What to Expect at the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, From the Man Behind Them

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 5 min read 100% complete by Elisabetta PovoledoFebruary 6, 2026 at 10:27 AM

AI Summary

long article 5 min

Marco Balich, a veteran of Olympic opening ceremonies, is the creative lead for the 2026 Winter Olympics opening extravaganza in northern Italy. With experience from seven previous Olympics, Balich aims to create a meaningful and spectacular show that celebrates Italian heritage, promotes the Olympic spirit, and inspires a global audience. The ceremonies, taking place on Friday, will be unique as they are spread across four locations: Milan, Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno, and Predazzo. The raising of the Olympic flag and the lighting of the cauldron will occur simultaneously in Milan and Cortina. Balich emphasizes the importance of clear, universally understandable concepts presented in a visually impressive way to resonate with an estimated 2.2 billion viewers worldwide.

Keywords

olympic opening ceremony 100% winter olympics 90% marco balich 80% spectacle 70% global audience 60% cortina d'ampezzo 50% milan 50% creative director 40% cultural heritage 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Positive
Score: 0.40

Source Transparency

Source
New York Times - World
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.30)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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