2014 Olympics: Opening ceremony

Hong Kong’s in the house. Flag bearer speed skater Lui Pan-To Barton leads his national delegation at the 2014 opening ceremony.  (Andrej Isakovic / AFP/Getty Images)

An elegant ballet was performed among tall columns during the opening to the Winter Games.   (Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Actors perform as characters from the time of Peter the Great during the opening ceremony of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.   (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Dancers Danila Korsuntsev and Svetlana Zakharova perform during the “War and Peace” segment of the opening ceremony entertainment.   (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

The Olympic mascots on skates, skis and snowboard.  (Tatyana Zenkovich / EPA)

Large helium inflatables are part of a colorful set at Fisht Olympic Stadium.   (Tatyana Zenkovich / EPA)

USA enters the Olympic stadium led by Nordic combined skier Todd Lodwick.  (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Switzerland’s team makes its entrance in Sochi.  (David J. Phillip / Associated Press)

Members of the Italian team party as they enter the stadium for the opening ceremony.   (Patrick Semansky / Associated Press)

Panagiota Tsakiri of Greece carries her country’s flag during the opening ceremony in Sochi.   (Matt Dunham / Associated Press)

Brazil’s team, with flag bearer Jaqueline Mourao, makes its Olympic march.   (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

Poland enters the opening ceremony venue in Sochi. Flag bearer is Dawid Kupczyk.  (ANATOLY MALTSEV / EPA)

Slovenia’s team is led by ice hockey player Tomaz Razingar.  (Paul Gilham / Getty Images)

Bobsledder Hanna Emilie Marien carries the flag for the Belgian team.   (Mark Humphrey / Associated Press)

Bulgaria’s flag bearer, alpine skier Maria Kirkova, leads her national delegation during the opening ceremony.  (Andrej Isakovic / AFP/Getty Images)

Skier Maria Hoefl-Riesch leads the German team into the stadium in their rainbow-colored outfits at the Olympics opening ceremony.   (Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images)

Short track speed skater Jon Eley of the Britain Olympic team carries his country’s flag at Fisht Olympic Stadium.  (Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Team Italy, with luger Armin Zoeggeler carrying the flag, enters the stadium.  (Anatoly Maltsev / EPA)

The Austrian team enters Fisht Olympic Stadium in Sochi, Russia.  (Damien Meyer / AFP/Getty Images)

Australia’s athletes march into Fisht Olympic Stadium.  (Andrei Isakovic / AFP/Getty Images)

Platforms floated above the Olympic stadium, showing different landscapes of Russia.  (Barbara Walton / EPA)