Montreal 1976 Olympics - Opening Ceremony Highlighhts

The Games of the XXI Olympiad took place between July 17 and August 1, 1976.
The Opening Ceremony was held at the spectacular Montreal Olympic Stadium. 92 countries participated.
Following the idea of "Love", th flame was lit by a couple composed by Stéphane Préfontaine and Sandra Henderson.

[@taharchaib4714]

The Queen inaugurated the games in French !!!!!!!

[@m.boivin8671]

Le français est la langue des Olympiades, selon la volonté de Pierre de Coubertin, initiateur des Olympiades de l'ère moderne. Don't you know that ?

[@nabilinho8936]

@@m.boivin8671 non C'est parce qu'elle se trouvait à Montréal ella a honoré la langue officielle du Québec. En plus elle a appris le français dans son enfance.

[@m.boivin8671]

​@@nabilinho8936 Ça n'a rien à voir avec la langue officielle du Québec à l'époque. Si vous suivez les cérémonies d'ouverture des Olympiades dans quelque pays hôtes que ce soit, le français est en usage, selon la volonté de Pierre de Coubertin, fondateur des jeux olympiques modernes. Effectivement, Élizabeth II parle aussi français et a des connaisances d'autres langues, tels l'allemand, l'italien, l'espagnol, entre autres.

[@nabilinho8936]

@@m.boivin8671 Vas-y on arrête à Tokyo s'était en japonais et à Munich c'était en allemand

[@iansavard4489]

@@m.boivin8671 Sa Majesté l’a inauguré ici en français pour honorer le peuple Québecois :)

[@ChristiDiscipulus]

It was very considerate of Her Majesty to speak in french

[@ifeeltiredsleepy]

The Queen and Prince Charles always speak in French when on official duties in Canada as it is tradition for all top government officials in Canada to make statements and speeches bilingually. I don't think her grandchildren can speak French though.

[@clement2780]

I would hope if china hosts olympics in southern provinces i hope that their provincial languages would be honoured the same way French is recognized in quebec, catalan in catalonia, welsh in wales, gaelic in scotland, etc. Whether sardinian, occitan provencal, bavarian , etc should get such treatment is up for discussion. If just accents or local mutually intelligible versions of the main language no, if educated people do not speak the national tongue then yes the principal provincial language, not necessarily the local village language should be recognized. .

[@lawest1]

Prince William spoke perfect French in Québec City a couple years back.

[@junjunagbayani4792]

I believe it has something to do with Montreal being in Quebec, a mostly-French speaking area of Canada. But yes, it was beautiful.

[@robinchase2141]

She was probably thinking about her safety. If she didn't speak in French in Montreal, she would have insulted a lot of people.

[@westboy84]

They used to play this version of "O Canada" in the mornings at my high school...despite the sounds quality, still my favourite arrangement...much more dramatic.

[@dominiquehouleemc1044]

Arranged by the great and unique Vic Vogel. Lets never forget this genius!

[@ctalcantara1700]

@@dominiquehouleemc1044 Ah yes, Vic Vogel arranged by the music for the 76 Olympics base on the music of great Quebec composer Andre Mathieu.

[@dominiquehouleemc1044]

@@ctalcantara1700 Yes, I know all about it, he was my husband then. ;-)

[@sevillesimon]

@Roodosutaa The Queen learned French whilst a youngster. As Canada is pat of her dominion, and she has made numerous visits to this bilingual country, she has delivered many speeches in both English and French, or a combination of both.

[@m.boivin8671]

Le français est la langue des Olympiades, selon la volonté de Pierre de Coubertin, initiateur des Olympiades de l'ère moderne. Don't you know that ?

[@strike1977]

Although I am Australian, but the version of, 'O Canada' at Montreal was fantastic and intense! I hope they play this similar score at the 2010 Vancouver Games!

[@DeLorean4]

Montréal was seriously one of the most kick ass cities in the world from the late 60s through the 1970s. Then the bills came arrived...

[@Larrymh07]

@96horseluvr Yes, you're right. I remember that moment well. The flag bearer that year was the young woman sprinter/hurdler who's coach was killed in Munich. Their flag had 11 black ribbons on it.

[@aai3661]

People don't realize the importance of these games and where they where being held after what happened during the previous Munich 72 horror.

[@SkeeterSanders]

The very recording of "O Canada" performed at the opening ceremony of the 1976 Montreal Olympics had been used for more than 20 years afterward by the CBC for its television sign-on and sign-off. I still have an original vinyl copy of the 1976 Olympics soundtrack album.

