2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The 2010 Shanghai Expo opening ceremony (中国2010年上海世界博览会开幕式) occurred on April 30, 2010 at the Shanghai World Expo Cultural Center

Shanghai Arena

The Mercedes-Benz Arena is a new indoor arena, in Shanghai, China. The arena was home to the Expo 2010 Shanghai China venue. The facility seats 18,000 people...

in Shanghai

Shanghai

Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...

, People's Republic of China

People's Republic of China

China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...

, a day before the opening of the Expo 2010

Expo 2010

Expo 2010, officially Expo 2010 Shanghai China was held on both banks of the Huangpu River in the city of Shanghai, China, from May 1 to October 31, 2010. It was a major World Expo in the tradition of international fairs and expositions, the first since 1992...

.The opening ceremony was planned and designed by ECA2`s founder,Yves Pepin.

Pre-ceremony

On April 29, 2010 Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao is the current Paramount Leader of the People's Republic of China. He has held the titles of General Secretary of the Communist Party of China since 2002, President of the People's Republic of China since 2003, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission since 2004, succeeding Jiang...

of the Communist Party of China

Communist Party of China

The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...

sat down with Lien Chan

Lien Chan

Lien Chan is a politician in Taiwan. He was Premier of the Republic of China from 1993 to 1997, Vice President of the Republic of China from 1996 to 2000, and was the Chairman of the Kuomintang from 2000 to 2005...

of the Kuomintang

Kuomintang

The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...

in a pre-expo meeting.

In the morning of April 30, the flags of 189 nations, 57 international organizations, the World expo bureau flag and the Shanghai expo flag were all raised at the expo venues.

Outdoor opening fireworks

The event began at 8:10 pm with a massive river side display of fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...

and lights

Laser lighting display

A laser lighting display or laser light show involves the use of laser light to entertain an audience. A laser light show may consist only of projected laser beams set to music, or may accompany another form of entertainment, typically a dance concert or other musical performance.Laser light is...

Leader entrances

Chinese president Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao

enters Expo Culture center with many world leaders. Twenty foreign heads of state

Head of State

A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...

or government attended the opening ceremony:n President

President of Armenia

President of Armenia is the title of the head of state of Armenia since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.-Democratic Republic of Armenia :*Avetis Aharonyan *Avetik Sahakyan *Avetis Aharonyan -Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic and Armenian...

Serzh Sarkisyan

Serzh Azati Sargsyan is the third President of Armenia. He won the February 2008 presidential election with the backing of the conservative Republican Party of Armenia, a party in which he serves as chairman, and took office in April 2008.-Personal life:...

n Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Cambodia

The Prime Minister of Cambodia , is the head of government of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Prime Minister is appointed by the King under Article 119 of the Constitution and is responsible for leading the government of the Kingdom.-Constitutional powers:The powers of the Prime Minister are established...

Hun Sen

Hun Sen is the current Prime Minister of Cambodia.He has been the sole leader of the Cambodian People's Party , which has governed Cambodia since the Vietnamese-backed overthrow of the Khmer Rouge in 1979...

President Denis Sassou-Nguesso European Commission

European Commission

The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....

President

President of the European Commission

The President of the European Commission is the head of the European Commission ― the executive branch of the :European Union ― the most powerful officeholder in the EU. The President is responsible for allocating portfolios to members of the Commission and can reshuffle or dismiss them if needed...

José Manuel Barroso President Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy

Nicolas Sarkozy is the 23rd and current President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra. He assumed the office on 16 May 2007 after defeating the Socialist Party candidate Ségolène Royal 10 days earlier....

and his wife Carla Bruni

Carla Bruni

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is an Italian-French songwriter, singer, actress, and former model...

ese President Ali Bongo Ondimba Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Kazakhstan

-Chairmen of the Council of People's Commissars:*Viktor Radus-Zenkovich *Mukhamedkhafiy Murzagaliyev *Saken Seyfullin *Nygmet Nurmakov...

Karim Masimovn President Mwai Kibaki

Mwai Kibaki

Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...

Kim Yong Nam, President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of the Democratic People's Republic of Korean President Lee Myung-bak

Lee Myung-bak

Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...

an President Bingu wa Mutharika

Bingu wa Mutharika

Bingu wa Mutharika is a Malawi economist who is President of Malawi. He took office on 24 May 2004 after winning a disputed presidential election...

an President Amadou Toumani Touré

Amadou Toumani Touré

Amadou Toumani Touré is the president of Mali. He overthrew a military ruler, Moussa Traoré in 1991, then handed power to civilian authorities the next year...

