One of the most lasting images of the Closing Ceremony came during a dramatic segment imagining a world without the Olympic Games, as pianist Alain Roche played a vertically suspended piano, dressed in a coat made from recycled VHS tapes, while French tenor Benjamin Bernheim performed “Hymn to Apollo.”
Below, acrobats and breakdancers portrayed “archaeologists” searching for the lost rings, while the Golden Voyager—who first appeared in sensational fashion during the Opening Ceremony—soared above the Stade de France, symbolizing hope and rediscovery.
The moment combined striking visuals, powerful music, and inventive storytelling to stunning effect.