The show began at 17:30 local time (
UTC-3) and lasted for two and a half hours. The beginning had the
Dragoons of Independence, the first regiment of the
Brazilian army and the official guard of the Republic's president, bringing a Brazilian flag and an execution of the
Brazilian national anthem sung by
Elza Soares, the former wife of football player
Mané Garrincha. The countdown, starting with the number 15, showed the cities which hosted the American event. The first part was named "Viva essa energia" (Live this energy in Portuguese). And started with an afro-Brazilian boy named Cainan playing a tambour and guiding 1,150 rhythmists from the 17
Samba schools and presenting the official song of the XV Pan American Games, "Viva essa Energia", composed by
Arnaldo Antunes, former singer the Brazilian rock band
Titãs, and
Liminha, singer the Brazilian rock band
Os Mutantes, and sung by Ana Costa samba singer. The parade of the athletes had a rhythm of a
samba,
chorinho and the
bossa nova's rhythm played by the battery of samba schools which made a huge corridor when the athletes from the 42 nations passed between them. There was expectation about the entry of Panama's delegation due to interference by the Panamanian government on their national Olympic committee, the
IOC have banned the participation of the country in official events but the
PASO required the Panamanian athletes to participate using their organization's flag, so the IOC came back to the decision and authorised the participation of Panama. At this games were created the PASO's anthem, composed by
André Mehmari and performed by
Orquestra Sinfônica Brasileira conducted by
Roberto Minczuk. The show were divided in three parts:
"A energia do Sol" (The energy of sun),
"A energia da água" (the energy of water), and
"A energia do homem" (The man's energy). The show was coordinated by
Rosa Magalhães from the Rio de Janeiro samba school
GRES Imperatriz Leopoldinense. The oath of the athletes was performed by Brazilian
taekwondo athlete
Natália Falavigna. Contrary to plan and tradition, the games were not opened by Brazil's head of state, President
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, but by the head of the
Brazilian Olympic Committee,
Carlos Arthur Nuzman. Prior to the official opening, Lula had been repeatedly booed whenever the in-stadium camera showed him on the large screen set up inside the stadium. ==Parade of Nations==