Paris 2024: behind the scenes preparation for the opening ceremony

Thomas Jolly, artistic director of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies, and Thierry Reboul, director of ceremonies, are the architects of the opening ceremony. They have just finished writing it. The spectacle is taking shape: three hours of festivities on the Seine, mixing nautical parade and artistic performance. Music, cinema and gastronomy will be in the spotlight. The first sets are under construction, and castings are being prepared.

Rehearsals away from view

The first rehearsals are planned for March, on a nautical base or in hangars, out of sight. Fewer than ten people know the entire show and the content of the ten or so artistic paintings scattered along the route. The technical and artistic teams also sweep away the pitfalls to avoid, planning for the worst without ever talking about plan B. In six months, 200 boats will be before the eyes of more than a billion curious people.