site.bta25th Winter Olympic Games Open Friday

The 25th Winter Olympic Games will be officially opened on Friday night in Italy. The official opening ceremony will begin at 9 pm at Milan’s San Siro Stadium, with smaller ceremonies also taking place at three other venues hosting competitions in different sports until the end of the Games on February 22 — Cortina d’Ampezzo, Livigno, and Predazzo.

Bulgaria will be represented by 20 athletes. The flag bearer of the delegation in Milan will be figure skater Alexandra Feigin, while in Cortina the national flag will be carried by biathlete Vladimir Iliev.

The Olympic opening ceremony has been created and produced by Balich Wonder Studio, and many details of the show are being kept secret. It is known, however, that more than 500 musicians are taking part in the programme. The official soundtrack of the Games, “Italian Fantasia” has been composed by Dardust.

Among the singers performing at the ceremony are Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, and rappers Ghali and Snoop Dogg. Actors Tom Cruise, Pierfrancesco Favino, Sabrina Impacciatore, and Matilda De Angelis are also expected to participate, along with violinist Giovanni Zanon.

During the event, prominent Italians will be honored, including Leonardo da Vinci and Christopher Columbus, and Italian history, fashion, music, and everything “Made in Italy” will be celebrated. There will also be a special tribute to designer Giorgio Armani, who passed away in September. Another renowned Italian fashion designer, Valentino, also died recently, and it is very likely that the ceremony will include a moment in his memory as well.

The Games in Italy will feature not one but two cauldrons in which the Olympic flame will be lit. One will be located at the Arch of Peace in Milan, and the other at Piazza Dibona in Cortina d’Ampezzo. The design of the cauldrons is inspired by the genius of Leonardo da Vinci and his famous knots - geometric ornaments in the form of interlacing patterns that symbolize harmony between nature and human reason.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo also have their mascots - the stoats Tina and Milo, accompanied by six little snowdrops called The Flo. Tina has white fur, while Milo is brown. Milo is also missing one paw, symbolizing the Paralympians.