Ryan Young
2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony: Flying Olympic flame soars above Paris as Celine Dion wows crowds
The Opening Ceremony featured the best of France and celebrated Olympic legends from around the globe
The 2024 Paris Summer Olympics are officially open and the Opening Ceremony was a spectacular showing of the athletes from the 206 Olympic delegations and the city of Paris. Lady Gaga and Celine Dion headlined the musical performances and French sports icons like Zinedine Zidane, Amélie Mauresmo and Tony Parker and international Olympic legends — among them Serena Williams, Carl Lewis and Nadia Comăneci and Rafael Nadal — were a part of the last legs of the Olympic torch relay, which ended with a flying cauldron lit to soar above the City of Light.
While the Games have been officially opened, you can relive all of the best moments — or see them for the first time — right here with Yahoo Sports, as NBC Sports presents the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony in its entirety in prime time.
How to watch the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics opening ceremony replay
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT (replay)
Location: Paris, France
Channel: NBC
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER103 updates
Celine Dion makes a triumphant return after rare sickness
WE ARE SPEECHLESS. 🥹
Celine Dion gives the performance of a lifetime at the #ParisOlympics. pic.twitter.com/EE2Yjuc9Sx— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 27, 2024
Peyton Manning on brand
Peyton Manning, calling the Opening Ceremony with Mike Tirico and Kelly Clarkson, was extremely on brand wearing an armband. Instead of playcalls, maybe his cheat sheet had Olympic delegations?
"That's just Peyton Manning being Peyton Manning." 😂
The Sheriff came prepared with a playcaller's wristband at the #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony.
📺 Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/eZubPCtRZ9— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 26, 2024
Kinda felt like an "SNL" skit
Just curious, did people in Paris get a helping of Minions like viewers watching on NBC did?
The best of Olympics 2024!#minions #Olympics #Olympic2024 #OlympicGames #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/kEyN7v9nNi
— Rakesh Parmar (@iTheRakeshP) July 26, 2024
Guessing no. Like a long commercial...
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Greece's flagbearer
NBA MVP, Olympic flagbearer:
Giannis Antetokounmpo makes history as the first Black flagbearer for Greece during the Opening Ceremony in Paris 🇬🇷 pic.twitter.com/l0OgbMmzvT
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 26, 2024
That gold glitters
Change of musical pace from French metal band Gojira to French pop singer Aya Nakamura:
Tiens @AyaNakamuraa tu as fait tomber ça 👑❤️
Aya x la Garde Républicaine c’est ça ma France 🇫🇷 #AyaNakamura #JO2024PARIS pic.twitter.com/tOWi83wCLn— Donel Jack'sman (@DonelJacksman) July 26, 2024
Nakamura has five No. 1 songs in France. She claims to have taken her stage name from Hiro Nakamura from the TV series "Heroes," which ran on NBC from 2006-10.
Heavy metal during the Opening Ceremony!
The answer to your question is Gojira! Who was that heavy metal band rocking out Les Miserables in a showcase of opera, fire, art and history?
Here is Gojira’s full performance at the Olympics!
Totally badass! #Gojira #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/gqk2PpiQuA— Headbangers’ Gazette (@headbangersgaz) July 26, 2024
Bells ringing at Notre Dame
One of the best spectacles during the Opening Ceremony parade down the River Seine was getting a look at the work being done to restore the Cathedral of Notre Dame.
500 dancers perform around the Pont Notre-Dame and Paris City Hall, merci the people of Paris for welcoming us! ❤️#Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/P3Qwuy8ohg
— The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024
As dancers performed along the Pont Notre-Dame, bells were rung at the Cathedral for the first time since 2019, when a massive fire destroyed the structure.
Lady Gaga, anyone?
Yes! As rumored, Lady Gaga is indeed part of the Opening Ceremony with a French cabaret performance that suits Paris perfectly.
Lady Gaga reminded fans of the superstar she is, being the first artist to take the stage in Paris during the 2024 #Olympics Opening Ceremony. 🎤👏 #BillboardNews pic.twitter.com/BNj6JBb6WG
— billboard (@billboard) July 26, 2024
No stadium for the Paris Opening Ceremony
The Paris Olympics are the first to feature the Opening Ceremony outside a stadium and in the host city, The parade of delegations traveling along the River Seine with many performances along the riverfront as the procession advances should provide a setting unlike any the Olympics have seen before.
Let the games begin. 🥇
Tune in at 7:30/6:30c for the #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony in Primetime. pic.twitter.com/TzR1CcpI1I— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024