Tagore anthem kicks-off cricket World Cup opening ceremony
By IANSThursday, February 17, 2011
DHAKA - The spectacular opening ceremony of the cricket World Cup began here Wednesday evening with the Bangladesh national anthem “Amar Shonar Bangla”, composed by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, at the Bangabandhu International Stadium.
After the national anthem and the welcome song, the mascot “Stumpy” entered the stadium on a cycle-rickshaw, followed by the 14 captains on decorated cycle-rickshaws, the most popular mode of transport in Bangladesh.
The grand opening ceremony was conducted by India’s premier event management company Wizcraft Entertainment, which also organised the opening and closing shows of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games.
The two-hour, 15 minute-long ceremony, will see around 3,500 performers putting up a colourful depiction of Indian, Sri Lankan, and Bangladeshi culture, complete with song sequences by well-known artists like Canadian rocker Bryan Adams, Indian singer Sonu Nigam and Bangladesh-based Runa Laila.
