Highlights of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

The Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro officially kicked off after a lavish opening ceremony that took place on Friday evening. It was a celebration of Brazilian culture with a bright light show, carnival-style dancing and the pride of Brazil, supermodel Gisele Bundchen.

The ceremony cost ten times less than the opening of the 2012 Olympics in London, and critics called it boring. Others were angry at the authorities for spending so much money on the Olympics, despite the economic crisis in Brazil, which has worsened in the last few years.

Despite the protests outside the Maracana Stadium, where the opening ceremony took place, and despite the discontent that the stadium with a capacity of 80 thousand people was filled by less than two-thirds, the mood in Rio could hardly be called festive, and this can be seen from the bright photos.

(38 photos in total)

Source: Daily Mail

Brazilian marathon runner Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima lights the Olympic flame.

Fireworks during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Fireworks marked the culmination of the ceremony and the official start of the main sporting event of the year.

With the help of fireworks, Olympic rings were painted.

People watch the fireworks from the favela of Mangueira, which offers a great view of the Maracana Stadium.

The audience at the opening ceremony.

Olympic rings from seedling boxes.

Samba dancers demonstrate their talents.

The dancers prepared elaborate and bizarre costumes for the ceremony.

Members of various samba schools with their flags enter the arena of the Maracana Stadium.

Together they created a real kaleidoscope of colors.

A dance procession in the rain of colorful confetti.

Another samba school with its own flag.

Top view of the procession of samba schools at the opening ceremony.

Dance and light show.

The cauldron with the Olympic flame burns brightly during the opening ceremony.

Pita Nicholas Taufatofua, the flag bearer of Tonga, who received a standing ovation during the opening ceremony and has already conquered social networks with his revealing costume.

The Brazilian national team with its flag.

Bright colorful outfits can be seen from the front under the dark blue jackets of Brazilian athletes.

South Korean athletes march with their flag.

The Spanish national team.

The Australian national team.

The US national team.

Parade of national teams.

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen surrounded by the audience.

The British national team.

The Indonesian national team in bright costumes with intricate patterns.

The Cameroonian team in costumes with national ornaments.

The German national team.

The Canadian national team.

Most of the funds were spent on fancy light projections for the opening ceremony show.

With their help, the stadium was turned into the lower tier of the jungle, where dancers in costumes of Brazilian Indians performed a choreographic number.