08-08-08, Part 2
ONE WORLD. ONE DREAM. The theme of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. I just finished watching last night's opening ceremony which cost $300 million – 10% more than the opening ceremony in Atlanta. I found this horribly sad when most of the 1.3 billion Chinese barely eke out a survival on $2 a day. That amount could have supported 86% of the population for a day...or supported almost 2 million people for a year. That's pretty staggering!
All that is to say, the ceremony was incredible. I watched most of it with my jaw hanging. The precision, timing, sheer numbers of cast...it amazed me and fascinated me. There were no markings on the stage/floor. Each member knew exactly where to go and when during their performance - each one lasting probably 8-10 minutes. Great attention was given to minute details. The part of me that loves performing wanted to know all the little details - backstage and front. :o) And every single performer seemed to have their own in-ears! I don't even want to think about that. Makes me sick. :o) So, here are a few stats, along with a brief overview, that I picked up during the evening:
2008 drummers opened the show pounding away perfectly synchronized ancient drums. The drums lit up forming gigantic numbers to countdown to the beginning of the ceremony – in both Chinese characters and Roman numerals. How many countless hours were they required to work each day to reach this amazing performance???
Throughout the ceremony, there were different "scenes" portraying both Chinese history and modern culture. There were many forms of "opposites" displayed, popular in Chinese art such as light and dark, loud and soft, etc.
The first scene, a giant scroll was rolled back over one of the world's largest LED screens while dancers performed with modern expression one of the most ancient style of painting: using their bodies as brushes. The canvas was massive and at the end of the scene was lifted off the ground and suspended from the air. It would later be used during the Parade of the Nations...
One of the most amazing scenes that totally blew my mind was a literal sea of boxes that moved up and down in the floor to create wind (Confucius said the virtuous leader can pass across his subjects with the ease of the wind). Up and down the boxes moved giving the idea of water drops on a pond, creating the symbol for "harmony" and other amazing movements. At the end, a Chinese man popped out of each box - no machines, no computers! You would have to see it to believe it...although I did and I still don't. It's ridiculous how incredible that was...
Aside from the massive amounts of seating (91,000 people), the gi-normous LED screen on the floor of the stadium, there was a scrim that ran the length of the "Bird's Nest." It was a quarter of a mile in length and throughout the evening, images were displayed all around the rim of the stadium on these screens - like massive movie theatres! The Bird's Nest took 50 some months to build. I wonder what all the people who are now out of a job are doing? Now that the Olympic Kingdom is built...but I digress...
Moving into the modern scene, Lang Lang a 26 year old pop-pianist was accompanied by Li Musi a 7 year old who had been playing for a year. Surrounding the two at the white grand were another 2008 performers dressed in neon green. About seven days earlier, the director of the ceremony did not like their costumes which were, at the time, black. He ordered new costumes... a week before the show for 2008 performers!...and three days later they were ready.
The Chinese invented the kite (Beijing means City of Kites) and in one of the next scenes, 9 year old Xiu Chiao Yung flew high above the crowd's head. She was beautiful.
Next, 2008 new performers (none of the 15,000 performers were EVER repeats - imagine directing and rehearsing, costuming and communicating...wow!) surrounded a group of school children to contrast the current global warming and the effects and burden it will have on the next generation. 2008 men doing Tai Chi with exact precision, running in rows backwards and forwards...the choreography was ridiculously incredible.
One of the most amazing, and one that made me cry, was when the Chinese "astronauts" began floating in the air as a globe emerge from the floor. All around the globe were dancers who began to run, walking, leap, flip...but sideways, and upside down! Eight months of training were needed for them to be able to do this! Atop the globe was a pop singer in China and Sarah Brightman - they sang "You and Me." During the song, thousands more performers surrounded the globe and all at once lifted umbrellas with a picture of a different child's face on each one - so precious (that's the part that I cried at - I know, I know. :o)...
On to the Parade of Nations...I think this is a fascinating portion and I watched almost all of the nations march through. Part of me just couldn't help wondering if I would stand beside them before the Throne, along with every tribe and tongue. Some of the nations have one athlete and some have upwards of 400 athletes. Watching Cuba walk was very interesting...
Eighty-seven of the 204 nations participating have never had a medal winner of ANY kind. Can you imagine? Some of these poor, small countries (whose population was not even as great as the number of people gathered in the STADIUM) continue to participate year after year...I know my mom wants to give everyone a medal, right? :o)
Finally, the torch. One of the Chinese medal-winners (the last of eight torch-bearers) was hoisted into the air and "ran" the length of the scrim! Pretty unbelievable. When he reached the starting point, he lit the torch. Ridiculously amazing fireworks went off and it was altogether an incredible torch-lighting. Yes, it was really good.
Off to an amazing start...now I just have to catch up on the games. Still, my heart breaks for this people as we are all watching the clash of politics and pride and their intense efforts to gain the approval and place of leadership with the rest of the world. To what cost? Time will tell...for now, we are praying!
