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Photos: London Olympics opening ceremony

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Seven young athletes carried the torch during the ceremony. Mike Segar/REUTERS

    Photos: London Olympics opening ceremony

    Fireworks lit the sky over the Olympic Stadium Friday during the opening ceremony for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
    Owen Humphreys/associated press |

    Performers took part in the opening ceremony.
    David Gray/reuters |
    The show was produced by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle.

    The show was produced by Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle.
    Dylan Martinez/reuters |
    Great Britain's cyclist Bradley Wiggins, winner of this year’s Tour de France, greeted spectators

    Great Britain's cyclist Bradley Wiggins, winner of this year’s Tour de France, greeted spectators.
    David Gray/REUTERS |
    Members of the audience took photographs before the opening ceremony.

    Members of the audience took photographs before the opening ceremony.
    Adrees Latif /REUTERS |
    Media members took shelter from the rain.

    Media members took shelter from the rain.
    Eric Gay/associated press |
    Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camila, Duchess of Cornwall, arrived for the show.

    Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camila, Duchess of Cornwall, arrived for the show.
    Jae C. Hong/associated press |
    The Red Arrows flew over the Olympic Stadium in London.

    The Red Arrows flew over the Olympic Stadium in London.
    Mike Hewitt/Getty Images |
    Parts of the show portrayed Britain as a place of meadows and farms.

    Parts of the show portrayed Britain as a place of meadows and farms.
    Dylan Martinez /REUTERS |

    Some 15,000 volunteers took part in the spectacle.
    Kai Pfaffenbach /REUTERS |

    The program mixed filmed sequences with live action.
    Jorge Silva /REUTERS |

    Performers took part in the show.
    David Gray /REUTERS |

    The show included scenes from movies and popular children's literature.
    Mike Segar /REUTERS |

    Performers dressed as famed movie character Mary Poppins took flight during the show.
    Mike Blake /REUTERS |

    This sequence was meant to represent Britain's National Health Service.
    Jae C. Hong/Associated Press |

    Spectators waved Union Flags, commonly known as Union Jacks, during the ceremony.
    Mike Segar /REUTERS |
    2.

    A fan watched the opening ceremony.
    Lucy Nicholson /REUTERS |

    The London 2012 Olympic Games run through August 12.
    Kai Pfaffenbach /REUTERS |

    The show "was a wonderful contemporary spectacle of extraordinary tone, production, and entertainment," wrote the Globe's Chad Finn.
    Jorge Silva./REUTERS |

    Members of the US delegation took part in the event.
    Suzanne Plunkett /REUTERS |

    Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, waved during the festivities.
    Toby Melville /REUTERS |

    Fireworks illuminated the sky over the Olympic Stadium.
    Dmitry Lovetsky/associated press |

    Up to 60,000 people watched the event in the Olympic Stadium.
    Paul Sancya/associated press |

    Seven young athletes carried the torch during the ceremony.
    Mike Segar/REUTERS |

    The stems lit by the young athletes rose to form the Olympic cauldron.
    Pawel Kopczynski /REUTERS |