5 Medal-Worthy Classical Connections We’ve Seen So Far at the 2024 Olympics

August 1, 2024

Mary Lathem

By Mary Lathem

I’m not a sports fan by any stretch of the imagination. Sure, I can appreciate a live baseball or soccer game here and there, but you won’t catch me studying a March Madness bracket anytime soon (unless the Wildcats are playing). That all changes the second I hear John Williams’ Olympic Fanfare and Theme on NBC.

Every couple of years, the Olympic Games turn me into the kind of person who yells at the TV and cries over athletes I learned about 30 minutes ago. The feats are mind blowing, of course, but what really keeps me coming back is the cultural phenomenon of it all. With so much attention on Paris 2024, there’s bound to be cultural overlap everywhere you look (Snoop Dogg dancing with Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles, anyone?), and that includes plentiful connections to classical music. If you’re not glued to the TV like me, here are a few classical moments you might have missed. 

1. The Capuçon brothers carry the Olympic torch

Way before the Olympic Games begin, thousands of torchbearers participate in the Olympic flame’s months-long journey from Olympia, Greece to the host city. This year, I was excited to learn that two of France’s most celebrated classical musicians, brothers Gautier Capuçon (cello) and Renaud Capuçon (violin), were selected to relay the torch in different phases of its 3,100-mile trek. 

Gautier’s involvement in the 2024 Games didn’t end there: on Bastille Day, he performed a (very French) selection of works outside of the Hôtel de Ville to officially welcome the Olympic flame as it was carried into Paris.

2. Pianist Alexandre Kantorow plays Ravel’s Jeux d’eau

You can always expect a scandal or two at the Games, but “rain-soaked piano causes a cringe felt ‘round the world” definitely wasn’t on my bingo card. The ambitious Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony was the first in modern history to be held outside of a stadium, a decision that ultimately left participants and attendees exposed to the elements as torrential rain moved in. 

One performer caught in the downpour was 27-year-old pianist Alexandre Kantorow, whose shining rendition of Maurice Ravel’s “Jeux d’eau” (fittingly, “Water Games”) tugged heartstrings in more ways than intended when the camera panned to the waterlogged piano. Classical music lovers quickly flooded social media platforms with concern and outrage, arguing that the instrument and many others played during the ceremony may be damaged beyond repair. I won’t lie, it was hard to watch, but since none of us could jump through the screen to save the day, I’d rather focus on the pianist himself. Ravel’s piano music is notoriously difficult to play (even with dry hands), and Kantorow made it look effortless.

3. Opera star Jakub Józef Orliński brings breaking to Baroque

I’ve been following Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński’s rise to fame ever since I came across his name while putting together a Tuesday Trivia quiz years ago. To me, he’s a great reminder that life’s not fair: one extraordinary talent would be enough, but Orliński is both a burgeoning opera star and an award-winning breakdancer (oh, and he does a little modeling on the side). 

Though only a brief moment of Orliński’s performance was televised, his contribution to the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony was a significant one. On a platform alongside the Seine, Orliński performed an aria from Jean-Philippe Rameau’s ballet héroïque Les Indes galantes interspersed with breakdancing (or, more simply, “breaking”), which makes its debut as an official Olympic sport this year. It was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment for those watching at home, but luckily for us, Orliński documented the experience from rehearsal to go-time in a very fun Instagram video. 

4. Brazilian gymnast Flavia Saraiva bounces back with Offenbach

It’s no secret that gymnasts are some of the toughest athletes on earth, but if you’d like to see proof, look no further than Brazil’s Flavia Saraiva. I was watching Saraiva warm up before the women’s team finals on Tuesday when she suddenly took a nasty fall from the uneven bars, leaving her face bloodied and bruised. Just moments later, she returned to the mat – and delivered a truly outstanding routine.  

As the competition progressed, Saraiva wowed the crowd with a lively floor exercise set to a remixed version of Jacques Offenbach’s “Can-Can,” paying homage to this year’s host city. The athlete’s swift rebound led to podium glory: she and her team took home the bronze, a historic first-ever team Olympic medal for Brazil in women’s gymnastics. 

Though no official videos have been released of Saraiva’s floor exercise in the team finals, here’s a look at her warmup on the same routine before the competition began.

5. Water polo “hype man” Flavor Flav plays a century-old piano at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence

And finally, my favorite story from Paris 2024: when GRAMMY-winner Flavor Flav heard that many members of the U.S. women’s water polo team work multiple jobs to make it to the Olympics, he didn’t waste any time. The hip-hop legend is now the 2024 team’s sponsor and “official hype man,” often appearing poolside in head-to-toe Team U.S.A. gear to cheer them on as they compete for a fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal. 

Flav took a break from the stands on July 26 to visit the U.S. Ambassador’s residence in Paris, where he surprised (and delighted) onlookers with his piano chops. In a viral video, the rapper sits down at a nearly 100-year-old instrument and launches into a spellbinding tune. Flavor Flav’s longtime friend and fellow musician Ice-T later captured the moment on Instagram: “Don’t EVER sleep on my brother @FlavorFlav… Flav can play EVERY instrument. He’s representing at this OLYMPICS!”