그렇게도 걱정을 해오던 뱅쿠버 겨울 2010 올림픽 개회식이 어제 즉 금요일(2월 12일)밤9시에 시작되여 밤 12시가 넘어서 그끝을 냈다. 걱정이라는것이 다름이 아니고, 겨울 올림픽을 하기위해서는 눈(Snow)가 필요한데, 오라는 눈은 안오고, 비가 주룩주룩 내려 주최측은 물론이고, 올림픽을 기다리던 모든 사람들의 마음을 조리게 했었기 때문이었다. 개막식은, 항상 그랬드시, 화려했다. 컴퓨터의 발달로 Animation처리하여, 영상으로 보여준 화려한 개막식의 대부분을 글로서는 표현하기 어려운 정도로, 정교하고, 실질적인것 처럼 느끼도록, 잘 보여 주었다. 개막식에서 주인이다시피 보여준 4개의 Aboriginal Indian들을 대거 출현시켜 그들 고유의 풍습을 크게 Close-up 시켜, 캐나다의 원래 주인이 인디언이었음을 간접적으로 보여줄려고 노력했던 것으로 나는 이해 하고 싶었다. 원래 계획데로라면 4개의 장승모형을 한 성화대와 그안에 우뚝 솟아 타오르게되여 있는 성화의 모형도 그들 특유의 장승( Totem)을 상징하는 모양으로 만들었었고, 개회식 Performance 동안에 경기장 중앙에 우뚝 솟았던 4개의 큰 기둥모형도 인디언 특유의 장승의 모형을 표시했는데, 처음에 그장승이 지하에서 서서히 솟아 오를때는 마치 남성의 심볼인 Penis를 연상시키게 하고, 그모양이 변형되여 사람의 형상으로 변하게 한것 또한 일품이었다. 캐나다가 북극에 가깝게 위치해 있다는 것을 표현하기위해 북극곰의 큰형상을 영상 처리하여 보여준것도 Idea로서는 일품이라고 나는 생각했다. 4개의 성화대중 1개가 작동안된데 대해 각 언론의 표현은 극대극을 이루는 다양한 모습으로 나타났다. 이곳의 기사는 유압으로 작동되는 성화대중 1개가 작동안되, 그동안 비밀에 싸였던, 뱅쿠버 겨울 올림픽의 하이라이트로 여겨졌던 예상치 않은 사고에, 작동안되는 사고가 나서 옥에 티였였다고,안타까워 했으나, 고국의 한 언론은 뱅쿠버 올림픽에서 망신살이가 뻗쳤다고 비하하는식의 기사를 급전으로 때리는것을 보면서, 어쩌면 그렇게도 보는 각도와 노고에 대해 인색할까?라는 아쉬움을 많이 느꼈었다. 그러면서, 고국의 피겨스케이팅의 금매달 후보감인 Yu-na Kim의 심판이 악연인데 걱정이라는 기사를 실었는데..... 왜 그렇게 좁은 눈으로만 고국의 언론은 볼수밖에 없을까?하는 아쉬움이 너무나 많아 마음이 조마조마 하게하는, 소아적인 내용으로 밖에,또 객관적인 기사를 덤덤히 쓸수 있는 기자들의 폭넓은 마음가짐이 결여된것 같은 안타까움이 있었다. 조국이 선지국 대열에서고, 무역에서 세계 10권에 들었다고 좋아하는것 만큼, 이제는 고국을 대표하는 주요신문들의 기사작성도 그크기에 걸맞게 해야 한다고 충고해주고 싶다. 몇시간후 수정된 기사에서는 '망신살이'라는 단어를 삭제해서 다행이었다.
