Italy goes all out

TORINO, Italy — The Olympic flame burned bright above the Stadio Olimpico, ignited by the torch borne into the stadium by Alberto Tomba, Italy's former version of American skier Bode Miller.

Below in the stadium, a sea of spectators wearing white pullover ponchos designed to give the feel of a snow-covered field sat chilled and ready for the end of Friday night's three-hour-long opening ceremony.

But there was still a huge black curtain hung across the stage and a sense that there was something else, something not yet said, just one more thing that would stamp these Olympics definitely Italian.

Slowly the black panels of "the greatest curtain ever sewn" parted, and there standing center stage, in a long black robe and wearing his signature tux, stood the most Italian of Italians, Luciano Pavarotti.

That the organizers would use the famous tenor might have been an attempt to make clear the message that these are the Games of a country steeped in culture and history.

Because while the show was dazzling, and followed a theme that moved from a celebration of the Olympic Games to a history and celebration of Italian culture, a sort of Dante to Space Age complete with a bright red Formula One race car spinning 360s on stage, it left many wondering exactly what they had just watched.

It didn't help that right there before the Olympic flag was carried in, Yoko Ono, John Lennon's widow, was presented to give a speech on peace.

Yoko Ono?!

No matter.

As Olympic openings go, Torino's lived up to the promise of any opening ceremony. It was colorful and entertaining, a majestic introduction of the 2,500 athletes from around the world who will spend the next two weeks competing in this Northern Italian city nestled against the Alps.

"This was amazing!" U.S. short track speedskater Anthony Lobello, of Tallahassee, Fla., said of his first opening ceremony experience. "This was more than I ever imagined the opening ceremonies to be. It's greater than portrayed on television."

Lobello was one of more than 200 Americans who were led into the stadium by five-time Olympic speedskater Chris Witty of West Allis, Wis., who ushered the white leather jacket, red beret-wearing U.S. athletes into the stadium as the flag bearer.

"Torino is the third Games in which I marched in the opening ceremonies, and it'll be most meaningful," she said.