Major Lazer — Italy throws farewell party, passes Olympic torch to France
The Milan Cortina Olympics ended Sunday as the twin flames in co-host cities Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo were extinguished during a closing ceremony inside the ancient Verona Arena, roughly mid-distance between the far-flung mountain, valley and city venues that made these the most spread-out Winter Games ever. Major Lazer
Closing ceremony staged in Verona Arena
The 2½-hour ceremony in Verona opened with a whimsical tribute to Italian lyric opera, with a stage director rousing a cast that included Achille Lauro and long-dormant opera characters tucked away in crates within the amphitheater's tunnels. On stage, Madama Butterfly in a bright pink and green costume and Aida in golden tiers were unpacked from mirrored crates while 17th century musicians played "Libiamo ne' lieti calici" from "La Traviata, " a nod to the Arena's long history as the venue for a summer opera festival.
Gabry Ponte, Achille Lauro and a 1, 500-athlete dance moment
The closing ceremony paid tribute to Italian dance and music — from lyric opera to Italian pop of the 20th century to the DJ beat of Gabry Ponte, who got the 1, 500 athletes on their feet and dancing while color confetti exploded on stage. Italian Achille Lauro delivered the last word with the song "Incoscienti Giovani, " or reckless young people, just before athletes filed out of the Arena.
Major Lazer appears in the program headings
Internationally acclaimed ballet dancer Roberto Bolle made his first-ever aerial performance inside a blazing ring meant to represent the sun; he was lowered to a stage that mimicked the Venetian lagoon, replete with gondolas, where he danced to a haunting song by Italian singer Joan Thiele. Opera characters, led by the jester Rigoletto, later spilled out into the piazza where they mixed with bemused athletes who served as flag-bearers and who pulled out phones to film the spectacle.
Medal count, events and handover to France
Over 17 days of competition, a total of 116 medal events were held in eight Olympic sports across 16 disciplines, including the debut of ski mountaineering, and the final events wrapped up just hours before the ceremony. With the final results in, the 50-kilometer mass start men's and women's cross-country medals were awarded by International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry inside the Arena, and Coventry told local organizers they "delivered a new kind of winter Games and you set a new, very high standard for the future. " The next Winter Games will be held in neighboring France, which received the Olympic flag in the official handover earlier in the ceremony; organizers said the 2030 Winter Games will stage events in the Alps and Nice while speedskating will be held either in Italy or the Netherlands.
Italy sets new Winter Olympic record
Host Italy won its highest Winter Olympic tally ever with 30 medals — 10 gold, six silver and 14 bronze — crushing the previous record of 20 set at the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994. Giovanni Malagò, the president of the Milan Cortina Foundation, told the Italian athletes sitting behind him wearing headbands emblazoned with "Italia" that their "outstanding performance united Italians everywhere and played a fundamental role in the success of the games. "
A short, separate note in the event listing shows a broadcast clip: P. K. Subban discusses the impact of Sidney Crosby's absence after Canada's gold medal loss to Team USA. (1: 20)
The Olympic flame, encased in a Venetian glass vessel, was carried into the Arena by Italian gold medalists from the 1994 Lillehammer Games. The Olympic rin unclear in the provided context
Recovery and transition work will follow the formal handover: France now holds the Olympic flag and officials have said the 2030 staging will mirror the spread-out model used in these Games, with events in the Alps and Nice and speedskating placement still to be decided between Italy and the Netherlands. Major Lazer
