Image source, Getty Images

Argh!

The giant heads are back and this time... they're dancing.

Those heads must have taken an age to make - I wonder if, like the papier mache costumes you encounter in school productions, they were constructed by a cadre of stressed parents of eight-year-olds the night before the show.

Jess Anderson
BBC Sport in Cortina

Most of the roads are closed off in Cortina ready for the athlete’s to set off and wave their nation’s flags.

I’ve made my way up to a fan park where fans are gathered to watch the opening ceremony on the big screen.

Cheers go up as Mariah starts singing in Italian.

Image source, BBC Sport

Mariah is singing the Italian classic Volare, which won two Grammy awards way back when.

She then hits a couple of high notes that will be shattering all the crystal glass in Milan.

Emma Smith
BBC Sport at San Siro

When discussing Mariah Carey performing tonight, I realised the only song of hers I know is All I Want For Christmas Is You.

Will.she perform that here? The Winter Olympics is a bit Christmassy, with the snow and all.

She got the biggest roar from the crowd so far, by the way.

Image source, Getty Images

Here she is - Mariah Carey, in a rather sparkly white dress.

The rest of the stadium is cast into semi-darkness, with the spotlight focused on her.

Emma Smith
BBC Sport at San Siro

Image source, EPA

I must say I didnt have giant tubes of paint flying in on my bingo card. I did wonder what they were, suspended from the ceiling pre show.

They were truly giant when flying overhead, and the pouring of fabric paint was an impressive effect.

John Hunt
BBC Two commentator

Any Mariah Carey fans out there shouldn't go to the toilet right now...

Some gigantic paint tubes have squeezed the three primary colours onto the stage, and masses of performers have marched onto the stage, massed in different colours.

Now here comes a big name...

Image source, Getty Images

We now move into the next section - Fantasia.

A woman holding a gigantic baton is leading dancers, while three of Italy's great operatic composers standing alongside her, depicted by performers wearing gigantic papier-mache style heads.

If you think the bobbleheads you used to get in cereal boxes around the turn of the century, you won't be far off.

Our first section is called Italian Beauty.

70 dancers from the Accademia del Teatro alla Scala played statues who have now come to life and are performing on a circular stage.

To be in this performance you have to be in your sixth to eighth year of training at the Accademia, which is a fair old stint.

Katie Falkingham
BBC Sport in Livigno

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when we arrived at the snow park for tonight’s satellite opening ceremony in Livigno, but there are hundreds of fans here waiting to watch the show unfold.

Thankfully, it’s a lot warmer than previous nights. Six degrees Celsius. Tropical.

Image source, BBC Sport

This opening video feels a bit pre-Eurovision song video postcard.

Perhaps we'll get someone popping up with a synthy Euro-pop banger.

Oh no, it's a chap dressed as Cupid.

Image source, Getty Images

Time to head to the San Siro.

The stadium is currently bathed in an orange light, and the opening video has begun along with a countdown to the start of the ceremony.

Away we go!

Emma Smith
BBC Sport at San Siro

There are a lot of empty seats around San Siro. I would guess the stadium is around 70% full.

Ticket sales have reportedly been slow, unusually for an Olympic opening ceremony.

We're under 10 minutes from the opening ceremony - here's a few numbers for you to help understand the scale of today's event.

• The opening ceremony will feature 1,200 performers - the oldest is 70 and the youngest is 10.
• The performers have rehearsed for over 700 hours.
• 500 musicians have been involved with the recording of music for the ceremony, while 70 hair dressers and 110 make-up artists will also be in action.
• There'll be 1,400 costumes used, featuring 7,500m of fabric.

Lizzy Yarnold
Two-time Olympic skeleton champion on BBC Two

Within the World Cup, Matt Weston has taken all but two of the gold medals.

The medals he didn't win, Marcus Wyatt has won.

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland in Cortina

Image source, BBC Sport

Emma Smith
BBC Sport at San Siro

Last night, the Olympic torch was carried through the centre of Milan ahead of lighting the cauldron at San Siro later.

This is not the first time that the torch has progressed through Milan - that was in 1948, as it was carried through Italy on its way up to London, host of the Summer Olympics that year.

Thanks to Olympic history don Phillip Barker for that nugget.