이번 개막식의 또하나의 특징은, 올림픽 여름, 겨울 개페회식 역사상 처음으로 실내 경기장에서 개최됐다는 것이다. 밖에서는 눈 대신에 비가 내렸는데도, 안전하게, 60,000 여명의 관람객들이 감격스럽게 개회식을 지켜 봤던것 같다. 올림픽기의 봉송은 가슴을 뭉클하게 하는 또하나의 뱅쿠버 겨울 올림픽의 하이라이트 이기도 했다. 그들은 캐나다인들의 인기 투료로 선정된 진정한 대표자들로, 시민들과 항상 격의 없이 만나고 친구가 될수 있수있는 대중들의 친구들, 즉 국민가수, 국민 하키선수, 국제적으로 명성을 얻었던 난민구제 봉사자, 암(Cancer)에 걸려서 절단된 오른쪽 다리전체를 의족에 의지 하면서, 캐나다의 동서를, 횡단 하면서 암퇴치 기금을 모으다가 결국 암으로 젊은 나이에 죽을수 밖에 없었던, 캐나다 아니 전세계의 영웅이었던 Terry Fox의 어머니, 그외 모두가 우러러 보는 모범시민들로 구성되였기 때문이다.개회식 도중 1분간의 묵념이 있었다. 어제 훈련도중 불의의 사고로 목숨을 잃은 Georgia나라출신의 썰매타기(Luger) 선수를 위로하기위한 것으로, 전광판에는 "이번 올림픽의 모든것을 그에게 봉헌한다"라고 하면서, 올림픽위원장과 뱅쿠버올림픽 주최 책임자가 개회식 선언과 80 여개국으로 부터 출전한 선수들을 환영하는 인사에서 애도의 뜻을 표하는것도 한편으로는 마음을 안쓰럽게 하는 장면이기도 했다. 그는 국위선양을 위해, 또 자신의 영광을 위해 혼신을 다하다가 22살의 짧은 생애를 마치고, 세계의 눈이 보는 가운데 세상을 하직한 것이다.
아래에 여러언론의 기사들을 옮겨봤다.
오! 캐나다…밴쿠버 동계올림픽 화려한 개막 [연합]
2010.02.13 11:04 입력 / 2010.02.13 14:29 수정
한국, 46번째로 입장..북한은 24번째
그루지야 선수단 입장때는 6만관중 기립박수
지구촌 '눈과 얼음의 대축제'가 마침내 막을 올렸다.
2010 밴쿠버 동계올림픽이 13일 오전 11시(한국시간) 캐나다 밴쿠버의 밴쿠버 BC 플레이스 스타디움에서 성대한 개막식을 갖고 17일간의 열전에 들어갔다.
캐나다에서 올림픽이 열리는 것은 1976년 몬트리올 하계올림픽과 1988년 캘거리 동계올림픽에 이어 세 번째다.
7년 전 개최지 투표에서 강원도 평창이 아쉽게 밴쿠버에 역전패를 당했던 이번 동계올림픽에는 전 세계 82개국에서 2천633명의 선수들이 출전, 15개 기본 종목에서 총 86개의 금메달을 놓고 기량을 겨룰 예정이다.
온종일 가는 비가 밴쿠버 시내를 적신 가운데 어둠이 깃드는 현지시간 저녁 6시가 다가오자 돔이 덮인 BC 플레이스의 대형 스크린에선 반기문 UN 사무총장의 개막 축하 영상이 전해진 뒤 '10, 9, 8...' 개막을 알리는 카운트 다운이 시작됐다.
마침내 '제로'라는 함성이 터져 나오자 스노보드가 설원을 날며 대형 오륜마크가 밝혀졌다.
이어 캐나다 원주민들의 전통 공연이 식전 행사로 펼쳐진 뒤 빨간 단풍이 그려진 대형 캐나다 국기가 BC 플레이스에 입장했다.
원주민 환영행사로 식장이 뜨겁게 달아오르자 참가국들의 입장식이 시작됐다.
관례에 따라 고대 올림픽의 발상지인 그리스가 가장 먼저 입장했고 영어 알파벳 순서에 따라 알바니아와 알제리 등이 뒤를 이었다.
선수 2명이 출전하는 북한은 피겨스케이팅에 참가하는 리성철을 기수로 내세운 뒤 국가올림픽위원회(NOC) 관계자를 포함해 6명이 진홍색 단복을 입고 24번째로 입장식을 가졌다.
46번째인 한국은 '썰매종목의 개척자' 강광배(37.강원도청)가 태극기를 들고 앞장섰고 박성인 선수단장을 비롯한 선수와 임원 47명이 힘차게 행진했다.
