The curtain-raiser for two weeks of snow, slopes, skis and skates as the 20th event gets under way.
Live coverage of this dazzling spectacle from the Stadio Olympico , Turin, heralds the start of 17 days of sporting action as 2,500 athletes converge on the region to compete for the ultimate prize in sport, an Olympic gold medal. From downhill skiing to curling, from ice hockey to figure skating, 84 gold medals will be contested.
Although Great Britain is not in line for a major medal haul who could have foreseen events four years ago at Salt Lake City? More than five million people in Britain were glued to the TV past midnight and discussing the finer points of curling as Rhona Martin and her team finally swept up the gold medal. Can they do it again?
An underdog story to watch is that of Ghanaian skier Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong who is hoping to become the first of his countrymen to compete at the Winter Olympics, despite having only being skiing for the last three years.
Presented by Sue Barker , commentators are
Barry Davies and Hazel Irvine while Clare Balding , Steve Cram and Colin Jackson look forward to some of those events, stories and personalities that are expected to dominate the next 17 days.
Executive producer Jonathan Bramley ; Editor Alastair Mclntyre www.bbc.co.uk/winterolympics
Digital viewers can view the ceremony without commentary, and access a guide to the Games, by pressing the red button
Ones to watch: page 12; Win a E2,700 plasma TV: page 18