Okay, be warned, this contains MAJOR spoilers, so if you want to live it live then stop reading. Rumours are coming and going here in Greece about the opening ceremony, and I thought I'd give you guys a summary of the scenario that's floating around.

Keep in mind, a friend of mine who works for Athens2004, had an invitation to watch one of the rehearsals, so most of it is "solid" and confirmed, but there might be surprises. Don't count on the parts that contain keyword "rumours".

• There will be an one hour long pre-show presented by the Greek/French TV presenter Nikos Aliagas and the actor who as high priest lighted the flame in Olympia for the games, Thalia Prokopiou, in order to warm up the audience and "train" them to be part of the ceremony by means of flashlights and "waves". Audience trainer: Greek model Gianna Darili (yeah!).
  
• The construction progress WILL be mocked in this pre-show, after all it is the fun part :-)
  
• The ceremony will last about 3 to 3 1/2 hours, and will have 2 parts, the firt one inspired by Greek heritage and culture with music being heavily borrowed from great composer Manos Hadzidakis, and the second part will celebrate world unity with appearances from... (read on!)
  
• At exactly 20:45 the ceremony starts when 400 drummers (with big drums, the ones you bang with a hammer-like stick) will enter the arena through the audience playing to the rhythm and sound of the human heart.
  
• At the same time, thousand gallons of water will create a huge lake in the arena, and at some point a "comet" will fall in the water to light the Olympic circles.
  
• From within the water, a huge replica of a Cycladic icon will appear that will somehow then transform in a statue of a "Kouros".
  
• A centaur will appear that will throw a spear in the centre of the lake.
  
• 400 figures from mythology will be projected on the lake.
  
• At some point in the end of the first part, the lake will disappear in a matter of 2 seconds.
  
• The second part will be more rhythmic. Bjork (yes, Bjork) will sing song "Oceania" from her upcoming album "Medulla", suspended in mid air and wearing a dress that will make it look like she's in the top of the sea, since it will cover the whole arena.
  
• Yannis Kotsiras will sing the song of the torch relay, "Pass the flame" (song not confirmed, but he will sing *something* :-)
  
• How the athletes will appear is still a secret. Rumour has it that they will emerge from a mountain like structure that will emerge from the water, but that doesn't make sense. The one thing for sure is that DJ Tiesto (yes, THAT DJ Tiesto) will be in a cart banging dance music all through their appearance.
  
• AOC president, IOC president and President of the Greek Republic will walk half way in the arena where an olive tree will appear and declare the beginning of the games.
  
• 5000kW of light (some 2500 lights on the Calatrava roof alone) will offer a unique light show.
  
• The altar is a metallic torch suspended 110m from the ground, and was designed and embedded in the stadiums roof by Calatrava himself. How it will light remains a secret, but rumours again have it that it will involve a 4 step process, a laser show on the before mentioned olive tree, and will probably be lowered and then raised again in it's position. The promise is that it will be spectacular.
  
• The Athens Olympic Stadium if for sure a bottomless pit with all this stuff coming out (not to mention the athletes)
  
• And much more I'm sure we haven't heard of...
  
  

So now remember where you heard it first :-)

Edit: Some tiny and low quality photos of the "lake", here.