Proceedings 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

1 proceedings

1.1 agenda
1.2 prologue
1.3 countdown (21:00–21:04 bst)
1.4 green , pleasant land (21:04–21:09)
1.5 pandemonium (21:09–21:25)
1.6 happy , glorious (21:25–21:35)
1.7 second right, , straight on till morning (21:35–21:47)
1.8 interlude (21:47–21:52)
1.9 frankie , june say...thanks tim (21:52–22:09)
1.10 abide me (22:09–22:20)
1.11 welcome (22:20–00:00)
1.12 bike a.m. (00:00–00:07 bst 28 july)
1.13 let games begin (00:07–00:24)
1.14 there light never goes out (00:24–00:38)
1.15 , in end (00:38–00:46)

proceedings
agenda

prologue

scene before ceremony commenced, representing rural britain

at 20:12 (8:12 pm) red arrows performed flypast on olympic stadium , on concert in hyde park. concert featured artists selected represent 4 nations of united kingdom: duran duran, stereophonics, snow patrol , paolo nutini.

at beginning stadium contained rural scene including model of glastonbury tor, model village , water wheel, replete live animals (removed shortly before ceremony began), , actors portraying working villagers, football , cricket players.

frank turner performed 3 songs ( sailor s boots , wessex boy , still believe ) on model of glastonbury tor, joined emily barker, ben marwood , jim lockey, regular backing band sleeping souls. lso on track (an orchestra of 80 young musicians ten east london boroughs 20 lso members) performed edward elgar s nimrod enigma variations, accompanied extracts bbc radio shipping forecast, , maritime images on big screens, while audience held blue sheeting simulate sight of ocean. performance celebrated britain s maritime heritage , geographical isles status.

countdown (21:00–21:04 bst)

the ceremony began @ 9pm after one-minute 60 1 countdown film made of shots of numbers, such on house doors, street nameplates, london buses , market labels.

the 2012 tour de france winner bradley wiggins opening ceremony

a two-minute film journey along thames, directed boyle , produced bbc, opened ceremony. sound of surf solar fuck buttons, followed river thames source heart of london, juxtaposing images of contemporary british life pastoral shots , flashes of scenes stadium. characters ratty, mole , toad wind in willows briefly seen, monty python hand pointing towards london on umbrellas, , intercity 125 train passing olympic rings crop circles in field. @ battersea power station pink floyd pig flying between towers; clock sound pink floyd song time heard passing big ben. soundtrack included clips theme tune of south bank show, london calling clash, , sex pistols god save queen film followed route of band s infamous cruise down river thames during silver jubilee. after lifting aerial view of east london mirroring title sequence of bbc soap opera eastenders, sound of drum beats closing theme, film flashed down through thames barrier, bow creek, , below surface through london underground train , station, historic footage of isambard kingdom brunel s thames tunnel, , through rotherhithe tunnel. switched sequence filmed outside stadium shortly before ceremony, superimposed posters previous summer olympics (all of them except 1900 paris, 1936 berlin, 1984 los angeles, , 1996 atlanta), recording of map of problematique muse. ended live shot of 3 cast members holding posters 2012 competition.

there 10-second countdown in stadium, children holding clusters of balloons burst simultaneously (although 1 set failed burst), audience shouting out numbers.

bradley wiggins, had won tour de france 5 days earlier, opened ceremony ringing olympic bell hung @ 1 end of stadium. 4 upper-atmosphere balloons released, each expected carry set of olympic rings , camera mid-stratosphere.

green , pleasant land (21:04–21:09)



william shakespeare, tempest, act 3, scene ii

the depiction of rural life in arena billed reminder , promise of once , future better life . youth choirs began cappella performances of informal anthems of 4 nations of uk: jerusalem (for england, sung live choir in stadium , beginning solo eleven-year-old humphrey keeper), danny boy (from giant s causeway in northern ireland), flower of scotland (from edinburgh castle in scotland), , bread of heaven (from rhossili beach in wales – sung in english). these inter-cut footage of notable rugby union home nations tries, england s winning drop goal 2003 rugby world cup final, , live shots stadium.

as last choir performance concluded, vintage london general omnibus company stagecoaches entered, carrying businessmen , industrialists in victorian dress , top hats, led kenneth branagh brunel. 50 men stepped down carriages , surveyed land approvingly. after walking onto glastonbury tor, brunel delivered caliban s not afeard speech, reflecting boyle s introduction ceremony in programme , signifying aspiration of new industry or new era in britain. anticipated next section of ceremony.

pandemonium (21:09–21:25)

this section encapsulated british economic , social development rural economy through industrial revolution 1960s.

scene representing industrial britain. rehearsal 23 july 2012 before ceremony 4 days later.