특히 이날 오전 루지 선수 노다르 쿠마리타시빌리(21)가 훈련도중 썰매가 전복돼 사망하는 사고를 당한 그루지야 선수단이 검은색 목도리를 두른 채 입장하자 검은 넥타이를 맨 자크 로게 국제올림픽위원회(IOC) 위원장을 비롯해 6만 관중이 일제히 일어나 뜨거운 박수를 보냈다.
개최국 캐나다를 끝으로 선수들이 모두 입장하자 캐나다 가수 브라이언 애담스와 넬리 퍼타도의 열창을 시작으로 각종 축하 공연이 이어졌다.
3차원 방식의 독특한 영상을 연출하며 눈길을 끌었던 공연이 끝나자 자크 로게 국제올림픽위원회(IOC) 위원장이 성공적인 올림픽 개최를 기원했고 존 퍼롱 밴쿠버동계올림픽 조직위원장은 참가선수단에게 환영 인사를 했다.
이어 귀빈석에 자리잡은 미셸 장 캐나다 총독은 캐나다의 공용어인 프랑스어로 힘찬 개회 선언을 했다.
관중들의 뜨거운 박수갈채에 이어 올림픽기가 게양된 뒤 이날 사망한 쿠마리타시빌리를 애도하는 묵념을 했다.
캐나다 선수와 심판이 페어플레이를 다짐하는 선서를 끝내자 마침내 올림픽 성화가 BC 플레이스에 들어섰다.
지난해 10월 그리스의 고대올림피아에서 채화된 성화는 106일 동안 북극권을 포함한 캐나다 전역 4만5천㎞를 돌아 개막식장에 도착했다.
휠체어 마라톤 선수 출신으로 릭 한센 재단 이사장인 릭 한센이 휠체어를 탄 채 첫 주자로 입장했고 캐나다 스피드스케이팅 선수 출신인 르메이 도안에게 불꽃이 옮겨졌다.
이어 미국프로농구(NBA) 스타인 스티브 내시(피닉스 선즈), 스키 스타 출신인 낸시 그린이 성화를 이어받다가 최종적으로 '빙판의 황제' 웨인 그레츠키가 마지막으로 성화를 전달받았다.
5명의 성화 주자들이 제자리를 잡자 그라운드에서 삼각 성화대가 솟아오른 뒤 주자들이 동시에 점화식을 갖고 겨울 대축제의 시작을 세계 만방에 알렸다.
밴쿠버 올림픽 성화는 대회 기간에 콜 하버에 세워진 외부 성화대에서도 불을 밝히게 된다.
캐나다는 이번 대회를 위해 17억달러를 투자해 경기장을 새로 단장했으며 대회 슬로건은 '뜨거운 가슴으로(With Glowing Hearts)', 마스코트는 지역 원주민 신화 속의 등장인물과 동물을 형상화해 '스미(Sumi)' '콰치(Quatchi)' '미가(Miga)' 세 가지를 만들었다.
한국은 이번 대회에 선수와 임원을 포함해 역대 최다인 83명의 선수단을 파견해 금메달 5개 이상 획득으로 2회 연속 종합 10위 이내 진입을 목표로 세웠다.
한국은 이번 대회에서 전통적인 메달밭인 쇼트트랙 뿐 아니라 '피겨퀸' 김연아(20.고려대)가 출전하는 피겨스케이팅과 이규혁(서울시청)과 이강석(의정부시청)이 속력을 다투는 스피드스케이팅에서 금메달 획득 가능성이 아주 높아 기대에 부풀어 있다.
또한 봅슬레이와 스켈레톤, 루지 등 썰매 3종목과 스노보드와 프리스타일 스키에서도 가능성을 점검할 예정이다. (연합뉴스)
Vancouver's opening ceremony flawed, but perfect-CNN
Posted: 015 GMT
Okay, they blew the money shot but, on reflection, the botched lighting of the Olympic flame actually added to Vancouver’s opening ceremony.
The Olympic flame is lit at the conclusion of the opening ceremony for the Winter Games in Vancouver .
It was hard for organizers to get the tone right following the death of luger Nodar Kumaritashvili. No matter how tragic, it would have been wrong if the commemorations to him had featured too prominently.
