Marco Balich on Olympic Ceremonies and the Future of Entertainment
Marco Balich, the creative director overseeing the Olympic flag transfer from Beijing 2022 to Milan-Cortina 2026, started his professional journey in the 1980s as an assistant on rock tours, collaborating with artists such as U2, Peter Gabriel, the Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen. He has been responsible for 16 Olympic ceremonies, including the one in Salt Lake City in 2002. Balich leads Balich Wonder Studio (BWS) alongside partners Gianmaria Serra, Simone Merico, Carolina Dotti, Valentina Saluzzi, and CEO Stefano Core, with an emphasis on large-scale entertainment and sustainability. The Beijing handover will showcase four performers and extensive projections. His 2018 project "Giudizio Universale" engaged 96,000 students, and he created the Albero della Vita for Expo 2015, employing over 40 individuals during the pandemic. Balich resides in Milan with his four children.
Key facts
- Marco Balich is creative director of the Olympic flag handover ceremony from Beijing 2022 to Milan-Cortina 2026.
- He started as a rock tour assistant in the 1980s, working with U2, Peter Gabriel, Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen.
- Balich has produced 16 Olympic ceremonies, including the first projections at Salt Lake City 2002.
- He is chairman of Balich Wonder Studio (BWS) with partners Gianmaria Serra, Simone Merico, Carolina Dotti, and Valentina Saluzzi, and CEO Stefano Core.
- The Beijing 2022 handover ceremony will focus on sustainability with only four performers and large projections.
- The 1989 Pink Floyd concert in Venice drew 200,000 people and led to the city council's fall.
- His project 'Giudizio Universale. The Sistine Chapel' cost nearly €9 million and was the most-watched show in Italy in 2018.
- The Albero della Vita for Expo 2015 in Milan has become a symbol of the city.
Entities
Artists
- Marco Balich
- Fran Tomasi
- U2
- Peter Gabriel
- Rolling Stones
- Bruce Springsteen
- Pink Floyd
- Pierfrancesco Favino
- Susan Sarandon
- Sting
- Michelangelo
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Ridley Scott
- Dante
Institutions
- Balich Wonder Studio (BWS)
- NBC
- BBC
- Musei Vaticani
- SIAE
- Expo 2015
- Artribune
Locations
- Venezia
- Italy
- China
- Milan
- Cortina
- Salt Lake City
- Torino
- Rio de Janeiro
- Mexico
- Tokyo
- Turkmenistan
- Iran
- Afghanistan
- Kazakhstan
- Perù
- Arabia Saudita
- Riyadh
- New York
- Londra
- Amazzonia