Does anyone have comments about the Olympic Opening ceremonies?

[sunnydoozer]

I have no respect for any event that allows lip syncing of the songs. I don't care that there might be a malfunction, so be it. There could also be a malfunction with the recording, lights, screens, or anything else as evidenced by the conclusion.

I thought China's ceremony was better and Canada fell short. I felt like the march of nations was done in the middle of a Dances with Wolves stage production. I think the events themselves will be really well presented though. That area knows a thing or two about winter sports.

If there was indeed lip synching it was at leats done by the same girl, unlike the China ceremony.

I watched the whole parade of athletes, must have missed all the scenery from dances with wolves

Oops, no I looked up the pictures no, Dances with Wolves at all, just tons of icy white and blue. Looks like you made up your own ceremony...

 

[Ms.Grumpy]

I enjoyed the homage to the first nations, reminded me of Salt Lakes presentation.
I LOVE watching the opening ceremonies for both the Summer and Winter games. I always get goose bumps and butterflies in my stomach because I am awed with the creativity that is presented.
Unfortunately, I had neither with this presentation and was flipping channels through most of it.
I truly believe that having the opening ceremony indoors was not a good idea.

 

[Tantor]

I thought the skier coming down the mountain at the beginning was brilliant...I loved that.....there was some boring parts but all in all I was a very proud Canadian!!!

 

[asta]

I really liked the Opening Ceremony. Beautiful special effects, loved the whales and the doves ascending after Hallelujah. And I absolutely loved k d lang singing Hallelujah. I think of all the versions of that song that I have heard that she owns this song. (For a real treat look at youtube for her singing this at the Sydney Opera House. I think it is called a Max Session.) The only thing I didn't care for was the opera singer with the big hair at the end. This just wasn't my taste in music.

 

[maddiel]

I truly believe that having the opening ceremony indoors was not a good idea.

Outside can be better, but given that it was pouring rain in Vancouver last night, it was fortunate that it was planned for indoors.


M.

 

[suejai]

I truly believe that having the opening ceremony indoors was not a good idea.

In general I agree with this point, however; given how hard it was raining, I'm thinking that the people who participated and attended don't agree with you.

 

[punkin]

I really liked the Opening Ceremony. Beautiful special effects, loved the whales and the doves ascending after Hallelujah. And I absolutely loved k d lang singing Hallelujah. I think of all the versions of that song that I have heard that she owns this song. (For a real treat look at youtube for her singing this at the Sydney Opera House. I think it is called a Max Session.) The only thing I didn't care for was the opera singer with the big hair at the end. This just wasn't my taste in music.

I really liked it, but why oh why couldn't they get Leonard Cohen to sing his own song...he's the one that owns it!

 

[bouldertcr]

I enjoyed the opening ceremonies. I thought the special effects on the floor (whales swimming), praire part where boy was running, flipping, and twisting through the sky was really fantastic and my favorite were the skiers/snowboarders going down the "mountain". I enjoyed learning about the culture of our good friends up north too! I'm proud to be an American who can call our fellow Canadians both neighbors and friends!

 

[shortbun]

I'm hard pressed to find people who didn't enjoy them. There were so many unique touches like all the crowd involvement, and the spouting whales projected on to the floor.

I loved the crowd in light blue with the upper section forming international flags, Fantastic!

Yeah, I have to say I thought the tribal and historical was simply wonderful. Of course I have art from NW tribes on my wall so I was personally involved.
The Orcas crossing the floor caused me to stand up and applaud. I thought the dancing fiddlers were fabulous...the costuming amazing, the salmon spawning up the figures from the floor so symbolic!! I loved that they introduced and heard from each tribe as well as displaying their art. Sarah McLaughlin was so good. When they reflected on the faces of the American Olympians in the audience, it was obvious to me that they were really taking it all in. Luckeeee!

 

[shortbun]

I really liked it, but why oh why couldn't they get Leonard Cohen to sing his own song...he's the one that owns it!

He certainly owns it legally and I love listening to him but k d lang was so good last night!!! Her voice is incredible!!! She could sing the phone book and I'd listen.

I love opera but I did not love the Olympic Hymn. I thought she was horribly out of place for all the other organic parts of the program.

 

[minkydog]

I guess I'm the only one who actually liked it. Sure the Beijing opening ceremonies were more...MORE. But bigger doesn't mean better. I liked that there were smaller, more intimate performances. I thought the opening act, with the snowboarder coming down the mountains and right into the arena was pretty great. And the flying boy was just amazing, as were the special effects. I mean, whales in the arena? That was so cool. And I liked the First Peoples emphasis--I was impressed that those people danced vigorously for OVER AN HOUR. Too bad the 4th ice pole didn't go up at the end, but meh. It's live and stuff happens.

