Milano Cortina Opening Ceremony Blends Pageantry And Politics

The 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics opened with a bombastic ceremony directed by Marco Balich, spotlighting Italian arts, performances by Mariah Carey and Pierfrancesco Favino, and commentary from Shaun White. The broadcast juxtaposed theatrical spectacle — oversized props, dance segments and an apparently AI-generated animation — with geopolitical flashpoints, including audible boos for U.S. Vice President JD Vance and references to Gaza and Munich.