Olympics 2024: Celine Dion closes Paris opening ceremony

Paris 2024 has begun and the French — the people who produce the world’s most delicious cheese, finest haute couture and countless other exquisite creations — have delivered what may be the most unique opening ceremony in the history of the Olympic Games.

Instead of a customary event inside a stadium, the opening ceremony was a one-of-a-kind waterborne pageant on the River Seine, using the famously photogenic city as a rolling backdrop. Thousands of athletes from around the world traveled by boat in a floating parade through the heart of Paris at sunset, beginning at the Austerlitz Bridge and past landmarks like the Louvre and Notre Dame Cathedral. The route moved west for just under four miles, ending at the Trocadéro, where the rest of the ceremony took place in front of the Eiffel Tower, culminating with a performance from Celine Dion.

The ambitious ceremony, devised by theater director Thomas Jolly, had a reported budget of $150 million. It featured 12 scenes inspired by French history, and it included performances from Lady Gaga, rapper Rim’K, Juliette Armanet, Sofiane Pamart, Axelle Saint-Cirel, Aya Nakamura, the French heavy metal band Gojira and hundreds of dancers and performers.

The unprecedented nature of the event sparked concerns about everything from security and the weather to the level of fecal matter in the Seine, but ultimately the rain and an even attack on France’s high-speech rail system did little to alter the grandiose nature of the event. The ceremony was hosted by NBC commentator Mike Tirico, singer Kelly Clarkson and former NFL player Peyton Manning — all three of whom are decidedly not French.

Read analysis from Times writers Mary McNamara and Meredith Blake of Friday’s audacious spectacle.

2:40 p.m. But we do need to see if Judi Dench is in Paris. — M.M.

2:39 p.m. Mary, I suppose we will have to embrace the ambiguity. Which feels very French. — M.B.

2:39 p.m. Thanks for watching with me, Mer. Always fun to experience big cultural moments with you! — M.M.

2:38 p.m. I don’t want to take away from Celine Dion’s breathtaking performance or Kelly Clarkson’s (understandably) emotional response, but I cannot believe they did not unmask the mysterious Torch Bearer! — M.M.

2:32 p.m. I remain concerned about this floating cauldron, however. Like Hindenburg concerned. — M.M.

2: 31 p.m. Standing on the Eiffel Tower, Dion sings Edith Piaf’s “L’Hymne à l’amour,” marking her first public performance in years amid a battle with the rare neurological disorder, stiff-person syndrome. It’s impossible not to be moved. The performance renders the NBC hosts speechless. — M.B.

2:30 p.m. For a minute it looked like the Eiffel Tower was crying. — M.M.

2:28 p.m. Also I think she may be crying. I am certainly crying. — M.M.

2:28 p.m. She sounds amazing. — M.M.

2:27 p.m. She and Gaga are supposed to sing “La Vie en Rose.” — M.M.

2:26 p.m. OMG CELINE! — M.B.

2:25 p.m. But now it is aloft and I am now worrying deeply. — M.M.

2:25 p.m. I did not have a floating torch/hot air balloon on my bingo card, but I am here for it. — M.B.

2:24 p.m. The 100-year-old cyclist Robert Marchand, the oldest living French Olympian, makes an appearance and I get a little weepy. It’s been a long day. — M.B.

2:22 p.m. Where are we? That would be nice to know. — M.M.

2:21 p.m. Or a cyclist. — M.M.

2:21 p.m. Suddenly the NBC commentators seem to know who everyone is, and the answer is everyone is a French handball athlete. — M.B.

2:17 p.m. LOL. Honestly. And where is Tom Hanks? — M.M.

2:16 p.m. This last section is called “Eternity,” which feels apt given how long this is taking. — M.B.

2:15 p.m. I think that was the clear highlight, along with the Torch Bearer, who I fear will not be revealed tonight, which will force me to riot. — M.M.

