The Picture Show


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Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics kicked off in Milan on Friday evening, local time. Athletes representing over 90 countries march into the San Siro stadium filled with thousands of spectators during the opening ceremony in Milan.

Lindsey Vonn competes during the Women's Downhill event of FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup in Tarvisio, Italy, on Jan. 17.

2026 Milan Cortina Olympics

What to watch at the 2026 Olympics

The performance paid homage to Italian music, art and culture with tributes to composers, visual artists and films in a colorful spectacle. Performers included Italian actress Matilda De Angelis, American singer Mariah Carey, Italian singer Andrea Bocelli, Italian rapper Ghali and Italian ballet dancers Antonella Albano and Claudio Coviello, among dozens of other dancers.

Here is a selection of images from the opening ceremony:

Italian ballet dancers Antonella Albano and Claudio Coviello dressed as angels in all white perform with at least a dozen dancer behind them during the opening ceremony.

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Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images

Colorful dancers perform under large tubes of paint suspended above them during the opening ceremony.

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Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images

Italian actress Matilda De Angelis (center) performs as a conductor, dressed in a black gown and holding a large baton, with dancers dressed as the three great masters of Italian opera Giuseppe Verdi, Giacomo Puccini and Gioachino Rossini, who are wearing giant heads and holding books of sheet music.

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Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

Mariah Carey sings during the opening ceremony. She is wearing a white and silver sparkly gown with white feathers.

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Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images

Dozens of performers dressed in colors of the Italian flag: red, white and green, line up during the opening ceremony.

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Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

Members of The Corazzieri, the Italian Corps of Cuirassiers, raise the Italian flag during the opening ceremony.

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Wang Zhao/AFP via Getty Images

Two performers are suspended between two large rings.

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Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

The Olympic Rings are revealed above dancers during the opening ceremony

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Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

Greece's flag bearer Nefeli Tita and about 10 other athletes representing Greece parade during the opening ceremony. The athletes are wearing white winter coats and light blue pants and matching winter hats.

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Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty Images

Dozens of Canadian athletes march into the stadium. They are wearing brown jackets with a large red maple leaf, brown pants and red hats.

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Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

Colombia's flag bearer Fredrik Fodstad parades during the opening ceremony. He is wearing a winter jacket with a bright and dark green triangle pattern and a striped wide brim hat.

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Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty Images

A tight photo of a South Korean athlete holding the country's flag with two fellow athletes behind. They are wearing white winter jackets with red and blue stripe design and white winter hats.

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Cameron Spencer/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

An aerial view of the athletes parading into the San Siro stadium.

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Antonin Thuillier/AFP via Getty Images

Athletes of Team Haiti arrive during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games in Livigno. (Photo by / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

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Cameron Spencer/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Italy's flag bearers Arianna Fontana and Federico Pellegrino parade with other athletes.

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Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

USA's flag bearer Erin Jackson parades with other athletes at the San Siro stadium. The athletes are wearing white jackets with white pants and red, white and blue knit sweaters and matching hats.

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Piero Cruciatti/AFP via Getty Images

Italian rapper Ghali (center) performs during the opening ceremony.

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Gabriel Bouys/AFP via Getty Images

A general view of the Olympic flame in the Olympic cauldron designed by Marco Balich next to the Arco della Pace monument in Milan.

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Julien De Rosa/AFP via Getty Images

Sloats Milo and Tina, Paralympics and Olympics mascots, dance before the Olympic opening ceremony.

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Ben Curtis/AP



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