FACTBOX-Fears, foul-ups and triumphs at past Olympic openings

(Reuters) - British singer Sarah Brightman and China's Liu Huan will sing at Friday's opening ceremony for the Olympic Games, organizers say.

The entertainment in Beijing's Bird's Nest National stadium will begin at 1745 local and the ceremony proper, featuring 15,000 participants, will follow from 2000 for 3- hours.

Here are some details on the last three Olympic opening ceremonies.

ATHENS, GREECE, August 13, 2004:

-- Crowd: 75,000 in futuristic new Olympic Stadium, and up to 4 billion TV viewers. About 10,500 athletes from 202 countries.

-- Ceremony: A heartbeat of drums counted down. Amid torchlight and fireworks, giant sculptures appeared above the waters of the arena, and a frieze of Greek myth and history paraded by. Three hours of music, dance and fireworks started with a song from opera diva Maria Callas. Olympic sailing gold medalist Nikolaos Kaklamanakis lit the torch.

-- Historic moments: The troubled nations of Iraq and Afghanistan won the biggest cheers in the athletes parade, and roars of approval met hand-holding North and South Koreans.

-- Pre-ceremony issues: Not being ready. Greece faced criticism about construction delays and security concerns, and a doping debacle involving two of its leading sprinters.

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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, September 15, 2000:

-- Crowd: 110,000 at Stadium Australia, and 3.5 million live television audience. About 10,649 athletes, from 199 countries.

-- Ceremony: Spectators belted out "Waltzing Matilda", and shouted trademark greeting "G'Day" before the show began with a lone horseman galloping into the arena and cracking his whip.

-- Athlete and aboriginal rights figure Cathy Freeman lit the flame. Olympic organizers froze with fear as the cauldron that was to lift the flame over the stadium stuck for three minutes before finally rising. Aussies John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John sang a specially-composed song "Dare to Dream".

-- Historic moments: Athletes from North and South Korea join hands and march together, following a historic June summit. Newly independent East Timor compete as independents, as they have no elected government or Olympic committee.

-- Pre-ceremony issues: Transport foul-ups. But all came right on the night.

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