The ceremony included Lady Gaga’s performance, a fashion runway show on a footbridge and boats filled with global athletes cheering as they sailed down the river.
The Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics made history on Friday as the first to take place outside of a stadium, with a bevy of performances that included a French-language song from superstar Lady Gaga, a fashion runway show on a bridge and boats filled with global athletes cheering as they sailed down the River Seine.
The floatilla event, known for its pomp and grand displays from the host nation, was beset by a rainy day in Paris, but that didn’t stop spectators from lining up along Paris’ famous river to catch a glimpse of the spectacle.
Starting at the Austerlitz Bridge next to Paris’ Jardin des Plantes, the route followed the course of the Seine, east to west. It circumvents two islands in the center of Paris and then flows under several bridges and gateways in the City of Lights. The boat journey for the delegations finishes at the Iena Bridge, where the Eiffel Tower sits on the Seine’s left bank. To the right, sits the Trocadéro district, where the finale of the ceremony will take place.
Pop icon Lady Gaga’s performance came part-way through the Opening Ceremony, with her descending a gold staircase behind a plumage of pink feathers and her backup dancers in black. Gaga’s face was concealed and only her legs were visible until the accompanying dancers pulled back the pom-poms to reveal her visage. She then sang the French-language “Mon Truc en Plume” (“My Thing With Feathers”), while completing a choreographed routine.
The athletes floating down the Seine also passed under a footbridge that was transformed into a fashion runway, a tribute to Paris’ reputation as one of the world’s fashion capital. An array of neon pink shirts, high fashion gowns and avant-garde outfits crossed the footbridge as athletes and spectators took in the outdoor show.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to deliver an address to the gathered masses as part of the night’s procedures.
Viewers in the U.S. can watch the games on NBC from about midnight PT/3 a.m. ET to 3 p.m. PT/6 p.m. ET every day, plus a daily Olympic primetime show with behind-the-scenes looks and highlights from events.