Usually, the closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games have the feel of a last dance before the end of the holidays, with what’s left of the budget for three packets of crisps and two bottles of Champomy. I promise, according to Tony Estanguet, the head of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, the evening of Sunday, August 11 will be remembered: “We will celebrate the athletes, the sports and the Games in an absolutely magnificent show!” On this occasion, the group Phoenix performed their hit “Lisztomania”. Follow it on franceinfo.fr.
A ceremony focused on athletes. A little in the background during the profusion of tableaux of the opening ceremony, the champions this time have the beautiful role during the first part of the evening. The Stade de France saw 8,200 athletes and accompanying persons from 205 delegations parade, after The Marseillaise performed by the Divertimento orchestra and the Maîtrise de Fontainebleau. Then, around 9:45 p.m., a giant karaoke was organized with more than 71,000 spectators to hits by Charles Azanavour, Joe Dassin and Gala.
Zaho de Sagazan and Léon Marchand launch the evening at the Tuileries. Singer Zaho de Sagazan kicked off the evening with a performance of “Sous le ciel de Paris” from the Tuileries Gardens, accompanied by the choir of the Handel-Hendrix Academy. Then, swimmer Léon Marchand, a four-time Olympic medallist, extinguished the Olympic cauldron at the Tuileries before moving on to the Stade de France. During the evening, a “Golden Voyager” dressed in gold descended on the Stade de France for a tableau around the birth of the Olympic Games, with the construction of the Olympic rings.
Let’s go for the show. In total, 270 artists will take to the stage. And there will be something for everyone: fans of Mission impossible will have their share of stunts with Tom Cruise, music lovers will be spoiled for choice between Snoop Dogg, Air and Phoenix… According to the American press, Billie Eilish and the Red Hot Chili Peppers will also be there.
A very “dance” show. Thomas Jolly announced a dreamlike show, Recordsthe story of a traveler from the future who revives Olympism on a planet that has forgotten it. French dancer Arthur Cadre “will tell this story through his body movements”as he explains in an interview with franceinfo. The 32-year-old Breton artist promised a performance inspired by break dancing, theater, circus and magic.”We worked a lot on the visual and sound to create a moment of spectacle like I would do in the theater or at the opera,” abonde Thomas Jolly.
A two-headed ceremonyAs tradition dictates, this show also marks the passing of the baton between Paris and Los Angeles, host of the 2028 Games. In addition to the transmission of the Olympic flag between the two mayors, a Hollywood show lasting around fifteen minutes is planned.