proceedings interrupted loud shout, recorded volunteers during rehearsals, followed drumming (the pre-recorded drumming amplified 965 cast members drumming on inverted household buckets , bins), led evelyn glennie. three-tonne oak tree on top of glastonbury tor lifted, , industrial workers emerged both tor s brightly lit interior , entrances stadium, swell cast total of 2,500 volunteers. began boyle had called biggest scene change in theatre history , had been advised against attempting. underworld s , kiss began play, cast rolled away grass , other rural props. 7 smoking chimney stacks accompanying steeplejacks rose ground, along other industrial machinery: 5 beam engines, 6 looms, crucible , water wheel (one of few items left rural scene). boyle said section celebrated tremendous potential afforded advancements of victorian era. included minute s silence in remembrance of loss of life of both world wars, featuring british tommies , shots of poppies, during names of accrington pals shown on stadium screens. unprompted, members of audience stood in respect during segment.

volunteers paraded around stadium representing of groups had changed face of britain: woman s suffrage movement, jarrow crusade, first caribbean immigrants arriving in 1948 on board empire windrush, 1970s dj float, nostalgia steel band, , beatles appeared on cover of sgt. pepper s lonely hearts club band. included real-life chelsea pensioners, grimethorpe colliery band, , group of pearly kings , queens.

the olympic rings

workers began casting iron ring. noise level , tension built, driven relentless rhythm of music , drumming, participants mimed repetitive mechanical movements associated industrial processes such weaving. 4 glowing orange rings gradually began carried high above stadium toward centre on overhead wires, , ring seemingly being cast , forged in arena began lift. 5 rings converged, still glowing , accompanied steam , firework effects give impression of hot metal. when 5 rings formed olympic symbol above stadium, ignited , rained fire in silver , gold. image of olympic rings in flame became iconic image of ceremony, reproduced in newspapers , web stories around world.

happy , glorious (21:25–21:35)

a short film directed boyle , produced bbc, called happy , glorious (after line in national anthem), featured character james bond, played current bond actor daniel craig, entering front gate of buckingham palace in london black cab. entrance (accompanied arrangement of handel s arrival of queen of sheba ) noticed brazilian children (a nod rio de janeiro, next summer games host city) in throne room. bond escorted queen elizabeth ii (who played herself, acknowledging bond words, evening, mr bond ) out of building , waiting agustawestland aw139 helicopter. film followed helicopter across london, shots of cheering crowd on mall, nelson s column, palace of westminster animated winston churchill statue in parliament square, , of thames past london eye, st paul s cathedral, financial district city of london (with 30 st mary axe in background). helicopter passed through tower bridge, accompanied dambusters march. film finished bond , queen apparently jumping real helicopter live above stadium, accompanied james bond theme . queen , duke of edinburgh, along rogge, introduced audience. queen wearing same dress in film, if had arrived james bond.

for scenes helicopter, queen doubled actress julia mckenzie, , parachute jump base jumper , stuntman gary connery wearing dress, hat, jewellery , handbag. bond played mark sutton. helicopter had flown stadium stapleford aerodrome in essex, piloted marc wolff.

the union flag raised members of british armed forces, while first , third verses of national anthem performed cappella kaos signing choir deaf , hearing children.

second right, , straight on till morning (21:35–21:47)

the first part of sequence celebrated national health service ( institution more other unites our nation , according programme), had been founded in year of previous london games in 1948. music mike oldfield. 600 dancers, of whom nhs staff, along 1,200 volunteers recruited british hospitals, entered along children on 320 hospital beds, of functioned trampolines. started short jive routine. watching tor specially invited hospital staff , 9 child patients great ormond street hospital. blankets on beds illuminated , beds arranged depict child s face smile , tear (the hospital children s charity s logo). acronym gosh changed initials nhs , turning shape of crescent moon children hushed sleep , read books nurses.

the sequence moved on celebrate british children s literature. j. k. rowling began reading j. m. barrie s peter pan (whose copyright given great ormond street hospital). child catcher appeared amongst children, followed giant puppet representations of villains british children s literature: queen of hearts, captain hook, cruella de vil , lord voldemort. minutes later, 32 women playing mary poppins descended on flying umbrellas, villains deflated , actors resumed dancing. music sequence included partially rearranged sections tubular bells (with giant set of tubular bells @ rear of stage), tubular bells iii and, after villains had been driven away mary poppins characters, in dulci jubilo. during performance children in pyjamas jumped , down on brightly lit beds, creating memorable image amid darkness of stadium.

the sequence concluded pale, gigantic baby s head, rippling sheet body, in centre of arena. celebrated scottish pioneers of obstetric ultrasound imaging.

