Olympics opening ceremony moments: Céline Dion, Lady Gaga, curious torchbearer and French musicians

PARIS (AP) — The Paris Olympics' opening ceremony got underway after a rough start to the Summer Games on Friday, with rainy skies over the Seine and suspected acts of sabotage targeting France’s flagship high-speed rail network.

French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane kicked off the opening ceremony with the Olympic flame in his hands. In a prerecorded video, he’s seen running and weaving through a Parisian traffic jam before he delivers the flame to a group of children on the metro who then make their way through the Catacombs and to a boat, at which point the broadcast switched to a real-time view of the Seine River.

Lady Gaga delivered a dazzling performance as the first musical act during the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony — except it was all prerecorded. The Grammy- and Oscar-winning performer kicked off her performance on steps along the Seine River, singing Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc en Plumes.” Gaga’s appearance was a surprise — she was not listed on a program provided to the media in advance — but was heavily rumored after the singer and actor was spotted in Paris.

Is it from the “Phantom of the Opera” or “Assassin's Creed”? It's actually both and more. The mysterious torchbearer that appeared in a hooded, masked costume was inspired by a number of characters from French culture: Belphégor, the Iron Mask, the titular character from “Phantom of the Opera,” Fantomas, Ezio from “Assassin's Creed” and Arsène Lupin. The torchbearer ran atop the Musee d’Orsay, dashed past Pont Neuf, rode a boat with a kid holding the flame and later cartwheeled down a red runway.

“We were impressed by the opening ceremony and very proud to see that Assassin’s Creed was one of the inspirations for the show’s talented creators. It is a true testament to video games’ influence on popular culture,” said a spokesperson for Ubisoft, creator of “Assassin's Creed.”

The former would be the French singer and actor Philippe Katerine, singing “Nu” (“Naked”). Katerine, 55, became popular in France in the 2000s with his dance beat “Louxor, j’adore.” Katerine appeared lounging on a rug, painted in powdery blue from head to toe and seemingly clad in just a smattering of leaves and flowers. He was channeling Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and festivity, the media guide said, with a song about “the absurdity of violence between human beings.”

His character is fitting if you consider artistic director Thomas Jolly's notes. “Sequana, the daughter of Bacchus, god of wine (and celebration and excess!), was pursued by Neptune, who coveted her for her beauty. The nymph managed to escape him by transforming herself into a river: The Seine,” he wrote. (Bacchus is Dionysus' Roman equivalent.)

Sometime after Katerine's performance, a glittering metal horse gallped across the water with an armored horsewoman astride. The horsewoman, Gendarmerie noncommissioned officer Floriane Issert, was meant to be “the representation of the Olympic spirit and of Sequana.” She and her trusty horse — which eventually turned into a real equine — passed under successive bridges as dove wings unfurled to symbolize a message of peace.

Despite the rain, joy and happiness still filled the gloomy skies of Paris. Musical performances, colorful smoke plumes in the air and a thrilled audience cheered as each boat floated by the Pont d'Arcole. From every window along the river, groups of people waved with enthusiasm to the athletes, who danced and celebrated to the lively music. While each team was kitted out in distinct uniforms, the clear poncho united athletes across nationalities.

France’s top artists from different musical genres showed off on the global stage. Opera singer Marina Viotti meshed her skills with the death metal style of Gojira. Singer Aya Nakamura strutted down a golden carpet on the Pont des Arts. In a gold feathery outfit, the French Malian performer sang her hit songs “Pookie” and “Djadja” alongside the choristers from the French Army and French Republican Guard orchestra members. Parisian rapper Rim’K also made an appearance, while mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel delivered an emotional interpretation of the French national anthem “La Marseillaise.”

Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal, Carl Lewis and Nadia Comaneci rode down the Seine wearing life jackets. Charles Coste, the oldest French Olympic champion at 100, took the Olympic flame from his wheelchair, then passed it on to French judo great Teddy Riner and sprinter Marie-José Pérec. From a boat filled with Olympic legends to an air balloon floating into the Paris skies, the final torch relay delivered several memorable moments. Other notable Olympians who played an influential role included Tony Parker, Zidane and Amelie Mauresmo.

Underneath the Eiffel Tower’s Olympic rings, Celine Dion showed she’s back to singing form after a career-threatening diagnosis as her vocals soared on Edith Piaf’s “Hymn to Love.” As a pianist played alongside her, Dion reached out to the assembled crowd, who applauded her stellar performance before the monument began to sparkle. It was an impressive showing for Dion, who canceled her world tour after revealing her stiff person syndrome diagnosis. It's a rare neurological condition that causes rigid muscles and painful muscle spasms. She returned to the Olympic forefront nearly three decades after she performed ”The Power of the Dream” during the opening ceremony at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

___

For more coverage of the Paris Olympics, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games.