 and agreed to do the design; he called his artwork Beautiful Union Jack Celebratory Patriotic Olympic Explosion in an Electric Storm Painting. 176 photographs made up one centimetre of the stadium artwork with graphic designers having spent three months creating super-high-resolution images before printing. [14]

Some performers had declined to perform, including The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Kate Bush and The Libertines. [15] [16] According to industry insiders The Who apparently refused twice, and only agreed once they had announced a US tour. The Spice Girls were said to be reluctant to appear, feeling that the event was being staged at minimal cost, before their manager Simon Fuller persuaded them to perform. [16] Noel Gallagher turned down the chance to perform after first being asked to play acoustically and then to mime to "Wonderwall". [17]

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were not scheduled to attend as there is no formal role for the Head of State during the ceremony. The royal family was represented by Prince Harry, the Princess Royal and the Duchess of Cambridge. [18]

Performance synopsis

Rush Hour (21:00–21:09 BST)

Landmarks in the stadium. Miniature London at 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony.jpg
Landmarks in the stadium.

The ceremony began after a filmed countdown showing numbers from around London on such locations as road signs, 10 Downing Street and the Palace of Westminster clock tower, with a camera panning up the River Thames over Tower Bridge before turning left towards the stadium. The audience then completed a 10-second countdown to the start of the ceremony, to the chimes of Big Ben. The arena had been transformed into a huge representation of the Union Flag in black and white, with ramps and famous London landmarks such as the London Eye, Big Ben, Battersea Power Station and the Gherkin. Newspaper cutouts on both the set and road vehicles sought to show a "day in the life of London", with words from British literary figures such as William Shakespeare, J. R. R. Tolkien and Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy. [19]

Emeli Sandé appeared on a truck and sang a verse and the chorus of "Read All About It, Pt. III". The Urban Voices Collective (the choir for the ceremony) sang The Beatles' "Because", which merged into cellist Julian Lloyd Webber (sitting upon the Royal Albert Hall) playing Elgar's Salut d'Amour, accompanied by Stomp performing on household items such as pots, pans and dustbins while suspended on the sculptures of the landmarks.

God Save the Queen

At the same time, former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Timothy Spall) appeared at the top of Big Ben and reprised Caliban's "Be not afeard" speech from The Tempest , first read by Victorian icon Isambard Kingdom Brunel (Kenneth Branagh) in the opening ceremony. More paper-covered motor vehicles entered. After Churchill finished his speech, people dressed in newspaper print began to fill the arena, ranging from office workers to school children. The beat of the music got faster and noisier, symbolising the London rush hour. As the noise reached a crescendo, Churchill cried out for all to stop, bringing this section to an end.

Prince Harry, representing the Queen, arrived with the President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge. The London Symphony Orchestra and the Urban Voice Choir performed the national anthem of the United Kingdom whilst the Union flag was raised by the armed forces and the performers waved mini Union flags in the stadium. Once the flag was raised Hirst's artwork was revealed as the grey clouds were removed.

Street Party (21:09–21:20)

This section started off with footage of Michael Caine in The Italian Job counting down from five, whereupon the Reliant Regal from Only Fools and Horses exploded with Del Boy and Rodney jumping out dressed as Batman and Robin. Caine's words, "You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!", echoed around the stadium. All the lorries had the newspaper removed and a colourful street party erupted, while Madness performed "Our House". This was followed by the Massed Bands of the Household Division marching whilst playing Blur's "Parklife". Entering on rickshaws, the Pet Shop Boys performed their hit "West End Girls", and then One Direction performed "What Makes You Beautiful" from the back of a lorry. Next there was another performance by Stomp.

Waterloo Sunset (21:20–21:30)

The centre of the arena was then cleared to reveal Britain's Got Talent 2010 winners Spelbound, who performed gymnastics to The Beatles "A Day in the Life", were inspired by the idea of a commuter on the way to work, by forming a bed and a London Bus. Ray Davies of The Kinks arrived in a black cab and played "Waterloo Sunset", as Spelbound continued and local school children formed the Thames. The section closed with Sandé reprising "Read All About It (Pt. III)" as a montage of athletes crying in victory or defeat was shown on the screens.