[@SusanPalmer718]

Thank you!! I was one of the singers and will never forget these moents, but it sure helps to have the reminder on video!

[@aric2007]

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics: WITH GLOWING HEARTS. Can't wait... I'm from the Philippines, a country that has hardly participated in the Winter Olympics. Hopefully Vancouver's will be as good as this and Calgary's!

[@sergeroldofhousehightower3766]

Beautiful... absolutely magnificent! Makes me proud to be Québecois!

[@VWatch07]

Even though I'm not Canadian, I was almost crying after listening to this anthem! This version is so beautiful!

[@antibieber779]

This was my facourite olympic stadium it was soo nice for the time it was built and the one after it wasn't even better I really liked the tall thing at the side of it but that was only half built when they did the olympics

[@GBscottieUK]

Love that Matrix display, I bet in 1976 that was the most expensive item in the stadium.

[@t5239857289578947594]

Wow for that National Anthem.The violins are awesome towards the end,gave me shivers.

[@strike1977]

From an Aussie, I really hope that Canada bids for 2024! Its time to bring back the Olympics to this country that I love!

[@J_131]

LA, Paris, Budapest and Rome are the final four competing. Rome's bid seems to be in serious trouble at the moment.

[@m.boivin8671]

@@J_131 Paris est l'hôte des Olympiades 2024

[@gochem3013]

0:15 The music of my freedom!

[@dankubinec5170]

I was born when this took place

[@RibbonVintageGirl]

Like her daughter, Princess Anne was in equestrian as well :)

[@kamranmalik8546]

Today marks the 40th Anniversary of the Games of the XXI Olympiad

[@PrashanthAkunuri]

visited the stadium just yday and it's crazily huge, loved it. I'm back in Toronto just now.

[@adds3566]

I was in Canada in 1976, but in Ottawa!!!

[@engrish2006]

@SkeeterVT I wish they played this version of the anthem during the Vancouver Olympics. Extremely riveting and emotional to listen to! It's a shame we didn't hear it in Montreal. :(

[@supersporkspank]

If the music for Vancouver is half as good as the music was for Montreal, the ceremonies for the Vancouver Olympics will be impressive indeed.

[@brianclough]

Thanks for the vid. Nice touch by HM to open the Games in French

[@sevillesimon]

@Roodosutaa Oui Sa Majesté La Reine peut parler le français. Yes, HM the Queen speaks French. She is not only the Queen of UK, but also of Canada, which is a bilingual country. The host city being Montréal in Québec which is French-speaking, she opened the Games by delivering a message in French is thoughtful and considerate, as French is one of the two official languages of IOC and throughout Québec there is a history of anti-British sentiments and French is the official language of Québec.

[@m.boivin8671]

Le français est la langue des Olympiades, selon la volonté de Pierre de Coubertin, initiateur des Olympiades de l'ère moderne. Don't you know that ?

[@johnw2328]

The Queen was quite sexy speaking French 💞

[@jeffkninetynine]

Montréal la magnifique

[@rigaudien]

@gjaylen5 A great version. So good that CBC played it for years at the end the the TV programming (Englisg and French network)

[@John-ed8iy]

1896 Athens, 1900 Paris, 1904 St. Louis, 1908 London, 1912 Stockholm, 1916 Berlin canceled for World War I. 1920 Antwerp, 1924 Paris, 1928, Amsterdam, 1932 Los Angeles, 1936 Berlin, 1940 Tokyo, and 1944 London has been canceled from World War II. 1948 London, 1952 Helsinki, 1956 Melbourne, 1960 Rome, 1964 Tokyo, 1968 Mexico City, 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal.

[@tiinau6562]

.... Min faster och mann min farbror och fru......... Var. På plats här här... 😢... Rip sirkkaa ja aulis savvola....... 😢

[@poodtang1]

What some people forget is that the Royal Family prior to 1700 was mostly of French origin not German.

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

During the wars of 1763 the British nobles wrote each other in French

[@pao1233]

@gillybean37 canada is offically bilugal nation english and french are their official languages....

[@ApprenticeOfTheWTF]

we need a full version (Trying to find my dad)

[@Larrymh07]

@ThePalmetadon That was during the closing ceremonies.

[@ChristineCAlb1]

I noticed that the athletes in the Parade of Nations were dressed in suits. I like that. Now it's a contest to see who can be the most creative.

[@josephbernardlim]

The queen first opened the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal and she speaks in French to the people of Canada and again in 2012 in London and she speaks her native English language.

