Yarra river, fish, fusion of cultures to dominate opening pageant

Melbourne, Mar 13 (UNI) Organisers' desperate efforts to prevent leaking out the contents of the opening ceremony proved futile as the news trickled out about the theme of the two hour-long pegeant to be held on March 15 at the historic MCG to herald the start of 12-day long 18th edition of the Commonwealth Games.

The theme of the opening ceremony is dominated by the Yarra river with its 72 giant floating fish designed by the organisers.

Each of these fishes is large enough to carry 10 people or more.

These 72 water creatures will star in the river celebrations at the Games opening ceremony on Wednesday.

No two fishes are the same and one fish synonymous with each competing nation has been designed. Australia is represented by a short-finned eel, native of the Yarra river.

The organisers have gone to great lengths to ensure accuracy while creating this mammoth fish. They called on Melbourne Museum's senior ichthyologist to check the designs for biological accuracy.

But the question now is what happens to the fish once the Games are over.

Melbourne Lord Mayor John So wants to donate the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony's illuminated sea creatures to municipalities across Victoria.

Ian Bracegirdle, the designer of the opening ceremony's river event, welcomed the idea of donating them to Victorian councils.

Also, the Melbourne City Council should get its own permanent marine sculpture by the Yarra river, according to John So.

One of the fish will be put on the site of Melbourne's original fish market, where the Flinders Street overpass has been demolished.

It will be near the Melbourne Aquarium. In due course, each of the fish will be given a home.

Apart from the fish, there is another Docklands shed filled with 43 shipping containers, which will be the epicentre of the Commonwealth Games cultural festival, with artists from around the world joining in the gigantic Container Village project to fill the 125-metre-long space of Dockland's Shed 14.

The Container Village project is part of the Next Wave Festival, a biennial youth arts event that is presenting the youth programme of the wider Festival Melbourne 2006, the cultural arm of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Under the theme of ''Empire Games'' -- the Games' original name -- more than 600 artists will work across the city during the festival. Container Village will be the largest single site.

India is represeted by Butterfly fish found in Lakshwadeep Island and it is placed on number 16th boat.

The ceremony also depicts the transformation of Melbourne from a sleepy town to the modern bustling city and the change of the people's attitude.

It also shows a boy's craving for better future while maintaining links with the past.

Before the start of the ceremony, a 45-minute pre-show will have participation by several former celebrated cricketers.

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