Well, the Olympics are officially back and we couldn’t be more excited to keep this summer of sport going in full swing. Last night, the opening ceremony took place on Paris’ Seine – marking the first time in history that the summer games’ opening festivities hadn’t taken place inside a stadium. The ceremony kicked off with each country’s athletes sailing down the river on boats in a parade whilst fans gathered on the river’s banks waved them on.

Even though the weather wasn’t ideal on the night, the rain didn’t deter the theatrics and joy of the four-hour showcase. And so, here are some of the best and most exciting moments from the Olympics 2024 Opening Ceremony.

For days, Lady Gaga was rumoured to be performing at the opening ceremony but nobody knew for sure if we’d see the global pop star and actor appear on stage. But to our delight, she not only performed but delivered a grand and beautiful opening performance – packed with feathers. After teasing the crowds behind pink pom poms, Gaga went into a slick and choreographed number, singing Mon Truc en Plumes by Zizi Jeanmaire entirely in French.

During the “Liberté” section of the ceremony, viewers and crowds were treated to a tribute to the French Revolution – but with a twist. After a short performance of Les Miserables’ Do You Hear The People Sing?, opera singer Marina Viotti and heavy metal band Gojira came together in front of flames and Marie Antoinettes to perform a famous song by French revolutionaries. And dramatic, it most certainly was.

The French-Malian singer Aya Nakamura, who ranks as the world’s most popular modern French-speaking artist, sang her two biggest hits, Pookie and Djadja, whilst dressed in a stunning gold outfit – from head to toe. The artist was dancing and singing on the Pont des Arts, a bridge linking the Institut de France to the Louvre Museum, alongside the orchestra of the French Republican Guard and choristers from the French Army.

The 2024 Olympics is the first games to have achieved a gender-balanced edition and this was showcased during the ceremony by highlighting and celebrating the achievements of 10 French female figures. These women were represented by golden statues along the Seine and included the philosopher Simone de Beauvoir, abortion rights activist Simone Veil and Louise Michel, a 19th century political activist and leader of the French anarchist movement.

As the boat procession came to an end and they all gathered at the base of the Eiffel Tower, the famous Parisian landmark shimmered with flashing lights and hologram images of the Olympic rings. It was a beautiful and emotional moment of the ceremony, reminding us what the games are all about.

Celine Dion had to pause her schedule in 2022 after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome (a neurological disorder that affects the muscles) but she made her long-awaited return to the stage as the finale of the Olympics festivities. With the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower, she delivered a beautiful and emotional rendition of Edith Piaf’s Hymne a L’amour in French. A truly standout and iconic moment from the 2024 Opening Ceremony.

Images: Getty