1996 Atlanta Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics were held in Atlanta, Georgia (USA). The opening ceremonies for the Olympics were choreographed by Kenny Ortega.
The show portrayed a construction of the Temple of Zeus to pay tribute to the athletes and Goddesses of Victory of the Ancient Greek Olympics using silhouettes. The song "The Power of the Dream", composed by Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and David Foster, with words by Linda Thompson was performed in the opening ceremony by Céline Dion accompanied by Foster and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Centennial Choir. Gladys Knight sang "Georgia on My Mind", Georgia’s official state song. Another highlight was Mohammed Ali lighting the Olympic Torch.
The opening ceremonies for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta drew the largest U.S. television audience (39.7 million viewers) of any recent Summer Games.
