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2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

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"Isles of Wonder" redirects here. For the soundtrack album, seeIsles of Wonder (album).
"London 2012 opening ceremony" redirects here. For the Paralympics opening ceremony, see2012 Summer Paralympics opening ceremony.

Theopening ceremonyof the2012 Summer Olympicstook place on the evening of Friday 27 July 2012 in theOlympic Stadium,London,during which the Games were formally opened by QueenElizabeth II.As mandated by theOlympic Charter,the proceedings combined the 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. The spectacle was entitledIsles of Wonder[1]and directed byAcademy Award-winning British film directorDanny Boyle.

2012 Summer Olympics
opening ceremony
Part of2012 Summer Olympics
The "Pandemonium" segment, during the final rehearsal of the ceremony on 25 July
Date27 July 2012;12 years ago(2012-07-27)
Time21:00 – 00:46BST(UTC+1)
VenueOlympic Stadium
LocationLondon,United Kingdom
Coordinates51°32′19″N0°01′00″W/ 51.53861°N 0.01667°W/51.53861; -0.01667
Also known asIsles of Wonder
Filmed byOlympic Broadcasting Services(OBS)
Done and Dusted
FootageThe ceremony on the IOC YouTube channelonYouTube

Prior to London 2012 there had been considerable apprehension aboutBritain's ability to stage an opening ceremony that could reach the standard set at theBeijingSummer Games of 2008.[2][3][4]The2008 ceremonyhad been noted for its scale, extravagance and expense, hailed as the "greatest ever",[5]and had cost £65m. In contrast, London spent an estimated £27m (out of £80m budgeted for its four ceremonies), which was nevertheless about twice the original budget.[6]Nonetheless, the London opening ceremony was immediately seen as a tremendous success, widely praised as a "masterpiece" and "a love letter to Britain".[7][8][9]

The ceremony began at 21:00BSTand lasted almost four hours.[10]It was watched by an estimated worldwide television audience of 900 million, falling short of theIOC's 1.5 billion viewership estimate for the 2008 ceremony,[11][12]but becoming the most-viewed in the UK and US.[13][14]The content had largely been kept secret before the performance, despite involving thousands of volunteers and two public rehearsals. The principal sections of the artistic display represented Britain'sIndustrial Revolution,National Health Service,literary heritage, popular music andculture,and were noted for their vibrantstorytellingand use of music. Two shorter sections drew particular comment, involving a filmedcameo appearanceofthe QueenwithJames Bondas her escort, and a live performance by theLondon Symphony Orchestrajoined by comedianRowan Atkinson.These were widely ascribed toBritain's sense of humour.[15]The ceremony featured children and young people in most of its segments, reflecting the 'inspire a generation' aspiration ofLondon's original bid for the Games.[16]

The BBC released footage of the entire opening ceremony on 29 October 2012, edited by Danny Boyle and with background extras, along with more than seven hours of sporting highlights and the complete closing ceremony.[17]

Preparations

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The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) approachedDanny Boyleto be the director of the ceremony in June 2010, and he immediately accepted.[18][19]Boyle explained that there had been four things that made him take the job: he was a big Olympics fan, he lived a mile from the Stadium and so felt invested in the area, his late father's birthday was on the ceremony's date, and he felt his 'Oscar clout' would enable him to push through what he wanted to do.[20]He said it "felt weirdly more like a... civic or national responsibility" to take the job.[21]

Danny Boyle,the director of the opening ceremony

Boyle acknowledged that the extravagance of the 2008 opening ceremony was an impossible act to follow — "you can't get bigger than Beijing" — and that this realisation had in fact liberated his team creatively. He said "..obviously I'm not going to try and build on Beijing, because how could you? We can't, and you wouldn't want to, so we're going back to the beginning. We're going to try and give the impression that we're rethinking and restarting, because they've (opening ceremonies) escalated since Los Angeles in 1984. They've tried to top themselves each time and you can't do that after Beijing. "[22][23]Beijing's budget had been £65m, whereas London's final budget was £27m, which was twice the original provision.[6][24]The London stadium had the same number of seats asBeijing's,but was half the size; this intimacy of scale meant that Boyle felt he could achieve something personal and connecting.[22][25]

The different sections of the ceremony were designed to reflect aspects of British history and culture, with the titleIsles of Wonderpartly inspired byShakespeare's playThe Tempest(particularly Caliban's 'Be not afeard' speech[26]), and partly by theG. K. Chestertonaphorism: "The world shall perish not for lack of wonders, but for lack of wonder."[25][27]

In July 2010, Boyle started brainstorming ideas with designerMark Tildesley,writerFrank Cottrell-Boyceand costume designerSuttirat Anne Larlarb.They considered "what was essentially British", with the non-British Larlarb able to offer a view of what the world thought Britain meant. Cottrell-Boyce had given Boyle a copy ofPandaemonium,(named after the capital of Hell inParadise Lost) byHumphrey Jennings,which collated contemporary reports from theIndustrial Revolution.[18][27][28]It had become traditional during the opening ceremony to 'produce' theOlympic ringsin a spectacular manner. Cottrell-Boyce commented "Danny had a very clear idea that in the first 15 minutes you had to have a great, startling image that could go around the world; it had to climax with something that made people go 'Oh my God!'". Boyle decided that "the journey from the pastoral to the industrial, ending with the forging of the Olympic rings" would be that image.[18]

The ten distinct chapters on which the team started work were gradually compressed into three principal movements: the violent transition from 'Green and Pleasant Land' to the 'Pandemonium' of industrial revolution, a salute to the NHS and children's literature, and a celebration of pop culture, technology and the digital revolution.[18]

"At some point in their histories, most nations experience a revolution that changes everything about them. The United Kingdom had a revolution that changed the whole of human existence.

In 1709Abraham Darbysmelted iron in a blast furnace, usingcoke.And so began theIndustrial Revolution.Out ofAbraham's Shropshire furnaceflowed molten metal. Out of his genius flowed the mills, looms, engines, weapons, railways, ships, cities, conflicts and prosperity that built the world we live in.

In November 1990 another Briton sparked another revolution – equally far-reaching – a revolution we're still experiencing. The digital revolution was sparked byTim Berners-Lee's amazing gift to the world – theWorld Wide Web.This, he said, is for everyone.

We welcome you to an Olympic Opening Ceremony for everyone. A ceremony that celebrates the creativity, eccentricity, daring and openness of the British genius by harnessing the genius, creativity, eccentricity, daring and openness of modern London.

You'll hear the words of our great poets –Shakespeare,BlakeandMilton.You'll hear the glorious noise of our unrivalled pop culture. You'll see characters from our great children's literature –Peter PanandCaptain Hook,Mary Poppins,Voldemort,Cruella de Vil.You'll see ordinary families and extraordinary athletes. Dancing nurses, singing children and amazing special effects.

