The opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Olympics had a little bit of everything. There was no shortage of pomp. There was abundant circumstance. There were approximately 3,000 athletes from more than 80 countries. There was even an apparent lighting malfunction involving the iconic interlocking Olympic rings.
From the traditional "Parade of Nations" and the complex dance and music program dreamed up by the creative director Konstantin Ernst, to the lighting of the Olympic cauldron by Russian sports icons Vladislav Tretiak and Irina Rodnina, here are the most captivating images from the opening ceremony:
From the traditional "Parade of Nations" and the complex dance and music program dreamed up by the creative director Konstantin Ernst, to the lighting of the Olympic cauldron by Russian sports icons Vladislav Tretiak and Irina Rodnina, here are the most captivating images from the opening ceremony:
