Oly: Birch awards gold to Athens opener

AAP General News (Australia)
08-14-2004
Oly: Birch awards gold to Athens opener

ATHENS, Aug 14 AAP - The Athens Olympic opening ceremony has received the nod of approval
from a world champion among artistic directors - Australian Ric Birch.

Birch, creator of the opening ceremonies in Los Angeles, Barcelona and Sydney, was
in Athens to witness the work of his successor, Greek Dimitris Papaioannou.

And he left impressed.

"I thought he did a wonderful job," said Birch, after commentating for Channel Seven.

Athens put on a breathtaking ceremony that brought the myths of ancient Greece to life
through the magic of 21st century technology.

After Sydney's 2000 opening spectacular, Athens artistic director Papaioannou had a
hard act to follow.

"I was enormously impressed by the ceremony because it had been a hard place to start
from for Dimitris," said Birch.

"He told me a few years ago that (the opening ceremony in) Sydney made it very difficult for him.

"So he went in a different direction.

"He used one-sixth of the performers we used in Sydney and instead used more technology
to achieve the result.

"I'm sure this ceremony, he designed as a series of visuals.

"This was reflected in the historical nature of the ceremony."

For once, Birch was able to relax at an Olympic opening ceremony.

"It was great being able to sit back and watch for a change."

AAP mo/sp

KEYWORD: OLY CEREMONY BIRCH

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