American pop diva Mariah Carey helped get the… party started on Friday (Feb. 6) as the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics presented a unique opening ceremony that combined elements from the two co-host cities, seeking to capture both the urban and mountain life of Italy.

Carey performed the 1950s Italian song “Nel blu, dipinto di blu” (“In blue, painted in blue”) with its famous refrain “Volare” (“To fly”), drawing cheers at Milan’s San Siro stadium.

US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were among those in attendance at the iconic soccer stadium. Italian President Sergio Matarella was introduced to the audience via video, in which the 84-year-old was seen riding through the city on one of Milan’s historic trams.

The early parts of the ceremony also included a tribute to the late Italian fashion designer Giorgio Armani, who was based in Milan and passed away last September.

Co-organizer Cortina d’Abejo had her own supporting role in the celebrations, from more than 400 kilometers away in the mountains, in a spectacle called “Armonia” (“Harmony”), which is expected to attract a huge global TV and online audience. In Cortina there was some confusion about access.

Loredana Vido, from Padova, owner of a second home in Cortina, was blocked at the start of Corso Italia, the city’s main street, Reuters reported, and said: “We were not informed that everything would be closed. We were told that the entrance would be free.”
They didn’t tell us that everything was closed.

Athletes also wrestled in the mountain resorts of Livigno and Prentazzo, in Games that span 22,000 square kilometres.

The ceremony celebrates the diversity of Italian life, from cosmopolitan Milan to the smaller mountain towns in the Alps that host the outdoor events of the Games, which run until February 22.

Some in Cortina said they were pleased to participate in the event without having to travel to Milan and back.

“Would I have liked to have been at the full ceremony? Kind of yes. Am I happy not to have to spend 10 hours on a bus that day? Yes,” said Austin Florian, a member of the U.S. skeleton team.

For the first time, two Olympic altars, one of the symbols of the Games, will be lit simultaneously and remain lit throughout – one at the Arch of Peace (Arco della Pace) in Milan and the other at Piazza Dibona in Cortina.

Alberto Toba and Deborah Compagnoni, two of Italy’s most successful alpine skiers, are reportedly the people who will have the honour of lighting the Olympic altars, but the names of the participants and the format of the ceremony have not been officially announced.

A series of demonstrations took place on Friday (6/2), with more planned for the weekend (7-8/2), in Italy’s financial capital, in opposition to the presence of analysts from an agency under the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

More local issues, such as the closure of schools and roads in the city, have also upset some Milan residents. Milan enjoyed a sunny afternoon, and the mood outside the stadium was festive as the crowd grew.

David Arwood, 59, of Washington, D.C., who was watching his fifth opening ceremony, did not expect the political controversy to spoil the celebration.

“The Olympics always reflect what’s going on in the world,” said Arwood, who wore accessory glasses with the five Olympic rings.

“But I think once the Games start, people tend to forget most of that. There’s controversy before, but once the ceremony starts, once the athletes come in, I think everyone feels a spirit of camaraderie,” he added.