2:15 p.m. It’s been more than four hours and I haven’t seen a single beret or baguette, but I have seen Marie Antoinette singing out of her decapitated head. This day continues to surprise. — M.B.

2:14 p.m. Just a random reminder, based on a commercial for Accenture, that break dancing is now an Olympic sport, debuting in Paris. — M.M.

2:13 p.m. Meanwhile, the Eiffel Tower appears to be entering launch mode. — M.M.

2:10 p.m. Hoda and Savannah are frantically waving as Serena, Nadia and Carl zoom past in their boat. This feels like a very damp, surreal episode of “Miami Vice.” — M.B.

2:09 p.m. Now I am wondering if the NBC folks actually did not receive any kind of lineup or info sheet because they have no idea what is happening. — M.M.

2:08 p.m. Hoda is thrilled that boat is going directly under “our” bridge. Now officially known as the Pont de Savannah and Hoda. — M.M.

2:08 p.m. Why are Savannah and Hoda dressed like doilies? — M.B.

2:07 p.m. Where is the cauldron? Why are they Da Vinci-coding this? — M.M.

2:06 p.m. I love that these world class athletes are wearing chic little life vests. You don’t get to the Olympics by playing fast and loose with water safety! — M.B.

2:06 p.m. Nadal is back on a boat, with Serena Williams and Nadia Comaneci. What is happening? — M.M.

2:04 p.m. Like, I’m waiting for it to start moving. — M.M.

2:02 p.m. Eiffel Tower has been PRACTICING. Did we know it had lasers? — M.M.

2:01 p.m. So tennis player Rafael Nadal — who is Spanish — is carrying the torch in the home stretch? — M.B.

1:59 p.m. I wonder if organizers realized how the Torch Bearer would upstage everyone. — M.M.

1:57 p.m. Another theory that speaks to me: The Masked Torch Bearer is actually the surprise Daft Punk reunion I’ve been clamoring for. Maybe the night will conclude with a live rendition of “Around the World”? — M.B.

1:53 p.m. I realize these speeches are important, heartfelt and sincere. But can you wrap it up because all I want to know is: WHO IS THE MYSTERY TORCH BEARER??? — M.M.

1:51 p.m. I saw the Margo post — my dream come true. — M.M.

1:49 p.m. While these officials are doing their official thing I am busy combing social media for theories about the identity of the Masked Torch Bearer. Here are my favorites 1. It’s Celine Dion! 2. It’s character actor Margo Martindale. 3. It’s Emily (you know, the one in Paris). — M.B.

1:47 p.m. Tony Estanguet, giving the opening speech for 2024 Olympics, offering the correct pronunciation of the many sites of competitions. Hope NBC takes notes. He and the organizers must be so happy that the boat thing worked, even in the rain. — M.M.

1:38 p.m. Official opening to the Olympics followed immediately by ad for “Wicked,” in case you forgot that this is NBCUniversal you are watching. Still, “Wicked” looks very cool. Maybe Cynthia Erivo is the mystery Torch Bearer. She can do pretty much everything. — M.M.

1:33 p.m. This is the flag bearer. — M.M.

1:31 p.m. OK, I’m convinced. The Masked Rider is Real Housewife of Salt Lake City Meredith Marks. — M.B.

1:30 p.m. Wait, so now we’re on land, same costume, different horse and rider. “I hope it’s not a skeleton in there,” says one of my friends. It has to be different. The rider doesn’t have a torch. — M.M.

1:29 p.m. The Masked Torch Bearer has now been replaced by a Masked Rider. The mystery deepens! — M.B.

1:29 p.m. Please don’t let this horse break down. — M.M.

1:26 p.m. The robot horse is still going, and seems to be retracing the parade’s entire route down the Seine. It is amazing when you consider that it was almost impossible to rehearse this ceremony on the river without revealing the whole thing. Impressive even to a grump like me! — M.B.

