Rio opening ceremony will be 'full of heart,' executive producer says
Canada's governor general set to attend 'very graceful' event Friday
By Leanne Italie, The Associated Press
Don't expect the opening ceremony at the Rio Olympics to match the grandeur of some in the past, but do look for plenty of smiles, scenic depictions of the rainforest and a celebration of Brazil's ethnic diversity.
Marco Balich, the Italian executive producer, would not disclose finer details ahead of Friday's opener, but offered broad strokes on how the host country's heritage will be honoured.
"This is not the most grand show," he said Monday from Rio. "This is not an opulent show compared to London or compared to Beijing, but it will be a very emotional ceremony, full of heart and very graceful."
Balich is an experienced Olympic hand. He created, directed and produced the opening for the Torino Winter Games and served as executive producer of the closing ceremony in Sochi and the Paralympics there in 2014.
In all, 4,800 performers and volunteers will be involved in the show built on three basic "pillars" touching on sustainability (particularly re-forestation), smiling and the idea of "gambiarra," the quirky Brazilian art of improvising repairs using whatever parts are available.
"Smile is the approach the Brazilians have toward life," Balich said. "Brazil is not a grand nation. They're saying in this ceremony, we are who we are, with a lot of social problems, a lot of crises in the political system."
'Last garden' theme
He promises a "contemporary and cool" approach, one especially inspired by native son and renowned photographer Sebastiao Salgado and his work with his Instituto Terra on property once owned by his family. Today, the land is a nature preserve, and the nonprofit raises millions of seedlings and trains ecologists.
"The message is Brazil has the last garden in the world, which is the Amazon, and we need to protect that garden," Balich said. "This is a message of hope for the future. This is not a message of 'oh the world is going to terminate because of global warming.'"
Other strong elements will include a celebration of Brazil's ethnic diversity and its rich music, from bossa nova to "hippy-hoppy," as they say in Portuguese, Balich said. And, of course, there will be a touch of Carnival, an annual Brazilian festival.
The traditional Olympic cauldron will be a small affair. There will not be a large volume of fire as an intentional show of small and low emission, organizers said. To frame the small flame, a large sculpture by the artist Anthony Howe will appear behind it, symbolizing the sun. It will be set in motion with spirals representing life.
"We are going back to humanity. We're going back to people. The audience here, as soon as they hear the music, you stand up and dance," Balich said.
Canada will be represented at the opening ceremony by Governor General David Johnston and his wife, Sharon, after a request was issued by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Johnston will be in Brazil from Aug. 3 to 8.
"Sharon and I are honoured to represent Canada at the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games," Johnston said in a press release on Tuesday. "As patron of the Canadian Olympic Committee, I invite you to join me in encouraging and cheering on our Canadian athletes as they embark on their Olympic dream."
With files from CBC Sports
With files from CBC Sports