An architectural and artistic revival
Albertville 1992 triggered the restoration of historically important buildings in the region. It also marked a spectacular turning point in the staging of Olympic Games opening and closing ceremonies.
A three-year state and local authority programme, the Heritage 1992 Plan was set up to enhance the region’s architectural jewels. A total of 33 buildings received funding for restoration work as part of the plan. It also featured a cultural tourism component, through the creation of more than 90 trails taking in the region’s Baroque churches and chapels. The ‘Sentiers du Baroque’ trails opened in 1992 and continue to attract many visitors today.
The Olympic Arts Festival provided the framework for a series of artistic performances in the region in the lead-up to the Games, with the focus on contemporary dance, fringe theatre and music. As Albertville 1992 was the last Olympic Winter Games to be held in the same year as its summer counterpart, the festival also featured cultural exchanges with Barcelona, the host city of the 1992 Olympic Summer Games. More than 140 performances showcasing dance, music, the visual arts and theatre were held at 25 locations across Europe, from Albertville to Antwerp, adding to the cultural and celebratory dimensions of the Games.
The centrepieces of the festival were the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ Opening and Closing Ceremonies, which broke new ground thanks to two Philippes: the choreographer Philippe Decouflé and the costume designer Philippe Guillotel. Using all their flair and imagination, they made these events genuine spectacles, filling the temporary venue of the Théâtre des Cérémonies with birdmen, snowball women, wing-heeled dancers and insects on stilts. Also making an appearance were thousands of figures dressed as giant sousaphones and wearing costumes in the red and white of the Savoie flag.
One of the high points of the Opening Ceremony was the Air Ballet, in which dozens of acrobats suspended on elastic ropes thrilled the 35,000 people in the audience and the watching world with their magical aerial routines. Drawing inspiration from the folk dances of Savoie as well as music, sport and the circus, Decouflé brought a spirit of invention and wonder to both occasions. In doing so, he took the Opening and Closing Ceremonies to new levels of visual and choreographed excellence, setting a trend that was followed at Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012 and subsequent Games ceremonies.