Italy to say ‘arrivederci’ with closing ceremony in ancient Verona Arena
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The Italian hosts will formally hand over to the French Alps, the venue for the next Winter Games in 2030.
PHOTO: REUTERS
VERONA – Italy will bring down the curtain on two weeks of scintillating Olympic sporting action
The show, scheduled for 8.30pm local time (3.30am Singapore time), is entitled Beauty in Action, and will feature leading Italian ballet dancer Roberto Bolle and celebrate Italian art as well as sporting achievement.
With the Olympic medals won and lost, the tone is expected to be more relaxed and free-wheeling than the opening ceremony.
Italian singer Achille Lauro and DJ and producer Gabry Ponte will be there to get the party going while Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be among the crowd.
The ceremony is being held in an open-air Roman amphitheatre renowned for staging opera and pop concerts in the heart of the northern Italian city made famous as the setting for William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet.
Tickets were priced from €950 euros (S$1,418) to a top level of €2,900. The weather has been kind, with no rain forecast.
The Games, co-hosted by Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, have been hailed a success by new International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, and the mood has been lifted by a record medal haul for the Italians.
However, protesters opposed to staging the Games are expected to demonstrate close to the Arena on Feb 22.
Positive feedback
The Games have followed a new blueprint, with sporting events spread over a wide area of northern Italy. Feedback from athletes has been positive.
“I would say ... to Italy, I think that they did an absolutely fantastic job hosting the Olympics,” said US freestyle skier Christopher Lillis, praising the venues, the food and the friendly atmosphere.
“So I want to give a huge shout-out to them, because hosting the Olympics is no easy feat,” added Mr Lillis, who won a gold in the mixed team aerials event in the mountain town of Livigno.
Global political tensions surfaced at the opening ceremony in Milan’s San Siro stadium when US Vice-President J.D. Vance was jeered and the Israeli team drew a smattering of boos. Olympic cauldrons have burned in co-hosts Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo since the Games opened on Feb 6.
These will be extinguished on Feb 22 but reignited for the Paralympics which run from March 6 to March 15.
The Italian hosts will formally hand over to the French Alps, the venue for the next Winter Games in 2030. REUTERS