But we hope, too, that through all the noise and excitement that you will glimpse a single golden thread of purpose – the idea ofJerusalem– of a better world, the world of real freedom and true equality, a world that can be built through the prosperity of industry, through the caring nation that built the welfare state, through the joyous energy of popular culture, through the dream of universal communication. A belief that we can build Jerusalem. And that it will be for everyone. "

Danny Boyle, in the ceremony programme.[29]

When Boyle returned to work on the ceremony in the spring of 2011 he askedRick SmithofUnderworld,with whom he had worked on several film projects as well as histheatrical productionofMary Shelley'sFrankenstein,to be the musical director.[18][30]At the same time the team moved to theThree Millsstudio complex in east London, where a 4x4 metre scale model of the stadium was built. For security reasons, a single CGI-assisted version of the ceremony was kept on editor Sascha Dhillon's laptop; anyone needing it had to come to the studio.[18]

The cast included professional performers and 7,500 volunteers.[31]Boyle considered the volunteers to be "the most valuable commodity of all". In November 2011 they auditioned at Three Mills, and rehearsals began in earnest in spring 2012 at an open-air site atDagenham(the abandonedFordplant), often in foul weather. Although key contributors had to sign non-disclosure agreements and some elements were codenamed, Boyle placed immense trust in the volunteers by asking them simply to "save the surprise" and not leak any information.[18][21]Further volunteers were recruited to help with security and marshalling, and to support the technical crew.[23][32]Three weeks before the ceremony,Mark Rylance,who was to have taken a leading part, pulled out after a family bereavement and was replaced byKenneth Branagh.[33][34]

TheOlympic Bell,the largest harmonically tuned bell in the world,[35]weighing 23 tonnes, had been cast in brass under the direction of theWhitechapel Bell FoundrybyRoyal Eijsboutsof the Netherlands, and hung in the Stadium.[36]It was inscribed with a line fromCaliban's speech inThe Tempest:"Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises".[37]

Boyle gave significant emphasis to the London 2012 theme 'inspire a generation' and devised a programme relying heavily on children and young people, and built around themes that would relate to the young. 25 schools in the six original East London host boroughs were used to recruit child volunteers for the performance, and 170sixth formers(16–18-year-olds), between them speaking more than 50 languages, were recruited from their colleges.

On 12 June 2012 at a press conference, Boyle had promised a huge set of ruralBritain,which was to include avillage cricketteam, farm animals, a model ofGlastonbury Tor,as well as amaypoleand a rain-producing cloud. His intention was to represent the rural and urbanlandscapeof Britain. The design was to include a mosh pit at each end of the set, one with people celebrating arock festivaland the other theLast Night of the Proms.

Boyle promised a ceremony with which everyone would feel involved; he said, "I hope it will reveal how peculiar and contrary we are – and how there's also, I hope, a warmth about us." Some of the set was designed with real grass turf and soil.[38][39]The use of animals (40 sheep, 12 horses, 3 cows, 2 goats, 10 chickens, 10 ducks, 9 geese and 3 sheep dogs, looked after by 34 animal handlers) drew some criticism fromPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).Boyle, who was being advised by theRSPCA,assured PETA that the animals would be well cared for.[40]After the press conference, much commentary in the UK Press was negative and attracted "hundreds of comments online completely supporting...the view that the opening ceremony would be a disaster."[41]

The overwhelming majority of the music used was British. The team worked next door to the office of the musical director for the closing ceremony,David Arnold,and so hearing each other's music there was a scramble to claim a particular song first.[42]A.R. Rahman,who worked with Boyle onSlumdog Millionaireand127 Hours,composed aPunjabisong 'Nimma Nimma' to showcaseIndian influence in the UK,according to Boyle's wishes. More Indian music was also scheduled for inclusion in the medley.[43]Paul McCartneywas to be the ceremony's closing act.[44]

Sebastian Coewas instrumental in asking the Queen to take part, responding positively when Boyle first pitched theHappy and Gloriousfilm sequence featuring the Queen. Boyle suggested that the Queen be played either a lookalike, or by a world-class actress such asHelen Mirren,in a location to double as Buckingham Palace. Coe askedPrincess Anne,aBritish member of the IOCandLOCOG,what she thought, and she told him to ask the Queen. Coe presented the idea to the Queen's Deputy Private Secretary.[45]Boyle was surprised to hear that the Queen would be happy to play herself, and wanted a speaking part.[21]Filming took place in late March 2012, andHappy and Gloriouswas produced by the BBC, as was the opening film sequenceJourney along the Thames.[46]

Changes were still being made to the programme in the final days before the ceremony: aBMXbike section was dropped due to time constraints, and the 'Pandemonium' and 'Thanks..Tim' sections were edited down.[18]In 2016 Boyle recounted how he had come under pressure fromJeremy Hunt,then theOlympics and Culture Secretary,to cut back the NHS section, which he had saved only by threatening to resign and take the volunteers with him.[47]

Two full dress and technical rehearsals took place in the Olympic stadium, on 23 and 25 July, in front of an audience of 60,000 comprising volunteers, cast members' families, competition winners, and others connected to the Games. Boyle asked them not to 'spoil the surprise' by using the hashtag #savethesurprise on social media, keeping the performance a secret for the hundreds of millions who would watch on the Friday night.[27][48]

Officials and guests

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Royal Box

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Seated in the Royal Box were theQueenand theDuke of Edinburgh,thePrince of Wales,and other members of theBritish royal family.They were accompanied byArchbishop of CanterburyRowan Williams,Prime MinisterDavid Cameron,Spouse of the Prime MinisterSamantha Cameron,former Prime MinistersJohn Major,Tony BlairandGordon BrownandMayor of LondonBoris Johnson.Officials of the Olympic movement includedPresident of the IOCJacques Rogge,LOCOGChairmanSebastian Coeand members of theIOC.

International dignitaries

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The ceremony was the largest gathering of world leaders for an Olympic and sporting event in history, surpassingthat of 2008.Three multilateral leaders, more than ninety five heads of state and government and representatives from five organisations and one hundred and twenty countries attended.[49][50]

Proceedings

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Schedule

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Time (BST) Section title
27 July 2012(2012-07-27)
21:00–21:04 Countdown
21:04–21:09 Green and Pleasant Land
21:09–21:25 Pandemonium
21:25–21:35 Happy and Glorious
21:35–21:47 Second to the right, and straight on till morning
21:47–21:52 Interlude
21:52–22:09 Frankie and June say...thanks Tim
22:09–22:20 Abide with Me
22:20–00:00 Welcome
28 July 2012(2012-07-28)
00:00–00:07 Bike a.m.
00:07–00:24 Let the Games Begin
00:24–00:38 There Is a Light That Never Goes Out
00:38–00:46 And in the end

Prologue

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Scene before the ceremony commenced, representing rural Britain

At exactly 20:12BST,theRed Arrowsperformed a flypast over theOlympic Stadiumand then over the concert inHyde Park.[51]This concert featured artists selected to represent the four nations of the United Kingdom:Duran Duran,Stereophonics,Snow PatrolandPaolo Nutini.[52]

At the beginning the stadium contained a rural scene including the model ofGlastonbury Tor,a model village and a water wheel, replete with live animals (removed shortly before the ceremony began), and actors portraying working villagers, football and cricket players.

Frank Turnerperformed three songs ( "Sailor's Boots", "Wessex Boy" and "I Still Believe") on the model ofGlastonbury Tor,joined byEmily Barker,Ben Marwoodand Jim Lockey, as well as his regular backing band the Sleeping Souls.[53]LSOOn Track (an orchestra of 80 young musicians from ten East London boroughs together with 20 LSO members) then performedEdward Elgar's "Nimrod"from theEnigma Variations,accompanied by extracts from theBBC RadioShipping Forecast,and maritime images on the big screens, while the audience held up blue sheeting to simulate the sight of the ocean. This performance celebrated Britain's maritime heritage and geographical insularity.

Countdown(21:00–21:04 BST)

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The ceremony began at 21:00 after a one-minute '60 to 1' countdown film made up of shots of numbers, such as those on house doors, street nameplates,London buses,station platforms and market labels. The number 39 is seen at the foot of a flight of steps, a reference toJohn Buchan's novelThe Thirty-Nine Steps,while the 10 is the door number from10 Downing Street.

