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London 2012: Isles of Wonder theme for Olympic ceremony London 2012: Isles of Wonder theme for Olympic ceremony
(40 minutes later)
    By Jane Mower and Michael Hirst BBC 2012
Europe's largest bell will ring to start a £27m Olympic opening ceremony inspired by Shakespeare and featuring NHS nurses and 900 local pupils.Europe's largest bell will ring to start a £27m Olympic opening ceremony inspired by Shakespeare and featuring NHS nurses and 900 local pupils.
The show's artistic director, Danny Boyle, said the 'Isles of Wonder' ceremony was inspired by The Tempest.The show's artistic director, Danny Boyle, said the 'Isles of Wonder' ceremony was inspired by The Tempest.
Six months before the performance starts London 2012, the Oscar winner said it would be about a land recovering from its industrial legacy. Six months before the performance kicks off London 2012, the Oscar winner said it would be about a land recovering from its industrial legacy.
One billion people are expected to watch the opening ceremony on 27 July.One billion people are expected to watch the opening ceremony on 27 July.
Boyle, who is best known for directing Oscar-winning movie Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting, said: "We'll be celebrating the whole of the country... there are so many 'Isles of Wonder'". Billy Elliot director Steven Daldry, the executive director the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics, said the task of putting on "the greatest shows on earth" - albeit with a budget of £81m - was enormous.
He said the 27-tonne bell was being cast on Friday at London's Whitechapel Foundry and would be inscribed with a quote from The Tempest's Caliban: "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises". "They will represent one journey to the end of the Paralympics, looking at who we are, who we were and who we would wish to be," he said.
'Be not afeard'
Boyle, who is best known for directing Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire and Trainspotting, said the Isles of Wonder theme captured the essence of Britain.
The stadium's 27-tonne bell was being cast on Friday at London's Whitechapel Foundry, he added, and would be inscribed with a quote from The Tempest's Caliban: "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises".
The bell would hang at one end of the stadium, and Boyle said he wanted people to hear it "for hundreds of years".The bell would hang at one end of the stadium, and Boyle said he wanted people to hear it "for hundreds of years".
Last month Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt defended a doubling of the budget for the Olympic ceremonies to £81m as "an extraordinary business opportunity" likely to attract foreign investment. "We'll be celebrating the whole of the country... there are so many Isles of Wonder," he said.
'Unique spin' With £27m to spend on the opening ceremony - far less than the £65m given to Chinese film director Zhang Yimou for the Beijing 2008 spectacular - Boyle said he would be taking his lead from previous Olympics.
Boyle said a third of this money would be spent on the opening ceremony, far less than the £65m given to Chinese film director Zhang Yimou for the extravaganza that opened Beijing 2008. "You're standing on shoulders of giants - you cannot but live in the shadow of your predecessors," he said.
Speaking about those who have gone before him, Boyle said: "You stand on the shoulders of giants which is your predecessors." He described Beijing's opening ceremony as "extraordinarily, eye-wateringly spectacular" and that of Athens 2004 as "incredibly beautiful". But Boyle said he would be most honoured if his spectacle was compared to the opening of Sydney 2000 - "a wonderful people's Games".
While he said Beijing was "extraordinarily, eye-wateringly spectacular" and Athens was "incredibly beautiful", Boyle said he had been inspired by Sydney 2000 which he described as "a wonderful people's Games." A full dress rehearsal will be held for a capacity crowd of 80,000 in the Olympic Stadium, which will be fitted with a million-watt sound system.
On 27 July, a 50-minute pre-show will start at 12 minutes past eight - 20:12 BST - before the main event kicks off at 21:00 BST with the tolling of the bell. "Children, nurses, and humour"
Before the 20,000-cast event kicks off on 27 July at 21:00 BST, with the tolling of the bell, an Olympic Stadium packed with 80,000 spectators will be entertained by a pre-show that will start at 12 minutes past eight - 20:12 BST.
Some 900 youngsters from the six Olympic host boroughs would be given roles in the opening and closing ceremonies, he added.Some 900 youngsters from the six Olympic host boroughs would be given roles in the opening and closing ceremonies, he added.
