Monday, August 25, 2008

Singer Lewis, guitarist Page perform at closing ceremony

Singer Leona Lewis and guitarist Jimmy Page perform on a bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.


Singer Leona Lewis performs on a bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.


Photo taken on Aug. 24, 2008 shows the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China.


Singer Leona Lewis performs on a bus during the eight-minute performance prepared by London, host city of the next summer Olympic Games in 2012, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Last medals of Beijing Olympics awarded to winners of men's marathon

The last three medals of the Beijing Olympic Games were awarded to winners of men's marathon at the Games' closing ceremony staged in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing on Sunday night.

Gold medalist Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya , silver medalist Jaouad Gharib of Morocco and bronze medalist Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia stand on the podium at the awarding ceremony of men's marathon during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Gold medalist Sammy Wanjiru of Kenya , silver medalist Jaouad Gharib of Morocco and bronze medalist Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia stand on the podium at the awarding ceremony of men's marathon during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
The gold, silver and bronze went to Samuel Kamau Wansiru of Kenya, Jaouad Gharib of Morocco, and Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia respectively.

Source: Xinhua

Badminton champion Zhang Ning carries Chinese flag at closing ceremony

Double Olympic badminton gold medalist Zhang Ning carried the flag of the Chinese delegation at the closing ceremony of the Beijing Games on Sunday.


Double Olympic badminton gold medalist Zhang Ning carries the flag of the Chinese delegation at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Chinese national flag is ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.
Zhang, 33, defeated fellow Chinese and world number one Xie Xingfang last Saturday to successfully defend the women's singles title she won in Athens four years ago.

Zhang becomes the oldest woman to win the Olympic title in the sport.

Source: Xinhua

World athletes at Games' closing ceremony

World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


Members of the Canadian Olympic Delegation enter the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


Members of the Canadian Olympic Delegation enter the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


Members of the Canadian Olympic Delegation enter the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, during the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


Some members of Chile Olympic delegation take photos at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


Chinese basketball players pose for group photo in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.


World athletes that competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and the flags of the 204 participating delegations are ushered into the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in Beijing, capital of China, on Aug. 24, 2008.

Beijing passes Olympic host baton to London

Beijing passed its Olympic host baton to London, host city of the 2012 Olympic Games, on Sunday night, as Mayor Guo Jinlong handed over the Olympic flag to his London counterpart Boris Johnson via International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, in north Beijing.


London Mayor Boris Johnson holds the Olympic flag at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.

Rogge just declared the Beijing Olympic Games closed.

Source: xinhua

Beijing bids farewell to Olympic flame

After 16 days of burning in the National Stadium in north Beijing, the sacred flame of the Beijing Olympics was doused on Sunday night, after the Games were declared closed by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge and the Olympic flag passed to London, host city of the 2012 Games.


The sacred flame of the Beijing Olympics is doused at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
Fireworks and spectacular lighting kicked off the two-hour extravaganza Sunday night, summing up the glee and passion the games brought to Beijing.

Thousands of athletes marched into the National Stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, waving their arms and flags, snapping photos of each other, hugging, and basking in the cheers of an ecstatic capacity of fans.

At around 9:20 p.m., an airport flight schedule appeared on the large screen of the Bird's Nest, setting a scene of departure. Three athletes stepped on a boarding ladder truck with the logo of Beijing Olympics, located on the side of the stadium, waving hands to the crowd and saying goodbye to Beijing.

With tears in their eyes, they turned around atop the ladder, taking out an exquisite painting scroll and slowly unfolding it.

All of a sudden, the vertical circle wall on the top of the Bird's Nest turned into a red track, projecting the most unique and spectacular scenes of the 17-day Olympic Games in the passionate far-reaching music.

Meanwhile, two "sports sculpture" performers started to show various athletic gestures on a huge mechanic "memory tower" rising at the center of the stadium.

Under the watch of over 100,000 spectators and athletes, the Olympic cauldron atop the Bird's Nest, imprinted with patterns of auspicious clouds and wrapped in a red spiral strip that appears like an extension of the "scroll", slowly folded and diminished, marking an end of the 17-day feast.