The2012 Tour de FrancewinnerBradley Wigginsopening the ceremony

A two-minute film,Journey along the Thames,directed by Boyle and produced by theBBC,opened the ceremony.[54]To the sound of "Surf Solar" byFuck Buttons,it followed theRiver Thamesfromits sourceto the heart of London, juxtaposing images of contemporary British life with pastoral shots and flashes of scenes from the stadium. The characters Ratty, Mole and Toad fromThe Wind in the Willowswere briefly seen, as was a 'Monty Pythonhand' pointing towards London on umbrellas, and anInterCity 125train passing the Olympic rings ascrop circlesin a field. AtBattersea Power StationaPink Floyd pigwas flying between the towers; the clock sound from another Pink Floyd song "Time"was heard passingBig Ben.The soundtrack included clips from the theme tune ofThe South Bank Show,"London Calling"byThe Clash,and theSex Pistols' "God Save the Queen"as the film followed the route of the band's infamous cruise down the River Thames during theSilver Jubilee.[55][56]

After lifting to an aerial view ofEast Londonmirroring the title sequence of the BBC soap operaEastEnders,to the sound of the drum beats fromthe closing theme,the film flashed down through theThames Barrier,into Bow Creek, and then below surface through aLondon Undergroundtrain and station, historic footage ofIsambard Kingdom Brunel'sThames Tunnel,and through theRotherhithe Tunnel.It then switched to a sequence filmed outside the stadium shortly before the ceremony, superimposed with posters from previous Summer Olympics (all of them except1900 Paris,1936 Berlin,1984 Los Angeles,and1996 Atlanta), to a recording of "Map of the Problematique"byMuse.This ended with a live shot of three cast members holding the posters for the 2012 competition.

There was then a ten-second countdown in the stadium, with children holding clusters of balloons that burst simultaneously, with the audience shouting out the numbers.Bradley Wiggins,who had won theTour de Francefive days earlier, opened the ceremony by ringing theOlympic Bellthat hung at one end of the stadium. Fourupper-atmosphere balloonswere released, each expected to carry a set of Olympic rings and a camera up to the mid-stratosphere.

Green and Pleasant Land(21:04–21:09)

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"Be not afeard" speech

Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs, that give delight, and hurt not.
Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and sometimes voices,
That, if I then had wak'd after long sleep,
Will make me sleep again: and then, in dreaming,
The clouds methought would open and show riches
Ready to drop upon me; that, when I wak'd,
I cried to dream again.

William Shakespeare,The Tempest,Act 3, Scene II

The depiction of rural life already in the arena was billed as "a reminder and a promise of a once and future better life". Youth choirs begana cappellaperformances of the informal anthems of the four nations of the UK: "Jerusalem"(forEngland,sung by a live choir in the stadium), "Danny Boy"(from theGiant's CausewayinNorthern Ireland), "Flower of Scotland"(fromEdinburgh CastleinScotland), and "Bread of Heaven"(fromRhossili BeachinWales).[57]These were inter-cut with footage of notableRugby Union Home Nations'tries,England's winningdrop goalfrom the2003 Rugby World Cup Final,and live shots from the stadium.

As the last choir performance concluded, vintageLondon General Omnibus Companystagecoachesentered, carrying businessmen and earlyindustrialistsinVictoriandressandtop hats,led byKenneth BranaghasIsambard Kingdom Brunel.The 50 men stepped down from the carriages andsurveyed the landapprovingly. After walking onto the Glastonbury Tor, Brunel deliveredCaliban's "Be not afeard" speech, reflecting Boyle's introduction to the ceremony in the programme[58]and signifying an aspiration of new industry or a new era in Britain. This anticipated the next section of the ceremony.

Pandemonium(21:09–21:25)

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This section encapsulated British economic and social development from rural economy through theIndustrial Revolutionto the 1960s.

Scene representingIndustrial Britain.Rehearsal 23 July 2012 before the ceremony four days later.

Proceedings were suddenly interrupted by a loud shout, recorded by volunteers during the rehearsals, followed by drumming (the pre-recorded drumming amplified by 965 cast members drumming on inverted household buckets and bins),[59]led byEvelyn Glennie.[60]The three-tonne oak tree on top of the Glastonbury Tor lifted, and industrial workers emerged from both the Tor's brightly lit interior and the entrances to the stadium, to swell the cast to a total of 2,500 volunteers.[18]So began what Boyle had called the "biggest scene change in theatre history" and something he had been advised against attempting.[61]Underworld's "And I Will Kiss"began to play, as the cast rolled away the grass and other rural props.

Seven smokingchimney stackswith accompanyingsteeplejacksrose from the ground, along with other industrial machinery: fivebeam engines,six looms, a crucible and a water wheel (one of the few items left from the rural scene). Boyle said that this section celebrated the "tremendous potential" afforded by the advancements of the Victorian era.[57]It also included aminute's silencein remembrance of the loss of life of bothworld wars,featuring British 'Tommies' and shots ofpoppies,during which the names of theAccrington Palswere shown on the stadium screens. Unprompted, members of the audience stood in respect during this segment.[62][63]

Volunteers paraded around the stadium representing some of the groups that had changed the face of Britain: thewoman's suffragemovement, theJarrow Crusade,the firstCaribbeanimmigrants arriving in 1948 on board theEmpire Windrush,a 1970s DJ float, the Nostalgia Steel Band, andthe Beatlesas they appeared on the cover ofSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.Also included were real-lifeChelsea Pensioners,theGrimethorpe Colliery Band,and a group ofPearly Kings and Queens.

The Olympic rings

Workers begancastingan iron ring. As the noise level and tension built, driven by the relentless rhythm of the music and the drumming, participants mimed repetitive mechanical movements associated with industrial processes such asweaving.Four glowing orange rings gradually began to be carried high above the stadium toward its centre on overhead wires, and then the ring seemingly being cast and forged in the arena began to rise. The five rings converged, still glowing and accompanied by steam and firework effects to give the impression that they were of hot metal. When the five rings formedthe Olympic symbolabove the stadium, they ignited and rained fire in silver and gold. The image of the Olympic rings in flame became the iconic image of the ceremony, reproduced in newspapers and web stories around the world.[55][64]

Happy and Glorious(21:25–21:35)

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A short film directed by Boyle and produced by the BBC, calledHappy and Glorious(after a line inthe national anthem), featured the characterJames Bond,played bythen-Bond actorDaniel Craig,entering the front gate ofBuckingham Palacein aLondon black cab.His entrance (accompanied by an arrangement ofHandel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba") is noticed by Brazilian children (a nod toRio de Janeiro,which was to bethe next summer Gameshost city) in the throne room. Bond escortedElizabeth II(who played herself, acknowledging Bond with the words, "Good evening, Mr Bond" ) out of the building and into a waitingAgustaWestland AW139helicopter. The film followed the helicopter across London, with shots of a cheering crowd onThe Mall,Nelson's Column,thePalace of Westminsterwith an animatedWinston Churchill statueinParliament Square,and of the Thames past theLondon Eye,St Paul's Cathedral,the financial districtCity of London.

The helicopter then passed throughTower Bridge,accompanied by theDambusters March.The film finished with Bond and the Queen apparently jumping from a real helicopter live above the stadium, accompanied by the "James Bond Theme".[55][65]The Queen and theDuke of Edinburgh,along withRogge,were then introduced to the audience. The Queen was wearing the same dress as in the film, as if she had just arrived with Bond.

