WeeklySA_AdminDAZZLING: From Mariah Carey to twin Olympic flames, Italy united Milan and Cortina in a dazzling Opening Ceremony that blended art, history and Alpine pride…
By Grace Goulding
Italy opened the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 in unmistakable style on Friday night, delivering an Opening Ceremony that fused music, history, fashion and cinematic imagination into a statement of national identity and global welcome.
Branded Armonia — harmony — the ceremony unfolded across Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, marking the first time in Winter Olympics history that an Opening Ceremony was staged in two host cities simultaneously. Linked in real time, the dual locations symbolised the Games’ central theme: connection between urban creativity and Alpine tradition.
Inside the iconic San Siro Stadium in Milan, the evening opened with a visual feast of space suits, opera, fireworks and oversized artistic motifs, transforming the arena into a living gallery of Italian culture. Across northern Italy, seven venues will host events during the Games, but it was in Milan and Cortina that the story began.
Mariah Carey sets the tone
Few performers could match the global resonance required to open such a moment. Enter Mariah Carey, who launched the ceremony with a soaring rendition of Nel Blu, dipinto di Blu before transitioning into her own anthem, Nothing Is Impossible.
Her performance crowned an exuberant opening sequence that had already turned the stadium floor into a canvas. Dancers posed like classical sculptures, composers and painters, while giant paint tubes spilled primary colours across the stage. Italian artistry — from ancient Rome to modern design — unfolded in waves, blending opera with pop and heritage with humour.
Only after this visual carnival did the ceremony shift into its more formal rhythm.
Italy in unison
The Italian tricolour entered the stadium carried by models dressed in designs by the late Giorgio Armani, a moment that doubled as tribute and celebration.
The national anthem followed in a rare dual performance: sung in Milan by Laura Pausini and simultaneously in Cortina by a mountain choir, as the flag rose above both cities.
The effect was intimate and expansive at once — a country singing to itself while addressing the world.
Parade of Athletes
The Parade of Athletes brought together 92 National Olympic Committees and more than 2,900 competitors. In another first, athletes entered the Games from multiple locations — Milan, Cortina, Livigno and Predazzo — their separate processions stitched together on screen into one continuous flow.
There were backflips and choreographed dances, national colours and endless selfies, capturing the relief and excitement of athletes finally stepping onto the Olympic stage.
Among them were South Africa’s five-member team — the country’s largest Winter Olympic delegation to date.
Team SA makes history
Cross-country skier Matthew Smith and skeleton athlete Nicole Burger carried the South African flag, drawing warm applause during the procession. At 35 and 31 respectively, they are the oldest members of Team SA, and all five athletes are making their senior Winter Olympics debut.
The South African Sports Confederation and Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC) hailed the milestone, with president Barry Hendricks describing the moment as a “huge life milestone” for the athletes and a proud moment for South African sport.
Hands, history and humour
Following the parade, the ceremony returned to playful storytelling with a tribute to Italy’s most expressive language: its hands. Gestures became choreography in a light-hearted segment that balanced reverence with self-awareness.
A time-travelling film featuring actress Sabrina Impacciatore then guided viewers through the history of the Winter Olympics, from Chamonix 1924 to the present day. That journey continued live in the stadium through music, as jazz and swing evoked the 1920s, rock traced the 1960s and 70s, pop and electronic sounds marked the 80s and 90s, and techno carried the story into the 21st century.
Lighting the flame
The ceremony’s final act brought gravity and emotion. Giovanni Malagò, president of the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee, formally welcomed the world, followed by IOC President Kirsty Coventry, who spoke of the Olympic flame as her favourite symbol of the Games.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella then declared the XXV Olympic Winter Games officially open.
As the stadium erupted, a film retraced the torch relay across Italy before the flame entered San Siro, accompanied by a stirring performance from Andrea Bocelli that drew a collective hush.
Attention then shifted to Cortina, where athletes delivered the Olympic Oath, pledging fairness and respect. The Olympic flag was raised simultaneously in both cities as Lang Lang, Cecilia Bartoli, and the Teatro alla Scala Children’s Choir performed the Olympic Anthem.
Finally, the flame passed to its last guardians. In Cortina, Sofia Goggia received the torch, while in Milan the honour fell to Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni. Two cauldrons were ignited — one at Milan’s Arco della Pace, the other in Cortina’s Piazza Angelo Dibona.
Fire rose into the Alpine night as fireworks bridged city lights and mountain stars. The Winter Games were open. – Additional reporting by SAnews and Weekly SA Mirror
