Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies (PHOTOS & VIDEOS)
It was four years ago that Vancouver put on its largest and most expensive theatrical productions ever: the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies under the old dome of BC Place Stadium.
With a budget of $48.5-million and an volunteer army of 5,000 cast members and stage crew, the Ceremonies were planned, produced, directed and executed by Australia’s David Atkins Enterprises (DAE) over a period of nearly 3-years. DAE also delivered the Ceremonies for the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics and the Doha 2006 Asian Games.
Following Vancouver, his team also staged the Opening Ceremonies for Expo 2010 at Shanghai, China and the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Construction of the extensive set, technical equipment, projectors, sound and lighting at BC Place began in November 2009.
The Vancouver 2010 Ceremonies were known for several firsts: the first indoor Olympic Opening Ceremony and the largest Winter Olympic Stadium (for Ceremonies) with 61,000 seats at the time of the Games. The Opening Ceremony was based on the theme of a “Landscape of a Dream” that celebrated Canada’s diverse geography and population.
Sochi will also reprise indoor Olympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies given its wet climate. The 2014 Ceremonies were originally to be outdoors, but a temporary inflatable roof was added mid-way during construction. Russian organizers have spent $1-billion on a new seaside stadium with 40,000 seats for the Olympic Ceremonies and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
See below for a BC Place interior timelapse video (beginning in November 2009, through the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony on February 12, and ending on the Closing Ceremony on February 28) and behind the scenes videos.
The International Olympic Committee has also posted on YouTube both the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony in their 3 hour duration entirety.
Vancouver 2010 Ceremonies: Behind the Scenes
BC Place Ceremonies Timelapse from November 2009 to February 28, 2010
Opening Ceremony: Friday, February 12, 2010
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Closing Ceremony: Sunday, February 28, 2010
Click on image to enlarge panorama.
Image: Carlos Mejia Greene
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: Carlos Mejia Greene
Image: Duncan Ralwlinson
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: Carlos Mejia Greene
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: Carlos Mejia Greene
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: Carlos Mejia Greene
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: Carlos Mejia Greene
Image: Carlos Mejia Greene
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
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Image: s.yume via Flickr
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Image: s.yume via Flickr
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Image: Duncan Ralwlinson
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: s.yume via Flickr
Image: Duncan Ralwlinson
Image: Duncan Ralwlinson
Image: Duncan Ralwlinson
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