SOCHI, Russia — The party that is the Winter Olympics officially began on Friday night inside a new stadium on the shores of the Black Sea.
The Russians brought out their best entertainment: top ballet dancers, dramatic re-enactments of Russian history, an opera singer whose voice was so strong it seemed to shake the Olympic stadium. It was so entrancing, and ran so smoothly, that it was tempting to forget what was behind the pageantry and sparkle.
