Tom Cruise thrilled the audience with his stunt flight, but the real highlight of the Olympic closing ceremony was the theatrical reenactment of the rediscovery of the Olympics: hundreds of alien performers danced on a world map with integrated screens, creating a spectacular show.
The closing ceremony of the Olympics in Paris was just as spectacular as the opening celebration: In a three-hour show act, the Olympic flame was extinguished and the Olympic flag was handed over to Los Angeles. Prior to the ceremony, there had been a lot of secrecy about which stars would attend. The line-up surrounding Phoenix, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Snoop Dog was impressive, but in the end, it was Tom Cruise who made the most headlines: he jumped off the roof of the Stade de France, grabbed the flag, and roared off on his motorcycle towards LA, the host city for the Olympics 2028.
From a ProAV perspective, however, the highlight was the performance staged by theater director Thomas Jolly, who re-enacted the search for the Olympic rings with hundreds of dancers. The stage featured an abstract world map with overlapping plates, and built into these were video surfaces that looked very much like large LED screens. These surfaces played perfectly synchronized video animations that complemented the show. Combined with a light show and fireworks, these video sequences helped to deliver an unmatched level of drama:
The performance began quietly and mysteriously when a golden alien descended onto the stadium floor. On the grounds of the Stade de France, he began his mission to find the origins of the ancient Olympic Games, first alone and then with the help of hundreds of performers dressed as aliens. Together, they eventually unearthed the giant Olympic rings from the ground, which then served as the backdrop for opera singer Benjamin Bernheim. He was accompanied by Swiss pianist Alain Roche, who played the “Hymn to Apollo” on a flying piano.
The drama turned to joy when all the athletes jumped on stage, and the French rock band Phoenix performed, followed by Tom Cruise’s thrilling stunt act. All in all, it was a successful conclusion to an Olympic event that brought an unforgettable atmosphere to Paris and the world.
This video shows the highlights of the three-hour closing ceremony:
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