or1980v2pt1

The Opening Ceremony and Closing
Ceremony, essential elements of the
Games, provide a good opportunity for
demonstrating the basic Olympic ideals
and principles.
The OCOG-80 strove to stage the
two official ceremonies in a way that
would embody Olympic continuity and
would harmonise with the spirit of the
times, and reflect the multi-faceted life
and culture of the Soviet people.
The preparatory work and the staging
of the two ceremonies was entrusted
to the OCOG-80's Department
of the Olympic Torch relay and Opening
and Closing Ceremonies. One of the
Department's initial top priority jobs
was the drafting of scenarios. It involved
in this work well-known Soviet
artistes and physical education and
sports figures with experience in staging
gala performances and sports
pageants.
In drafting the scenarios they drew a
clear distinction between the official
(protocol) section of the ceremonies,
which was to take place in strict
conformity with the Olympic Charter,
and the pageant.
The scenarios were completed in
June 1979 and were approved soon
280
after by the Organising Committee
Presidium and then by the IOC Executive
Board.
The Department of Olympic Torch
Relay and Opening and Closing Ceremonies
set up a production and direction
group headed by Professor Joseph
Tumanov, People's Artist of the USSR
and USSR State Prize Winner, to
translate the scenarios into reality.
Assistant Professor B. N. Petrov,
People's Artist of the RSFSR and
Merited Coach of the RSFSR, was
appointed chief director of the sports
section of the ceremonies; People's
Artist of the USSR Odissei Dimitriadi
was named chief conductor; People's
Artist of the USSR and Leninist Komsomol
Prize Winner Mikhail Godenko
was named chief ballet-master;
People's Artist of the USSR Vladislav
Sokolov, USSR State Prize Winner, was
appointed chief choirmaster; Raphael
Kazachek was named chief artiste.
A Directorate of the Opening and
Closing Ceremonies of the Games was
organised by the Department in 1979 to
handle material and technical facilities,
select participants and arrange rehearsals.