In French, the word for stage, scene, sounds exactly like the name of the river that runs through Paris. The Seine... If Jolly pulls it off, this will be the first time an opening ceremony is unfurled outside the secure confines of a stadium.
For the past two years, the river has become his workroom, offering challenges unknown to most theater directors: currents and wind tunnels, a vulnerable fish hatchery... Also required: regular check-ins with the French president and Paris mayor.
As artistic director of all four Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies, he also has perks most directors could only dream of: a budget of nearly $150 million and more... He can also expect a live audience of half a million and 1.5 billion spectators on television.
The Seine has not seen such a celebration in 285 years, since King Louis XV celebrated the marriage of his daughter to the prince of Spain.
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