1:23 p.m. It is definitely Arwen. Or Joan of Arc. — M.M.

1:22 p.m. “Where is the horse and the rider?” I’ve got chills. For historical fantasy fans, this has been an excellent opening ceremonies. — M.M.

1:21 p.m. OK, who is riding the robot horse? Could it be … Dame Judi? — M.B.

1:18 p.m. Meredith, you grump! Look at this now, a legit water horse. An amazing armored rider on a metal horse galloping over the Seine! — M.M.

1:17 p.m. A timeless message of peace conveyed via flaming piano on a raft in the middle of a polluted river during a torrential downpour. — M.B.

1:14 p.m. Juliette Armanet is singing with Sofiane Pamart at piano. — M.M.

1:12 p.m. Someone’s floating … “Imagine” is being performed by “piano and song,” per NBC. Come on guys. — M.M.

1:11 p.m. Mike Tirico tells me something I didn’t know, which is that the song “Imagine” has become a formal part of the opening ceremony. — M.B.

1:10 p.m. Mary, don’t hold your breath. — M.B.

1:10 p.m. Everyone is off their boats. Now we get back to more performances. Here’s hoping NBC does a better job identifying performers and venues. — M.M.

1:07 p.m. Why does every shot on the Team USA boat look like it was filmed on my iPhone after my kids smudged the lens with their jammy fingers? — M.B.

1:06 p.m. The rain is coming down in sheets, which is wreaking havoc on everyone’s blowouts and is also bad news for the water quality in the Seine. Apparently the city’s ancient sewers tend to overflow when it pours like this. Paris: so beautiful, so gross! — M.B.

1:02 p.m. Yeah, where is Anderson Cooper in his anorak? The overhead shots of Paris — at night and in full celebratory mood. Who needs fireworks? (Though no doubt there will be fireworks.) — M.M.

1:01 p.m. There is so much water everywhere and everyone is so soaked this is starting to feel like watching CNN in the middle of a hurricane. — M.B.

12:58 p.m. Memo to Ralph Lauren: Where are the hats? — M.M.

12:57 p.m. Spoke too soon, am seeing a lot of wet hair on American athletes. All smiles until the sniffles set in. — M.M.

12:56 p.m. I am glad to see most of them are wearing raincoats. The Eiffel Tower does its sparkly thing. Always amazing. — M.M.

12:56 p.m. Thankfully Simone Biles opted to stay home. Presumably following her mother’s advice. — M.B.

12:55 p.m. Two moms talking about ceremonies: Are there athletes who are competing tomorrow? Because spending six hours in the rain on a boat does not seem like a good idea for people who need to compete tomorrow. — M.M.

12:54 p.m. Judi Dench is an international treasure. Able to look way taller than she is. — M.M.

12:54 p.m. There has to have been more than one. I need to know EVERYTHING. Especially who designed the costume. — M.M.

12:53 p.m. Here come the Americans and my mysterious Torch Bearer! Now looks like a ballet dancer? — M.M.

12:52 p.m. The Torch Bearer is back! Judi Dench is really crushing it. — M.B.

12:52 p.m. The parade began officially at the Port d’Austerlitz but they did not all embark from same point. — M.M.

12:51 p.m. The Americans have arrived with a delegation so huge — 594 athletes — the boat looks like it might sink. — M.B.

12:51 p.m. This event had a reported budget of $150 million, which is a lot of money yet not enough to avoid condensation on the camera lens. — M.B.

12:50 p.m. Agree with all of this, Mary. I also wish I understood how this parade of athletes was working logistically. Do all the boats originate from the same spot? Or are they stationed at different points along the river? — M.B.

12:49 p.m. Do we know if there is separate footage of some of these performances and fashion show that will be made available later? Because, as we’ve said before, there is so much going on all over the place, it would be nice to be able to go back and watch each performance separately. — M.M.

