Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kick off with four-site, dual-cauldron ceremony

The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opened with an unprecedented four-site, dual-cauldron ceremony staged in Milan, Cortina d'Ampezzo, Livigno and Predazzo, featuring Italian cultural tributes and live links between venues.

The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opened Friday with an unprecedented four-site, dual-cauldron ceremony that referenced Italian art, music and fashion. The main hub was Milan's San Siro stadium and simultaneous presentations took place in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Livigno and Predazzo. Organizers said the multivenue format lets athletes based in mountain venues take part in the Parade of Nations without long transfers to Milan. The ceremony included music, theatrical segments and visual tributes to Italian cultural figures. Key details: - Ceremony staged across four locations: Milan (San Siro), Cortina d'Ampezzo, Livigno and Predazzo. - Two Olympic cauldrons were designed with Leonardo da Vinci–inspired sun-like knot patterns that expand and contain the flame in glass and metal. - Performances included Mariah Carey singing "Nel blu, dipinto di blu" ("Volare") and a medley including "Nothing is impossible," and actress Matilda de Angelis led a musical segment featuring figures of Verdi, Puccini and Rossini. - Satellite parade segments allowed sliding athletes in luge, bobsled and skeleton to march closer to their competition sites rather than travel long distances to Milan. - About 18,000 volunteers across the Games wear uniforms by Salomon, and national teams were broadcast live between the venues during the Parade of Nations. - The Games run Feb. 4–22 with 16 sports and 116 gold medals, and the Paralympics are scheduled for March 6–15. Summary: The opening ceremony emphasized Italian culture and used a dispersed format to include athletes based in mountain venues. The two cauldrons and live links between sites were among the elements intended to connect events across a large geographic area. Competitions continue through Feb. 22 and the Paralympics will follow in March.