peewee's posts with tag: doha asian games
What are tags? You can give your posts a "tag", which is like a keyword. Tags help you find content which has something in common. You can assign as many tags as you wish to each post.
|  |
arsenic lacson email
|
| | Extraordinary ceremony stuns the World and the 15th Asian Games begin
Friday, 01 December, 2006
The skies of Doha erupted in a blaze of fireworks tonight as the city and its people celebrated the beginning of the 15th Asian Games with the most spectacular Opening Ceremony ever staged.
Khalifa Stadium was the venue, delighting over 40,000 attendees including Prince Albert of Monaco, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum of Dubai, the President of Venezuela, the President of Syria and his wife, the President of Yemen, the Heir-Apparent of the United Arab Emirates, former King Constantine of Greece, the Prime Minister of Kuwait, and the Prime Minister of Thailand. The three-and-a-half hour Ceremony began at 19:00, and was viewed by more than 3bn viewers around the world – the most wide-reaching broadcast in Asian Games history.
While remaining true to and featuring many elements of Qatar ’s rich and unique culture, the show also reflected the nation’s cutting-edge position in the areas of education, sustainable energy and intelligence technology – as well as it commitment to and ongoing engagement with the great Asian continent.
Starting with a 6000sq meter Qatari flag made of 4,500 pyrotechnic flares, the Ceremony featured a giant glass boat which sailed past huge water creatures, pearling boats and divers performing an ‘aquatic ballet’ suspended 60m in the air, the Caravans of the Silk Road celebrating 5000 years of Asian culture and history, 64 Arabian horses thundering around the arena, and a City of Steel and Light which erupted in the largest internal stadium fireworks ever staged.
And these were just some of the highlights of an Opening Ceremony that made history both technically and theatrically. While the Ceremony was a first in terms of narrative cohesion and storytelling, it also featured effects that have never been attempted -- let alone achieved -- on such a scale.
A major show element and a world first was the LED Cyclorama, the largest LED screen ever built. Made from over 2500 tonnes of steel and 20,000 LED ribs, it displayed both film footage and computer-generated content that complemented and interacted with the live action in the stadium. As well, 44 giant PIGI projectors turned the Stadium floor into a living palette, while two smaller High-Definition daylight LED screens at either end of the Stadium brought the show’s more intimate moments to life, and 17 suspended projection screens and 12 x 20,000 ansi-lumen (20K) Christie projectors sent rich visual imagery rippling through the air. The Opening Ceremony of the Doha Games was truly the first real multi-media Ceremony ever staged.
All this technology would be nothing however without the performers, who are always the heart of a Ceremony. Here again Doha staged a series of firsts. 2500 Dohari school-children created a giant sadu carpet, while the 1000-strong cast of the ‘ Asia ’ Segment was the most multi-cultural cast ever assembled for a Olympic Ceremony. Further complementing the enthusiasm and commitment of the volunteer performers were nine professional dance troupes from China , India , Thailand , India , Japan , Kazakhstan and Syria – again a first for an Asian Games, in its commitment to the cultural inclusion of the Asian Games family.
As well, the audience saw enchanting Qatari and Gulf-themed performances unfold before their eyes, with the themes of the meeting of desert and maritime traditions, hospitality and the importance of family, Qatar ’s commitment to peace, education and the advancement of women, and technology and the future dominating the Ceremony.
These ideas, as well as a number of evocative symbols, icons and images were integrated into a narrative that took the audience on a journey through the history and culture of Qatar, the Gulf region, the Arab world and ultimately – to Asia.
And of course, a vast number of Qatari and expatriate volunteers were a key element in the creation and execution of the Ceremony – over 7,000 people from every walk of life, who gave unstintingly of their time, passion and energy to make the possible.
As another Asian Games first, two of Asia ’s great musical luminaries played a key role in the opening of the Games. China ’s favourite singer, Jacky Cheung Hok You, heralded the arrival of the athletes, singing “Together Now”, a song written specifically for the Opening Ceremony. Jacky was followed Indian pop diva and Bollywood sensation, Sunidhi Chauhan, who moved the audience with “Reach Out’’, an emotional salute to the athletes from the 45 countries and regions participating in the 15th Asian Games and a plea for peace in the world, supported by 3,000 Qatari and Asian children carrying lanterns in the shape of the Doves of Peace.
Heralding the arrival of the torch, beloved Lebanese soprano Magida El Roumi and immortal Spanish tenor José Carreras performed the inspiring duet, “Light the Way” in English and Arabic -- marking the first time the two artists had ever performed together, and the first time the Western and Arab musical worlds had come together in such an emotional and iconic way.
This set in motion what was by far the most impressive moment of the night - the lighting of the Cauldron, the biggest kept secret for the past two years. Without a doubt one of the most anticipated moments and highlight of the show, the final torch-bearer rose up through the floor of Khalifa Stadium on a bronze and steel stage in the shape of the Asian Games Sun.
After paying tribute to his father the Emir, he climbed the ramp to the top of the Eastern grandstand – at the same time as a giant copper and bronze ‘Sun’ rose in front of him. When he lit the Sun with the Asian Games torch, it burst into flame and turned into a Cauldron surrounded by the rings of the Astrolabe and the Atom – the symbols of the Opening Ceremony. Weighing more than 18 double-decker buses, this breath-taking piece of art and engineering will continue to burn – and rotate – for the next 15 days, making it the first ‘kinetic’ Cauldron in history.
Sharif Hashisho, Director of Ceremonies and Cultural Events, DAGOC, said history had been made tonight.
“Tonight has been a highly moving experience, to realize Qatar ’s dream of hosting the Asian Games. The Opening Ceremony this evening is just a preview of what we will be offering the world over the next two weeks of competition. We have just witnessed the most extraordinary Ceremony, setting a benchmark for international events and stunning the world. It has been a poignant night, watching the Arab and Asian worlds come together in peace to celebrate our history and culture, the spirit of the Games and a bold vision of the future”.
Artistic Director and Producer, David Atkins, is thrilled with the Ceremony.
“It is a rare honor to be asked to tell the story of another culture, and tonight we have seen this dream become a reality with the most ambitious show ever produced. The culmination of years of work on the Opening Ceremony came to life tonight as we witnessed with pride the most multicultural and multinational team deliver this spectacular Ceremony – from performers, volunteers, cast, athletes and production personnel - congratulations to you all”.
The 15th Doha Asian Games will run over the next two weeks and will culminate with a spectacular Closing Ceremony on the evening of 15th December. The 15th Doha Asian Games is set to be the biggest and best Asian Games yet with a record 45 Asian countries competing in 39 different sports.
~Arsenic Lacson (e-mail)
|
| |