Parade of Athletes (21:30–21:53)

Olympic athletes assembled in the shape of the Union Flag Athletes at the 2012 Closing Ceremony.jpg
Olympic athletes assembled in the shape of the Union Flag

Greece led the Entrance of the Flags, as all 204 flags filed in to the strains of "Parade of the Athletes" (composed by Arnold) and marched up the central cross of the union flag, with Great Britain bringing up the rear. Meanwhile, volunteer marshals wearing blue suits and blue bowler hats with light bulbs on top marched into the stadium. The athletes then walked in from the several entrances, with some filtering down through the lower stands. At the same time Elbow performed "Open Arms" and "One Day Like This". The volunteer marshals helped to usher the athletes into pens between the ramps of the arena. As the last athletes streamed into the stadium and the flags were moved by volunteers closer to the Olympic flame, a reprise of some of the songs from the opening section was played.

Here Comes the Sun (21:53–22:07)

16 dhol drummers opened this segment as the performers entered carrying 303 white boxes to symbolise every event in the Olympic Games. The drumming merged into the newly recorded version of Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)", as performers arranged the boxes to form a pyramid while video highlights from the previous 16 days of competition were shown on the screens.

This was followed by the victory ceremony for the Men's Marathon, by tradition the final medal ceremony of the Games. Rogge and Lamine Diack, president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, awarded the medals before the Ugandan national anthem was played.

Six athletes including Katherine Grainger and Katie Taylor presented flowers to six volunteers in a symbolic recognition of the 70,000 volunteers' contribution to the Games. This part of the ceremony was accompanied by The Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun".

A Symphony of British Music (22:07–23:21)

A sculpture of the face of John Lennon at the closing ceremony. John Lennon face sculpture, 2012 London Olympics closing ceremony.jpg
A sculpture of the face of John Lennon at the closing ceremony.

The section commenced with Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" being played and a graphic equaliser being shown on the pixel screen. John Lennon then appeared on the big screens and was joined by the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir and the Liverpool Signing Choir in singing "Imagine" as a bust of Lennon's face was created. Balloons were released at the end of this and George Michael followed singing "Freedom! '90" and "White Light" (one of his last public concert appearances). A group of mods on scooters followed invading the arena; one of them carried Ricky Wilson to the stage where his band the Kaiser Chiefs proceeded to cover The Who's "Pinball Wizard"; during the song the scooters continued to circle the arena. Several extracts of David Bowie songs followed, accompanied by images of Bowie; this continued until eight billboards, escorted by gold clad dancers and drummers, with artwork of models on arrived in the stadium representing the British fashion industry. The artwork was dropped to reveal the models standing behind: Naomi Campbell (wearing Alexander McQueen), [20] [21] Lily Cole (wearing Erdem), [21] Karen Elson (wearing Burberry), [21] Lily Donaldson (wearing Vivienne Westwood), [20] [21] Jourdan Dunn (wearing Jonathan Saunders), [20] [21] David Gandy (wearing Paul Smith), [21] Georgia May Jagger (wearing Victoria Beckham), [20] [21] Kate Moss (wearing Alexander McQueen) [20] [21] and Stella Tennant (wearing Christopher Kane). [20] [21] The models concluded the section by turning the struts of the Union Flag into a catwalk as they proceeded to the centre, walking to Bowie's 1980 single "Fashion".

A wooden boat was then carried in; on board was Annie Lennox who proceeded to sing "Little Bird". Ed Sheeran followed and was joined by Richard Jones of The Feeling, Nick Mason of Pink Floyd and Mike Rutherford of Genesis and Mike + The Mechanics, to cover Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". Near the end of the song a performer appeared on a tightrope above the stadium, walked along it, and shook hands with a mannequin, which then burst into flames (referencing the cover of Floyd's 1975 album Wish You Were Here ). A psychedelic bus then enters with Russell Brand sitting on top singing "Pure Imagination" from "Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory" then segues into "I Am the Walrus"; before introducing Fatboy Slim, who played "Right Here Right Now" and "The Rockafeller Skank"; as the bus slowly transformed into a large inflatable Octopus. Three convertible Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupés then arrived; the roof of the first was taken down to reveal Jessie J who sang her hit "Price Tag", as the cars did a lap of the stadium. Jessie J provided guest vocals as the next car had its roof removed, to show Tinie Tempah who sang "Written in the Stars". The third car carried Taio Cruz who sang "Dynamite". All three then left the cars to combine to cover the Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing".