A total of 1,650 children from 18 primary and seven secondary schools in east London have been auditioning for the roles in recent weeks.A total of 1,650 children from 18 primary and seven secondary schools in east London have been auditioning for the roles in recent weeks.
Boyle also revealed that nurses would have a starring role in the ceremony sequence because, he said, the NHS is one of things that is "unique about us... along with our sense of humour".Boyle also revealed that nurses would have a starring role in the ceremony sequence because, he said, the NHS is one of things that is "unique about us... along with our sense of humour".
'Fabulous opportunity' While organisers will try to keep some part of the opening ceremony secret, protocol dictates it will include a welcoming of the Queen by IOC and Locog bosses, a parade of athletes, and the ceremonial lighting of the Olympic flame - the culmination of the 70-day Olympic torch relay around the British Isles.
Talking about all four Olympic ceremonies, Stephen Daldry said they were the "greatest shows on earth and the task was enormous." For the opening ceremony Boyle will be collaborating with electronic musical duo Underworld whose 1990s rave classic Born Slippy featured in the gritty blockbuster Trainspotting.
He said they would represent one journey to the end looking at who we are, who we were and who we would wish to be.
All four ceremonies are expected to be watched by four billion people and advertising experts estimate this is worth up to £5bn in airtime exposure.
More detailed information will be released about the artists in April and the content of opening ceremony in June, he added.
For the opening ceremony Boyle will again be collaborating with electronic musical duo Underworld whose 'Born Slippy' featured in Trainspotting.
The pair, who also worked with the director on his acclaimed stage production of Frankenstein last year, have been named musical directors of the three-hour ceremony.The pair, who also worked with the director on his acclaimed stage production of Frankenstein last year, have been named musical directors of the three-hour ceremony.
Some 20,000 performers are being sought for the opening and closing ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The 20,000 performers who will take part in the opening and closing ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be drawn from members of the public and more than 10,000 have already been auditioned.
They will be drawn from members of the public and more than 10,000 have already been auditioned. Both Olympic and Paralympic closing ceremonies will be directed by Kim Gavin, the brains behind Take That's theatrical stadium shows, while artistic directors Bradley Hemmings and Jenny Sealey will be behind the opening of the Paralympics.
Michelle from Essex said: "I am one of the performers in the opening ceremony and really excited about it. Looking forward to rehearsals starting. Can't tell you what we're doing though - I love surprises, don't you?" The ceremonies are expected to be watched by four billion people, which advertising experts estimate is worth up to £5bn in airtime exposure.
'Weight of responsibility'
On a tour of the park after the official announcements, London 2012 Chief Executive Paul Deighton said he was hopeful the Orbit Tower would be finished by 1 May in time for test events.
He said: "We want it to be one of the things that people come to London and say they've visited. It's idiosyncratic but people are intrigued by it. They think 'Wow! That's quite something'. The capacity will be about 500 people."
A double-sided screen will also be erected on barge on the river running through the Olympic Park for 10,000 fans to watch ongoing sports.
Speaking earlier on Friday about the challenges that lay ahead in the next six months, London 2012 Chairman Seb Coe said it was a fabulous opportunity but a "heavy weight of responsibility".Speaking earlier on Friday about the challenges that lay ahead in the next six months, London 2012 Chairman Seb Coe said it was a fabulous opportunity but a "heavy weight of responsibility".
Mr Deighton said it would be all about attention to detail as well as building the excitement and helping people to be a part of what will be "the greatest thing this city has seen in their lifetimes". Locog Chairman Paul Deighton said it would be all about attention to detail as well as building the excitement and helping people to be a part of what will be "the greatest thing this city has seen in their lifetimes".
A ceremony was also held marking the handover of the Athletes' Village, on the Olympic Park in Stratford, from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to Locog. Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt, meanwhile, defended last month's doubling of the ceremonies' budget to £81m, saying the Games represented "an extraordinary business opportunity" likely to attract foreign investment.
Friday also saw an event to mark the handover of the Olympic Park's Athletes' Village from the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) to Locog.
The 2,818 flats will now be fitted out to cater for 16,000 athletes and officials from 200 countries.The 2,818 flats will now be fitted out to cater for 16,000 athletes and officials from 200 countries.