President

President of Malta

The President of Malta is the constitutional head of state of Malta.The President is appointed by a resolution of the House of Representatives of Malta for a five year term, taking an oath to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution....

George Abela

George Abela is a Maltese politician who has been President of Malta since April 2009.-Early life:Abela was born in Qormi, Malta, to George and Ludgarda née Debono. He attended the local primary school in Qormi, and the Lyceum in Hamrun. In 1965 he enrolled in the University of Malta, where he...

President Emanuel Morin President

President of Mongolia

The President of Mongolia is the head of state of Mongolia. The Constitution of Mongolia implements a parliamentary system, so while much of the President's role is ceremonial, he or she does wield significant political power.-Election:...

Tsakhia Elbegdorj Prime Minister

Prime Minister of the Netherlands

The Prime Minister of the Netherlands is the chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Netherlands. He is the de facto head of government of the Netherlands and coordinates the policy of the government...

Jan Peter Balkenende

Jan Pieter "Jan Peter" Balkenende is a Dutch politician of the party Christian Democratic Appeal .He was the Prime Minister of the Netherlands from 22 July 2002 until 14 October 2010, having led four coalition governments, cabinets Balkenende I, II, III and IV, none of which served a full...

President Mahmoud Abbas

Mahmoud Abbas

Mahmoud Abbas , also known by the kunya Abu Mazen , has been the Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation since 11 November 2004 and became President of the Palestinian National Authority on 15 January 2005 on the Fatah ticket.Elected to serve until 9 January 2009, he unilaterally...

President James Alix Michel President

President of Turkmenistan

-First Secretaries of the Turkmen Communist Party:*Ivan Mezhlauk *Shaymardan Ibragimov *Nikolay Paskutsky *Grigory Aronshtam...

Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedovese Prime Minister

Prime Minister of Vietnam

-Office:The Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the head of the executive branch of the Vietnamese government. The Prime Minister presides over the Vietnamese cabinet, and is responsible for appointing and supervising ministers...

Nguyen Tan Dung

In addition, speakers of legislative bodies, deputy heads, and ministers of over 20 other countries also attended the opening ceremony. Just a few hours before the opening ceremony, the Maltese President, George Abela

George Abela

suffered from an accident, which left his second Lumbar vertebrae

Lumbar vertebrae

The lumbar vertebrae are the largest segments of the movable part of the vertebral column, and are characterized by the absence of the foramen transversarium within the transverse process, and by the absence of facets on the sides of the body...

slightly damaged. He was taken to the Ruijin Hospital

Ruijin Hospital

Ruijin Hospital is a renowned general hospital in Shanghai, China, with the rank of "Grade 3, Class A ". It is a university hospital affiliated to School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University....

in Shanghai, and therefore couldn't attend the ceremony. Chinese President Hu Jintao

Hu Jintao

paid him a visit at the hospital the following day. Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

and Macau

Macau

Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...

Special administrative region chief exec Donald Tsang

Donald Tsang

Sir Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, GBM, KBE is the current Chief Executive and President of the Executive Council of the Government of Hong Kong....

and Fernando Chui both attended with a group of delegates.

Presentations

The song "Harmonious Gathering" (和谐欢歌) was performed by Hong Kong

Hong Kong

's Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan

Jackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...

and PRC

People's Republic of China

's Song Zuying

Song Zuying

Song Zuying is an ethnic Miao Chinese singer.-Biography:Song was born in Guzhang county, part of a Miao autonomous prefecture in Hunan and studied at the Central Institute for Nationalities in Beijing. Her father died when she was 12, and she is the oldest daughter. In 1991, she joined the Chinese...

. The PRC flag

Flag of the People's Republic of China

The flag of the People's Republic of China is a red field charged in the canton with five golden stars. The design features one large star, with four smaller stars in a semicircle set off towards the fly...

was raised, and the March of the Volunteers

March of the Volunteers

March of the Volunteers is the national anthem of the People's Republic of China , written by the noted poet and playwright Tian Han with music composed by Nie Er. This composition is a musical march...

was played. Then the international bureau exposition flag was raised, and the expo song was played. This was followed by the raising of the Shanghai Expo flag and the playing of the Shanghai Expo song. Then the flag-bearers of 246 participating countries and international organizations paraded out. Wang Qishan

Wang Qishan

Wang Qishan is a politician in the People's Republic of China who currently serves as the Vice-Premier in charge of economic, energy and financial affairs under premier Wen Jiabao. Previously Wang served in regional positions in Hainan and Beijing...

, Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China

Vice Premier of the People's Republic of China

The Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China is a high-ranking executive assistant to the Premier. There is a First-ranking Vice Premier , sometimes called Executive Vice Premier wrongly by the non-official media. It is an informal title and takes over duties of the...

and BIE

Bureau of International Expositions

The International Exhibitions Bureau is an intergovernmental organization created to supervise international exhibitions falling under the jurisdiction of the Convention Relating to International Exhibitions....

president Jean-Pierre Lafon both gave a speech. Hu Jintao then opened up the expo performances with an official statement.

Performances

The first song (相约上海) was sung by PRC's Mao Amin

Mao Amin

Mao Amin , is a Chinese singer known by the "honorific title" of Dajieda , "was one of China's most famous and senior female pop stars" by "the mid-1990s." In 2001, she was one of 36 Chinese athletes and entertainers who were depicted on a series of postage stamps issued "in support of Beijing's...

, Lau Yuan-yuan (刘媛媛) and Taiwan

Taiwan

Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...

's Wakin Chau

Wakin Chau

Wakin Chau is a Hong Kong singer and actor. Chau's popularity has spread throughout Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mainland China, and parts of Southeast Asia. He was known as Emil Chau through the 1980s and 1990s, and by 2000 he reverted to his given name Wakin...

. They were also accompanied by dancers. There were a total of 2,300 performers. An orchestra

Orchestra

An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...

featuring PRC pianist

Pianist

A pianist is a musician who plays the piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an ensemble or orchestra, or accompany one or more singers, solo instrumentalists, or other performers.-Choice of genres:...

Lang Lang

Lang Lang (pianist)

Lang Lang , born June 14, 1982, in Shenyang, Liaoning, China, is a Chinese concert pianist, currently residing in New York, who has performed with leading orchestras in Europe, the United States and his native China. He is increasingly well known around the world for his concert performances,...

played "Jasmine Flower

Mo Li Hua

Mo Li Hua , is a popular Chinese folk song. The song dates to 18th century. In time, many regional variations were created, and the song gained popularity both in China and abroad. It has been used during events such as 2004 Summer Olympics, 2008 Summer Olympics and 2010 Shanghai Expo opening...

", "The Blue Danube

The Blue Danube

The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 , a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866...

", "New Shanghai concerto" (新上海协奏曲), and "Yangtze river

Yangtze River

The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...

song" (长江之歌).

The theme song "Better city, Better life" was followed and sung by United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

's Jonathan Buck

Jon B.

Jon B. is a Grammy nominated American R&B singer and songwriter.-Early life:...

and Siedah Garrett

Siedah Garrett

Siedah Garrett is an American songwriter and singer.-Biography:She appeared as a contestant on Password Plus in 1980.She performed "One Man Woman" on Quincy Jones' Grammy-Award winning "Back on the Block."...

. An instrumental performance of "Brave Bugle" (勇敢的号角) is performed by a New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

troupe (纽西兰毛利艺术团). Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

's Shinji Tanimura

Shinji Tanimura

is a Japanese singer and songwriter.- Biography :In 1971, Tanimura set up the musical group, Alice, along with Takao Horiuchi, and in 1972 produced his first extended play musical album. Two years later, they produced their first album from the musical group...

then perform the song "star" (星).
Afterwards the song "A type of love" (一种爱) was performed by the South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

's Soweto Gospel Choir

Soweto Gospel Choir

-History:The Soweto Gospel Choir was formed in Soweto, South Africa by David Mulovhedzi and Beverly Bryer, two choir directors. The 30+ member ensemble blends elements of African gospel, Negro spirituals, reggae, and American popular music...

. Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

's Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli

Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....

then followed up with a performance of "Nessun dorma

Nessun dorma

Nessun dorma is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot, and is one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung by Calaf, il principe ignoto , who falls in love at first sight with the beautiful but cold Princess Turandot...

".

The expo theme song (致世博) was performed by PRC's Huang Ying (黄英), Liao Chang (廖昌永), Tan Jing (谭晶) and Sun Nan

Sun Nan

Sun Nan born February 18, 1969) is a famous pop singer from mainland China. He is a native of Dalian.He is one of the most popular artists from mainland China.-Career:In the 1990s he was considered a frontline singer in the Beijing music scene...

