The Seine: A Unique Stage for the Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony

The Seine: A Stage for the Olympics

In French, the term for stage is “scène,” which phonetically mirrors the name of the iconic river that flows through the heart of Paris—the Seine. This linguistic coincidence is one of the intriguing aspects that captured the imagination of director Thomas Jolly as he embarked on the ambitious project of orchestrating an opening ceremony that would literally navigate the waters of this historic river.

For the past two years, the Seine has transformed into Jolly’s creative workspace, presenting unique challenges that most theater directors would find unprecedented. These challenges include:

• Dealing with unpredictable currents and wind tunnels
• Managing the delicate ecosystem of a vulnerable fish hatchery
• Coordinating the logistics for thousands of athletes who will glide through the waters in boats
• Ensuring the safety of the event with 45,000 police officers deployed across the city

Moreover, this grand endeavor requires regular consultations with high-profile officials, including the French president and the mayor of Paris, to ensure everything aligns with the city’s vision and security protocols.

As the artistic director of both the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies, Jolly enjoys privileges that most directors could only dream of. With a staggering budget of nearly $150 million and a workforce exceeding 15,000 individuals, including dancers and musicians, Jolly is tasked with creating an unforgettable spectacle. The anticipated audience is monumental, with expectations of half a million spectators present on-site and around 1.5 billion viewers tuning in from around the globe.

If Jolly successfully brings this vision to life, it will mark a historic milestone as the first time an Olympic opening ceremony unfolds outside the traditional confines of a stadium. The Seine has not witnessed such a grand celebration in 285 years, dating back to the time when King Louis XV commemorated the marriage of his daughter to the prince of Spain.

To give a glimpse of the preparations, a captivating time-lapse video showcases a rehearsal on the river for the upcoming Olympic ceremony, illustrating the intricate choreography and coordination required for this extraordinary event.

Credit: By Dmitry Kostyukov