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    2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony: Umbrellas, Enlightenment and much, much more!

    London makes way for the superhumans in a dazzling opening ceremony that features the London Symphony Orchestra, Benjamin Britten, Stephen Hawking, colourful umbrellas and much, much more!

    1. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, umbrellas

      1. The umbrellas take flight!

      Colourful suits, colourful umbrellas as the 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony takes off!

    2. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      2. Lighting up East London!

      A throng of colourful dancers light up the East London night.

    3. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Stephen Haw

      3. Professor Stephen Hawking

      Performing a central role in the 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony, Stephen Hawking addresses the estimated 80,000 people at the stadium in Stratford, London.

    4. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      4. Newton's Apple

      Newton's Apple, one of the recurring themes of the opening ceremony takes pride of place in the dazzling event.

    5. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Newton's Ap

      5. Newton's Apple surrounded by performers

      The apple makes its way around the stadium in Stratford for the 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony.

    6. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      6. The umbrellas take centre stage

      One of the other recurring themes of the 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony, umbrellas, congregate in the middle of the stadium.

    7. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, neon perfor

      7. Colours, colours and more colours!

      Neon-flecked performers bring a dazzling hue to the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony.

    8. HRH Queen Elizabeth II

      8. The Queen takes her seat

      Sir Philip Craven MBE, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, look on during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics at the Olympic Stadium

    9. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      9. Stephen Hawking addresses the 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony

      Professor Stephen Hawking speaks during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics at the Olympic Stadium

    10. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, yellow umbr

      10. No rain, but the umbrellas are out

      Left over from the downpour earlier in the day? Possibly, but also a dazzling talking point of the 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony.

    11. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Duke and Du

      11. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

      Two of the ceremony's guests of honour have a chat as the 2012 Paralympic opening ceremony begins.

    12. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      12. Under the bright light of the opening ceremony

      One of the performers looks on as the 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony unfolds around her.

    13. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Union Jack

      13. The Union Jack is raised!

      The Union Jack gets passed to the flag pole ahead of the national anthem.

    14. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      14. The Union Jack is raised

      As the Union Jack is raised, the rousing Britten arrangement of God Save The Queen is piped around the stadium. Stirring stuff.

    15. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, umbrellas

      15. The umbrellas take off!

      The multi-coloured umbrellas take an aerial trip around the Stratford stadium.

    16. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      16. And there's more umbrellas!

      When they look this good, why not have a few more?

    17. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, umbrellas.

      17. The umbrellas take shape

      An interesting formation takes shape as some of the performers bring the opening ceremony to life in Stratford, London.

    18. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      18. The Olympic Flame

      A familiar scene over the past few days, the Olympic Flame - shaped as individual petals - await their lighting at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Olympic Ceremony.

    19. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      19. Orange umbrella, pink costume!

      The clash of dazzling colours sums up the glorious evening at the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games.

    20. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, fireworks

      20. Fireworks light up the Stratford sky

      No stranger to fireworks over the past few weeks, more light up the night sky during the 2012 Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games.

    21. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      21. The Mexican team arrive!

      In possibly the most colourful outfits of all the teams, the Mexian Paralympic team bring the party!

    22. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Paralympics

      22. Paralympics GB Arrive!

      The response didn't get more rapturous than this! The home team arrive to huge support.

    23. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Team US

      23. America join the party

      The enormous US team are lead out to a huge roar.

    24. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Denise Leig

      24. Denise Leigh sings!

      Soprano Denise Leigh welcomes the athletes to the opening ceremony with the Paralympic Games anthem.

    25. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Denise Leig

      25. Denise Leigh sings to the world

      Soprano Denise Leigh and actor Deepa Shastri perform during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics at the Olympic Stadium

    26. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      26. Oscar Pistorius arrives!

      The South African star of both Olympic games and Paralympic Games leads out his team.

    27. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      27. The Paralympic flag is raised

      The games are almost ready to get underway.

    28. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Lord Coe

      28. Lord Coe addresses the crowd

      Lord Coe, now very used to speaking to huge global audiences, addresses the stadium and the world during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games.

    29. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Queen Eliza

      29. The Queen opens the Paralympics

      HRH Queen Elizabeth II officially declares the Paralympics open

    30. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      30. The opening ceremony starts to swing!

      A performer hangs from a trapeze during the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games.

    31. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, sea, red bo

      31. Is it a boat?

      Or is it an upturned umbrella? The opening ceremony takes to the seas!

    32. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      32. Margaret Maughan lights the Olympic Cauldron

      Paralympian Margaret Maughan carries the flame during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012.

    33. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony, Alison Lapp

      33. Marc Quinn's Alison Lapper

      A large scale reproduction of Marc Quinn's celebrated sculpture ‘Alison Lapper Pregnant’ emerges during the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympics.

    34. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      34. The Olympic Cauldron is lit

      The Paralympic Games are officially underway!

    35. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      35. More fireworks!

      Well, it does seem customary...

    36. The 2012 Paralympics Opening Ceremony

      36. Fireworks engulf the stadium

      Fireworks end the arrival of the different Paralympic teams.

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