Cabs carrying the Spice Girls. London cabs with Spice Girls.jpg
Cabs carrying the Spice Girls.

A number of black cabs entered the stadium, five of which lit up with LED lights, each decorated with the Spice Girls' individual trademark emblems, (Posh: sparkling black, Sporty: go-faster stripes, Scary: leopard print, Baby: pink and Ginger: The Union Flag). The Spice Girls emerged from the cabs and performed "Wannabe" and "Spice Up Your Life". Halfway through their performance, they ascended onto the roofs of the cabs and proceeded to race around the stadium whilst singing and dancing from the roofs. Beady Eye followed by performing Oasis's "Wonderwall". "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra was played, introduced by Matt Berry, as a tribute to aviation was performed. Near the end of this song a human cannonball "died" and out rolled Eric Idle, who sang "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life", accompanied variously by nuns on roller-skates (likely a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail ), Morris dancers (Blackheath Morris and Rag Morris), [22] [23] Roman soldiers (a reference to Monty Python's Life of Brian , in which the song was first performed), [24] Punjabi bhangra musicians dancers (VP Bhangra), [22] and bagpipes (Reading Scottish Pipe Band, led by Pipe Major Ron Paterson) before a human cannonball was fired across the arena. [24] Muse then appeared and proceeded to sing the official song of London 2012, "Survival". [25] In the darkness four trucks with screens on them entered and went to the centre of the stadium. Freddie Mercury then appeared on these and other screens around the stadium. Displayed was a vocal improvisation taken from Queen's 1986 Wembley Stadium concert, before his bandmate Brian May performed part of the "Brighton Rock" guitar solo. May was then joined by Roger Taylor to re-form Queen, as Jessie J, who wore a long yellow jacket in homage to Mercury, accompanied the pair for "We Will Rock You." More fireworks ended this section.

Antwerp Ceremony (23:21–23:30)

The section began with the Greek national anthem being played and raising of the flag; followed by the Olympic anthem and the lowering of the flag. The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, then handed the Olympic flag to Jacques Rogge, who in turn passed it to Eduardo Paes, the Mayor of Rio de Janeiro. [24] This was followed by the Brazilian national anthem and raising of the flag. The Olympic flag was raised again in Sochi, Russia, on 7 February 2014 at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Abraço (Embrace): Um alô do Rio de Janeiro (A hello from Rio de Janeiro) (23:30–23:38)

The end of Rio's segment. Rio takeover.jpg
The end of Rio's segment.

Rio then provided an eight-minute segment to introduce the city and the country to the world, created by a team headed by the International Emmy Kids Awards winner Cao Hamburger and director Daniela Thomas entitled "Abraço" (which means hug or embrace). [25] The showcase presented the Brazilian culture including the annual Rio Carnival and some local traditions such as the city's relationship with the sea. It began with the street cleaner Renato Sorriso dancing samba joined by sailor Robert Scheidt. The segment continued with a Carnival-eqsue Samba parade as various artists performed, including hit singer Marisa Monte (dressed as Brazilian-African sea goddess Yemanja representing the Brazilian religious syncretism) and the singers BNegão and Seu Jorge, who paid tribute to Chico Science and Jorge Mautner, representing the Manguebeat moviment from Pernambuco state. The modernist composer Heitor Villa-Lobos also received a tribute. Another appearance was by top model Alessandra Ambrósio, representing Brazilian fashion, and by Pelé wearing a Brazilian football shirt with his name and the number 10 on the back and a 3D inflated model of Rio's logo. This segment ended with a big firework display in green and yellow (the national colours).

Closing of the Games (23:38–23:48)

Opening of the Olympic cauldron. Cauldron and Phoneix at the 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony.jpg
Opening of the Olympic cauldron.

