Sochi 2014 breath-taking Opening Ceremony of the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Russia

On the evening of 7 February 2014, the spectators inside the Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi were joined by television viewers worldwide, to witness the breath-taking Opening Ceremony of the XXII Olympic Winter Games. The three-hour spectacular combined a tribute to Olympism with a marvellous celebration of Russian history and culture that involved a cast of thousands, including sporting icons, ballet stars, acrobats and even cosmonauts - all set against a musical backdrop of Russian classical music. In the opening sequences of the Ceremony, the audience was treated to an alphabetic evocation of great figures and moments in Russian history, as a giant firework display lit up the Black Sea coastline. Inside the stadium floating islands represented Russia's vast and varied landscape, from the volcanoes of Kamchatka to the forests of the Urals and Siberia's icebound Lake Baikal. The stage was set for the entrance of the Games' main protagonists. Breaking with tradition, the Parade of Athletes, one of the central elements of all Opening Ceremonies, took place at the start and not the finish of the evening, setting the stage for a three-hour spectacle of music, fireworks and breath-taking choreography. One by one, the 87 delegations entered the Fisht Olympic Stadium to rapturous applause, starting as ever with the Greek athletes and culminating with the host nation, spearheaded by bobsleigh pilot, Alexander Zubkov. Later, the crowds were wowed by the entrance into the stadium of a 65-metre long troika and a giant inflatable structure in the form Moscow's iconic St Basil's Cathedral. Then, to the explosive sound of cannons, the vast army of visionary 17th century tsar, Peter the Great took the stadium by storm, followed by a depiction of the Russian Revolution of 1917. Throughout the Ceremony, the music of Russia's greatest classical composers such as Tchaikovsky and Prokoviev resonated through the stadium and beyond, providing a stirring backdrop. The Chairman of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee, Dmitry Chernyshenko was the first speaker to take the platform, as he welcomed athletes, delegates and fans to the Russian city : ""Welcome to the 2014 Olympics Winter Games in Sochi," he said. "Our city is unique, as all of Russia is unique. It is the largest country in the world where Europe meets Russia. We are proud to have the privilege to host the entire world." The IOC President then handed over to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who, in time-honoured fashion, declared the Games open. Soprano Anna Netrebko performed a moving rendition of the Olympic Anthem before Russian short-track speed skater Ruslan Zakharov stepped forward to take the Olympic oath on behalf of all the athletes, while Vyacheslav Vedenin performed the same task for the judges, while Anastasia Popkova took the oath on behalf of the coaches. Read more news http://www.listen2thenews.com/sochi-2014-breath-taking-opening-ceremony-of-the-xxii-olympic-winter-games-in-russia/