Olympics Opening Ceremony 2012: How Much Goes into the Opening Performance?

The opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympics is estimated to have cost approximately $42 million. The event will be watched by many around the world in an effort to support their country and their athletes. The ceremony on Friday will consist of jaw-dropping performances and unexpected appearances.

Some particular pre-ceremony events that stand out include U.S. wrestler Elena Pirozhkova lifting First Lady Michelle Obama into the air and a group of Olympic swimmers doing a performance to the song made popular by Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe."

The opening ceremony gives fans a chance to root on their teams and support their athletes as they represent their countries. 

The ceremony took seven years to prepare for, and the Olympic flame traveled 8,000 miles through Britain over the past 70 days in order to prepare for the start of the 2012 Olympics.

The total cast for the ceremony is expected to be around 15,000 people, and the show could be watched by an estimated four billion from all over the world.

The opening ceremony sets the stage for the Olympics, and it pumps fans up for the start of the games. This year, the London Olympics will have more than 10,000 athletes from 200 countries. While the ceremony will be what everyone is watching at the beginning, there is no doubt that fans from all over the world are looking forward to watching their respective athletes compete for gold medals.