Olympics opening ceremony moments: Lady Gaga, Zinedine Zidane and a mysterious torchbearer

PARIS -- The Paris Olympics' opening ceremony got underway after a rough start to the Summer Games on Friday, with rainy skies over the Seine and suspected acts of sabotage targeting France’s flagship high-speed rail network.

French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane kicked off the opening ceremony with the Olympic flame in his hands. In a prerecorded video, he’s seen running and weaving through a Parisian traffic jam before he delivers the flame to a group of children on the metro who then make their way through the Catacombs and to a boat, at which point the broadcast switched to a real-time view of the Seine River.

Lady Gaga delivered a dazzling performance as the first musical act during the Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony — except it was all prerecorded. The Grammy- and Oscar-winning performer kicked off her performance on steps along the Seine River, singing Zizi Jeanmaire’s “Mon Truc en Plumes.” Gaga’s appearance was a surprise — she was not listed on a program provided to the media in advance — but was heavily rumored after the singer and actor was spotted in Paris.

Is it from the “Phantom of the Opera” or “Assassin's Creed”? It's actually both and more. The mysterious torchbearer that appeared in a hooded, masked costume was inspired by a number of characters from French culture: Belphégor, the Iron Mask, the titular character from “Phantom of the Opera,” Fantomas, Ezio from “Assassin's Creed” and Arsène Lupin. The torchbearer ran atop the Musee d’Orsay, dashed past Pont Neuf, rode a boat with a kid holding the flame and later cartwheeled down a red runway.

Despite the rain, joy and happiness still filled the Paris gloomy skies. Musical performances, colorful smoke plumes in the air and a thrilled audience cheered as each boat floated by the Pont d'Arcole. From every window along the river, groups of people waved with enthusiasm to the athletes, who danced and celebrated to the lively music.

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For more coverage of the Paris Olympics, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games.