1996 Summer Olympics closing ceremony

The Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Summer Olympics took place on August 4, 1996 at the Centennial Olympic Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia at approximately 8:00 PM EDT (UTC -4). It was produced by Don Mischer.

ummon the Heroes

The closing ceremony began after a 26-second countdown in tribute to all the past Olympic Games with the Atlanta Olympic Band, led by John Williams, performing "Summon the Heroes." The R&B group Boyz II Men sings The Star Spangled Banner.

The presentation of the medals in the Men's Marathon followed. Unlike in previous closing ceremonies, the final lap of the race occurred earlier in the morning rather than part of or immediately before the gala due to the hot weather conditions of the afternoon. Josia Thugwane of South Africa, Lee Bong-Ju of South Korea, and Erick Wainaina of Morocco won the gold, silver, and bronze medals respectively.

Reach

The spectators and athletes then performed a card trick stunt which revealed a laurel wreath similar to the Quilt of Leaves pattern. Members of the Morehouse College Glee Club perform "Faster, High, Stronger". Cuban singer Gloria Estefan then joins the Glee Club and they perform the song "Reach", one of the official songs of the Atlanta Olympic Games.

Next a plethora of BMX bikers, skaters, and skateboarders perform a daring stunt show. As the show concludes, the 197 flags of the participating nations were carried into the stadium by athletes of each of their respective countries. The song "The Sacred Truce", written exclusively for the occasion, was performed by the Atlanta Olympic Band and the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra. In keeping with tradition with the 1920 Summer Olympics, the flag of the United States was raised beside the Olympic flag that had been flying inside the stadium the past 16 days.

ydney 2000

In accordance with the Olympic Charter which governs the Closing Ceremony, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch called on the youth of the world to assemble in Sydney, in four years, for the next Summer Olympics. In his speech, he denounced Centennial Olympic Park bombing stating that terrorism cannot stop the Olympic spirit. Samaranch asked for a moment of silence to remember the victims of the bombing, as well as the 11 Israeli athletes of the Munich massacre during the 1972 Summer Olympics [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYPpfvoU6SQ Atlanta 1996 CC - Samaranch's Speech (1) & Stevie Wonder] ] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-edv0vQHRSY Atlanta 1996 CC-Samaranch's Speech(2) & Passing Olympic Flag] ] . He said that those tragedies will never be forgotten and said: quote|"No act of terrorism has ever destroyed the Olympic movement and none ever will. More than ever we are fully committed to building a better, more peaceful world in which forms of terrorism are irradicated."

His successor, Jacques Rogge, made that evident during the next Olympic games held in the U.S., 5 1/2 years later in Salt Lake City. During the opening ceremonies of those games, the first Olympic games he presided over as IOC president, on February 8, 2002, less than 5 months after September 11, 2001 (the 2002 Winter Olympics were the first Olympic games held since then), he told the athletes of the host country that their nation was overcoming the "horrific tragedy" of that day and the IOC stands united with them in promoting the committee's ideals. [cite web|url=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_286.pdf |format=PDF |title=Remarks of the IOC President, XIX Olympic Winter Games |publisher=International Olympic Committee |accessdate=2006-05-31] [ [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAtNYyIapl8&feature=related Salt Lake City 2002 OC - Rogge's First OG Speech Ever] ] The opening ceremonies of those games also saw signs of the aftermath of that tragic day.

Furthermore Samaranch thanked Atlanta with the phrase "Well done, Atlanta", and calling them "most exceptional." He broke with precedent and did not say they had been the best Olympics ever, as he did at every previous Olympic closing ceremony while he was IOC president. However, 4 years later he called the Sydney Olympics the best ever, suggesting that this was an intentional omission 4 years earlier. [ [http://espn.go.com/oly/summer00/news/2000/1001/794339.html Australia Best Ever] ] .

Before Samaranch declared the games officially closed, R&B singer Stevie Wonder sang a cover of John Lennon's "Imagine" [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/olympics/daily/aug/05/close5.htm WashingtonPost.com: A Curtain Call in Atlanta ] ]

This part of the program culminated in the "Oslo Ceremony" (so called because the original Olympic flag, which was used for transfer of the Winter Games, was first used at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo), which is the transfer of the Olympic Flag, from the mayor of Atlanta, Bill Campbell, to Samaranch, and then to the mayor of Sydney, Frank Sartor. The Olympic flag was next raised again at the next Winter Olympic games in Nagano, Japan; opening ceremony there took place on February 7, 1998.

Immediately succeeding the transition, an elaborate presentation of the host city Sydney commenced. It featured many dancers dressed up as aborigines, plants, and animals native to Australia. Four inflated balloons arose to form an imaginary Sydney Opera House while more dancers ran around to form the sea.

Power of the Dream

After the lowering of the Olympic flag and the singing of the Olympic Hymn, some 600 children from Atlanta ranging from ages six though twelve sang a rendition of "The Power of the Dream", which was performed by Celine Dion in the opening ceremony. The segment started with ten-year old Rachel McMullin singing the first stanza. As the song progresses more children join in creating a full choir. The children line up and hold hands to from the Atlantic Olympic emblem while holding up flashlights. The spectators and athletes then sing and hold hands in unison. At the end of the song, the children shout in unison, "Y'all come back now!", a friendly gesture inviting the athletes and citizens of the world to come together at Sydney four years from that time period.

Extinguishing of the Flame

Highlights of the past events were once more replayed on two jumbotrons in the stadium as the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra performs "The Flame". The crowd was silenced, and Atlanta native and country singer Trisha Yearwood sang an a cappella version of the same song. Upon conclusion of the song, the flame extinguished slowly.

Musical Finale

The ceremony concluded with an all-star tribute to American popular music. A New Orleans-style funeral commenced the segment which eventually turns into a celebration with elaborate swing music.

An array of performers culminated in the finale which was led by "Late Show"'s Paul Shaffer [ [http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/Paul_Shaffer/193561#milestones Paul Shaffer at Hollywood.com ] ] and conductor Harold Wheeler. As with most closing ceremonies, the athletes were invited onto the field below the stadium to sing and dance along with the music Among the performers were:

*Gloria Estefan
*Sheila E.
*Faith Hill
*B.B. King
*Wynton Marsalis
*Little Richard
*Pointer Sisters
*Tito Puente
*Buckwheat Zydeco

A fireworks display officially closed the segment, though the performers continued to play music.

References

See also

*2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony

External links

* [http://www.aafla.com/6oic/OfficialReports/1996/1996v2.pdf Official Report Vol. 2] Digital Archive from the Amateur Athletic Foundation of Los Angeles including detailed synopsis of the closing ceremony.