page_title: 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
section_title: Nature
hierarchical_section_title: 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony / Countdown / Nature
caption_attribution_description: High angle view down onto the Sydney Olympic Stadium floor as thousands of performers take part in the opening ceremonies for the 2000 Olympic games before an audience of 110,000 on September 15th, 2000.
context_page_description: The opening ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympic Games took place on Friday 15 September in Stadium Australia. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings combined the formal and ceremonial opening of this international sporting event, including welcoming speeches, hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes, with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation's culture and history. For Sydney 2000, the Games were formally opened by Governor-General Sir William Deane. The ceremony was described by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch as the most beautiful ceremony the world has ever seen. It also represented several highlights of Australian culture and history, from sea creatures and flora/fauna to lawn mowers and other Australian cultural icons. The Opening Ceremony had a cast of 12,687 people who took part in the ceremony. Consistent with normal major production management, the music was pre-recorded under studio conditions to ensure its quality.
context_section_description: The Nature segment showcased the Australian outback, wildlife and flora. It began with various fire performers (jugglers, breathers) moving across the stadium floor, symbolising the advance of a bushfire. In the aftermath, performers representing the flora stir as the land is replenished with water and life. The stadium floor is filled with performers dressed in costumes representing various flowers including Australia's distinctive wild flowers such as the Golden Wattle (Australia's national flower), the Waratah (State flower of NSW), the Sturt's Desert Pea, Water Lilies and Eucalypt flowers. The fauna, which were represented by 7 large paintings by Jeffrey Sammuels, were then revealed, depicting the indigenous animal life in Australia. The dream-like music heard during this sequence was composed and conducted by Australian composer, Chong Lim. The flowers once more were illuminated before moving out of the stadium. 
  Segment Director: Peter Wilson
  Designer: Eamon D'Arcy
  Choreographer: Doug Jack
  Charting Choreographer: Jason Olthoff
  Artwork Graphic Design: Jeffrey Samuels
  Fire credits: 
  Segment Director: David Atkins
  Choreographer: Jason Coleman
  Costume Designers: Paula Ryan, Michael Wilkinson
caption: The Nature segment
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