Don't expect the Opening Ceremony at the Rio Olympics to match the grandeur of some in the past. He created, directed and produced the opening for the Torino Winter Games and served as executive producer of the closing ceremony in Sochi and the Paralympics there in 2014. "This is not an opulent show compared to London or compared to Beijing, but it will be a very emotional ceremony, full of heart and very graceful." Marco Balich, the Italian executive producer, would not disclose finer details ahead of Friday's opener, but offered broad strokes on how the host country's heritage will be honored. "This is not the most grand show," he said Monday from Rio, though he wouldn't disclose how much money he had to spend.

Source: New Zealand Herald August 02, 2016 14:26 UTC