The Winter Olympics' grand opening ceremony played it safe with a musical medley that leaned more towards classical names than pop stars. Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang were just two of the familiar faces who took the stage alongside opera masters Fredrick Fellinia, Giorgio Armani-clad performers, and even an effigy of Puccini and Rossini dancing to a rendition of Righeira's '80s Italo disco hit Vamos a la playa.
However, Mariah Carey was undoubtedly the main event – albeit one that was over all too soon. Despite her elaborate costume, she kept things relatively subdued before unleashing an astonishing whistle note, a signal for the transition into her new single Nothing Is Impossible. The American team's entry, however, received a decidedly mixed reaction from the crowd.
A dance history of Olympic Games marked another pivotal moment in the ceremony, soundtracking its soundtrack to Adriano Celentano's 1973 hit Prisencolinensinainciusol – later revealed as the star attraction of an easyJet TV advert. The rest of the show was a love letter to opera: Andrea Bocelli sang Nessun Dorma alongside Lang Lang accompanying Cecilia Bartoli.
A brief appearance by Italian rapper Ghali left this writer yearning for more, and it's intriguing to consider what might be in store for the Los Angeles 2028 opening ceremony. The current state of affairs with Donald Trump still in power only serves as a reminder that the coming years will likely feature more Kid Rock-esque performances than anything else – an ominous sign for music fans and those who care about fostering goodwill towards Team America.
However, Mariah Carey was undoubtedly the main event – albeit one that was over all too soon. Despite her elaborate costume, she kept things relatively subdued before unleashing an astonishing whistle note, a signal for the transition into her new single Nothing Is Impossible. The American team's entry, however, received a decidedly mixed reaction from the crowd.
A dance history of Olympic Games marked another pivotal moment in the ceremony, soundtracking its soundtrack to Adriano Celentano's 1973 hit Prisencolinensinainciusol – later revealed as the star attraction of an easyJet TV advert. The rest of the show was a love letter to opera: Andrea Bocelli sang Nessun Dorma alongside Lang Lang accompanying Cecilia Bartoli.
A brief appearance by Italian rapper Ghali left this writer yearning for more, and it's intriguing to consider what might be in store for the Los Angeles 2028 opening ceremony. The current state of affairs with Donald Trump still in power only serves as a reminder that the coming years will likely feature more Kid Rock-esque performances than anything else – an ominous sign for music fans and those who care about fostering goodwill towards Team America.
I don't get it why they needed to play some old opera songs all night? Can't they just mix in some modern stuff so everyone can enjoy it? 
Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang are awesome, but come on, 2 hours of classical music is too much. And what's with the Mariah Carey performance being over after like 30 seconds? That whistle note was cool I guess 
But for me, the highlight was when that Italian rapper Ghali came out and I was like "Hey, this guy's not so bad" 
Now I'm curious to see what they do next in LA... maybe they can get some more diverse acts? 
and i have to say mariah carey's whistle note still gives me goosebumps lol 
my friend's bf was sitting next to me and he was a huge fan but even he was kinda underwhelmed by american team's performance 
i think it would've been way cooler if they got someone like drake or beyonce on the stage instead of kid rock... and omg can we talk about ghali's outfit though 
i needed more of that in my life, btw has anyone seen his new album? 
she was so hyped up but it felt like she just phoned it in after that whistle note 
i mean i get it the crowd was mixed but come on a WHISTLE NOTE is not enough to save an entire opening ceremony 
and btw who thought it was a good idea to have a random Italian rapper show up out of nowhere 
it was all so safe and boring. Where's the edge? Where's the representation of modern artists and genres? I mean, Mariah Carey is iconic but only showing up for like 2 seconds was a waste 
and what's with the lack of diversity in terms of music styles? Opera and classical stuff are cool and all but it feels like they're trying to force it on us. The one bright spot was that Italian rapper Ghali made an appearance, maybe we can count on him to bring some real heat to the LA 2028 opening ceremony 
And can we talk about how some of those performances just felt like they were phoned in? Like, Andrea Bocelli and Lang Lang are legends, but even they couldn't elevate that music. 
The dance history bit was pretty cool, though - who knew Prisencolinensinainciusol was a thing? 
They could've used some more modern artists or even better, a collaboration with some of today's pop stars.
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. Anyways, overall, I'd say the ceremony had some great moments, but could've used a bit more... zing 
, but maybe next time they can get some edgier performers on stage 
. and what's with the kid rock vibe? didn't we think the olympics were about more than just partying? 
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! Who knew Adriano Celentano's song had become an advert for easyJet? 
. I'm hoping he brings some fire to the LA 2028 opening ceremony 
The show was super classy and all, but I gotta say, Ghali's cameo would've been lit if he got more time on that stage 
. anyways, i'm hyped for LA 2028 and hopefully they'll bring the noise