 

[wdwfan16]

I flipped it after 5 minutes. Way to boring.

 

[Planogirl]

Some parts of it dragged a bit but overall I liked it. I liked how they honored the original Canadians (the outfits were amazing!) and also how they tried to incorporate all areas of Canada. I liked kd lang and Sara McLachlan. I also loved the effect of the whales in the water - that was amazing.

It was certainly not at the level of the China ceremony but the money spent was far less too.

 

[Gigi22]

My DH and I watched the ceremony from 9 p.m. to the finish. We really wanted to see how the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremony would represent our country. I do agree that the pacing was at times slow, but overall we were quite happy with the program.
I was happy to see the inclusion of the 4 native groups that live in the Vancouver and Whistler areas, and also to see some famous Canadians featured prominently in the ceremony.
The voiceover quotations were very well chosen.
I was deeply moved when Rick Hansen rolled his wheelchair into the ceremony with the Olympic torch. And, it was really nice to see good representation of our iconic female athletes Barbara Ann Scott and Nancy Greene.

 

[asta]

I really liked it, but why oh why couldn't they get Leonard Cohen to sing his own song...he's the one that owns it!

Poor choice of words on my part. I know that Leonard Cohen wrote and, therefore, owns this song. With that said, I just prefer the soaring notes that k d lang can hit and hold when she sings this. The version I have heard Leonard Cohen sing is almost like spoken poetry. It is still a beautiful song and I don't want to take anything away from the person who created it.

 

[punkin]

Poor choice of words on my part. I know that Leonard Cohen wrote and, therefore, owns this song. With that said, I just prefer the soaring notes that k d lang can hit and hold when she sings this. The version I have heard Leonard Cohen sing is almost like spoken poetry. It is still a beautiful song and I don't want to take anything away from the person who created it.

I actually meant it the way you did as well. IMO, no one does Leonard Cohen songs as well as he does.

His low pitched gravelly delivery just fits. Not to take anything away from kd lang. She has a fabulous voice, but I prefer Leonard Cohen.

 

[OhMari]

I enjoyed it.

I am ashamed to admit that I don't know my geography very well.
But I know a lot of nice Dis'ers from Canada and I have them
explain exactly where they live in/directly to what is south of them.
So I'm learning.
I thought they did a great job of honoring their country.

 

[eduk8r26]

I enjoyed it. I liked that the athletes came in at the beginning so they could watch the ceremony, too. I thought the special effects were really awesome. Vancouver is a beautiful city, though I haven't been there for quite awhile. I'd love to go back and visit, though.

 

[FireDancer]

If there was indeed lip synching it was at leats done by the same girl, unlike the China ceremony.

I watched the whole parade of athletes, must have missed all the scenery from dances with wolves

Oops, no I looked up the pictures no, Dances with Wolves at all, just tons of icy white and blue. Looks like you made up your own ceremony...

I hated the lip syncing in China too and have no respect for the singing (or playing the tape of) the national anthem in the Superbowl either. All the other stuff was done better in China IMO. All opening ceremonies will be compared to the best, and so far that is China's. We'll see if the U.K. beats it in 2012.

As for Dances with Wolves I was referring to what what looked like a whole bunch of Indians doing tribal dances for the duration of the athlete walk. It reminded me of the scene in the movie when they were doing them. I was just waiting for Kevin Costner to come in yelling Tatonka.

I'm sticking with I didn't like them, which is merely my opinion.

 

[Sarah_Rose]

As for Dances with Wolves I was referring to what what looked like a whole bunch of Indians doing tribal dances for the duration of the athlete walk. It reminded me of the scene in the movie when they were doing them. I was just waiting for Kevin Costner to come in yelling Tatonka.

I hate to be the PC police (really, really hate) but I need to point out that the use of the word "Indians" to describe Canada's aboriginal people is deeply offensive to most Canadian aboriginals. I know that the term is acceptable to describe the Native Americans in the US, but in Canada it is not considered acceptable by the vast majorities of the tribes and cultural groups.

The name of the cultural group or the actual tribal name (ie. Inuit, Haida, Blackfoot, Metis, etc.) is the preferred term, but to be more general, "First Nations" or "aboriginal" are both acceptable.

Sorry again for the correction, but I've seen "Indians" being used so many times to describe Canada's First Nations by Americans today following the opening ceremonies, and it's just rubbing me the wrong way. I grew up in areas of Canada with large populations of both Metis and Blackfoot people, and during college worked up in the high Arctic with the Inuit people - the vast majority of people that I have known (and particularly the Inuit people) would be deeply offended to be called an Indian.