In pics: opening ceremony of Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games

Chinese pianist Lang Lang (L) and Italian opera singer Cecilia Bartoli perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Fireworks illuminate the night sky at the Arco della Pace during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)

Fireworks illuminate the night sky at the Arco della Pace during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Feb. 6, 2026 (Xinhua) -- The cauldron of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games is ignited in Piazza Angelo Dibona in Cortina, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Gang)

The delegation of China parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)

PREDAZZO, Feb. 6, 2026 (Xinhua) -- The delegation of China parades into the Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Predazzo, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Huang Wei)

The delegation of China parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

The delegation of China's Hong Kong parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

The delegation of China parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)

The delegation of China parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)

The delegation of China parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)

Chinese pianist Lang Lang performs during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

This photo taken on Feb. 6, 2026 shows the Olympic rings at the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

The delegation of China parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

This photo taken on Feb. 6, 2026 shows the Olympic rings at the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Vittoria Ceretti hands the Italian national flag over to the Corazzieri during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhang Haofu)

This photo taken on Feb. 6, 2026 shows the Olympic rings at the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy. (Xinhua/Chen Yichen)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Jing)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Wang Kaiyan)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

A flag-raising ceremony is held during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)

This photo taken on Feb. 6, 2026 shows the Arco della Pace during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)

(260207) -- MILAN, Feb. 7, 2026 (Xinhua) -- Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

Fireworks illuminate the night sky at the Arco della Pace during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Wu Wei)

The delegation of China parades into the San Siro Olympic Stadium during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Cheng Min)

Mariah Carey performs during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Li Ming)

Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Lai Xiangdong)

This photo taken on Feb. 6, 2026 shows the Olympic rings at the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)

The Italian national flag is raised during the opening ceremony of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at the San Siro Olympic Stadium in Milan, Italy, Feb. 6, 2026. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)