Faced with the task of creating the unforgettable, the teams got to work on the theme: "The Memory of Water." Creative minds from Müpa Budapest took inspiration from the history of Hungary and their beloved city, drawing upon the eternal River Danube as a story thread of continuity and unstoppable energy.

Going even further, ECA2 applied its unique technical expertise to “borrow” the Danube, channeling its waters to take a powerful starring role as choreographed jets, sprays, and ingenious mid-air water screens where fabulous projected video images leave each spectator breathless.

Pushing technical capabilities further still, 10-meter-long flames dance amidst hyperactive laser effects, night-beating light beams, a heartstopping soundscape, fireworks and drones.

A mesmerizing troupe of more than 500 live performers, 220 volunteers and sportsmen interact with sophisticated multimedia technologies, merging innovative dance with a maelstrom of effects.

A dramatic display.

The spectacle was staged from a floating stage right on the river, occupying an overall area twice as large as an Olympic stadium.

Here, the FINA 2017 logo gets its star turn.

The floating set-up itself covers the equivalent of three football fields and presented its own special challenges. The show went on despite heavy river traffic, the current and tide.

The event team carefully planned its video projection set-up to compensate for any movement caused by river currents.

The team team had a scant four months to develop the two-hour spectacle.

A team of 200 created the spectacle, supported by a whopping 540 tons of equipment and 24 kilometers of cabling.

ECA2's Jean-Christophe Canizares served as producer.

As the event team puts it, "For this one night only, the Danube, the Buda Castle, the Chain Bridge … it all becomes a single vast theatre, where projected images tell thrilling tales of old ...  Never before has the world seen an Opening Ceremony where a far-off cityscape defines the extravagant theater limits, and offers such monumental depth of field for video projection and spectacular special effects."