12:47 p.m. I do love how the flotilla entrance of athletes allows viewers to see Paris light up, and seeing all the fans lining the Seine is somehow more exciting than seeing them in a big single arena. Though, once again, it would be nice if NBC commentators at least tried to identify some of the iconic buildings and monuments the boats are passing. — M.M.

12:45 p.m. Tonga has arrived and, sadly, Pita Taufatofua, the shirtless flagbearer, is fully clothed. — M.B.

12:43 p.m. The flag bearer from Tajikistan is making me nervous by stepping onto the rain-soaked bow of his team’s boat. Now is not the time to be king of the world, sir! — M.B.

12:42 p.m. It looks like the Seine is getting a bit choppy. Moms to USA players: “Did you bring your seasickness bands?” — M.M.

12:40 p.m. Team USA flag bearer LeBron James is speaking on NBC, but I can barely hear him over the sounds of “D.I.S.C.O.”, a timeless bop by the French group Ottawan, blaring in the background. The party has begun, folks. — M.B.

12:34 p.m. For anyone who, like me, is desperate to know more about the performers in this event, may I direct you to Louis Vuitton’s twitter page, which is providing more useful information than anyone on NBC? — M.B.

12:27 p.m. Not loving the split screen of ads and ceremony. But I guess it is better than full ad? — M.M.

12:26 p.m. Algerian-French rapper Rim’K performs — one of many contemporary music artists to make an appearance. Is it too much to hope for a Daft Punk reunion? — M.B.

12:25 p.m. A fashion show in the middle of the opening ceremonies! With the as-yet-unlit Eiffel Tower in the background. A little campy, super chic and very French. — M.M.

12:18 p.m. Oh my god, Mary, what if it’s Rudy Giuliani? — M.B.

12:18 p.m. I swear to god if the Torch Bearer finally pulls off mask to reveal Snoop Dogg I am going to scream. I am literally obsessed with this. — M.M.

12:17 p.m. I am also nursing a slightly more far-fetched theory that it’s breakdancer Richard “Crazy Legs” Colón, who was one of Jennifer Beals’ body doubles in “Flashdance.” Hey, you never know! — M.B.

12:16 p.m. Now you have me worrying about our athletes, who are among the last to float down Seine and in the rain. I’m sure there are moms texting, “Put on a hat at least. Didn’t Ralph Lauren give you a hat?” — M.M.

12:12 p.m. Perriot, one of the main characters of French pantomime, has made an appearance. Look like the poor guy’s white make-up has been washed away by the rain. — M.M.

12:12 p.m. That is my most educated guess, informed by roughly thirty seconds of intensive research. — M.B.

12:11 p.m. Meredith, you mentioned Sébastien Foucan; do you think it’s him? — M.M.

12:08 p.m. In a sign that I have watched too many period dramas where people catch deadly colds after a few minutes in the rain, I am starting to worry about all these athletes out there in soaking wet clothes. Hopefully they wan warm up by the Olympic flame later on. — M.B.

12:07 p.m. And they are not even talking about the Torch Bearer at all! Are they even watching? — M.M.

12:05 p.m. Cutting to the commentators, including Kelly Clarkson. Can someone slip them info sheets now? — M.M.

12:03 p.m. Leave it to our “American Idol” Kelly Clarkson to identify the glorious singer, who is Axelle Saint-Cirel, a French mezzo-soprano. Maybe if we slip Miss Kelly a fiver she’ll tell us who the torch bearer is? — M.B.

12:02 p.m. Statues of famous French women rising from columns along the Seine — apparently of the 260 statues in Paris, only 40 are women. Mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel sings “La Marseillaise,” the national anthem of France, from atop the Grand Palais. In the rain. Amazing. — M.M.

11: 59 a.m. Yet another wonderful performer goes unidentified by the commentators at NBC. Who was that singing La Marseillaise, the French national anthem? Who knows! — M.B.

11:58 a.m. Yeah, one of my friends just asked, “Why Minions?” And I said, “NBC/Universal.” — M.M.

