L’Hymne d’Amour
Why was the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics named the most iconic event in 2024?
When looking up the comments on the four-hour-long opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics by online trolls and self-proclaimed experts, you will find a sea of comments, ranging from complete enthralment to “cringe” replies and conspiracy theories.
However, the expert part of the public was univocal and confirmed that the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympics is undoubtedly the best event in 2024. The event won several categories at the Bea World Experience (Best Event Awards Festival 2024) on 29 November 2024.
Virtually all attendees of the BEA World Festival, which has been taking place for 19 years and is famed as the Oscars of the events industry, unanimously agreed on its quality. Thierry Rebould, the Executive Director for Creative Branding and Ceremonies Paris 2024 and Philippe Castanet, COO of Paname 24 , clocked in several hundred steps to the stage and back to their seats to lift five awards on stage. The highlight of their evening was winning first place in the Iconic Event Award category and Press Jury Award, awarded to extraordinary events that surpass all others competing in the competition - events that echo through history. We rewarded both creative thinkers with standing ovations and uproarious applause.
A bold, if accurate, comment by one of our colleagues who published a selfie with Thierry captures our excitement for Thierry Rebould: “Michael Jackson of our industry.”
A morning talk between Salvatore Sagone, the founder of Bea World Festival, @Patrick Roubroeks, the representative of 27Names and Thierry Reboul convinced all the doubting Thomases about the event’s brilliance. Thierry is a professional from head to toe; his integrity helped the event achieve the desired effects viewers could feel: diversity, extravagance, inclusivity and spectacularity. He explained his creative drive as an obsession for creating different events. Lastly, he outlined that he cannot copy events like others and is constantly seeking new models, formats and solutions.
The conversation was staged in a new format, envisaged by 27Names, the association of the best European event agencies. We learned all the bits and bobs from the backstage of the pompous show, which was divided into twelve parts. Some three thousand dancers, singers and other artists electrified the crowd from both sides of the Seine River on a six-kilometre-long stretch of the city. Over 20,000 professionals cooperated in the project. We also learned how they kept the programme a secret from the media despite having an army of staff involved. Thierry even shared how they tested the fascinating mechanical horse on the Seine during the night and how they inconspicuously tested the hot air balloon (that doubled as the Olympics Cauldron) amidst a city park. It was eye-opening to hear the director, Thomas Jolly, had almost a carte blanche in producing the event. Creativity thrived in all ways. I believe the model they adopted for the organisation of the Olympics will go down in history books. Solely for the purpose of the event, they founded the Paname24 company, connecting five leading companies: AUDITOIRE , Havas Events, ubi , OBO and Double 2 . In other words, the epic project connected France’s finest in the field. In essence, this is an exemplary case of “coopetition”. The event’s sustainability story deserves special mention, too. Thanks to an accurate measurement of the event’s impact and legacy, the event will be a model for future destinations hosting the Olympics. We eagerly await their report and all the measured regenerative effects.
How did the opening ceremony convince me, and why do I think it deserves to be labelled historic in terms of event organising? Here are five points that fascinated me:
Transformativeness: Events should aspire to improve the world, encourage attendees to transform and show the way forward. As Wouter Boits from Oval event agency and one of the winners at BEA World Festival emphasised, we need something oval in a world increasingly dominated by sharp edges. The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics fits the bill perfectly, going outside the box in terms of content and dramaturgy. It was plain to see the event was produced by a theatre producer who wanted viewers to achieve a catharsis. I disagree with colleagues who adamantly say the event was a television format. I see this as theatre at its finest, connecting live and online realms. Producer Thomas Jolly is a radical thinker who presented various interpretations of a usually conventional stadium format. In the process, he showed event organisers are co-creators of the story, not only the ones who execute events. His message carries the premise that event agencies are at the centre of creative industries.
Inclusivity: The slogan “Games Wide Open” is self-explanatory, encompassing all the organisers wanted to share with the event and its location. At the opening, the athletes, politicians and sponsors were whisked away from the safe confines of the stadium bubble to the banks of the Seine in the heart of Paris. Thus, a conventionally closed event became much more accessible and inclusive. Thierry personally explained the challenges this represented for the police and security teams. The bravery to select such an unusual venue also deserves praise from a security standpoint. Inclusivity was there for all to see at the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games. Designed by Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman, the event showed that inclusivity is not merely a word or trend but can render disabled individuals and athletes the protagonists of an artistic programme and sport. The organisers’ radical approach also had a transformative effect.
Diversity: The event honoured freedom and diversity, as evinced by the mascot, the Phrygian cap, a symbol of the French Revolution. Although the French spirit may seem in tatters today, the credo “liberté, égalité, fraternité” was on everyone’s mind during the few weeks of the Olympics. Another contributing factor was the eclectic opening ceremony, highlighting colourfulness, openness, gender equality and a fight for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. The event reached viewers’ hearts and stirred their emotions by presenting the diversity of France, which bravely accepts its history and heritage while its myriad cultures work together for a prosperous future. The Olympic spirit was revived in a post-modern image. The City of Lights is a beacon of freedom, far from the chic and charm stereotypes. Paris became a city for establishing dialogue about the world’s future, as well as the trajectory of our industry.
Curiosity: Event organisers must be inquisitive and curious as children often are. Emotions such as happiness, sadness, melancholy, desperation or anger never go out of fashion. We should not shy away from presenting such emotions on stage. At the Olympics, we could feel all that through the music, costume design, stage props, special effects and multimedia. The musical intro will remain a classic. The organisers proved that nurturing our inner child and believing in miracles is sometimes good. Likewise, not having a plan B is alright, as only plan A works sometimes, Thierry clarified. Would I wish to live in a world dictated by screens and media or a world of freedom created and envisaged by Thomas Jolly? The answer is clear to me.
L’Hymne d’Amour: Celine Dion’s take on the L’Hymne d’Amour was the pinnacle of the nearly four-hour-long show, much anticipated by all, regardless if they were her fans. Celine showed you need a wealth of knowledge and iron will, coupled with talent, to perform in challenging rainy conditions. In a way, her performance mirrors that of the organisational team. En route to the top, there are plenty of hurdles, even changing weather. The day of the opening ceremony was supposed to be the driest and sunniest day in the French capital. All performers, Celine Dion and Lady Gaga included, showed love conquers all, even rain, perhaps because of the organisers’ idea, energy and mad creative drive.
Today, everyone knows everything about event organising, but hosting a family get-together is no professional event. That is why, together with the award winners, we celebrated our love for professional event organising at the highest level. As long as that love is appreciated and respected, we should not worry about the future of our industry. A healthy pinch of passion is needed to turn average events into extraordinary.
P.S. The festival did not honour only the most iconic event but the best global events in thirty categories. This year, the organisers received a record 463 submissions from 35 countries. Over 160 events made it to the grand finale, their quality unrivalled. The award ceremony took place at the Auditorium Parco Della Musica Ennio Morricone, showcasing the meetings industry is in tip-top creative shape. Moreover, we learned that our region’s star is rising in the European meetings industry. You can learn more about the competition by viewing the streaming channel at https://beaworldfestival.com/.
Grand finale: Céline Dion - Hymne à l'amour (Live aux Jeux Olympiques de Paris 2024 / Live from the Olympic Games