The young Georgian died doing a dangerous sport, but one that he had trained for and knew the risks of. Very different, for example, to the terrorist attack on Togo’s football team at the recent Africa Cup of Nations.
There was a fitting tribute from Kumaritashvili’s team-mates, who wore black armbands and scarves to go with the grim expression on their faces. They were given a standing ovation in BC Place and there was even a smattering of applause where I was watching – a giant marquee, mostly filled with Canadians waiting to cheer their nation’s competitors.
The fans had heard about the accident and, despite being well lubricated with alcohol, a hush descended as they watched the minute’s silence at Friday's opening ceremony.
Kumaritashvili was also mentioned in the official speeches, but the rest of the evening was filled with the usual pre-Olympic theatrics.
Having to follow Beijing’s cinematic-style epic opening ceremony for the 2008 Summer Olympics was always going to be a tough challenge for Vancouver’s organizers, but in my opinion they rose to it.
I’ll admit I can be a bit sentimental at times, but when VANOC boss John Furlong said, "We invite people everywhere to share and experience, even if just for a few moments, what it feels like to be a proud Canadian," – I did.
And, as a Brit working for an American company, I have to confess it tickled me that the second biggest cheer of the night came when poet Shane Koyczan declared “Yes, we say zed not zee."
Then, as the patriotic fervour was at its height, one of the pillars supporting the Olympic cauldron failed to rise. How embarrassing. The final four torch-bearers had ear pieces and knew what was going on, but they still didn’t look comfortable.
But you know what? I think it was great. Unlike China a year and a half ago, Canada shouldn’t be trying to serve up another robotic, clinical Games. This is a diverse country, vast, beautiful and imperfect – and that’s cause for celebration.
Opening Ceremony: Facts and Figures
Posted Friday, February 12, 2010 8:26 PM ET
Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony Facts and figures
• First Olympic Opening Ceremony held indoors
• BC Place opened in 1983; largest air-supported domed stadium in North America has seating capacity of 60,600... Roof fabric is 0.85 millimetres thick but stadium circumference is 760 metres
• Canada's team is more than 11 times larger than all 18 one-athlete nations combined. Their don't equal 10% of Canada's
• The United States has the largest delegation.
• There are 18 nations in these Games represented by only one athlete. Sixteen of those athletes are male. The smallest delegation is Ethiopia, with one athlete and no officials.
• There are 47 nations participating in the 2010 Games who have never won an Olympic medal.
• The top 6 medal-winning nations in history, have earned more medals than all the rest combined.
• There have been 19 known flagbearers for Canada at the Olympic Winter Games (the 1936 flagbearer in Garmish-Partenkirchen is unknown). Of those, 14 won medals after carrying the flag. Ten of those won gold. Of those, only two won more than one medal. And of those, only Gaetan Boucher in 1984 won two gold medals (he also won a bronze for a total of three).
• Six of the 20 known Canadian flagbearers in Winter Games were speedskaters. Five were hockey players, five were figure skaters, three were alpine skiers and there was one freestyle skier.
• There are 26 skiers carrying their nation's flag. There is only one short track speed skater carrying her nation's flag. Six of the flagbearers are competing in hockey.
• If you think Vancouver is warm, keep in mind that Sochi's average weather in February is 3 degrees warmer than Vancouver's.
Ecstasy and agony at the Olympics(The Star)
Thrill of first day of Vancouver Games marred by tragedy
February 13, 2010
ROSIE DIMANNO
VANCOUVER–Last coming in, first going out.
The final team to enter B.C. Place in Friday night's Opening Ceremonies; the top medalled nation when the Vancouver Olympics come to a close on Feb. 28. At least, that's the plan.
But, my God, how the unplanned and unimaginable can seize the day and squeeze the heart – a pall hovering over events all yesterday with the shocking news that Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, only 21 years old, had died following a ghastly accident while training on the course in Whistler.
In the midst of all this youth and near physical perfection, the robust health of some 5,500 athletes, premature death came as a stranger, despite the risks involved in many of the Winter Games sports, some of which have veered off into "X'' Games recklessness.
