What we know about the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games by Thomas Jolly before the first rehearsal

What will the opening ceremony of the Paris Summer Olympics bring together? His philosophy? Here are some answers before rehearsals begin in March.

Rehearsals will begin in March, with the opening ceremony of the Paris Summer Olympics, staged outside the stadium for the first time, on July 26. We know a little more about This three-hour river parade, 6 kilometers long, is animated by shows and performances by several hundred artists.

Edith Piaf, Jules and Nathalie Desse tell the story of France

“valid” In July 2023“The story we wrote tells the story of what France is – with all its monuments present on the banks of the river – and what France will be”Explains Thomas Jolly, dArtistic Director of Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies. “France is Edith Piaf and bothBut even that (rapper) July, (singer) Natalie Dessay. It’s a whole bunch of musical genres. France is cheese, but also pretzels, couscous. It has a whole lot of variety. The idea is to reiterate that France is a story that keeps getting richer.”

Making the dream a reality

Concept of opening ceremony “Goed into Feasibility Study” So that it adapts to the topography of the place. “The Seine does not have the same depth from place to place, the wind does not blow equally over this or that bridge, (it is not necessary) Do not disturb the natural habitat of biodiversity”, Thomas Joly explained to AFP. education “To be completed by the end of 2023”. Result: “Dream and reality connect 90% harmoniously today. 10% of my project remains to be readapted.” According to Thomas Jolly, “Lots of Decorations” is under construction.

A combination of “protocol”, “parade” and “artistic”.

“About ten paintings will be spread from the Austerlitz Bridge to the Trocadero. They will be crossed by the delegation. (of athletes) and hosted by artists from all disciplines – circus, dance, music, performance, visual arts etc.”Thomas Joly suggests. “Usually, the ceremony is a 45-minute art show, a two-hour parade (Delegations) and one hour of protocol elements. To integrate the elements of protocol into the artistic, the parade into the artistic, and all of it will be a huge, egalitarian celebration.”, he continues. During the ceremony, which will pass in front of Notre-Dame, a “Tribute” will be returned to its new arrow “Which will rise in the skies of Paris”.

A round of boats

“We have about a hundred boats for the delegation, about 200 in total.”told AFP Thierry Reboul, Director of Ceremonies for the Paris Games. “They board the 3 kilometer boarding zone, before the Austerlitz Bridge. It’s a huge logistics. They will follow each other with distance counting to the nearest second.. Tests have already been conducted. “We’re going to do it again (with) Half the fleet (after) 100%, so that the captain of the boat is well aware”clarifies more Thierry Ribaul.

“Split” rehearsal

A guarantee: “The show cannot be repeated on the site”Thomas Joly told AFP. “Rehearsals will take place indoors, in a very large hangar, (and) A marine basis, for everything that happens with water as material”. So, they will be “fragmented”. “In the last days, we will be able to (the) Finish to the end so that everyone can find the final assembly on the evening of the ceremony.”