Who will perform at the 2010 ceremony?

[metroXpress]

Just an interesting thought...let's have SSP members come up with a list of names who you think is most likely going to perform at the Winter Olympics in 2010.

Then, we can post a poll and vote to see who wins!


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Since Bruce Allen is on the team, I think of:

Céline Dion
Michael Bublé
Sarah McLachlan
Bryan Adams

....three of them are Metro Vancouver locals

[twoNeurons]

Cirque will perform. That's almost without question.

[Overground]

I'm thinking Michael Bublé will for sure. I'd be shocked if he wasn't involve in some capacity.

[red-paladin]

I would expect David Foster would perform too.

[mr.x]

Every Canadian artist has set their February 2010 schedule to revolve around the Olympics. They want to be part of the action, and there is definitely a lot of talent needed:

- Opening & Closing Ceremonies
- Nightly Victory Ceremony performances at both BC Place AND Whistler
- Nightly concerts at the massive Yaletown and Beatty Live Site concert stages



Céline Dion, Michael Bublé, Sarah McLachlan, and Bryan Adams are all probably a shoe-in for performances in the opening or closing ceremonies. You could probably add in KD Lang and Anne Murray.

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

I would expect David Foster would perform too.

I hope he writes the songs again....like the one for 1996.

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by Overground

I'm thinking Michael Bublé will for sure. I'd be shocked if he wasn't involve in some capacity.

Esp. when he is releasing a new album this October...

He just released a new single two days ago.

Best of all, he grew up in Burnaby/Vancouver...

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Allen

I hope he writes the songs again....like the one for 1996.

God no, I'd like to have some new [good] talent write our song(s) instead.

[metroXpress]

^ lol, I think he can still come up with somthing good..

[Distill3d]

Foster did come up with the 1988 Olympic song for Calgary. I think it could be pretty much given that he'd have something to do with the games this time around.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

Foster did come up with the 1988 Olympic song for Calgary. I think it could be pretty much given that he'd have something to do with the games this time around.

Canadian composer Foster excluded from 2010
Updated: Tue Nov. 25 2008 11:18:39
The Canadian Press

Multiple Grammy award-winning music producer and Victoria, B.C. native David Foster won't be composing the music for the 2010 Olympic Games.

Foster, who has produced work for music heavyweights Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, says he has not been approached by the Vancouver Olympic Organizing Committee (VANOC).

He says that with just over a year before the Games begin, it's probably too late now.

Of Foster's 15 Grammy awards, three were for producer of the year and he says asking for his help "seems like a no-brainer."

But Foster says there is plenty of other Canadian talent to choose from and he believes those making the decisions may have some other plan.

Foster wrote the theme for the 1988 Calgary Olympics and co-wrote `The Power of the Dream,' the official song of the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.

The award winner was a keyboardist for the pop group Skylark during the 1970's. He has produced debut albums for Josh Groban and Canadian crooner Michael Buble under his record label, 143 records.

Foster's home life was also featured in a Fox network reality show called The Princes of Malibu, in which he tries to force his two spoiled stepsons to earn their own way.




David Atkins is probably picking the composers.

[wrenegade]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

Cirque will perform. That's almost without question.

I was under the impression that Cirque will definitely NOT perform. They were approached about taking part in the ceremonies but demanded total creative control on the whole thing, which wasn't going to happen, so they said they were out. Wasn't this talked about here over a year ago? I remember seeing a news article of some sort about it too.

I would love to be proved wrong though, I think Cirque is fantastic.

[johnjimbc]

Regarding Cirque, I was always curious about that. But I never really got the impression they would have NO part of the ceremonies at all. The message I got from the articles / reports at the time was that they would not be involved with the overall planning and creation of the opening ceremonies. They either wanted to control the whole design concept or didn't really want to be part of that effort. They didn't want to be part of a "team" creating the opening ceremonies.

It may sound like a finessed interpretation, but a creative group could still "perform" as part of the ceremonies . . . and might even be given leeway to design a portion without actually being the director and designer of the entire production. For example, they could be given reign to "create a 5-minute segment to interpret the 'Canadian spirit of discovery' or 'the origin of sport'" (or some such creative mumbo-jumbo ), but have nothing to do with creating the "list of overall themes" to be presented during the ceremonies.

All of which is to say I never really got the impression they were refusing to play any part. They just made it clear they weren't going to plan the overall ceremonies unless they had full creative control. There is a difference between that and taking part.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by awvan

I was under the impression that Cirque will definitely NOT perform. They were approached about taking part in the ceremonies but demanded total creative control on the whole thing, which wasn't going to happen, so they said they were out. Wasn't this talked about here over a year ago? I remember seeing a news article of some sort about it too.

