Ice and fire combine to stir the emotions

Ice and snow elements

Harbin is well known for its ice and snow, but the directorial team transformed the extreme cold into artistic beauty and unleashed the fiery passion of sports, according to Sha Xiaolan, chief director of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.

"We arrived in Harbin half a year ago and conducted in-depth on-site research," said Sha, who was also the mastermind behind the highly acclaimed ceremonies at the 2023 summer edition of the Games in Hangzhou. "Almost every part of the program featured elements of Harbin, starting from the welcome ceremony."

"The opening with the ice lanterns stirred childhood memories, as ice lanterns are familiar to every Harbin resident, along with square paper-cutting and the ice harvesting chant," he said. "The rhythm of the second program transitioned into a graceful ballet, with two Olympic champions embarking on a path to chase their dreams alongside the children."

"The performance venue was originally an exhibition center, so it couldn't support hanging equipment from above, and the floor couldn't accommodate underfloor spaces or the installation of mechanical devices for elevation," said Sha.

"Therefore, we had to give up aerial performances and ground elevation. We designed a highly dynamic screen to display the backgrounds, glasses-free 3D images and stage designs."

"At the moment when the flame was lit, almost everyone's eyes were filled with tears," said Sha. "It presented a perfect performance. In the end, we embraced each other, shouting 'complete success'," he said.