2008 Beijing Games opening ceremony
Fireworks light the National Stadium during Olympics opening ceremony Friday night in Beijing.
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Lopez Lomong carries the flag in front of a cheerful yet subdued contingent of U.S. athletes.
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The Lakers’
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Chinese table tennis star Sun Jin Fang carries the torch past other athletes during the opening ceremony.
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Entertainers perform during the ceremony.
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A scroll is raised in the middle of the Bird’s Nest, as Beijing’s National Stadium is called.
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Fireworks light the National Stadium.
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Performers raise a show of color during the opening ceremony.
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Costumed performers are a whirl of action at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.
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Hundreds of performers salute the crowd during the opening ceremony for the
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Drummers stand at attention at the kickoff of the 2008 Bejing Olympics.
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Drummers perform during the opening ceremony. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Performers in lighted suits create an oceanic image at the opening ceremony at the Beijing National Stadium.
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Suspended by wires, Li Ning delivers the flame that lights the Olympic torch.
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Entertainers are suspended in the air by cables and climb a globe during the opening ceremony.
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Fireworks light the sky over the National Aquatics Center and the National Stadium during the opening ceremony for the Beijing
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China’s National Aquatics Center, also known as the “Water Cube,” is seen less than a hour from the start of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Summer Games.
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The Olympic rings appear electric during the opening ceremony at National Stadium in Beijing.
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A panoramic view of drummers performing during the opening ceremony in Beijing.
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Fireworks create a brilliant sight during the opening ceremony.
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Soldiers stand at attention during the opening ceremony. The three-hour show at Beijing’s iconic “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium is set to see more than 15,000 performers showcase the nation’s ancient history and its rise as a modern power.
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Drummers take their positions for the opening ceremony at National Stadium. (Adam Pretty / Getty Images)
The drummers’ opening ceremony performance. (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)
An artist looks like a shiny puppet during an opening ceremony performance. (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)
Artists don dramatic headdresses during the opening ceremony. (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)
Fireworks light up Beijing’s night sky during the opening ceremony. (Behrouz Mehri AFP/Getty Images)
The Olympic rings are illuminated. (Alexander Hassenstein Bongarts / Getty Images)
A Chinese performer creates atmosphere with colorful scarves during the ceremony. (Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)
Using a little imagination, a viewer might think the opening ceremony, at one point, resembled a birthday cake with candles. (Mike Hewitt / Getty Images)
A “sailboat” performance. (Mike Hewitt / Getty Images)
Performers glow and sparkle. (Mike Hewitt / Getty Images)
A nod to tradition and history. (Mike Hewitt / Getty Images)
One of many regal moments. (William West AFP/Getty Images)
A young dancer is suspended in air. (Streeter Lecka / Getty Images)
Performers create a striking sea image. (Jewel Samad AFP/Getty Images)
Performers walk around a floating sphere. (Luca Bruno / Associated Press)
A dramatic dance and musical performance. (Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)
Performers dance on a white paper sheet representing “papermaking” during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games in the National Stadium. More than 15,000 performers showcased the nation’s ancient history and its rise as a modern power. (Nicolas Asfouri AFP/Getty Images)
Illuminated dancers perform during the opening ceremony. (Adam Pretty / Getty Images)
A spacesuited performer inside the National Stadium during the opening ceremony. (Vladimir Rys Bongarts/Getty Images)
Fireworks explode over China’s National Stadium, also known as the “bird’s nest,” during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. (Alexander F. Yuan / Associated Press)