Over 30,000 spectators inside the newly redeveloped Alexander Stadium, the main venue of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and millions of audiences across the world watched an amazing presentation of the opening ceremony staged on Thursday evening.
The Games officially got underway with an opening ceremony celebrating the history and culture of the Midlands with a mix of dancing, singing and acting. The ceremony has officially opened the games at the Alexander Stadium.
It was real excitement and there was also a real buzz for Birmingham 2022 all around the city when the countdown was over on Thursday evening with Duran Duran, the pop group performing on the same bill as fellow local musician Tony Lommi of Black Sabbath and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) at the packed up Stadium just after the announcement of the Games.
Following the national anthem of England, there was a tremendous show to tribute Shakespeare, who hails from Warwickshire county of Birmingham, gratified the opening ceremony.
Rich programming and curatorial threads celebrated the voices, culture and talent of the West Midlands that was the heart of the Opening Ceremony, in a show where the audiences saw themselves represented.
The Ceremony comprised some of the finest world-class talents who’ve delivered major global events and have come together to present this landmark production.
The narrative of the Opening Ceremony explores the rich and diverse history, culture and identity of Birmingham and the West Midlands.
Through this experience, Stella learns she too can overcome her own fears of the new, the unknown and the unexpected. Let’s not forget our guardians of history, the Bards of Birmingham, including Samuel Johnson and Edward Elgar, who we see introduce Stella and The Dreamers to the city’s past and present.
In our two and a half hour Opening Ceremony, we tell the story of Stella and The Dreamers, a group of young athletes from around the Commonwealth who explore Birmingham’s history and represent a better, brighter future for us all.
The Ceremony was works of a brilliant art 12 special exceptional performances, Stella and The Dreams, Drone Union Jack shot made up of over 72 cars on the field of play, The Arrival of His Royal Highness, The Raging Bull Ginny Lemon travel in a lemon hot air balloon across the stadium, Giant puppets depict cultural figures from across the West Midlands, Team England Baton bearers (final Baton bearer is Denise Lewis), The Athletes Parade, His Royal Highness declares Birmingham 2022 open with a message from Her Majesty The Queen, Duran Duran presentation and finally Fireworks.
Singer Simon Le Bon played the homecoming gig, Peaky Blinders director Steven Knight executed to produce the event.
This major event opened the doors on the largest sporting event held in the UK since the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympic Games while this big show will be a major moment of pride in Birmingham and pride in Britain, as a world leader in contemporary culture and sport.
This Opening Ceremony to Birmingham 2022 is the next blockbuster in the major year of sport and culture - the curtain-raiser for an incredible 10 days of sports.
The Games is a momentous event for the great city of Birmingham when Duran Duran are part to glorify and boost up the excitement of the sports extravaganza that ’Tell Birmingham's story.
Also on the night, Grammy-winning guitarist Iommi and saxophonist Soweto Kinch led a dream sequence ‘Hear my Voice’, based on the title track from 2020 film Trial of the Chicago Seven, re-imagined by Birmingham-born R&B vocalists Indigo Marshall and Gambimi when Mezzo-soprano Samantha Oxborough, a graduate of The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire took the prestigious role of performing the National Anthem for the United Kingdom as part of the formal opening of the Games
Theatre producer Iqbal Khan guided the artistic direction for the vibrant and colorful opening ceremony as Birmingham turned on the world stage as they threw the doors wide open for welcoming the Commonwealth, celebrating the people and creativity that make this incredible city, through art, ideas, and innovation.
Meanwhile, spectators gathered around the venue (Alexander Stadium) for some four hours to watch the vivid opening ceremony from the gallery live.
The CGF deserve credits for a great presentation of organizing the mega sports event while the sports authority of Birmingham is looking forward to bidding to be the hosts of the Olympic Games 2036 or 2040, as most of their infrastructures are good enough to host different events prepared for the ongoing Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.