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Universiade Opening Ceremony in Final Sprint
It took 18 months and cost 3.7 millions US dollars to prepare the opening ceremony of the 21st World University Games, organizers said in Beijing on August 20.
"We laid out a plan for the ceremony in April, 2000, and officially started the preparation in October," said Sun Piping, a choreographer of the opening and closing ceremonies.
"We want to show a new image of Beijing and help the world better understand the Chinese capital," added Sun, who was chief director of the ceremonies of the Far East and South Pacific Games held here in 1994.
Wang Wei, a dancing professor and assistant director in Zhang Yimao's opera "Durandot" which played in the Forbidden City last year, took the role as chief arts director for the University Games ceremonies.
The rehearsals of the opening ceremony, involving over 11,000 people including a marching band of 800 from four foreign countries, have totaled about 1,000 hours, according to Sun Piping.
"We see the opening ceremony a happy gathering of world youth," said Sun.
The opening ceremony of the World University Games will kick off at 2000 local time (1200 GMT) Wednesday at the Beijing Workers' Stadium.
"We hope you will see the best opening ceremony in the Games' history," Sun said.
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