Let the Games Begin

The opening ceremony of the Milan Cortina Olympics in Italy has begun. The pomp includes tributes to da Vinci and Dante, Puccini and Pausini, Armani and Fellini, pasta and vino, and other iconic tastes of Italian culture, plus Mariah Carey hitting all the high notes in "Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu," aka "Volare," per the AP. The ceremony marks the return of the Games to a nation that last hosted them 20 years ago. This, though, is the most spread-out Winter Games in history, with competition venues dotting an area of about 8,500 square miles, roughly the size of the entire state of New Jersey.

One symbol of how far-flung things are this time: Instead of the usual single cauldron that is lit and burns throughout the Olympics, there will be two, both intended as an homage to Leonardo da Vinci's geometric studies. One is in Milan, 2½ miles from the main hub in San Siro, and the other is 250 miles away in Cortina. For good measure, the Feb. 22 closing ceremony will be held in yet another locale, Verona, where Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet was set. On hand for Friday's opening is US Vice President JD Vance.