Sebastian Coe and Jacques Rogge then appeared on a stage that was in the form of an arrow pointing towards Rio. [19] Coe thanked all of the people who had helped make the Olympics happen. He said that the volunteers, who received another huge cheer, had the right to say "I made London, 2012". Coe thanked the country for getting behind the Games, and recalled his words from the Opening Ceremony "these will be a games for everyone", concluding "these were a games by everyone." He went on to thank the athletes and say that "the spirit of these Olympics will inspire a generation", before concluding that "when our time came, Britain, we did it right!". [26]

Rogge thanked Coe and his London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games team, saying that they had done a "superb job". He said "we are indebted to so many tonight", thanking the "wonderful volunteers, the much needed heroes of these Games", as well as the British public and the athletes. Rogge said that the athletes had earned the right to be called 'Olympians' due to the fair play and graciousness that they had shown, and he looked forward to the Paralympic Games. Rogge concluded by calling the Games "happy and glorious", before proceeding to close the competition and calling upon the youth of the world to assemble in Rio in 2016, ending with "Thank you, London!". [27] [28]

Spirit of the Flame (23:48–00:00)

The arms holding the copper petals that formed the Olympic cauldron were part-lowered, and fireworks set off behind; when the smoke had cleared, a phoenix was seen above the flames. Take That then performed "Rule the World". Darcey Bussell followed flying down from the top of the stadium in a guise of a phoenix and was joined by four male principal dancers from The Royal Ballet, Gary Avis, Jonathan Cope, Nehemiah Kish and Ed Watson and over 200 ballerinas, [25] [29] who proceeded to perform a dance called 'the spirit of the flame', after which the Olympic Flame was extinguished.

Finale (00:00–00:07)

The closing act of the ceremony was The Who, who performed a medley of the songs "Baba O'Riley", "See Me, Feel Me" and "My Generation" as a montage of images of Games volunteers and Londoners appeared on the big screen. All star performers also appeared on the stage behind the band, while participants in the ceremony also marched through the centre stage towards The Who. The set concluded to massive fireworks set off in the stadium and around the Olympic Park.

Technical aspects

One of the images created with the pixels during the ceremony Pixels London 2012.jpg
One of the images created with the pixels during the ceremony

A total of 634,500 individual LED pixels were used to create 27 images lasting 75 minutes. The pixels were created by Crystal CG and each animation was constructed by a team of six, whilst a team of eight created the Rio segment. Images, including catwalk models in high-end fashions, drifting clouds over London, and flicking paint onto rooftop canvases, had been shot for the effects.[ citation needed ]

The broadcast of the Olympic closing ceremony featured 1080p and side-by-side 1080i 3D on various TV channels and online. [30] [31]

Ratings and reviews

An estimated worldwide television audience of 750 million watched the event. [24] Early data suggested that the British TV audience averaged 23.2 million and hit a peak of 26.2 million at 21.35. [16] [32]

The Daily Telegraph commented during the ceremony that, although fun, it lacked "top drawer" performers, and that Annie Lennox was "utterly underwhelming." However One Direction, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz "shone", while the Spice Girls "got the exuberant tone exactly right". [33] Tom Sutcliffe writing for The Independent said that it was "slick, impressive, often visually startling" and "eccentric, bewildering – and shameless good fun". He added that "where Danny Boyle's opening show had been a statement of intent and national values, this was an hour-long advert for British stadium rock-show design." [34]

The Guardian writer Michael Billington wrote that he was not sure how to review "a mix of pageant, pop-concert, street-party and presentation ceremony." He added that it communicated the "energy of British popular culture over the past few decades and the gaiety of our Olympic ceremonies." Billington praised Boyle, Devlin and Daldry, who had done a "tremendous job in lending what might have been orthodox Olympic rituals a blast of theatrical vitality." [35] While Alexis Petridis writing for the same paper said that the lack of a "gasp inducing moment" spoilt the show. [36]

NZ Herald's Troy Rawhiti-Forbes wrote that there were "touches of brilliance, beauty, and bewilderment - often at the same time." However he called Russell Brand "tuneless", and during George Michael's performance he thought that "if there had been remote controls here in the stadium, people might have been reaching for them." His "undisputed champions" of the night were the Spice Girls and The Who. [37] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter noted that the show "had something for every generation" and was an "all-star...crowd-pleaser." However he wonders whether non-British viewers would have understood references to The Italian Job and Only Fools and Horses . Rooney concludes that the "Rio preview and the rousing Britpop marathon that preceded it were a reminder that the Olympics are as much about spectacle as sport." [38]