[@SK-gb6mn]

Too bad the Olympic anthem in this clip is dubbed with a fake instrumental which is not even close to the real one. Luckily the original full ceremony video exists on KZbin with the real anthem. Sung by a choir and one of the best interpretations throughout all the Olympics. The Canadian anthem also seems dubbed, but at least it’s a good version.

[@weiwei1911]

主題曲音樂好聽👍

[@silveryote1]

@nosuchpersonvideo Munich 1972 had mariacchis, children dancing to "Sumer is icumen in" with flowers, and a poem read with weird psychadelic music. Also, it had VERY catchy parade of nations music.

[@rossstuart100]

I have VHS tapes of 1980,1984,1988,1992,1996,2000,2004,2008 opening & closing ceremonies. It would be too long & difficult to up-load all these!

[@humbertojunior6356]

Nossa Rainha Elizabeth novinha

[@cantillanovictor]

RIP Queen Elizabeth II of England.

[@metalshadowmario4]

The stadium looks great with that open roof! They should open it more often! Oh wait...

[@dalecosby2261]

IF they get baseball back, I hope they will open in permanently and reinstall grass.

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

The roof was financed by a cigarette tax. When it was finished, the Stade became non-smoking.

[@BILLBOARDER2010]

0:01-0:07 BREAKING NEWS SOUND... JULY 17 1976-2020...FRIDAY IN BOTH CASES ..44 YEARS AGO...THE XXIst. EDITION OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES WAS OPENED...

[@tiinau6562]

........ 😢Medlidande peace on earth now humanity

[@rigaudien]

@TheTzdope It was the only Games ever when the country presenting them didn't win a gold medal, you're right. But the anthem was played as well at the closing ceremonies for ("these poor bastards" [sic] )

[@batmous]

@rigaudien You could just split the video up into multiple parts and then upload the clips one by one.

[@bobbobato]

Is this the standard version of the National Anthem, or do I only recognize it because it's become so popular?

[@dan3d61]

Je me Souviens .... merci

[@Ferda1964]

there was more class those good old days

[@mellowboy23]

Des plus brillants expoits!!!!!

[@m.boivin8671]

exploits

[@international153]

@rossstuart100 Please upload the Parade of Nations of 1980!

[@basileusmegas7667]

bread and plays for the masses -

[@comercole1940]

Yup

[@octaviantitu1038]

Hei Rural, there are Canadians in Montreal who don't know how many provinces and territories are in Canada..

[@DeLorean4]

What I find strange about the olympic stadium nowadays is that you can still see the East German flag flying high among the other flags, yet the Soviet flag is nowhere to be seen.

[@silveryote1]

i hate to say this, but why is the ceremony so bland? Did it become artistic beginning with Moscow 1980???

[@rigaudien]

@SkeeterVT Me too. A gem !

[@luistapia3014]

Quienes eran los boxeadores de Colombia en esos juegos olímpicos de Montreal.

[@ispyonu20]

je ne me souviens pas... lol... I wasn't born yet at that time...

[@toosoa4617]

After 2024 Paris?

[@boogiefever1985]

Did they do all the theatrical 3 hour presentation before the athletes entered?

[@peisli1]

i was there today and got great time

[@96horseluvr]

how come this doesn't show israel walking in? i think that their entrance is kinda important...

[@SpeedStackRuleBoy]

back then why does the olympic cauldron have to be so small? no one can see it

[@kevinortavisbal4232]

El traje de Beauxbatons en la delegación francesa 😮

[@msrbq]

RIP Queen Elizabeth.

[@rigaudien]

@VWatch07 Agreed !

[@Nikiaf]

the stadium looked alot better before they got rid of the seats where the scoreboard is. They should also take the roof off so maybe they could use it for something again. It serves no purpose as an indoor stadium. No roof would make it better for concerts too

[@aric2007]

@wl03bu: They no longer do that at the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics. :D

[@rigaudien]

@tamtran0208 I have the whole opening and closing of 76, a long long search !

[@rigaudien]

@yvoe9 good point

[@ricarleite]

There was no such thing back then. It sort of started in 1980, and then it really took off in the 1984 opening.

[@DavidfromBA]

"Pigeons?" I believe the thousands of birds released shortly before the 5:55 mark in this video were *doves*, announcer guy - you know, symbols of world peace. :-)

[@silveryote1]

@rossstuart100 Could you just do 1988?? That would be fine. :)

[@ThePalmetadon]

somebody should put out recording of the infamous naked man dancing around disturbing dance performance

[@silveryote1]

Didn't this opening have a ballet of some sort??

