MARIAH CAREY TO PERFORM ITALIAN SONG AT WINTER OLYMPICS OPENING CEREMONY

ROME, Jan 21 (Bernama-dpa) -- Pop star Mariah Carey is to perform "a beautiful song in Italian" at the opening ceremony for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, said creative director Marco Balich, reported German Press Agency (dpa).

"She will enchant many of us," Balich said.

Carey, a five-time Grammy Award winner, had her participation at the opening ceremony confirmed last month, and organisers are counting on a line-up of prominent guests for the show on February 6.

In addition to Carey, Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and singer Laura Pausini have already been announced. Further guests also include actors Pierfrancesco Favino, Sabrina Impacciatore, and Matilda De Angelis.

Balich stressed, however, that "the real stars of the ceremony are the athletes."

Under the motto "Armonia" (harmony), the Milano-Cortina 2026 opening ceremony will take place at four different venues of the Games.

The heart of the show will be the San Siro Stadium in Milan. However, there will also be simultaneous ceremonies in Predazzo, Livigno, and Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The Olympic flame will also follow this concept and will burn in two cauldrons at different locations, Balich explained.

One will be installed in the Arco della Pace in the centre of Milan, the other in Cortina on Piazza Angelo Dibona.

The design of the cauldron is a tribute to Leonardo da Vinci and recalls his famous Knots, the line patterns that are found in his paintings.

From February 7 until the Olympic Flame is extinguished on February 22, the cauldron at the Arco della Pace in Milano will be at the heart of a daily event.

The show will last between three and five minutes and will take place on the hour, every hour, from 5.00 pm to 11.00 pm (1600 GMT to 2200 GMT), open to citizens and visitors. 

--BERNAMA-dpa