Gary Barlow was called "inspirational, brave and a consummate professional" after performing despite his wife having had a stillborn baby on 4 August. [39] However, George Michael attracted some criticism for singing his new song "White Light" at the ceremony. [32] Critics saw this as shameless promotion. Michael replied that it was his one chance to thank his supporters, which he didn't regret. [40] It was his first appearance since almost dying from pneumonia and "White Light" was about that experience. [41] Appearances by Russell Brand, Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss were also seen as controversial, as their previous behaviour had not always reflected Olympic ideals. [41]

International broadcast issues

United States broadcaster NBC was criticised for its coverage in a Forbes article by John Clarke, who emphasised the omission of performances from Ray Davies and Muse, as well as the delay in The Who's performance by an hour to broadcast the pilot of the sitcom Animal Practice followed by the late local news. [42] New Zealand broadcaster Prime TV was criticised for delayed coverage, running 20 minutes behind Sky Sport. [43] In the Philippines, TV5 was criticised because it only aired the first hour of coverage of the ceremony, incorporating highlights into its next morning news programme, Good Morning Club . [44] [45]

Music

Many artists appeared live, [46] yet others were recordings. [47]

54 bands played live and were recorded in total.

Anthems

Victory ceremonies

Notes

  1. ↑ Anthem played as part of the Men's marathon victory ceremony.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Summer Olympics</span> Multi-sport event in London, England

The 2012 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012, were an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the group stage in women's football, began on 25 July at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, followed by the opening ceremony on 27 July. There were 10,518 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) who participated in the 2012 Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Winter Olympics opening ceremony</span>

The Opening Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics was held on 10 February 2006 beginning at 20:00 CET (UTC+1) at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, Italy.

The Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Winter Olympics took place on 26 February 2006 beginning at 20:00 CET (UTC+1) at the Stadio Olimpico in Turin, Italy.

The Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games was held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on 26 March 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2007 Pan American Games opening ceremony</span>

The Opening Ceremony of the XV Pan American Games took place on 13 July 2007. Considered an audition for the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics, the Opening Ceremony was praised by the media for its creativity and Olympic-style production value. The Los Angeles Times reported:

Brazil's 2nd largest city still must overcome doubts about crime and traffic, among other things, if it hopes to make good on its quixotic bid to play host to the 2016 Olympic Games. But Rio sure has the opening ceremony down pat. On Friday the city inaugurated the 15th Pan American Games with a lavish and creative 3½ -hour show that featured a symphony orchestra, three 100-foot-long coral snakes, Miss Brazil, an alligator the size of a 747, fireworks, a 1,500-piece percussion band and thousands of dancers dressed as everything from ocean waves to water lilies.

The Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics took place on August 4, 1996, at the Centennial Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, United States at approximately 8:00 PM EDT (UTC−4). It was produced by Don Mischer. The official motto of the closing ceremony is "An American Day of Inspiration".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony</span>

The 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest. The ceremony was directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and began at 20:00 China Standard Time (UTC+8) on Sunday night, 24 August 2008. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Olympic Games ceremony</span> Ceremonial events of the ancient and modern Olympic Games

The Olympic Games ceremonies of the ancient Olympic Games were an integral part of the games; modern Olympic Games have opening, closing, and medal ceremonies. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies date back to the ancient games from which the modern Olympics draw their ancestry. An example of this is the prominence of Greece in both the opening and closing ceremonies. During the 2004 Summer Olympics, the medal winners received a crown of olive branches, which was a direct reference to the ancient games, in which the victor's prize was an olive wreath. The various elements of ceremonies are mandated by the Olympic Charter, and cannot be changed by the host nation. Host nations are required to seek the approval of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for ceremony elements, including the artistic portions of the opening and closing ceremonies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Winter Olympics closing ceremony</span>

The closing ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics took place on February 28, 2010, beginning at 5:30 pm PST at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was the first Olympic Closing Ceremony held in an indoor venue since the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony</span>

The opening ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics took place on the evening of Friday 27 July 2012 in the Olympic Stadium, London, during which the Games were formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings combined the ceremonial opening of this international sporting event with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation's culture. The spectacle was entitled Isles of Wonder and directed by Academy Award-winning British film director Danny Boyle.