The idea of the royal helicopter jump was first pitched by directorDanny BoyletoSebastian Coe,who loved it so much he took it toEdward Young,Private Secretary to the Queen, at Buckingham Palace in the summer of 2011. Young 'listened sagely, laughed, and promised to ask the boss'. Word came back to Coe that the Queen would love to take part. Young, Boyle and Coe agreed to keep the plan secret so as not to spoil the surprise. On 19 September 2022, the morning of theQueen's funeral,Coe told BBC News he originally took the concept toPrincess Annewhose only question was "What kind of helicopter?"[66]Back in 2014, during a State visit by Irish PresidentMichael Higgins,the Queen herself had credited the humour in some degree to Boyle's Irish heritage, saying, “It took someone of Irish descent, Danny Boyle, to get me to jump from a helicopter."[67]

For the scenes with the helicopter, the Queen was doubled by actressJulia McKenzie,[68]and for the parachute jump byBASE jumperandstuntmanGary Connerywearing a dress, hat, jewellery and with a handbag.[69][70]Bond was played byMark Sutton.[71]The helicopter had flown to the stadium fromStapleford Aerodromein Essex, piloted byMarc Wolff.

The Union Flag was then raised by members of theBritish Armed Forces,while the first and third verses ofthe national anthemwere performeda cappellaby theKaos Signing Choir for Deaf and Hearing Children.[57]

Second to the right, and straight on till morning(21:35–21:47)

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The first part of this sequence celebrated theNational Health Service( "the institution which more than any other unites our nation", according to the programme), which had been founded in the year of the previous London Games in 1948. Music was byMike Oldfield.600 dancers, all of whom were NHS staff, along with 1,200 volunteers recruited from British hospitals, entered along with children on 320 hospital beds, some of which functioned astrampolines.They started a short jive routine. Watching from the tor were specially invited hospital staff and nine child patients fromGreat Ormond Street Hospital.[72]The blankets on the beds illuminated and the beds were arranged to depict a child's face with a smile and a tear (the Hospital Children's Charity's logo). The acronym 'GOSH' then changed into the initials 'NHS', turning into the shape of a crescent moon as the children were hushed to sleep and read books by the nurses.

The sequence then moved on to celebrateBritish children's literature.J. K. Rowlingbegan by reading fromJ. M. Barrie'sPeter Pan(whose copyright was given to Great Ormond Street Hospital). TheChild Catcherappeared amongst the children, followed by giant puppet representations of villains from British children's literature:the Queen of Hearts,Captain Hook,Cruella de Vil,andLord Voldemort.Minutes later, 32 women playingMary Poppinsdescended with their umbrellas, as the villains deflated and the actors resumed dancing.[55]The music for this sequence included partially rearranged sections fromTubular Bells(with a giant set oftubular bellsat the rear of the stage),Tubular Bells IIIand, after the villains had been driven away by the Mary Poppins characters,In Dulci Jubilo.[73]During this performance the children in pyjamas jumped up and down on their brightly lit beds, creating a memorable image amid the darkness of the stadium.

The sequence concluded with a pale, gigantic baby's head, with a rippling sheet for its body, in the centre of the arena. This celebrated the Scottish pioneers ofobstetric ultrasound imaging.[74]

Interlude(21:47–21:52)

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Simon Rattlewas then introduced to conduct theLondon Symphony Orchestrain a performance ofVangelis's "Chariots of Fire",as a tribute to the British film industry withRowan Atkinsonreprising his role asMr. Bean,comically playing a repeated note on asynthesiser.He then lapsed into a filmed dream sequence in which he joined the runners from the filmChariots of Fire,beating them in their iconic run along West Sands atSt Andrewsby riding in a car, rejoining the race and tripping the front runner. Danny Boyle later explained: "It wasn't actually Mr. Bean. Strictly speaking, the name of his character was Derek". In 2021's "Happy Birthday Mr Bean" documentary, Atkinson also stated that the performance was not actually intended to be the character Mr. Bean.[75][76]

Frankie and June say...thanks Tim(21:52–22:09)

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This sequence celebrated British popular music and culture, paying homage to each decade since the 1960s.[77]To the accompaniment of the BBCnewsreeltheme 'Girls in Grey' and thetheme tunefromThe Archers,a young mother and son arrive in aMini Cooperat a full-size replica of a modern British house. The1987 "don't worry about a hurricane"weather forecast byMichael Fishwas shown on the big screens as rain suddenly poured on the house, followed by "Push the Button",bySugababes.In the centre of the arena the sides of another house, three times larger, were used as screens to show clips from various TV programmes, music videos and films, includingA Matter of Life and Death(June is named for its protagonist), as well asGregory's Girl,Kes,Bedknobs and Broomsticks,The Snowman,The Wicker Man,Four Weddings and a Funeral,British soap operasCoronation StreetandEastEnders,Spanish TV showCuéntame cómo pasó,and Boyle's ownTrainspottingon the top and the inside of the house on the bottom.[78]A large group of dancers, centred around Frankie and June (19-year-old Henrique Costa and 18-year-old Jasmine Breinburg) on a night out, performed to an assortment of British popular songs arranged broadly chronologically, beginning with "Going Underground"byThe Jam,suggesting a ride on theLondon Underground.During this track images of the Underground were projected onto the house and former London MayorKen Livingstonewas briefly seen in the driver's seat. Throughout the sequence cast members weretextingeach other or placingsocial networkingstatus updates on theInternet.Frankie and June first notice each other as a snippet from "Wonderful Tonight"byEric Claptonplays, but when Frankie saw that June had dropped her phone on the Tube, he set off to return it (communicating using last number redial to her sister's phone).

Tim Berners-Lee's tweet, "This is for everyone"

An extended dance sequence followed, with songs including "My Generation"byThe Who,"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"by theRolling Stones,"My Boy Lollipop"sung byMillie Small,"All Day and All of the Night"by theKinks,"She Loves You"by theBeatles(with footage of the band performing the song), "Trampled Under Foot"byLed Zeppelin,"Starman"byDavid Bowie,"Bohemian Rhapsody"byQueen(during which the sound of theTARDISfromDoctor Whocould be heard), "Pretty Vacant"by the Sex Pistols (during which dancers on power jumpers wearing large heads withMohawk hairstylesperformed apogodance, and the lyrics to the song were spelt out in LED lights around the stadium), "Blue Monday"byNew Order,"Relax"byFrankie Goes to Hollywood(during which Frankie, asked by June for his name, replied by revealing one of the band's "Frankie say..." T-shirts), "Back to Life (However Do You Want Me)"bySoul II Soul,"Step On"byHappy Mondays,"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"byEurythmics,"Firestarter"byThe Prodigy,and "Born Slippy.NUXX"byUnderworld,ending with the cast singing "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles"as Frankie and June walked towards each other. A sequence from the filmFour Weddings and a Funeralwas projected behind them; when they kissed, a montage of memorable kisses from film, TV and real life was shown (including one of the first interracial kisses on British television inEmergency Ward 10and the first lesbian kiss fromBrookside,which in some countries, including Saudi Arabia, then became the first lesbian kiss ever shown onpre-watershedtelevision),[55]while "Song 2"byBlurwas played. A live performance of "Bonkers"byDizzee Rascal(who grew up in the host borough ofTower Hamlets)[79]followed, along with a further sequence in which all the cast (andBritain's Got Talentdancing duoSignature) attend a party at June's house whilstAmy Winehouse's "Valerie",Muse's "Uprising",andTinie Tempah's "Pass Out"played.[73]

At the close, while "Heaven"byEmeli Sandéwas played, the larger house was raised to revealTim Berners-Leeworking at aNeXT Computer,like the one on which he invented theWorld Wide Web.Hetweeted'This is for everyone',[80]instantly spelt out in LED lights around the stadium.[55][81]The programme explained "Music connects us with each other and with the most important moments in our lives. One of the things that makes those connections possible is the World Wide Web". Boyle wanted to honour Berners-Lee for having made the World Wide Web free and available to everyone (hence the tweet), rather than seeking a commercial profit from it.[82]

Abide with Me(22:09–22:20)

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A filmed sequence showed extracts from thetorch relayaround the UK, to the music "I Heard Wonders" byDavid Holmes.This then cut live to showDavid Beckhamdriving a dramatically illuminated motor boat down theRiver Thamesand underTower Bridge,to fireworks, while footballerJade Baileyheld on to the torch in the boat. This section had been rehearsed on 24 July 2012 when the close-up shots were pre-recorded,[83]and was directed byStephen Daldry.