[@youtuuberoxx]

people wore colorful pant suits and bell bottoms back in the day lol

[@victornunes6047]

Canada was still a British colony at that time?

[@endeavourist5287]

No, but she had a separate title as Queen of Canada, which is why she opened the games as Canada's head of state. This is the same situation with Australia, New Zealand, and a few other Commonwealth nations, and continues with Charles as the King of Canada in addition to his other titles.

[@rigaudien]

@gjaylen5 I do. Closing as well.

[@Elitist20]

@joman66 That's how it was abbreviated in French.

[@kennchaplin6480]

Pity that O Canada wasn't heard at a medals ceremony, but what a great summer that was, Big Owe and all!

[@Elitist20]

And neither was 'Advance Australia Fair'. I remember watching in school as we saw the 1500m world record holder Stephen Holland get a bronze in swimming. (Worse still, we had to hear 'God Defend New Zealand' as we got silver in the men's hockey!😬) This was what led to the foundation of the Australian Institute of Sport.

[@rigaudien]

Unfortunately not: 3 hrs !!!

[@englandmadethewest]

The music's catchy.

[@cedrickramos5304]

The tower wasn't complete build at this time!

[@humbertolara1743]

but they are two African nations they are cote d Ivoire and Senegal in the 1976 summer games

[@wl03bu]

when did they stop having the flag handover ceremony at the opening?

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

At the closing of Los Angeles. They passed it on to Seoul then.

[@MARILYN19481]

What a difference a roof would have made.

[@lawest1]

Not really. The Olympics are supposed to be performed in open air. The roof was for the future use of the stade.

[@rigaudien]

@Killed8Times South Africa was not in the Games.

[@pao1233]

@gillybean37 and montreal is a french city roughly 90% of the people there speak french =D

[@m.boivin8671]

Ce n'est pas pour plaire au Québec que la reine Élizabeth II a inauguré les Jeux de la XXIe Olympiade. Le français est la langue des Olympiades, selon la volonté de Pierre de Coubertin, initiateur des Olympiades de l'ère moderne. Don't you know that ?

[@도우너어서오고-t3e]

2:33 KOREA :-)

[@Greek756]

Que elegancia la de Francia

[@joe11880]

Too bad the olympic stadium wasn't finished at the time. The tower wasn't there just a construciton crane.

[@Zamolxet]

He said l`URSS and after the USSR,the name was in french for all nations on the billboard.

[@m.boivin8671]

Le français est la langue des Olympiades, selon la volonté de Pierre de Coubertin, initiateur des Olympiades de l'ère moderne. Don't you know that ?

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

Union des Républiques soviétiques socialistes

[@jemmabond]

Out of curiousity, I was wondering if the French-speaking part of Canada sing the anthem in their language? Or do they sing it in English?

[@vivianelaf2805]

We sing the anthem in french. Its a little different.

[@christofat2704]

O canada was first a french canadian song

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

O Canada ! Terre de nos aïeux Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux Car ton bras sait porter l'épée Il sait porter la croix Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits Et ta valeur, de foi trempée, [Protégéra nos foyers et nos droits] (2x)

[@WDI2008]

Montreal was left with over $1 Billion in debt that took them 30 years to pay off.

[@DocteurInfierno]

Il faut toujours qu'il y en ait qui trouve le moyen de chialer

[@AlonsoRules]

You think that's bad, Sochi spend 50 billion and who know what will happen to Brazil. And don't even mention poor Athens.

[@ElectoneGuy]

Not to mention the constant problems and repairs to Olympic Stadium to this day.

[@kailengray2822]

Brazil goverment will corrupt after this Olympic

[@josephtafur]

but unlike Montreal at least Rio got its venues done on time.

[@ramzmesh7138]

Pigeons Escape From Stadium

[@Bashnutter]

i found on wikipedia that canada is bilingual maybe it has to do with legislation... dunno

[@geoffroi-le-Hook]

this was at the height of La Révolution Tranquille ... Montréal is bilingual but la Province du Québec is not

[@spitzfire1107]

When the English Queen speaks French.

[@m.boivin8671]

Ce n'est pas pour plaire au Québec que la reine Élizabeth II a inauguré les Jeux de la XXIe Olympiade. Le français est la langue des Olympiades, selon la volonté de Pierre de Coubertin, initiateur des Olympiades de l'ère moderne. Don't you know that ?