The opening ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics took place in the evening on Friday, July 19 at the Centennial Olympic Stadium, Atlanta, United States. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings combined the formal and ceremonial opening of this international sporting event, including welcoming speeches, hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes, with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation's culture and history. The Games were officially opened by President of the United States of America Bill Clinton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony</span>

The 2012 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony was held on 29 August 2012, starting at 20:30 BST and marking the official opening of the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, England. The show – named Enlightenment – had Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings as its artistic directors, leading a team that included Jon Bausor as set designer and Moritz Junge as costume designer. Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Games. The ceremony was performed in the Olympic stadium in London in front of a capacity audience of 80,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2012 Summer Paralympics closing ceremony</span>

The closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Paralympics, also known as the Festival of the Flame, was held on 9 September at the Olympic Stadium in London. Kim Gavin served as director for the ceremony, while Stephen Daldry served as its executive producer. The ceremony was themed around festivals and the four seasons, with the artistic programme being set to performances by British band Coldplay. The band were joined by guests such as the British Paraorchestra, Rihanna, and Jay-Z.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony</span>

The 2000 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony was held on 1 October 2000 in Stadium Australia. As with the opening ceremony, the closing ceremony was directed by Ric Birch as Director of Ceremonies while David Atkins was the Artistic Director and Producer. The Closing Ceremony was attended by 114,714 people, the largest attendance in modern Olympic Games history. The ceremony celebrated Australiana; Australian cultural celebrities, icons, media, and music, with floats designed in the style of Reg Mombassa. Around 2.4 billion watched the telecast of the closing ceremony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 Winter Olympics closing ceremony</span>

The closing ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics was held on 23 February 2014 from 20:14 to 22:25 MSK (UTC+4) at the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia. It was designed to show Russian culture, through a European perspective, and featured performances by Yuri Bashmet, Valery Gergiev, Denis Matsuev, Hibla Gerzmava, and Tatiana Samouil, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Summer Olympics closing ceremony</span>

The closing ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics was held on 21 August 2016 from 20:00 to 22:50 BRT at the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2002 Winter Olympics opening ceremony</span>

The opening ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics took place at the Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, on 8 February 2002.

The 2022 Winter Olympics closing ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing on 20 February 2022. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings are expected to combine the formal ceremonial closing of this international sporting event with an artistic spectacle to showcase the culture and history of the current and next host nation (Italy) for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The closing ceremony of the 2002 Winter Olympics took place on an abstract shaped ice rink designed by Seven Nielsen at Rice–Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, the United States, on 24 February 2002.

The closing ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, August 12, 1984, at 20:00 PDT.