There was then a tribute to "..friends and family of those in the stadium who cannot be here tonight", including the victims of the '7/7'2005 London bombings(on the day after London had been awarded the Games).[84]Photos of people who had died were displayed on screens as a memorial, accompanied by an excerpt fromBrian Eno's ambient work "An Ending (Ascent)".The hymn"Abide with Me"was then sung byEmeli Sandé[55][73]while a group of dancers choreographed by and includingAkram Khanperformed a contemporary dance on the theme of mortality.[85][86]

Welcome(22:20–00:00)

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See also:2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Nations
Team GBenters the2012 Summer Olympics Parade of Nationslast

The Parade of Nations of athletes (drawn from the 10,490 competing) and officials from 204 nations (and also the "Independent Olympic Athletes") was led, according to custom, by theGreekteam, followed by other competing countries inalphabetical order,and finally the host nationGreat Britain.Each of the 205 teams entered the stadium led by their flagbearer, accompanied by a child volunteer carrying a copper petal (later revealed to be part of thecauldron) and a young woman carrying a sign with the country's name in English (and wearing a dress made from fabric printed with photos of people who had applied to be Olympic volunteers).[87]

The parade was accompanied by mainly British dance tracks and popular songs, including "Galvanize"byChemical Brothers,"West End Girls"byPet Shop Boys,"Rolling in the Deep"byAdele,"Stayin' Alive"by theBee Geesand both "Where the Streets Have No Name"and"Beautiful Day"by Irish bandU2,withGreat Britainentering toDavid Bowie's song "Heroes".[57]Welshdrum and bassDJHigh Contrastmixed and sequenced the music for the athletes' parade.[42]

Music with a fast rhythm of 120bpm[18]was used in an attempt to keep the teams walking quickly around the stadium, and this was reinforced by the drummers in the stadium; nevertheless the parade part of the programme took 1 hour 40 minutes to complete, compared to the 1 hour 29 minutes estimated in the official media guide. Once all of the athletes were inside the stadium, seven billionsmall pieces of paperwere dropped from aWestland helicopter,each piece representing one person on Earth. Each nation'sflagwas planted on the Glastonbury Tor.

Bike a.m.(00:00–00:07 BST 28 July)

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Doves at the opening ceremony

Once the athletes had gathered in the centre of the stadium,Arctic Monkeysperformed "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor"andThe Beatles' "Come Together",the latter whilst 75 cyclists circled the stadium with wings lit byLEDsrepresentingDoves of Peace.Doves were traditionally released at Olympic opening ceremonies, although real birds have not been used since 1992. A single dove cyclist, his beak painted yellow in honour ofBradley Wiggins,appeared to fly out of the stadium.

Let the Games Begin(00:07–00:24)

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Muhammad Alireceives the Olympic Flag

The formal part of the ceremony was introduced bySebastian Coe,speaking from the Tor and surrounded by flags of the participating nations. He welcomed the watching world toLondon.He expressed pride in beingBritishand part of the Olympic movement, and said that the Olympics "brings together the people of the world...to celebrate what is best about mankind".[55]He continued to speak of the "truth and drama" of sport, and then thanked Britain for "making all this possible". Rogge responded by thanking London, stating that it was the third time that London had held the Games, following1908,held at short notice whenRomewas unable to do so (after a volcanic eruption), and1948three years after the end ofWorld War II.Rogge thanked the thousands of volunteers, to huge cheers. He announced that for the first time in Olympic history, every team had female participants. Rogge acknowledged the important role the UK had played as "the birthplace of modern sport", codifying its "fair play" ethos and building sport into the school curriculum. He appealed to athletes to play fairly and be drug-free, according to the values ofBaron de Courbertin,reminding them that they were role models who would "inspire a generation". After expressing these sentiments again briefly in French, he invited the Queen to open the Games.[55]

The Queen declared the competition officially open, immediately followed by atrumpetfanfare based on a theme fromTubular BellsbyMike Oldfieldand then afireworksdisplay.[55]The 2012 ceremony was the second time the Queen had opened an Olympic Games, the first being the1976 Summer OlympicsinMontrealin her capacity asQueen of Canada.It was also the first time any individual had opened a Summer Olympics twice (two more Olympiads had been opened on her behalf, with a further two Winter Games opened on her behalf).

TheOlympic Flagwas carried by eight people chosen from around the world to embody the Olympic values:Doreen Lawrence(chosen for her "tireless thirst for justice" ),Haile Gebrselassie(for his "fight against poverty" ),Sally Becker(for her "courage" ),Ban Ki-moon(as UN secretary-general),Leymah Gbowee(as "a great peacemaker" ),Shami Chakrabarti(for "her integrity" ),Daniel Barenboim(for bringing "harmony in place of discord" ), andMarina Silva(as UN Champion of the Earth).[88]The flag paused in front ofMuhammad Ali(invited to represent 'respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, generosity and spiritual strength'), who held it for a few moments. The flag was received by acolour guardofHer Majesty's Armed Forces[89]and hoisted to theOlympic Anthem,performed by theLSOand theGrimethorpe Colliery Band.A brief reprise of "And I will Kiss" commenced theOlympic Oaths,taken bytaekwondoathleteSarah Stevensonon behalf of the athletes, by BritishAIBARefereeMik Basion behalf of the officials, and by Eric Farrell on behalf of the coaches.[90][91]

There Is a Light That Never Goes Out(00:24–00:38)

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See also:2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics cauldron
Thomas Heatherwick's Olympic Cauldron after being lit

This section was named afterthe song of the same namebyThe Smiths.Themotorboatdriven byDavid Beckhamarrived with theOlympic Flamevia theLimehouse Cutand theLee Navigation.Steve Redgravelit his torch from that on the boat, and carried it into the stadium through an honour guard of 500 of the construction workers who had built theOlympic Park.He passed the flame on to a team of seven young people, each nominated by a famous British Olympian to convey the Games' aim to 'inspire a generation'.[92]Six of the team were athletes, and the seventh was a volunteer young ambassador.[93]

The teenagers made a lap of the stadium, each carrying the torch in turn, whileAlex Trimble,lead singer ofTwo Door Cinema Club,performed "Caliban's Dream"[94]with the Dockhead Choir,Only Men Aloud,Elizabeth Roberts, and Esme Smith. This had been written especially for the ceremony byRick SmithofUnderworld.[94]

Each young athlete was greeted by their nominating Olympian (watched by 260 British medallists from previous summer and winter Games since London 1948) and presented with their own torch, which was then lit from the flame. They jogged through a corridor between assembled athletes to the centre of the stadium, where the 204[95]copper petals (each inscribed with the name of the team it accompanied during the parade) were now seen in a circular formation attached to long pipes (the petals were to accompany each team home after the competition, as a souvenir).[96]The young athletes lit some of the petals, and when the flame had spread to all of them, the pipes rose slowly from the floor of the stadium and converged to form the cauldron.[97]The cauldron lighters were (nominator in brackets):[98]