interlude (21:47–21:52)

simon rattle introduced conduct london symphony orchestra in performance of vangelis s chariots of fire , tribute british film industry. rowan atkinson appeared mr. bean-like character, comically playing repeated note on synthesizer lapsed filmed dream sequence in joined runners film chariots of fire, beating them in iconic run along west sands @ st andrews riding in car, rejoining race , tripping front runner. (danny boyle later explained: wasn t mr. bean. strictly speaking, name of character derek ).

frankie , june say...thanks tim (21:52–22:09)

this sequence celebrated british popular music , culture, paying homage each decade since 1960s. accompaniment of bbc newsreel theme girls in grey , theme tune archers, young mother , son arrive in mini cooper @ full-size replica of modern british house. 1987 don t worry hurricane weather forecast michael fish shown on big screens rain poured on house, followed push button , sugababes. in centre of arena sides of house, 3 times larger, used screens show clips various tv programmes, music videos , films, including matter of life , death (june named protagonist), gregory s girl, kes, snowman, wicker man, 4 weddings , funeral, spanish tv show cuéntame cómo pasó, , boyle s own trainspotting. large group of dancers, centred around frankie , june (19-year-old henrique costa , 18-year-old jasmine breinburg) on night out, performed assortment of british popular songs arranged broadly chronologically, beginning going underground jam, suggesting ride on london underground. during track images of underground projected onto house , former london mayor ken livingstone briefly seen. throughout sequence cast members texting each other or placing social networking status updates on internet. frankie , june first notice each other snippet wonderful tonight eric clapton plays, when frankie saw june had dropped phone on tube, set off return (communicating using last number redial sister s phone).

tim berners-lee s tweet,

an extended dance sequence followed, songs including generation who, (i can t no) satisfaction rolling stones, boy lollipop sung millie small, day , of night kinks, loves beatles (with footage of band performing song), trampled under foot led zeppelin, starman david bowie, bohemian rhapsody queen (during sound of tardis doctor heard), pretty vacant sex pistols (during dancers on power jumpers wearing large heads mohawk hairstyles performed pogo dance, , lyrics song spelled out in led lights around stadium), blue monday new order, relax frankie goes hollywood (during frankie, asked june name, replied revealing 1 of band s frankie say... t-shirts), life (however want me) soul ii soul, step on happy mondays, sweet dreams (are made of this) eurythmics, firestarter prodigy, , born slippy .nuxx underworld, ending cast singing m forever blowing bubbles frankie , june walked towards each other. sequence film 4 weddings , funeral projected behind them; when kissed, montage of memorable kisses film , real life shown (including lesbian kiss brookside, in countries, including saudi arabia, became first lesbian kiss ever shown on pre-watershed television), while song 2 blur played. live performance of bonkers dizzee rascal followed, along further sequence in cast (and britain s got talent fame dancing duo signature) attend party @ june s house whilst amy winehouse s valerie , muse s uprising , , tinie tempah s pass out played.

at close larger house raised reveal tim berners-lee working @ next computer, 1 on invented world wide web. tweeted , instantly spelled out in led lights around stadium. programme explained music connects each other , important moments in our lives. 1 of things makes connections possible world wide web . boyle wanted honour berners-lee having made world wide web free , available (hence tweet), rather seeking commercial profit it.

abide me (22:09–22:20)

a filmed sequence showed extracts torch relay around uk, music heard wonders david holmes. cut live show david beckham driving dramatically illuminated motor boat down river thames , under tower bridge, fireworks, while footballer jade bailey held on torch in boat. section had been rehearsed on 24 july 2012 when close-up shots pre-recorded, , directed stephen daldry.

there tribute ..friends , family of in stadium cannot here tonight , including victims of 7/7 2005 london bombings (on day after london had been awarded games). photos of people had died displayed on screens memorial, accompanied excerpt brian eno s ambient work ending (ascent) .

the hymn abide me sung emeli sandé while group of dancers choreographed , including akram khan performed contemporary dance on theme of mortality.

welcome (22:20–00:00)


team gb enters 2012 summer olympics parade of nations last

the parade of nations of athletes (drawn 10,490 competing) , officials 204 nations (and independent olympic athletes ) led, according custom, greek team, followed other competing countries in alphabetical order, , host nation great britain. each of 205 teams entered stadium led flagbearer, accompanied child volunteer carrying copper petal (later revealed part of cauldron) , young woman carrying sign country s name in english (and wearing dress made fabric printed photos of people had applied olympic volunteers).

the parade accompanied british dance tracks , popular songs, including galvanize chemical brothers, west end girls pet shop boys, rolling in deep adele, stayin alive bee gees , both streets have no name , beautiful day irish band u2, great britain entering david bowie s song heroes . welsh drum , bass dj high contrast mixed , sequenced music athletes parade.

