MILAN – A novice to the Olympic Games he is definitely not, but Marco Balich remains brimming with enthusiasm and expectations gearing up for the opening ceremony Friday night.

“It’s like being on a speeding train and things continue to happen along the way,” Balich, chairman of Balich Wonder Studio, said with a chuckle about the experience of planning the event. “Every day is different — think heads of state changing their minds at the last minute — but precisely because of this evolution, it’s really fascinating.”

Asked if the ceremony, which he has conceived as creative director and executive producer, is taking the shape he had in mind, he said he was “very, very happy. The show is dynamic and connected to the world.”

Founded in 2013 by Balich, Gianmaria Serra and Simoner Merico, Milan-based Balich Wonder Studio has grown to be a prestigious live event creator and service provider, and credited with the organization of 16 Olympic ceremonies and 13 regional games, such as the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup ceremony, for example. It has also delivered a range of exclusive events for top brands including Louis Vuitton, Ferrari, Dolce & Gabbana, UEFA, Maserati, Bulgari and IWC, among others.

He was bestowed an Emmy award in 2006 for his Olympic experience and a Compasso d’Oro, the Italian design Oscars, in 2017.

Balich took on the role of artistic director at the 2015 Milan Expo, where he created the iconic “Tree of Life.” In 2018, he set up the revolutionary Superlive format, “Giudizio Universale, the Sistine Chapel Immersive Show” in collaboration with the Vatican Museums.

The Games’ opening ceremony, titled “Armonia,” or “Harmony” in English, and inspired by the word’s original Greek meaning of “putting together,”  will include a tribute to Giorgio Armani; a celebration of Made in Italy;  performances by Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Laura Pausini, Pierfrancesco Favino, “The White Lotus” and “The Paper” actress Sabrina Impacciatore, Matilda De Angelis, Ghali, Cecilia Bartoli and Lang Lang; a choral show orchestrated by Balich with costumes designed by Academy Award nominee Massimo Cantini Parrini, and the traditional parade of athletes in the San Siro Stadium.

Fashion, in addition to the athletes’ uniforms by the likes of EA7 Emporio Armani and Ralph Lauren, will be a part of the event, as Balich said that the show will include “fashion collaborations with single designers rather than brands” — but those details were under wraps until the actual ceremony.

The Olympics take place at “a particular moment in time, and offer a message of harmony and peace for the future. You will see athletes from Iran walk with those from the U.S. or Venezuela, China and Japan, and North and South Korea together. It will allow a beautiful respite from the daily horrors that afflict us. To see the joy of athletes, it’s such a beautiful feeling,” said Balich.

On a personal note, he said this was also “a magic moment” as wedding bells are in the cards for December, when he is set to marry Gucci’s chief executive officer Francesca Bellettini. “She is an incredible, fantastic woman and now that she’s moved to Milan, we can spend more time together.”  

And it’s safe to say Bellettini has an in-house wedding planner.