MILAN (AP) — The performance by pop star Mariah Carey at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony was the talk of the town — but it also raised a few questions.
The rendition by the American singer of Italian classic “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu” — better known as “Volare” — was a showstopping highlight in the 3½-hour spectacle that kicked off the Games.
“Such a dream come true to perform (in Italian!) at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games Opening Ceremony,” she later wrote in an Instagram post.
She received rave reviews from many, who called her marvelous and touted her high notes.
But her performance Friday also prompted a good deal of criticism online, where commenters were confused why an Italian singer wasn’t given the honor. Some noted a large teleprompter with a phonetic breakdown of the song’s Italian lyrics, while others wondered if she was lip-syncing.
Three reporters — including The Associated Press — asked the International Olympic Committee and local organizers about her during their daily news conference Saturday to address the teleprompter and doubts about lip-syncing.
Non-Italian background
Carey was born in New York to an Irish American mother, who was an opera singer, and a Black father with Venezuelan roots.
Despite her non-Italian background, the local organizing committee asked her to perform at Friday’s opening ceremony and touted her for months as a big get to open the Winter Games.
“We believe that Mariah Carey’s performance was exceptional,” Milan Cortina’s director of ceremonies Maria Laura Iascone said Saturday. “She was capable of creating a magic moment.”
It’s unclear whether Carey chose to sing “Volare,” but she told Vogue after the ceremony that the song has long been a favorite of hers.
The show did feature the Italian voices of tenor Andrea Bocelli, singer-songwriter Laura Pausini and mezzosoprano Cecilia Bartoli.
Lip-syncing questions
While armchair analysts mused online that the “All I Want for Christmas is You” singer appeared stiff, especially while singing in Italian, the crowd inside the San Siro stadium cheered and applauded when they realized she was performing in the local language.
She later stunned the audience with her own “Nothing is Impossible.”
Asked Saturday if Carey was lip-syncing, Iascone dodged the question and instead praised her as “really extraordinary.”
She said that “in order to be on the safe side,” they always record performances ahead of time for internationally broadcast events.
She didn’t directly address if Carey was lip-syncing and said the singer wasn’t paid for her performance.
“We were all satisfied with the result we had,” she said.
Phonetic teleprompter
A large teleprompter was visible inside the stadium, spelling out phonetically how Carey should sing the Italian words.
“Voh-lah-reh,” it read for “Volare.” And “Nell blue Dee-peen-toe D blue” for “Nel Blu Dipinto di Blu.”
Posts of the scrolling lyrics on social media, including from Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi, racked up hundreds of thousands of views online.
When the AP asked Iascone about it, she said “of course” there was a teleprompter.
“Especially for those artists who sang in a different language than their own native language,” she said. “And they needed some support, especially regarding the pronunciation.”
Iascone added: “This is part of the show. It is a way to support the talents on the stage.”
Graham Dunbar and Andrea Rosa contributed to this report.
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