11:55 a.m. Something tells me this Minions bit was not part of Thomas Jolly’s grand vision for this day and is more about paying tribute to NBC’s parent company than the glories of French culture. — M.B.

11:54 a.m. But we are not the only ones trying to guess. — M.M.

11:54 a.m. Oh my god, now the Torch Bearer has gone black and white and into space. I feel like Butch and Sundance: Who is this guy? Apparently Tony Estanguet, one of the Games’ organizers, said he is the only one who knows the person’s identity and he ain’t saying. — M.M.

11:50 a.m. Iraq and Ireland are sharing a boat, somewhat randomly. As Mike Tirico points out, awkwardly, Iran and Iraq weren’t about to share a vessel, even if they’re next to each other in the alphabet. — M.B.

11:49 a.m. Ireland! That’s it. That’s the post. — M.M.

11:48 a.m. The lights of Paris are beginning to illuminate, making the big faces emerging from the Seine —reproductions of famous art works — seem even more unworldly. — M.M.

11:48 a.m. The delegation from India has the most impressive boat so far — what appears to be a floating restaurant. I hope the food is good. — M.B.

11:46 a.m. I am determined to crack the Case of the Mystery Torch Bearer by the time these boats reach their destination. Currently googling “most famous parkour athletes in France.” Will report back promptly. — M.B.

11:45 a.m. I think I have found my Halloween costume for this year. Minus the ziplining. — M.M.

11:44 a.m. I like the parade of nations but I want a movie short following the Torch Bearer who is giving very Assassin’s Creed vibes. — M.M.

11:43 a.m. This pianist, unidentified by NBC of course, is killing it and you can see how hard it is raining by the pattering pools of water on his piano. — M.M.

11:43 a.m. Now we’re back to the parade of nations, which I sincerely love. The tiny delegation from Eswatini, a country in southern Africa, gets my vote for Most Infectiously Enthusiastic so far. — M.B.

11:42 a.m. I am loving the whole Louvre storyline and now it appears the Mona Lisa has gone missing…maybe she is the Torch Bearer! — M.M.

11:41 a.m. This is France, Mary. It’s never too soon. — M.B.

11:41 a.m. I was going to suggest Elizabeth II but didn’t know if it was too soon. — M.M.

11:35 a.m. Some of the athletes are wearing transparent rain ponchos, like the kind you wear when you ride Splash Mountain. — M.B.

11:34 a.m. Your logic is sound, Mary. But I’m gonna go with my gut and guess that it’s a reincarnated Queen Elizabeth. Now that would be something. — M.B.

11:33 a.m. Meredith, as their face is veiled, I suppose it is possible that there are several or many torchbearers wearing the same costume, but the figure was doing serious parkour, not to mention ziplining, so I am betting it is Judi Dench. — M.M.

11:33 a.m. The rain appears to be picking up. The risk you take with such a large outdoor opener. Mercifully, Paris is beautiful rain or shine. — M.M.

11:32 a.m. I am starting to wonder if the identity of this masked torch bearer is going to be revealed at some point, Scooby Doo-style. Mary, care to hazard a guess as to who’s behind that mask? — M.B.

11:30 a.m. Aya Nakamura performs on the Pont de Concorde, leading to Place de la Concorde where the revolutionary guillotine did its work. Not my favorite human in the world — the mysterious torch bearer — is in the Louvre where figures from famous paintings appear to gather in the windows to watch the procession down the Seine. — M.M.

11:24 a.m. NBC needed to hire the Rose Bowl parade hosts who know what is going on down to the number of seeds on the toucan’s beak. — M.M.

11:24 a.m.Well I can’t be sure but I think that’s the first menage-a-trois to be featured in an opening ceremony. How very French. — M.B.

11:23 a.m. Meredith, I think the Times shold have sent us to Paris last week so we could familiarize ourselves with these landmarks. — M.M.