References

  1. ↑ "2012 Olympics closing ceremony: 'A symphony of British music'". The Voice of Russia . 12 August 2012. Archived from the original on 14 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  2. ↑ "Blur, New Order to Play Olympics Closing Ceremony". Pitchfork Media . 21 February 2012. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Profile: Kim Gavin, director of Olympic closing ceremony". BBC News . 10 August 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "Kim Gavin: profile of Cultural Olympiad ceremony director". The Daily Telegraph . London. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  5. ↑ Hill, Amelia (18 February 2011). "Kim Gavin named artistic director for London 2012 closing ceremonies". The Guardian . Retrieved 24 February 2013.
  6. ↑ "Bond composer will be 2012 musical director". The Daily Telegraph. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  7. ↑ Chilton, Martin (18 February 2011). "Top British talent will direct closing ceremonies of London Olympics". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  8. ↑ Sawar, Patrick; Duffin, Claire (12 August 2012). "Olympics closing ceremony: spectacular end to the Games will celebrate 50 years of British pop". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  9. 1 2 Cultural Olympiad (23 February 2012). "Adele and Elgar 'mash-up' to close Olympic Games". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  10. ↑ Moreton, Cole (11 August 2012). "Olympics closing ceremony: we've had the wedding, now it's time for the disco". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  11. ↑ Singh, Anita (10 August 2012). "London 2012 Closing Ceremony: here come the Spice Girls". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  12. ↑ McCormick, Neil (9 August 2012). "Olympics Closing Ceremony: 'It's going to be cheeky, cheesy and thrilling'". The Daily Telegraph. Rock and Pop Features. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  13. ↑ Reynolds, Tim (10 August 2012). "Rio getting ready for its Olympic turn". Yahoo Sports. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 12 April 2013. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  14. ↑ Devlin, Es (19 August 2012). "Why we reinvented the Union flag for the Closing Ceremony". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  15. ↑ "The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Kate Bush and The Libertines turned down Olympic closing ceremony". NME . 13 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 Sabbagh, Dan (13 August 2012). "David Bowie among UK stars who turned down Olympic closing show". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Noel Gallagher turned down Olympic closing ceremony". BBC News . 16 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  18. ↑ Rayner, Gordon (12 August 2012). "Olympics closing ceremony: Queen praises athletes but will not be there". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  19. 1 2 Rayner, Gordon (13 August 2012). "Del Boy and Darcey give Rio a unique act to follow". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Bryony Gordon (13 August 2012). "Team of role models made this the Girl Power Games". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Leitch, Luke (13 August 2012). "Fashion superstars show why Britain is catwalk gold". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  22. 1 2 "Volunteers Bénévoles" (PDF). London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. Retrieved 10 September 2012.[ permanent dead link ]
  23. ↑ "Morris at the Olympic Closing Ceremony". The Morris Ring. 13 August 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 "London ends Olympics on extravagant notes – Europe". Al Jazeera English. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  25. 1 2 3 "London throws World biggest party of Olympic athletes closing ceremony spectacular". London 2012. 12 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 September 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  26. ↑ Furness, Hannah (13 August 2012). "'We lit up the world' says Lord Coe". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  27. ↑ Rayner, Gordon; Marsden, Sam (13 August 2012). "Jacques Rogge praises 'happy and glorious' games". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
  28. ↑ "London 2012 Closing Ceremony" (PDF). International Olympic Committee.
  29. ↑ "Spirit of the flame". London 2012.
  30. ↑ BBC TV and HD channel listing
  31. ↑ Jones, Paul (16 February 2012). "BBC to broadcast London 2012 Olympics ceremonies and 100m final in 3D". Radio Times . Retrieved 1 March 2013.
  32. 1 2 Hough, Andrew (13 August 2012). "Olympic Closing Ceremony: George Michael accused of promoting new single". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  33. ↑ McNulty, Bernadette (12 August 2012). "Olympic Closing Ceremony London 2012: review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  34. ↑ Sutcliffe, Tom (13 August 2012). "London Olympics 2012 closing ceremony: Eccentric, bewildering – and shameless good fun". The Independent . Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2013.
  35. ↑ Billington, Michael (13 August 2012). "London 2012 closing ceremony - review". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  36. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (13 August 2012). "Olympics closing ceremony music: big acts, big hits, but no big gasps". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  37. ↑ Rawhiti–Forbes, Troy (13 August 2012). "Olympics: Closing ceremony review". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  38. ↑ Rooney, David (12 August 2012). "Closing Ceremony of the London Olympics: Review". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  39. ↑ Furness, Hannah (13 August 2012). "London 2012: Gary Barlow braves personal tragedy to perform at closing ceremony". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  40. ↑ "George Michael defends Olympics closing ceremony song". BBC News. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  41. 1 2 Singh, Anita (14 August 2012). "George Michael criticised over closing ceremony song". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  42. ↑ Clarke, John (13 August 2012). "Is NBC's 'Animal Practice' The Most Hated Show on Television?". Forbes. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
  43. ↑ "Complaints flow for Prime's closing coverage". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  44. ↑ "TV5 to replay full London Olympics closing ceremony twice today". Interaksyon.com. 13 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2 November 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  45. ↑ "Netizens cry foul over TV5's "deceitful" info about airing 2012 London Olympics' closing ceremony live". PEP.ph. 13 August 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  46. ↑ BBC Sport (12 August 2012). "Olympics closing ceremony live". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 August 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2012.
  47. ↑ "Olympics closing ceremony:playlist". The Daily Telegraph (United Kingdom). 12 August 2012.
  48. ↑ "Beady Eye, Muse, The Who perform at Olympics closing ceremony". NME. 12 August 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.