The Opening Ceremony of the Alpine World Ski Championships
The 46th edition of the Alpine World Ski Championships kicks off on Sunday 7 February 2021 from 18.00. Don’t make any other plans! Eyes will be focused 1224 metres above sea level for the opening ceremony of the Alpine World Ski Championships held in the splendid surroundings of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
The event aims to take viewers on an imaginative 75-minute journey through the unparalleled beauty of Italy, the Veneto region and the Dolomites, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. Are you ready to get swept up in the show?
The heart of the opening ceremony
The show will retrace the history of world skiing, highlighting Cortina’s role as the home of winter sports. After all, let’s not forget that the “Queen of the Dolomites” was the first Italian town to host an Olympic event in the winter of 1956. However, not only will we be remembering past, we will also be focusing on the present and looking to the future through the values of sport and culture. Indeed, during the opening ceremony of the Alpine World Ski Championships, the protagonists will not only be the nature of the mountains with their breathtaking landscapes, but also human creativity, which over the centuries has created extraordinary works. And so, in addition to the national landscape and cultural heritage, the event will tell us about two other UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in the Veneto region: the cities of Verona (UNESCO World Heritage since 2000) and Venice (UNESCO World Heritage since 1987).
Venice carnival goes up to an altitude of 1224 metres
From the magical atmosphere of Venice, its famous Carnival will move to the enchanted atmosphere of the snowy landscapes of the Dolomites. The scenery created for the opening ceremony of the Alpine World Ski Championships will therefore see the meeting of Venice and Cortina. The two cities will be represented by actress Beatrice Schiaffino, wearing a sculpture-dress with colours reminiscent of the Venetian lagoon and its reflections (a creation previously worn at the last Venice International Film Festival), and Olympic downhill skiing champion Tina Maze, who will also wear a sculpture-dress created for the occasion by the Venetian Atelier Antonia Sautter. The sartorial work is created to pay homage to the “Queen of the Dolomites” through different materials and colours to recall the landscape of Cortina in all seasons. The addition of marabou stripes along the entire length of the dress will also remind spectators of the snow-capped slopes where the athletes will compete over the following days.
A tribute also to the history of Venice
Although the designer’s splendid creations will not be worn at the annual Ballo del Doge (the event she created in 1994 and described by Vanity Fair as “the most sumptuous, refined and exclusive masked ball in the world”), which has been cancelled due to the public health emergency, they will be shown in all their splendour during the story created for the opening ceremony of the Alpine World Ski Championships. The historical-allegorical parade is intended as a moment to celebrate not only Cortina, but also the 1600 candles that Venice will blow out on 25 March. The event will therefore also see famous Venetian figures from the golden age of La Serenissima, such as the explorer and merchant Marco Polo and the Queen of Cyprus Caterina Corner, come to life.
How to follow the event
The stage is set for a wonderful show that will continue on the ski slopes over the next two weeks from 8 to 16 February with incredible performances by the athletes competing for the world titles.
If you don’t want to miss all the races, download the official Cortina 2021 app and follow the Alpine World Ski Championships.
If you want to carry on your journey through Venice and its surroundings CONTINUE READING OUR BLOG.