11:23 a.m. A tiny bit of context here and there would go a long way. — M.B.

11:21 a.m. I feel that NBC is failing us. I understand them not wanting to interrupt the drama too much but could they please identify performers, buildings etc. There is a dance troupe swaying on poles on what I think is the Pont au Change bridge while other dancers perform in the National Library. — M.M.

11:19 a.m. Mary, thank you for making more sense of this than Peyton Manning is able to do. — M.B.

11:18 a.m. Prediction: this is the part where they bring out the guillotines! So metal! — M.B.

11:17 a.m. Les Miz to heavy metal by the band Gojira at the Conciergerie, where Marie Antoinette was held prisoner before her death — as noted by figures of women in the windows, all dressed in red and holding their bewigged-heads. — M.M.

11:15 a.m. This segment is called “Liberty” and begins with … a death metal concert? — M.B.

11:14 a.m. It is hard to keep track of where everything is happening and the NBC commentators are not helping. A big dance number going on the right bank. A guy doing a solo dance number high above the river on a platform that looks very green-screen. But back to cool torch bearer and now, finally, an evocation of Les Miz! WHO IS THE TORCH BEARER??? — M.M.

11:14 a.m. First appearance by Michael Phelps and his manbun! — M.B.

11:13 a.m. I honestly wasn’t expecting that luggage would play such a pivotal role in this event. — M.B.

11:12 a.m. I must say whoever is currently carrying the torch is pretty damn cool and I love the costume. Now running toward the mint where the medals were made. — M.M.

11:08 a.m. Now a group of dancers on scaffolding on Notre Dame honors those working to rebuild it. The torch is now making its way through a Louis Vuitton workshop. — M.M.

11:06 a.m. Following a team of pink-clad can-can dancers! — M.B.

11:05 a.m. The torch is now on a zipline. — M.M.

11:05 a.m. NBC cuts to an interview with Simone Biles’ family. She won’t be participating in the ceremony because she has to rest up — but hey, Snoop Dogg is here! — M.B.

11:04 a.m. It is very chaotic, with the torch now currently doing parkour over Paris and all the boats filling the Seine. Pink appears to be the big color among the crowds lining the banks and I swear I just saw someone in a Joan of Arc costume. Possible? — M.M.

11 a.m. As much as I am enjoying the novelty of this ceremony I am also feeling strangely disoriented about what is going on where. I need a little red dot tracking the parade’s progress on a map of the Seine. Please, help the ignorant Americans process this spectacle! — M.B.

11 a.m. According to NBC, Gaga was singing “Mon Truc En Plume,” a tribute to French dancer and actress Zizi Jeanmaire. — M.M.

10:57 a.m. Gaga emerges from behind pink feather fans to sing “Mon Truc en Plumes” — “My Thing with Feathers” — on a set of steps leading down to the Seine. I’m guessing this is the smallest — yet also the biggest — stage she’s played on in some time. — M.B.

10:50 a.m.: As noted by NBC which is posting [Singing in French] rather than, you know, a translation. Am fairly sure they could have gotten a hold of the lyrics. — M.M.

10:50 a.m. A glimpse of Team USA in their Ralph Lauren blazers. Awaiting Canada in Lululemon. But first, Lady Gaga! — M.M.

10:49 a.m. And now we’ve got our first real performance, and it’s Lady Gaga! Singing in French, no less. — M.B.

10:47 a.m. Excuse me, that was “And Just Like That.” Don’t get it twisted. — M.B.

10:46 a.m. Meredith! So impressed with the “Sex and the City” ref! — M.M.

10:46 a.m. It’s been less than 15 minutes and we’ve already gotten a mention of E. coli levels in the Seine. Thanks, Mike Tirico. — M.B.

10:45 a.m. You gotta love Albania, sending eight athletes. Right behind is Germany with 463. — M.M.

