Winter Olympics Open: Mariah Carey, Tribute to Armani, and Boos for J.D. Vance
The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina have officially begun after a vibrant opening ceremony held at four locations in northern Italy.
TL;DR
- The Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina officially opened with a vibrant, multi-location ceremony.
- The main venue was Milan's San Siro stadium, with events also held in Cortina, Livigno, and Predazzo.
- The ceremony featured two Olympic flames lit in Milan and Cortina, and a performance of 'Nessun Dorma' by Andrea Bocelli.
- The parade of athletes saw the Serbian team, with flagbearers Anja Ilić and Miloš Milosavljević, march in Predazzo.
- Ukrainian and US athletes received warm welcomes, but J.D. Vance and the delegations from Israel and Georgia faced boos.
- The creative concept of the ceremony was 'harmony,' symbolizing unity and connection.
- A tribute was paid to fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who passed away in 2025 at the age of 91.
- Mariah Carey performed a version of the song 'Volare'.
- Giovanni Malagò, President of the organizing committee, expressed pride in Italy's ability to execute the complex project.
- Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), officially opened the Games, becoming the first woman to do so.
- The first five gold medals will be awarded on Saturday, although some events like curling and ice hockey have already begun.