2000 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony
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| Date | 19:00, 15 September 2000 (AEDST, UTC+11) |
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| Location | Sydney, Australia |
| Coordinates | 33°50′50″S 151°03′48″E / 33.84722°S 151.06333°ECoordinates: 33°50′50″S 151°03′48″E / 33.84722°S 151.06333°E |
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The opening ceremony of the 2000 Summer Olympic games took place on Friday 15 September in Stadium Australia. As mandated by the Olympic Charter, the proceedings combined the formal and ceremonial opening of this international sporting event, including welcoming speeches, hoisting of the flags and the parade of athletes, with an artistic spectacle to showcase the host nation’s culture and history. For Sydney 2000, the Games were formally opened by Governor-General Sir William Deane. The ceremony was described by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch as the most beautiful ceremony the world has ever seen. It also represented several highlights of Australian culture and history, from sea creatures and flora/fauna to lawn mowers and other Australian cultural icons. The Opening Ceremony had a cast of 12,687 people who took part in the ceremony. Consistent with normal major production management, the music was pre-recorded under studio conditions to ensure its quality.
Hosted by Channel Seven's Sports Commentator David Fordham and Channel Seven's newsreader Chris Bath, while seven months pregnant with her first child, live on stage in the stadium. Featured various performances, including "Waltzing Matilda" with John Williamson.
The Opening Ceremony began with a tribute to the heritage of the , with the arrival of a lone rider, Steve Jefferys, whose Australian Stock Horse, Ammo, reared. Steve Jefferys then cracked his stockwhip and a further 120 riders and their Stock Horses entered the Stadium and performed intricate steps, including forming the five Olympic Rings, to the music of Bruce Rowland who composed a special Olympics version of the main theme which he had composed for the 1982 film The Man from Snowy River. A giant banner, painted by Sydney artist Ken Done, said "G'Day" to the world.
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