The team from Georgia decided collectively, however, to stay in Vancouver, compete in their events, and even attend the opening ceremonies, wearing black arm bands and leaving a spot in their Parade of Nations formation for the lost friend. The opening ceremonies were formally dedicated to the memory of Kumaritashvili. The small and sombre-faced team received a stirring standing ovation.
Meanwhile, the coroner closed down the luge track following the accident. A decision was still pending on whether weather would permit the races to proceed as scheduled today.
There were conflicting emotions throughout the long day and into the evening's festivities, certainly within the International Olympic Committee family. Jacques Rogge, president, was visibly distraught and wiping tears from his eyes as he confirmed news of the luger's awful fate at an afternoon press conference. But an institution that barely stopped to token-mourn the slaying of 11 Israeli athletes in the Munich Massacre of 1976 wasn't about to be thrown off its schedule here.
So it was Games On and fireworks off – explosively – under the puffy lid of B.C. Place, transformed for this evening into a Crystal Palace, with faux snow on the infield and glistening icicle motif throughout, an audience of 60,600 semaphoring with their gift-box flares as instructed.
After the embarrassment of the Vancouver 2010 preview four years ago in Turin – hitting every stereotyped cliché of Canada the Frozen North of mushers, snowshoes and ice-fishermen – this extravaganza was tasteful, even subdued, through the first couple of acts, and spectacular as it progressed, all white and twinkly and ice-cold dreamy, then suddenly cutting-edge and hot, from the radical fiddlers to the visigoth clod-hoppers to the clever trompe l'oeil depiction of winter sports to ... well, not sure about that Joe Canada rant-guy. Was that supposed to be serious or sarcasm?
Hip stuff, for the most part, rather than sappy and sentimental as red maple leafs rained from the roof into the crowd's lap.
The Landscape of a Dream, the showbiz part of the evening was called. Artistic directors David Atkins and Ignatius Jones took their theme from the Group of Seven: "To risk all for the glory of a great adventure.''
But it all began thusly:
With Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Governor-General Michaëlle Jean looking on – Gee-Gee her typically gorgeous self – a Canadian Forces honour guard raised the flag as 16-year-old Montreal jazz singer Nikki Yanofsky sang the national anthem.
Chiefs of the Games' four aboriginal host nations gathered on the humongous stage as four giant silver totems – they looked rather, um, penis-y – rose from the bowels of the stadium.
The relative simplicity of the spectacle, and its white-on-white winter colour palette, was actually quite charming compared to some of the wretched excess from recent Olympics past. Swiftly, the program moved into the Parade of Nations – 83 of them on the roster – always the core attraction of a Games opening, and led as tradition demands by Greece.
Tons of red on display among the teams, no doubt a tip of the toque to Canada's iconic colours. And, from the audience, particularly warm greetings for the teeny delegations from such non-traditional winter sports countries as India and Jamaica.
Within the weirdly cozy confines of the stadium, all was razzle-dazzle and hurrahs. Outside, as promised, the protesters launched their own rotating demos, kicking off with an anti-Games gathering a few blocks from B.C. Place, which didn't appear to cause any particular havoc. On the boo-Games menu for the next fortnight, under the umbrella of the Olympics Resistance Network: Poverty, homeless, the plight of murdered and missing women, treatment of aboriginals and Canada's military engagement in Afghanistan. Stay tuned.
An awkward touch, though, Canada – as historically expected of a host country – recently introducing its peace resolution at the United Nations, while simultaneously making war overseas. The guns will not be stilled in Afghanistan over the next two weeks.
Plenty of guns around here, too, if more discreetly worn by some 6,000 law enforcement officers. Along with 4,000 Canadian Forces troops and about 4,800 private security personnel, they're responsible for protecting 30 competition and non-competition venues. Security budget: $900 million. But, at this point, who's counting? In any event, too late to whinge about the bill now, even if many residents of the Lower Mainland are still grumpy about the having the Olympics in their backyard.
They're here. Get over it.
And, really, it is totally cool being at the centre of the world, on the Olympic stage, the biggest sports lollapalooza on the planet.
A deafening roar greeted Team Canada, hot on the heels of an almost equal roar for our American neighbours. The Canada table: 206 athletes, almost evenly split between males and females, led by multiply-medalled Clara Hughes.
It felt like the roof was about to blow, such was the vocal thunder.