I would love to be proved wrong though, I think Cirque is fantastic.

That's exactly how it went down, Cirque wanted total creative control and VANOC obviously couldn't give it to them.

Mind you, our handover in Torino was a Cirque production....after the public uproar, even the Premier himself, VANOC definitely had some second thoughts about any Cirque involvement. Their shows involve a lot of abstract symbolism....the fisherman pulling out the fish out of the ice and the ice cracking subsequently in our Torino presentation was suppose to represent a new dawn and age for Canada....as if anyone got that.

[johnjimbc]

So is my interpretation wrong, Mr X, or do you just think awvan's understanding was correct?

I don't care either way. I'd like the clarification as well. I just can't tell if you're comment is stating an opinion, or you have clear information that no cirque performers will play any part in the ceremonies.

The funny thing about the explanation of the Torino uproar is many times the Opening Ceremonies are totally abstract. I somewhat hope it isn't too literal. What, we're going to show people climbing styrofoam mountains to indicate westward expansion? .

What normally happens is all the media have the "script" to explain to the audience what each segment is. I think that was the biggest issue with the Torino experience. The Canadian part was just tossed out there without anyone offering an interpretation of what was happening and what it represented.

I didn't think it was that good either, but I remember thinking at the time that someone really ought to be explaining what we were watching.

[mr.x]

^ foreigners around the world loved our handover though. They thought it was fun and lighthearted, compared to the bore-fest that was the Torino closing.

Handovers are usually controversial to the host nation, as organizers have so little time to put on their show - so it usually involves putting on stereotypes.

And yes, awvan was correct.

[johnjimbc]

Thanks, X. That's a shame. I had always hoped Cirque was still open to taking part or providing artists for some part of the performance even if they didn't design the overall ceremony. My interpretation must have been wishful thinking.

[ozonemania]

In no way being disrespectful of David Foster (he has done alot for Canadians and Canadian culture), but I think he's just too close to the 'pulse' of mainstream Americana to produce something that is congruent with the VANOC's marketing vision. I'm making a whole lot of assumptions here but if the 2010 is suppose to be all about young, hip, fresh, ecological, enviornmental, socially responsible, connectedness, iPod generation interactiveness, multicultural, open, global village, playful and fun, David Foster's anthems of tear-jerking, chest-thumping, grandeur in reverie doesn't seem to quite fit. (Okay the chest thumping part is from enduring watching Celine Dion's music videos ad nauseum circa Titanic, but you get the picture).

The Cirque concept would be more in line, but that they would require full production control to me sounds quite absurd. That sort of arrogance doesn't sit well with me.

My fear is that whoever designs these ceremonies just will not be able to produce something that can appeal to a global audence. A ceremony that can transcend stereotypes and regional aesthetics. It's a hard nut to crack, for sure.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by ozonemania

In no way being disrespectful of David Foster (he has done alot for Canadians and Canadian culture), but I think he's just too close to the 'pulse' of mainstream Americana to produce something that is congruent with the VANOC's marketing vision. I'm making a whole lot of assumptions here but if the 2010 is suppose to be all about young, hip, fresh, ecological, enviornmental, socially responsible, connectedness, iPod generation interactiveness, multicultural, open, global village, playful and fun, David Foster's anthems of tear-jerking, chest-thumping, grandeur in reverie doesn't seem to quite fit. (Okay the chest thumping part is from enduring watching Celine Dion's music videos ad nauseum circa Titanic, but you get the picture).

The Cirque concept would be more in line, but that they would require full production control to me sounds quite absurd. That sort of arrogance doesn't sit well with me.

My fear is that whoever designs these ceremonies just will not be able to produce something that can appeal to a global audence. A ceremony that can transcend stereotypes and regional aesthetics. It's a hard nut to crack, for sure.

David Atkins of Australia is in charge of our ceremonies, and he's quite well qualified to put on amazing ceremonies with a resume that includes being responsible for Sydney 2000 and Doha 2006.

Both ceremonies are some of the best ceremonies ever.



The first 7 minutes of Sydney's opening gives me goosebumps, it's awe inspiringly beautiful...the whole ceremony was amazing
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And then there's Doha 2006, which had ceremonies that cost more than Beijing's
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The Vancouver 2010 opening/closing would be on the scale of Sydney's ceremonies....though with much less performers.

[windscar]

I certainly would love to see the RCMP's Musical Ride in the opening, though whatever its going to be, it will be a 1000x's times better to see it in person then on TV, can't wait .