Opening Ceremony of Sochi Winter Olympics 2014

Sochi dazzled the world on February 7 with an opening ceremony featuring a feast of Russian music and a cast of thousands including ballet stars, acrobats, cosmonauts -- and even an ex-heavyweight boxer. The theme of the event was Dreams of Russia, with a young girl named Lyubov (Love) guiding spectators at the packed Fisht stadium on the Black Sea coast through thousands of years of Russian history. With the mists clearing after a spectacular opening sequence in the roofed venue, President Vladimir Putin looked on while a choir from the Sretensky Monastery sang the Russian national anthem as the flag was raised by a group of Russian cosmonauts.

Scenes from the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. ©sochi2014.com

Dancers and actors perform during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. ©sochi2014.com

Russian torchbearers Irina Rodnina (L) and Vladislav Tretyak light the Olympic cauldron at the opening ceremony of the 2014 Winter Olympics on February 7, 2014, in Sochi. ©sochi2014.com

The Olympic flame is lit at the end of the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. ©sochi2014.com

Fireworks light the sky outside the Fisht Olympic Stadium. ©sochi2014.com

Fireworks light the sky outside the Fisht Olympic Stadium. ©sochi2014.com

Fireworks light the sky outside the Fisht Olympic Stadium. ©sochi2014.com

Russian model Irina Shayk (C) and flag bearer, bobsledder Alexander Zubkovleads, lead their national delegation. ©sochi2014.com

The Olympic flag (L) and the Russian flag are hoisted during the Opening Ceremony of the Sochi Winter Olympics. ©sochi2014.com