The cauldrondesigned byThomas Heatherwickwas described as "one of the best-kept secrets of the opening ceremony": until this point, its design, location, and who would light it had not been revealed.[99][100]

And in the end(00:38–00:46)

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A flurry of spectacular fireworks accompanied byPink Floyd's song "Eclipse"was supported by images of memorable Olympic victories shown on the big screens, with the stadium pixels showingJesse Owensrunning.[62]The climax of this section was a live view of the Olympic rings 34 kilometres (21 miles) above the Earth, transmitted from one of the balloons launched three and a half hours earlier. The sky was then lit by searchlights piercing the smoke (another iconic London image) from the fireworks, theOrbittower was illuminated.Paul McCartneyand his band performed the closing section of "The End",and then"Hey Jude",with its chorus sung by the audience to close the ceremony at 00:46 BST.[55]

Music

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See also:Isles of Wonder (album)
Segment of the opening ceremony celebrating British music

The eclectic programme of music was chosen to showcase almost exclusivelyBritish music[101][102]with pieces representingthe UK's four nations.[103]It includedclassical worksbyBritish composerssuch asHubert Parry,and performances by UK choirs and orchestras. The focus was mainly onmusic of the 1960s onwards,causing oneChinesejournalist to ask: "Will this be the most rock and roll opening ceremony ever?".[104]

Rick Smith and Underworld composed pieces for the ceremony, including "And I Will Kiss"[105]used during the 'Pandemonium' section, and "Caliban's Dream"[106]heard during the lighting of the cauldron. These were favourably reviewed; inThe Guardian,Michael Hann wrote "Underworld... had a bit of a triumph: the builds and fades they learned in the world of dance music lent the sometimes overwhelming visual spectacle a sense of structure".[107]

Musical motifs were used to bind the ceremony programme together: for example, the 'whistling' theme first heard during the minute's silence embedded within "And I Will Kiss" returned frequently – behind the fury as the ring was being forged, emerging triumphant as the five rings came together, and again later as the main theme of 'Caliban's Dream' whilst the flame was paraded around the stadium.

Mike Oldfield performing "Tubular Bells"at the opening ceremony

Bells were a theme of the opening day of the Olympics, starting at 8:12am with artistMartin Creed'sWork No. 1197: All the Bells,when bells were rung across the UK including forty strikes of Big Ben.[108]"The sound of bells is the sound of England", Boyle had told volunteers during rehearsal.[41]Much of the music for the ceremony contained 'bell' references, linking to the large bell forged for the ceremony and evoking bells as "the sound of freedom and peace". Modified sequences based on the traditional Britisheight-bell pealunderlaid "And I Will Kiss" and carried through into the "Tubular Bells"/NHS section, withhandbellsand a tolling large bell featured on 'Caliban's Dream' and at key points in the ceremony. A handbell chime also played after the close, as the stadium emptied.

Boyle approached many of the artists personally, to see if they would be interested in performing, and he also flew toBarbadosfor an hour-long meeting withMike Oldfield.A few turned him down, includingElvis CostelloandDavid Bowie.[21]The performing artists were paid a nominal £1 fee to make their contracts legally binding.[42]

The pre-recorded soundtrackIsles of Wonderwas released on iTunes at midnight of 28 July 2012, with a two-disc CD set released on 2 August.[109]Within two days the download album had topped the iTunes album charts in Britain, France, Belgium and Spain, and reached No. 5 in the United States, as well as being No. 5 in the British album charts.[102]Rick Smith's concluding comment in the CD cover notes was: "The isle is full of noises. The soundtrack writes itself."

Anthems

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Technical aspects

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The main loading of the stadium started on 10 May and took ten weeks of what was the wettest summer for a hundred years, posing considerable challenges.[117][118]Dismantling the staging took just sixty hours.[117]The infield staging area was 2.5 metres high, and had to accommodate the elements revealed during the ceremony, such as the chimneys and beam engines from 'Pandemonium', and thecauldron.To ensure that it remained secret, the cauldron was code-named 'Betty', and installed and tested at night.[117]

The stadium was rigged with a one million watt sound system and more than 500 speakers.[119]Some 15,000 square metres (3.7 acres) of staging and 12,956 props were used,[120]as well as 7,346 square metres (1.815 acres) of turf including crops.[121]70,799[119]25 centimetre (10 inch) pixel panels were placed around the stadium, including between every seat. Each panel connected to a central computer and was fitted with nine full-colourLEDpixels by Tait Technology.[117]These enabled images to be broadcast during the performance, such as of a 1960sgo-go dancer,aLondon Undergroundtrain, and a representation of the birth of theinternet.The audience was also able to participate by waving the paddles to create a twinkling effect. These animations were designed by 59 Productions and the video animations were produced by Chinese company Crystal CG.[122]The 2D to 3D transformation and mapping of video content onto the panels were done byAvolites Mediamedia serverconsoles.[123][124]

At the technical rehearsal of the Opening Ceremony

Technical director Piers Shepperd masterminded the complex change from rural to industrial during 'Pandemonium'.[64]The seven inflatable chimneys were made by Airworks, and varied in height (three were 22-metre (72 ft), two were 23-metre (75 ft) and two were 30-metre (98 ft) high). They were made of soft fabric, with an outer layer of printed brick pattern. Each contained four industrial fans at the base to inflate them, and a smoke machine near the top, and were hoisted into the air from the overhead rigs.[117]Life-sizebeam engineswere constructed onstage by teams of stage hands and members of the Volunteer Staging Team.[64]At the climax of 'Pandemonium', in theOlympic ringforging scene, amber lights lit in sequence created the illusion of a 30-metre (98 ft) molten steel river, with pyrotechnic smoke anddry iceas steam. The original grass floor surface had been removed to reveal a giant stylised map of London.[125]

Working alongside the professional crew were over 800 volunteers; some were production arts students from British drama schools. Many had been working on the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies since early 2012 at theThree Mills StudiosandDagenhamrehearsal sites, before moving to the Stadium on 16 June. The thousands of cast were cued and co-ordinated by directions received through earphones ('in-ear monitors'), and adjustments were made during the performance: for example during Pandemonium extra volunteers were sent to make sure all the turf was cleared on time. The earphones also carried a continuous electronicmetronomicfour-beat to keep everyone walking and moving in time with the music.[126]

In July 2013 it was revealed that on the morning of the ceremony, Britain's surveillance headquartersGCHQhad detected a crediblecyber attackthreat that could have killed the lighting system in the stadium. Counter-measures were taken, and in the afternoon contingency plans were discussed with government ministers at a meeting in theCabinet Officebriefing room. However, this attack never materialised.[127]

