I didn't watch the Closing Ceremony as it was being broadcast because I was busy travelling back from Grim-Up-North. But I had set my Sky+ to record it. Partly for Plácido and partly for the London 2012 Handover thing. Apropos the Handover, I thought it was okay, nothing remarkable, but far better than I had believed it would be based on what I had read in the newspapers. I have nothing but distaste for Boris Johnson as a politician, and I have neither faith nor trust in his abilities to govern London, especially in this unique period in London history*. However, who can totally dislike a bloke who comes up with a slogan of 'Ping-pong's Coming Home'
As for Plácido, I didn't get to fully appreciate the performance on the first time of watching because of the commentary from next to me on the sofa
He's looking better than ever, the b******. Every time I see him he looks younger. I'll have some of what he's on. Oh, that woman he's singing with is really ugly,isn't she. And he's surrounded by women, the creep. No doubt they're all vestal virgins. Oh yes,he knows how to do it, creep.
All good-natured, I stress. I did try the 'that's the same stadium that Paula (Ratcliffe) limped bravely into' but that didn't work. Paula's been dumped. It's all Rebecca Adlington now (you can imagine Jimmy's admiration for anyone who gets a pub named after her - at 19).
Seriously, I thought the performance was very pleasant, but I didn't especially go for the song. Multiple subsequent hearings haven't really improved it. Pleasant and inconsequential. It isn't an ideal setting to appreciate a performance, so it was a very poor substitute, not only for seeing him live, obviously, but also to broadcasts/DVDs of concerts, let alone operas. But he did look bloody good, despite the fact that he only had one button unfastened on the shirt.
The Flame of Love - from Hong Kong Tv, I think. Includes subtitles in English and Chinese**
And a brief news clip
Lots of stuff in online sources in many languages. One Spanish source made some reference to Madrid's bid for 2016 (he was involved in their unsuccesful bid for 2012). Australian Live News described the performance as 'bring(ing) the house down'. Some background - not really fact-checked! - at China News. And an amusing brief commentary Placido Domingo vs Ming the Merciless - Beijing Olympics Closing Ceremony BBC1 (actually it's a bloody good blog - check out the posts on Maestro; like me,they're backing Goldie with more than a nod to Sue)
* we got the 1908 Games at short notice; they were due to be in Rome, but Vesuvius erupted in 1906 and money needed to be diverted to rebuild Naples. We got 1948 after the War and it was all done in a hurry and Austerity.
** I know I am revealingmy linguistic ignorance by even writing that; I know enough to know it's wrong but insufficient to get it right...