music fast rhythm of 120 bpm used in attempt keep teams walking around stadium, , reinforced drummers in stadium; nevertheless parade part of programme took 1 hour 40 minutes complete, compared 1 hour 29 minutes estimated in official media guide. once of athletes inside stadium, 7 billion small pieces of paper dropped westland helicopter, each piece representing 1 person on earth.

each nation s flag planted on glastonbury tor.

bike a.m. (00:00–00:07 bst 28 july)

doves @ opening ceremony

once athletes had gathered in centre of stadium, arctic monkeys performed bet on dancefloor , beatles come , latter whilst 75 cyclists circled stadium wings lit leds representing doves of peace. doves traditionally released @ olympic opening ceremonies, although real birds have not been used since 1992. single dove cyclist, beak painted yellow in honour of bradley wiggins, appeared fly out of stadium.

let games begin (00:07–00:24)

muhammad ali receives olympic flag

the formal part of ceremony introduced sebastian coe, speaking tor , surrounded flags of participating nations. welcomed watching world london. expressed pride in being british , part of olympic movement, , said olympics brings people of world...to celebrate best mankind . continued speak of truth , drama of sport, , thanked britain making possible . rogge responded thanking london, stating third time london had held games, following 1908, held @ short notice when rome unable (after volcanic eruption), , 1948 3 years after end of world war ii. rogge thanked thousands of volunteers, huge cheers. announced first time in olympic history, every team had female participants. rogge acknowledged important role uk had played birthplace of modern sport , codifying fair play ethos , building sport school curriculum. appealed athletes play , drug-free, according values of baron de courbertin, reminding them role models inspire generation . after expressing these sentiments again briefly in french, invited queen open games.

the queen declared competition officially open, followed trumpet fanfare based on theme tubular bells mike oldfield , fireworks display. 2012 ceremony second time queen had opened olympic games, first being 1976 summer olympics in montreal in capacity queen of canada.

the olympic flag carried 8 people chosen around world embody olympic values: ban ki-moon (as un general secretary), sally becker (for courage), doreen lawrence (chosen tireless thirst justice ), haile gebrselassie (for fight against poverty ), leymah gbowee (as great peacemaker ), shami chakrabarti (for integrity ), daniel barenboim (for bringing harmony in place of discord ), , marina silva (as un champion of earth). flag paused in front of muhammad ali (invited represent respect, confidence, conviction, dedication, generosity , spiritual strength ), held few moments. ali, had lit flame @ 1996 atlanta games, accompanied wife lonnie , appeared frail. flag received colour guard of majesty s armed forces , hoisted olympic hymn, performed lso , grimethorpe colliery band. olympic oaths taken taekwondo athlete sarah stevenson on behalf of athletes, british aiba referee mik basi on behalf of officials, , eric farrell on behalf of coaches.

there light never goes out (00:24–00:38)



lighting of london 2012 olympic cauldron



thomas heatherwick s olympic cauldron after being lit

this section named after song smiths. motorboat driven david beckham arrived olympic flame via limehouse cut , lee navigation. steve redgrave lit torch on boat, , carried stadium through honour guard of 500 of construction workers had built olympic park. passed flame on team of 7 young people, each nominated famous british olympian convey games aim inspire generation . 6 of team athletes, , seventh volunteer young ambassador.

the teenagers made lap of stadium, each carrying torch in turn, while alex trimble, lead singer of 2 door cinema club, performed caliban s dream dockhead choir, men aloud, elizabeth roberts, , esme smith. had been written ceremony rick smith of underworld.

each young athlete greeted nominating olympian (watched 260 british medallists previous summer , winter games since london 1948) , presented own torch, lit flame. jogged through corridor between assembled athletes centre of stadium, 204 copper petals (each inscribed name of team accompanied during parade) seen in circular formation attached long pipes (the petals accompany each team home after competition, souvenir). young athletes lit of petals, , when flame had spread of them, pipes rose floor of stadium , converged form cauldron. cauldron lighters (nominator in brackets):

callum airlie (shirley robertson)
jordan duckitt (duncan goodhew)
desiree henry (daley thompson)
katie kirk (mary peters)
cameron macritchie (steve redgrave)
aidan reynolds (lynn davies)
adelle tracey (kelly holmes)

the cauldron designed thomas heatherwick described 1 of best-kept secrets of opening ceremony : until point, design, location, , light had not been revealed.

and in end (00:38–00:46)

a flurry of spectacular fireworks accompanied pink floyd s song eclipse supported images of memorable olympic victories shown on big screens, stadium pixels showing jesse owens running. climax of section live view of olympic rings 34 kilometres (21 miles) above earth, transmitted 1 of balloons launched 3 , half hours earlier. sky lit searchlights piercing smoke (another iconic london image) fireworks, orbit tower illuminated. paul mccartney , band performed closing section of end , , hey jude , chorus sung audience close ceremony @ 00:46 bst.