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#London2012 Opening Ceremony

As it happened: The Opening Ceremony of the Games of the XXX Olympiad

  • ROYAL STOPOVER. Torchbearer 170 Wai-Ming Lee passes the Olympic Flame to Torchbearer 171 John Hulse in front of Buckingham Palace in the presence of Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry on the Torch Relay leg through The City of Westminster, United Kingdom, July 26, 2012. Photo courtesy LOCOG

  • FINAL TORCH STOPS. Olympic Gold Medalist rower Torchbearer 011 Matthew Pinsent lights the cauldron with the Olympic Flame on the Royal rowbarge Gloriana as it makes it way down the River Thames towards Tower Bridge in London, United Kingdom, July 27, 2012. Photo courtesy LOCOG

  • ROYAL RIDE. The Olympic Flame on the Royal rowbarge Gloriana as it makes it way down the River Thames towards Tower Bridge during the final day of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay in London, United Kingdom, July 27, 2012. Photo courtesy LOCOG

  • Even before the Opening Ceremony, several events have already started. On Thursday, several football events were already held.

    Then, earlier Friday, the Republic of Korea started the men's archery events with a bang.

    Im Dong-hyun, who is legally blind in one eye, shot a new record of 699, beating his previous 72-arrow mark of 696 in the Archery ranking round at Lord's Cricket Ground, London on Friday, July 28 .

    But he didn't stop there. Read more: Korean archers set first London 2012 world records
  • Excited London prepares to open its Games

    LONDON, United Kingdom - An expectant London prepared Friday, July 27, to launch the Olympic Games with a spectacular opening ceremony in front of a crowd of 80,000 and more than one billion TV viewers.

    After seven years of planning, the Games of the XXX Olympiad - the formal designation for the 2012 Summer Olympics - will officially begin in a gleaming new stadium in a once rundown area of east London with a show devised by "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle.

    Queen Elizabeth II will declare the Games open after a show which Boyle promised would showcase British history as well as the nation's quirky sense of humor.

    More than 120 world leaders are expected to attend the ceremony, while First Lady Michelle Obama will represent the United States alongside a host of celebrities including Angelina Jolie.

    Read more: www.rappler.com
  • Good morning Philippines! Welcome to Rappler's #London2012 #OpeningCeremony LIVE BLOG! scrbliv.me
  • RT @London2012: The #OpeningCeremony prologue is beginning, so we’ll be tweeting along from now. Welcome to #London2012 - enjoy!

  • RT @london2012: Pic: An idyllic scene inside the Stadium. The #OpeningCeremony prologue begins - it's a 'Green and Pleasant Land!'

  • Our first glimpse at the British Meadow Scene that will be set of these Opening Ceremonies.

  • The Olympic Stadium at the Olympic Park in London where the Opening Ceremonies of #London2012 will take place tonight.

  • #London2012 #OpeningCeremony Ten minutes to go! Our live blog: scrbliv.me
  • #OpeningCeremony Big strips of blue fabric made its way over spectators' heads. Audience participation! #London2012

  • Here we go folks. This is it!

  • Excitement mounts as the ceremonies are about to begin! The opening ceremonies are usually the best moment of the Games for athletes.
    Read: www.rappler.com
  • #London2012 "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to London for the Games of the XXX Olympiad!" #OpeningCeremony
  • #London2012 Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins rings Olympic bell, world's largest harmonically tuned bell #OpeningCeremony
  • Children just sung "Jerusalem" inside the stadiym, and "Londonerry Air" from North Ireland. Beautiful. #London2012
  • Children's choirs from across the UK singing: Choir in stadium sings 'Jerusalem'; in Northern Ireland, 'Londonderry Air'; in Scotland, they sing 'Flower of Scotland'; and in Wales, 'Bread of Heaven'
  • Performers dressed as English peasants of old are filling the stadium. Excellent costume design! #London2012 #olympics
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter edited by Michael Josh Villanueva 7/27/2012 8:11:46 PM
  • The countryside theme is reminiscent of a scene from the Lord of the Rings. It really does look like a scene from a movie. #London2012
  • This is Danny Boyle's biggest project yet. Will he be able to pull it off successfully? #London2012 #olympics
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter edited by Michael Josh Villanueva 7/27/2012 8:13:56 PM
  • "Be not afeard: the Isle is full of noises" - Actor Kenneth Branagh (as British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel) quotes Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
  • Industrial revolution in Britain being re-enacted in Danny Boyle's theatric #London2012 #olympics opening. Chilling.
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter 7/27/2012 8:15:19 PM
  • The scene is now called "Pandemonium," symbolizing the role of the UK as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Chimneys, machines, laborers, businessmen replace the idyllic countryside scenes.

  • The Red Arrows fly over the Olympic Stadium in London right before the Opening Ceremonies of the 30th Olympiad. AFP Photo.

  • The beginnings of women's lib are included in Danny Boyle's #London2012 #olympics opening. They didn't leave that out. Amazing.
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter 7/27/2012 8:18:51 PM
  • RT @piersmorgan: I love this already - mainly because it's so British it will be confusing the hell out of the rest of the world. Splend ...
    by natashyagutierrez via twitter 7/27/2012 8:19:31 PM
  • The stadium looks completely diff now from when the opening ceremonies began 20 mins ago. Now in the Industrial Age #London2012 #olympics
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter 7/27/2012 8:21:32 PM
  • A ring of fire, literally, in the middle of the stadium, with actors representing workers in a foundry. Sharing the stadium with the "Pearly Kings and Queens of the East End of London" and yes, actors representing The Beatles!
  • Many mixed reactions already on Twitter. CNN's @HalaGorani likens the serious acting to a "zombie invasion." Others love it. #London2012
    by natashyagutierrez via twitter 7/27/2012 8:22:09 PM
  • 7,000 volunteer performers from all over the world are part of this historic opening. All auditioned for their slot. #London2012 #olympics
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter 7/27/2012 8:22:17 PM
  • #London2012 Now at the stadium: A mix of farmers to laborers to sufragettes to drummers to noblemen - representing periods in British history
  • They rehearsed 284 times and we are seeing the fruits of their hard work now #London2012 #olympics
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter 7/27/2012 8:23:09 PM
  • #London2012 #OpeningCeremony And the fiery metal river becomes the Olympic rings!

  • Olympic rings are forged in the sky.

  • Social media is a BIG part of Olympics 2012. We are all part of it. Nothing separates us. #London2012 #olympics
    by Kai Magsanoc via twitter 7/27/2012 8:26:08 PM
  • RT @London2012: The next section of the Ceremony is called 'Happy and Glorious' - we're about to see a very unique bit of acting #Openin ...
    by natashyagutierrez via twitter 7/27/2012 8:26:44 PM
  • #London2012 Yes. Agent 007 and The Queen. Flying on a helicopter. #OpeningCeremony
  • This next section is called "Happy and Glorious." The helicopter with James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) and The Queen is currently flying over different London sights on its way to the Olympic Stadium.
  • The film Happy & Glorious stars James Bond himself who picks the Queen up from Buckingham Palace and then flies her via chopper to the Olympic Stadium.
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