. Two Tibetan

Tibetan people

The Tibetan people are an ethnic group that is native to Tibet, which is mostly in the People's Republic of China. They number 5.4 million and are the 10th largest ethnic group in the country. Significant Tibetan minorities also live in India, Nepal, and Bhutan...

orphans who survived the earlier 2010 Yushu earthquake

2010 Yushu earthquake

The 2010 Yushu earthquake struck on April 14, 2010, and registered a magnitude of 6.9Mw or 7.1Ms . It originated in Yushu, Qinghai, China, at local time. According to the Xinhua News Agency, 2,698 people have been confirmed dead, 270 missing, and 12,135 injured of which 1,434 are severely injured...

joins the stage.

Fireworks

The 30-minute outdoor ceremony took place along a 3.4-km stretch of the Huangpu river

Huangpu River

The Huangpu River is a -long river in China flowing through Shanghai...

in central Shanghai. It set numerous world record

World record

A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...

s, such as the biggest LED

LEd

LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....

screen, the largest searchlight installation and one of the largest pyrotechnic displays ever created. The outdoor portion was produced by David Atkins

David Atkins

David Atkins, OAM was recognised in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours with a Medal of the Order of Australia for services to the entertainment industry and is Australia’s most awarded producer, choreographer and director, and CEO of David Atkins Enterprises, a major-events production...

enterprise.

Part 1

First music piece was "China welcomes you" (中国欢迎你) accompanied by Spring Festival Overture

Spring Festival Overture

Spring Festival Overture is a Chinese orchestral work composed by Li Huanzhi between 1955 and 1956, depicting the scene when folks in Shanbei region were celebrating the Chinese New Year...

. First music of that piece was "Civilization" (文明之光), followed by "Better City, Better Life" (城市，让生活更美好), followed by "Urban Rhapsody" (都市协奏曲). In this part was included the track "The Dragon" composed by Vangelis

Vangelis

Evangelos Odysseas Papathanassiou is a Greek composer of electronic, progressive, ambient, jazz, pop rock and orchestral music, under the artist name Vangelis...

in his conceptual album China

China

Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...

Part 2

Second piece was "Happy at expo" (欢聚在世博) accompanied by Waltz

Waltz

The waltz is a ballroom and folk dance in time, performed primarily in closed position.- History :There are several references to a sliding or gliding dance,- a waltz, from the 16th century including the representations of the printer H.S. Beheim...

The Blue Danube

The Blue Danube is the common English title of An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314 , a waltz by the Austrian composer Johann Strauss II, composed in 1866...

, Violin concerto

Violin concerto

A violin concerto is a concerto for solo violin and instrumental ensemble, customarily orchestra. Such works have been written since the Baroque period, when the solo concerto form was first developed, up through the present day...

, Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto

Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto

The Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto is one of the most famous works of Chinese music and certainly one of the most famous outside of China. It is an orchestral adaptation of an ancient legend, the Butterfly Lovers...

. First music of that piece was "One World, One Home" (同一世界，同一家园), followed by "Water of Life" (生命之水).

Part 3

Third piece was "World celebrate together"(世界同欢庆) accompanied by the piece (在快速机器上的短暂骑行), "Oh, destiny goddess" (哦！命运女神), Ode to Joy

Ode to Joy

"Ode to Joy" is an ode written in 1785 by the German poet, playwright and historian Friedrich Schiller, enthusiastically celebrating the brotherhood and unity of all mankind...

(欢乐颂), "Night of fire festival" (火把节之夜), "Good beijing news to mountain village" (北京喜讯到山寨), White jasmine

Mo Li Hua

(茉莉花).

Concerts

In a separate concert Song Zuying

Song Zuying

performed with Taiwan

Taiwan

's Jay Chou

Jay Chou

Jay Chou is a Taiwanese musician, singer-songwriter, music and film producer, actor and director who has won the World Music Award four times. In 1998 he was discovered in a talent contest where he displayed his piano and song-writing skills. Over the next two years, he was hired to compose for...

in a celebration of the opening ceremony.

External links

Youtube 1 of 10 CCTV broadcast

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.

Pre-ceremony

Outdoor opening fireworks

Leader entrances

Presentations

Performances

Fireworks

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Concerts

See also

External links