Ceremony key team

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  • Artistic director:Danny Boyle[128]
  • Producer:Tracey Seaward
  • Designers:Suttirat Anne LarlarbandMark Tildesley
  • Writer:Frank Cottrell-Boyce[27]
  • Music director:Rick Smith(Underworld)
  • Associate director:Paulette Randall
  • Movement director:Toby Sedgwick
  • Head of mass movement choreography:Steve Boyd[129]
  • Choreographers: Temujin Gill, Kenrick "H2O" Sandy andAkram Khan
  • Video editor: Sascha Dhillon[130]
  • Visual effects supervisor: Adam Gascoyne[130]
  • Executive producer, production design: Mark Fisher[131]
  • Executive producer, creative:Stephen Daldry
  • Lighting designer:Patrick Woodroffe
  • Associate lighting designer:Adam Bassett
  • Lead lighting programmer:Tim Routledge[132]
  • Soundscape designer: Gareth Fry
  • Technical director: Piers Shepperd[133]
  • Technical manager (technical design and staging): Jeremy Lloyd
  • Technical manager (aerial): James Lee
  • Technical manager (lighting, audio-visual, power): Nick Jones
  • Technical manager (services and special projects): Scott Buchanan
  • Senior production manager (audio and communications): Chris Ekers
  • Executive producer, broadcast:Hamish Hamilton[134]
  • Executive producer, production:Catherine Ugwu
  • Press & publicity: Christopher Mitchell
  • Bike choreographer:Bob Haro
  • Bike project manager: Paul Hughes[135]
  • Announcers:Marc EdwardsandLayla Anna-Lee
  • Ceremonies sound designer: Bobby Aitken
  • Ceremonies RF spectrum planning and management: Steve Caldwell
  • Ceremonies monitor engineer: Steve Watson
  • Ceremonies front of house engineer: Richard Sharratt
  • Production manager radio mics and IEMs: Alison Dale
  • Artist security director: Richard Barry
  • Production stage manager: Sam Hunter
  • Show caller: Julia Whittle

TV coverage

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Fireworks atTower Bridge

TheBBC's coverage started at 19:00 and continued uninterrupted until 00:50.[136]The BBC audience averaged about 24.46 million viewers and peaked at approximately 26.9 million.[137]This was the largest average audience for any broadcast since 1996 and one of the top 20 most-watched UK television broadcasts of all time.[137]David Stringer ofAssociated Pressdescribed the coverage as "a success...so far, the BBC's ambitious – and technically tricky – Olympic plan has worked almost without a flaw."[138]Euan Ferguson ofThe Observercommented that "Coverage of the Olympics so far... has been near perfect."[139]However,Clive Jameswas critical of the build-up programme, presented byGary LinekerandSue Barker.[140]Commentators for the BBC wereHuw Edwards,Hazel IrvineandTrevor Nelson,the latter criticised by Andy Dawson of theDaily Mirroras floundering "like a ventriloquist's dummy pumped full of low-grade ketamine".[7][141][142][143][144][145]Private talks were held between Boyle and BBC commentators in the run-up to the ceremony. Boyle was unhappy with a voiceover being imposed on the ceremony, which he wanted viewers to be able to enjoy without commentary. The BBC offered several options including 'no commentary' coverage for both its TV and online transmissions.[146][147]Audio descriptionwas also provided with commentary byNick Mullins.[148]

Nearly 41 million US viewers watchedNBC's coverage of the event. Criticism was levelled at its decision totape-delay this broadcast,and not make a live version available even to cable and web users. There were frequent interruptions by commercial breaks.[149]Many US viewers looked for other ways to watch (such as the liveBBCfeed),[150]despite both NBC and the IOC vowing to crack down on unauthorised streams.[151]More significant criticism was levelled at NBC for cutting to aRyan Seacrestinterview withMichael Phelpsduring the 'memorial wall' tribute including commemoration of the victims of the7/7 London bombings,which was seen as disrespectful and insensitive.[152]An NBC spokesman said the network had left out that segment because its programming was "tailored for the US audience".[153]There was also criticism of commentatorsMatt LauerandMeredith Vieirafor suggesting thatthe Queenhad actually jumped out of a helicopter.[154]Vieira and Lauer admitted to not knowing thatTim Berners-Leewas the inventor of theWorld Wide Web,[155]as she commented "If you haven't heard of him, we haven't either", before Lauer told the audience toGooglehim.[156]These failings were picked up onTwitterduring the broadcast with thehashtag#nbcfail.[157]

The ceremony was recorded by three separate broadcasters: the BBC, theOlympic Broadcasting Services(directed by the Finnish state broadcasterYLEon behalf of the OBS), and by independent production company Done and Dusted, hired by LOCOG and working under Boyle's direction. This was the first time that an independent production company had been used for an Olympic ceremony.[134]This situation led to some tension, as Boyle wanted more artistic control and felt he was getting no co-operation from the OBS.[147][158][159]He criticised the OBS coverage during his commentary for the BBC DVD.[62]In addition, the BBC filmed some of the pre-recorded parts of the ceremony.[147]The filming was directed for television byHamish Hamilton,who described it as "easily the most difficult job of my life".[160]

The BBC released footage of the entire ceremony on 29 October 2012, edited by Danny Boyle and with background extras, filling more than one disc of a fiveDVDorBlu-ray discset, which also contained more than seven hours of sporting highlights as well as the complete closing ceremony.[17]A 'BBC commentary-free' option for the opening ceremony is available on the DVD, as well as a commentary track by Danny Boyle andFrank Cottrell-Boyce.[159]

Reception

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The Timesdescribed the ceremony as "a masterpiece", withThe Daily Telegraphsaying it was "brilliant, breathtaking, bonkers and utterly British".[9]TheBBC's chief sports writerTom Fordycecalled it "eccentric" and "tongue-in-cheek", saying "no-one expected... it would be quite so gloriously daft, so cynicism-squashingly charming and, well, so much pinch-yourself fun."[161]Two weeks after the ceremonyJonathan FreedlandofThe Guardianwrote that "Boyle's spectacular, so beautifully executed and ingeniously conceived it lingers in the mind even as the closing draws near, stood apart from its predecessors thanks not only to its humour and eccentricity, but also because it had something to say."[162]Writing inThe Observer,Jackie Kaycommented that "it seemed that Boyle had invented a new kind of opening ceremony, a concept ceremony, one that embraces big ideas as passionately as it does technical flamboyancy".[163]The Stagesaid that "Danny Boyle's spectacular and moving Olympics Opening Ceremony was undoubtedly the theatrical highlight of 2012".[164]

"Maybe you shouldn't have been able to interpret it that much, because it was about wonder. The theme of the show was to take things that we're very familiar with, and make them seem again wonderful to us: the things that you know about the industrial revolution and the internet, and say 'Aren't these things astonishing, that we live in the middle of?' and to kind of re-polish the pattern of life. So maybe it's alright that you were a little bit bewildered."

Frank Cottrell-Boyce on the BBC Radio 4Todayprogramme, 28 July 2012.[165]

Although praise came from across the political spectrum, a few on the British political right were unhappy.Aidan Burley,aConservativeMP,denounced the ceremony onTwitteras "leftiemulticultural crap ".[166][167]Burley's comments were dismissed by many fellow Conservatives, includingDavid CameronandBoris Johnson.[167][168]

Foreign reaction was overwhelmingly positive.The New York Timessaid the ceremony was "hilariously quirky... a wild jumble of the celebratory and the fanciful; the conventional and the eccentric; and the frankly off-the-wall."[9][169]Forbescalled it Boyle's "love song to Britain",[14]whileSports Illustratednoted its political aspects, calling it "a celebration of protest and dissent".[170]The Sydney Morning Heraldsaid it was "an unforgettable start... at once subversive and sublime"[9]andThe Times of Indiasaid "London presented a vibrant picture of Great Britain's rich heritage and culture."[9][171]The Chinese news agencyXinhuadescribed the ceremony as "dazzling" and an "eccentric and exuberant celebration of British history, art and culture".[172]Chinese artistAi Weiweipraised the ceremony for its "human touch", saying "In London, they really turned the ceremony into a party... such a density of information about events and stories and literature and music; about folktales and movies."[163]