They are awesome.
Then Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams sang, the native dancers twirled, the crowd was on its feet, banging the Indian drums provided and waving their lights, rock concert flashy.
Naturally, the flash that was most anticipated was the Olympic flame, and the identity of the person or persons who would light the cauldron.
The torch run began in Greece more than three months ago. It's travelled 45,000 kilometres, visited more than 1,000 communities, been carried by 12,000 torchbearers. It has been borne, by and over: snowboard, plane, car, bike, rowing scull, Sno-Cat, crutches, logging trucks, skateboard, dogsled, snowshoes, tundra buggy, curling ice, schooner, bobsleigh, fire truck, streetcar, tomato harvester, mine clearing vehicle, vintage rail hand car, horse-drawn fire wagon, Newfoundland dory, tractor, foot, canoe bull, ice canoe, skis, surf board, wheelchair, horseback, chuckwagon, police car, speed skates, chairlift, houseboard, railway train and Zamboni.
And the ta-da! the mystery flame-lighters turned out to be: Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, Nancy Greene and Wayne Gretzky.
Roar ushers in home Games(Toronto Sun)
Last Updated: 13th February 2010, 12:34am
VANCOUVER — People were in tears in the morning. And in tears at night.
Different tears. Tears to last for years.
Three-and-a-half billion viewers around the world, including 33 million across Canada and 55,000 in B.C. Place, weren’t sure if that was possible Friday morning, if there could be tears of delight at night.
The stunning death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritshvili in training at Whistler, was expected to cast a pall over the opening ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games. And to some extent, it did.
But it also became an emotional component of the evening without it taking away from the joy of the event.
A minute before the show began, in white letters on a black background on the scoreboard were the
words: “Tonight’s Ceremony is dedicated to the memory of Georgian Olympic athlete Nodar Kumartshvili.”
When Georgia was introduced in the athletes parade, the crowd stood as one and applauded flag-bearer Iason Abramashvili and the six other athletes as they made their way around the stadium and to their seats.
Later in the ceremony, IOC president Jacques Rogge spoke first to acknowledge the Georgian luger. Just before the torch entered the stadium, a moment of silence was held for him and both the Canadian and Olympic flags were lowered to half mast.
The first ever Olympic ceremonies held indoors, were everything they should have been for Canada.
Unbelievably, they managed to more than match the unmatchable Salt Lake 2002 show.
They were wonderful at the beginning and they were wonderful at the end, although with what will become a famous flaw, when the longest torch relay in one country in history came to its conclusion.
Rick Hanson brought the torch into the stadium, where he passed the flame to Catriona Le May Doan, Steve Nash, Nancy Greene and, finally, Wayne Gretzky.
The highlight moment of the night wasn’t flawless, as the hydraulics didn’t work to bring one of the ice totems out of the floor. Le May Doan didn’t get the chance to light the cauldren together with Greene, Nash and Gretzky as a result.
Prior to that, Betty Fox, mother of Terry, Donald Sutherland, Barbara Ann Scott, Jacques Villeneuve, Ann Murray, Romeo Dallaire, Bobby Orr and Julie Payette carried the Olympic flag into the stadium and Wickenheiser gave the athletes oath.
Just as memorable was the moment when, just after Uzbekistan had just been introduced, there was a slight delay and a change of music.
Then the roar.
“Canada!”
Led by flag bearer and five-time Olympian Clara Hughes, as is the tradition for the host nation, Canada was the 82nd and final country to appear in the faux winter wonderland scene.
On the front row were the two other five-time Olympians, Pierre Lueders and Haley Wickenheiser along with Chandra Crawford, Jeremy Wotherspoon, Francois-Louis Tremblay and chef de mission Nathalie Lambert and her assistants Joey Juneau and Steve Podborski.
The show began with a snowboarder sliding down a slope created in the upper deck and through the Olympic rings.
Four ice totems first emerged with hydraulic assistance from the floor to represent the four host First Nations with a colorful show to precede the parade of athletes.
Bryan Adams, Nelly Furtado and k.d. lang sang live and Joni Mitchell’s voice was the background of a memorable sky show within the dome.
It was beginning to end brilliant.
Let the home Games begin.