10:44 a.m. Well, Mary, that is one more bridge than I can name. Is that the one with all the locks on it? Or the one where Carrie dumped Big’s ashes? Maybe we should bust out Google maps and make some educated guesses. — M.B.

10:43 a.m. The first few national delegations have arrived via boat. I am suddenly very curious about how they decided which country got which boat and who winds up with the biggest wreck. Time till tell. — M.B.

10:42 a.m. Meredith! The only bridge in Paris I can name is the super fancy one, the Pont Alexandre III. Can you do better or should I start Googling as the teams begin making their way down the Seine? — M.M.

10:41 a.m. Now kids are out on Seine, hooded rower still mysterious but the ceremony has now begun with an explosion of red, white and blue smoke. — M.M.

10:40 a.m. I hope this means a Jean-Luc Godard montage will be forthcoming. — M.B.

10:40 a.m. I nearly made a joke earlier about whether there would be an “Amelie” homage in this ceremony and, lo and behold, the whole things kicks off with a short film in which Jamel Debbouze — the French-Moroccan actor you may recall as “that guy from ‘Amelie’” — passsing off the torch to legendary footballer Zinedine Zidane. — M.B.

10:37 a.m. This Olympic torch-bearing is going full on Hollywood. First, a James Bond-ian race through squares and cafes, and now kids underground in a mysterious boat with alligators? — M.M.

10:33 a.m. May never be able to get over the sight of the beach volleyball court set up in front of Eiffel Tower. For Parisians who have still not gotten over the Louvre Pyramid, this must be a lot. — M.M.

10:30 a.m. Watching the opening ceremony preview, I learn that there will be safety boats available to catch any athletes who fall into the Seine. I really cannot wait to see how this all pans out. As James Cameron can tell you, there are few jobs in showbiz harder than filming something on the water, in a boat. Now try doing it live! To quote Marie Kondo, “I’m so excited because I love mess.” — M.B.

10:19 a.m. Am very grateful that the rail attacks appear to have not caused any deaths or injuries. But let’s have a moment of silence for those Parisians who, like millions of their fellow citizens, are attempting to leave the city only to be stuck at train stations. — M.M.

10:18 a.m. In introducing Peacock’s Gold Zone, Scott Hanson had the first American-horror pronunciation of bonjour. Looking forward to many more as all the commentators deal with the names of iconic Parisian landmarks. — M.M.

10:15 a.m. Hey, Meredith! Super excited to be live-blogging the Paris Olympics opening ceremony with you. Some of the games have already begun — USA women’s soccer scored their first victory yesterday. In preparation for the ceremony’s start at 7:30 p.m. Paris time, 10:30 a.m. Pacific time., several stars, including John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande (in their “Wicked” colors of green and pink), have been making their way down the red carpet. But for me, the real start of the Olympics is the appearance of Mary Carillo, who just gave us a small tutorial and the raising of snails — they’re high in protein! Let the games begin! — Mary McNamara

10:15 a.m. Good morning, Mary! Or should I say bonjour? The Olympics are about to begin and I am on a couch in New York wearing my finest Old Navy athleisure wear. Thousands of miles away in Paris, there are thousands of athletes dressed up in corporate sponsored national regalia and about to board a few hundred boats for what might be the most bonkers, but potentially fantastic, opening ceremony in recent memory. As I read up about artistic director’s Thomas Jolly’s wildly ambitious plans for the event the last few days, I have found myself growing increasingly concerned about the weather forecast today in Paris. (Mercifully, it looks like the rain has stopped.) More worrying are the seemingly coordinated attacks on the several high-speed rail lines, which have hobbled transit across the country and will certainly lend more tension to an event already full of uncertainty. All we really know about the ceremony is that it will use the city of Paris as a rolling backdrop to depict a dozen scenes from French history. What that might actually entail — a cameo for René Descartes? — is anyone’s guess. Mary, what will you be looking out for in today’s coverage? — Meredith Blake