Russian PresidentPutinsaid the ceremony was "wonderful and unforgettable".[173]Dmitry Medvedevsaid "It was an exceptional spectacle, very well prepared and quite rich... it succeeded in creating a very British atmosphere... they managed to find the right language... to communicate."[174]Panos Samaras of Greece'sNETsaid "it was more like a big musical, a rock opera... than an Olympics ceremony". French sports newspaperL'Équipewrote that it "took the classic from such events and had fun with them" whilstLe Parisiensaid it "was magnificent, inventive and offbeat drawing heavily on the roots of British identity". Germany'sDie Welthailed it as "spectacular, glitzy but also provoking and moving".[175]

Chinese newsCCTV-4said the ceremony was a "stunning feast for the eyes".[176]South Korea'sYonhapsaid it was "by turns dramatic, imaginative, humorous and solemn" and "weaved the story of the country's past, present and future". Singapore'sStraits Timessaid it was a "grand show" noteworthy for both "scale" and "authenticity".The Australianpraised a "glorious pandemonium devoted to London's thriving, chaotic energy... deliberately revelling in the chaos of Britain's free society and popular culture". France'sLe Figarosaid it reflected "the best contributions that Britain has given to the world... its sense of humour, its music, and of course sport". TheCanadian Broadcasting Corporationsaid it was a "rocking, rollicking, sometimes quiet and brooding ceremony." Qatar'sThe Peninsulasaid London did a "spectacular job" making the ceremony a "memorable event".[9]

In an end of the year review, British magazineQsaid "It could all have been so different. As the London 2012 Summer Olympics approached, the tide of scepticism seemed almost irreversible. There was the heavy-handed sponsorship, the draconian security, the ticketing problems, the ballooning budget, and the lurking fear that the Opening Ceremony might be, in director Danny Boyle's pungent description, 'shite'. It took less than four hours on the night of Friday 27 July to turn the whole country around. Not only was the ceremony demonstrablynotshite, it was the most surprising, moving, spectacular cultural event this country had ever seen...modern Britain, in all its berserk, multi-faceted glory. "[18]

The writer of the ceremony,Frank Cottrell-Boyce,said: "People around us thought it might need defending, so I was told to do press the next morning. I was completely surprised[by the positive response].A lot of people were surprised. But I don't think Danny was surprised. Danny never blinked. At no point did he show any feeling that it was going to be anything but amazing. And he was right. "[18]

In December 2012 the culture critic ofThe Guardianpicked the ceremony as "best art event of the year".[177]A British public survey by Samsung voted it the second most inspiring television moment of all time, second only to the1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing.[178]A Digital Spy survey of more than 25,000 overwhelmingly voted the ceremony as the entertainment highlight of 2012.[179]The ceremony was the second most-mentioned entertainment event on the internet in 2012, with just over six million mentions, coming second to theGrammy Awards.[180]The BBC reported that it was the most requested item from 2012 on its iPlayer on-demand service, with 3.3 million requests.[181]

Boyle was offered a knighthood in late 2012, but turned it down, saying "I'm very proud to be an equal citizen and I think that's what the Opening Ceremony was actually about."[182]

Awards and accolades

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Award Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Evening StandardTheatre Awards Beyond Theatre Award 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony Won [183]
Whatsonstage.com Theatre Awards Theatre Event of the Year Won [184][185][186]
NME Awards Music Moment of the Year Won [187]
Royal Television Society Awards Judges' Award Danny Boyle Won [188][189][190]
Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards Design Craft and Innovation Production Team Won [191]
British Academy Television Awards Best Sport The London 2012 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony Nominated [192]
Radio Times Audience Award Nominated [193][194]
British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Director: Multi-Camera Hamish Hamiltonand Tapani Parm Won [195][196]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Special Class Program Jim Bell, Molly Solomon,Bucky Gunts,Joe Gesue and Carol Larson Nominated [197]
[198]
[199]
[200]
Outstanding Art Direction for Variety or Nonfiction Programming Mark Tildesley, Suttirat Anne Larlarb,Danny Boyle Won
Outstanding Directing for a Variety Special Bucky GuntsandHamish Hamilton Nominated
Outstanding Lighting Design / Lighting Direction for a Variety Special Patrick Woodroffe, Adam Bassett, Al Gurdon, Tim Routledge Nominated
Outstanding Picture Editing for Short-Form Segments and Variety Specials Sascha Dhillon(for Segment: "Happy and Glorious" ) Nominated

Legacy

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The ceremony was identified by some commentators as precipitating a new mood in the United Kingdom: it "had barely finished before it had become a byword for a new approach, not only to British culture but to Britishness itself. Politicians would soon be referring to it, using it as shorthand for a new kind of patriotism that does not lament a vanished Britain but loves the country that has changed. Boyle's ceremony was hailed from (almost) all sides...for providing a nation that had grown used to mocking its myriad flaws with a new, unfamiliarly positive view of itself... It was, perhaps, this lack of cynicism that people responded to... So used to British irony and detachment, it felt refreshing to witness an unembarrassed, positive case for this country.[21]Boyle himself says this was the most important thing he took away from the Olympic experience: "How important it is to believe in something. You might make a fool of yourself and people will go, 'How can you believe in that, you stupid idiot?' But if you believe in something, you carry people with you."

Business leaders also took inspiration from the event, admiring its risk-taking[201]and creative freedom, as well as the trust placed in and loyalty inspired from the workers and volunteers.[202]In February 2013 the BBC's Head of Drama Ben Stephenson told an audience of writers, commissioners and producers that he "wanted them to seek inspiration from the opening ceremony of the London Olympics" which, he said, "had scale and brilliance and, above all, had succeeded not in spite of its Britishness but because of its Britishness, delighting viewers here and around the world by rooting itself in the authentic stories and spirit of these islands."[21]Steve CoogantoldFrank Cottrell-Boycethat he felt it was "like the emperor's new clothes in reverse... it made irony and postmodernism feel tired and past its sell-by date", andRussell T Daviestold Boyce: "It changed my idea of the possible."[203]

Reviewing the2014 Winter Olympics opening ceremonyatSochi,Russia, Owen Gibson ofThe Guardianobserved that with his 'complex, intimate snapshot of "who we were, who we are and who we wish to be" ', Boyle “rewrote the rule book for opening ceremonies”.[204]

See also

edit

Further reading

edit
  • Frank Cottrell-Boyce, Humphrey Jennings and Marie-Louise Jennings,Pandaemonium 1660-1886: The Coming of the Machine as Seen by Contemporary Observers.Icon Books, 2012.ISBN9781848315853.
  • Russell MoonDays of Wonders: Inside the 2012 Opening Ceremony.The Oak House Partnership, 2012.ISBN978-095747310-2.[205]
  • Amy RaphaelDanny Boyle: Creating WonderLondon: Faber & Faber, published 21 March 2013,ISBN9780571301867.[206]

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edit
External media
Images
London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony in pictures, Independent Newspaper
Video
Opening Ceremony – London 2012 Olympic Games, IOC's Official Channel
"Words of Wonder: The books that inspired the London 2012 opening ceremony"
Clips from the computerised pre-visualisation, information on filming and production etc.
Technical aspects of the ceremony
Hamish Hamilton on filming the ceremony, 4:47-7:40
Filming the opening ceremony, with input from Danny Boyle and Hamish Hamilton, 7:33-9:06
Map-portal to online videos of the firework finale
Video compilation recreating the warm-up/Prologue to the ceremony
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2012_Summer_Olympics_opening_ceremony&oldid=1259107573"