Well, that went for about half an hour over time, which is pretty good given Olympic tradition.

What did you think of that, folks?

It's hard to imagine an opening ceremony held in two cities and celebrated in four, but then after the Paris Olympics — where they took over the city and used the Seine as a highway for the parade — all bets are off.

It was a ceremony of beautiful moments and fun as well.

Mariah Carey's take on Volare will no doubt do the rounds on social media, but Andrea Bocelli's Nessun Dorma was also a highlight.

The speeches doubled down on the need for Armonia (harmony) and respect, and the final fiery moments were simply done but effective.

The twin suns will be a very familiar image over the next couple of weeks. 

We will bring you day one of competition - and every day of competition - in our live blog, which will be coming up this evening.

In the meantime, good luck to all athletes, particularly the Australian team, and thank you for joining us, on behalf of Simon Smale in Milano and myself Andrew McGarry. Buonasera Australia!

Sadly, we will not have Australia's Daisy Thomas taking part in the freeski slopestyle event on day one, as she was injured in a crash in practice and cannot compete.

Here are the Australians who will be in action on day one, later today:

 Cross-Country Skiing: Women's Skiathlon — Ellen Soehol Lie, Phoebe Cridland, Rosie Fordham, Maddie Hooker 11pm AEDT Saturday - 00:40am AEDT Sunday

Luge: Men's Singles — Alex Ferlazzo 3am - 5:20am AEDT Sunday

Snowboarding: Men's Big Air — Final Round - Valentino Guseli 5:30am - 6:50am AEDT Sunday

The flame left the San Siro a few minutes ago, headed for the Arco della Pace (the arch of peace).

In Cortina, the flame is headed for the Piazza Nabona.

A series of Italian athletes take the flame to the verge of the cauldrons.

This is a historic moment - there have never been two cauldrons lit in different cities at an Olympic Games.

Alpine race skiers Alberto Tomba and Deborah Compagnoni receive the final baton so to speak, and they stand on a podium that rises to just below the cauldron in Milano.

They ignite the twin suns - cauldrons.

The flames rise! There are cheers in both cities.

Two cities, two identities, but one flame shared - the theme of Armonia once more.

The cauldrons are lit for 16 days!

The fireworks go off in both cities. 

The first notes of “Ode to Joy” begin, and Milan's Arco della Pace turns blue.

Stars begin to appear on its facade, forming the European Union flag,

We get a moment mentioning words by scientist Marquerite Hack, and shared by young girl Gaia Giraldi and astronaut Samantha Cristoferetti, the first Italian woman to serve on the International Space Station.

Dancers represent the Milky Way, transforming the stage into a moving galaxy.

Two athletes, two coaches and two judges make the oath.

Then the athletes, Stefania Constantini and Dominik Fischnaller, complete the oath.

“… We promise to take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules and in the spirit of fair play, inclusion and equality. 

Together we stand in solidarity and commit ourselves to sport without doping, without cheating, without any form of discrimination.

We do this for the honour of our teams, in respect for the Fundamental Principles of Olympism, and to make the world a better place through sport.  

As the Olympic flags are raised in both venues simultaneously, it is time for the Olympic anthem.

The performance sees pianist Lang Lang playing alongside Italian mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli.

The notes flow from Lang Lang's piano, and Bartoli's exquisite vocals soar along with The Teatro alla Scala Children's Choir in the background as the flags slowly rise in the San Siro and in Piazza Nabona in Cortina.

It's beautiful.

The Olympic flag enters the San Siro, carried by a number of Italian figures and famous Olympians.

Milano

• Tadatoshi Akiba (Japan), Mayor of Hiroshima (1999-2011)

• Rebeca Andrade (Brazil), most decorated Olympian in Brazilian history, two-time Olympic gold medallist

• Maryam Bukar Hassan (Nigeria), artist and poet, appointed UN Global Advocate for Peace in 2025

• Nicolò Govoni (Italy), writer and activist, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020 and 2023

• Filippo Grandi (Italy), UN High Commissioner for Refugees (2016-2025)

• Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya), five-time Olympian and two-time Olympic champion

• Cindy Ngamba (Refugee Olympic Team), first ROT athlete to win Olympic gold (Paris 2024)

• Pita Taufatofua (Tonga), first athlete from Tonga to represent his country at both the Summer Olympic Games (2016, 2020) and Winter Olympic Games (2018) - and the man who went viral for going shirtless at an opening ceremony 

And in Cortina:

• Franco Nones (Italy), first Olympic champion in cross-country skiing (1968)

• Martina Valcepina (Italy), Three-time Olympic medallist (2014, 2018) 

An important part of the Olympics is the Olympic Truce.

The poem "Promemoria (Memorandum)" by Gianni Rodari, is read out.

Italian-Tunisian rapper Ghali performs it beautifully.

There are things to be done each day: like wash and read and play and set the table at midday.

There are things to be done each night: close your eyes, go to sleep, have dreams for dreaming, have ears for not hearing.

 There are things you must never do, not by day nor by night not by sea nor by shore: for example WAR

There is some stunning choreography, and a choral effect. The message is important, and it seems to strike a chord in the crowd.

Twenty years ago, Luciano Pavarotti sang Nessun Dorma to bring the opening ceremony in Torino to an end.

This time, Andrea Bocelli stands in a spellbound San Siro, singing the same famous aria. Goosebumps again as the strings and his wonderful voice combine.

The crowd erupts in the stadium.

This is not the end, however. This is the torch relay, with footballer Giuseppe Bergomi and Franco Baresi - representing Inter Milan and AC Milan - handing over to new torchbearers, as they circle the stadium.

That incredible final note rings out as the torch is held aloft in the stadium. 

The flame leaves the stadium, on the way to the cauldron.

The Italian president, Sergio Mattarella, gets another reception as he makes the shortest and most important speech of the night.

He declares the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 officially open.

The roar builds in the stadium, as some simple flare fireworks go off at ground level to mark the announcement.

That's it, folks, we are truly underway!