In the meantime, to the roars from people packing the stands and thousands of athletes on the field, a huge "holy flame" was lit at the center of the field when 396 performers simulated the flame with their bodies on the five-story "memory tower".

The actors displayed all kinds of gestures in unprecedented all-directional space, turning the "memory tower" into a huge "holy flame", which conveyed to the whole world the ever-lasting Olympic spirit of man's pursuit of "Higher, Faster and Stronger".

Highlighting the whole closing ceremony, the show symbolized the holy flame would remain burning forever in people's hearts.

At the center of the stage, 16 yarn strips dotted with lucky clouds rose along the "memory tower" at the stage and extended towards the sky, forming a lucky cloud tree symbolizing friendship and joy.

"It's marvelous indeed. Beijing leaves an unforgettable memory to the world," said Fabian Tetelbozm from the Terra Networks of Argentina.

Singers took the stage afterwards and volleys of fireworks again lit up the sky, igniting the passion for the carnival.

The cauldron of the Beijing Games was ignited on Aug. 8 by former gymnastics star Li Ning at the opening ceremony. The triple gold medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Games, who is now a successful entrepreneur, took a stunt-like and painstaking journey around the top of the stadium, before setting ablaze the giant cauldron.

Source: Xinhua

Domingo and Chinese singer Song perform together at Beijing Olympics closing

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo and Chinese top female singer Song Zuying jointly presented a song entitled "The Flame of Love" at Sunday's Beijing Olympics closing ceremony, echoing the tender theme song "You and Me" at the opening ceremony.


Chinese soprano Song Zuying and Spanish tenor Placido Dominggo perform at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games closing ceremony held in the National Stadium, or the Bird's Nest, Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 24, 2008.
"Tonight I will walk to your side/ I will fly with you/ With you soaring through the sky." The romantic and emotional lyrics alternated between Chinese and English reminded the 90,000 audience in the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest.

The Beijing Olympic Games theme song "You and Me" also comprises lines in both languages and was jointly performed by Chinese pop singer Liu Huan and British soprano Sarah Brightman.

Lasting about five minutes with twenty-two lines, "The Flame of Love" eulogizes the passion in love and "beautiful and boundless romance", with a flowing melody and exquisite lyrics.

"The Flame of Love" lauds the common love of the human being that goes beyond the boundary of nationality and civilization and "lights the fire in the heart" of all people alike, continuing the leitmotif of harmony and unity of the whole world enshrined in the theme song, but in a more passionate way.

When the emotional music was played, the whole stadium was lit into romance. Luminous props in the hands of more than 90,000 audience moved rhythmically.

The lyrics were created by Chinese writers Song Xiaoming and Yuan Yuan. While the music was produced by Chinese top composer Bian Liunian and Klaus Badelt of Germany, who co-produced the score to Hollywood box office hit "Gladiator".

Spanish operatic tenor Placido Domingo, born in 1941, is well known for his versatile and strong voice. Possessing a ringing and dramatic tone throughout its range, he is hailed as one of the world's three top class tenors, with Luciano Pavarotti, who died with cancer in 2007 and Jose Carreras, who also hails from Spain.

In 1968, Domingo's performance in the opera Adriana Lecouvreur, staged in New York Metropolitan Opera, was a great success. In 1974 and 1975, Domingo sang the role of Othello in Othello and the role of Aragon in Sicilian Vespers, two most difficult tenor roles in Verdi's operas.

Song Zuying, one of the best female singers in China and also bearer of the Beijing Olympic torch relay, was born in Guzhang County, Hunan Province in August 1966.

Song has won numerous prizes of various competitions for vocal music and performed in Europe, Australia, the United States, Canada and southeast Asia. In 2006, her CD "The Diva Goes to the Movies: A Centennial Celebration of Chinese Film Song" was nominated for the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in the category of Best Classical Crossover Album.

Source: Xinhua