Farmyard animals, the expansive British countryside and well-known landmarks like Glastonbury Tor are not the elements that you normally associate with a sporting extravaganza. But this is 2012, and we are in the dynamic city of London, no less. And so we can expect nothing but a spectacular show when the Games begin on July 27.

Details of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games have been burning column inches and airwaves ever since they were made public a few days ago. With barely 45 days to go for the most awaited games to be declared open, it is no wonder that the little-known details of the £27 million show have created a furore in practically every direction.

The Depth in the Details

Transforming the Olympic Stadium in Stratford into a quintessential British village is no mean feat. But when you have a massive work force of 10,000 selfless volunteers striving hard in true Olympic spirit to achieve this magical makeover, things are certain to acquire a propulsive momentum.

Danny Boyle of Slumdog Millionaire fame dons a new avatar as the artistic director, and needless to add, the world expects the ceremony, titled "Green and Pleasant"; to be worth nothing less than a million bucks. Attempting to showcase the nation through real people, Boyle derives copious doses of inspiration from the Tempest. His endeavour of depicting a nation recovering from its industrial legacy has managed to strike the right chord from the word 'go'.

Undeterred by the Olympian task ahead of him, Boyle instead believes in getting the act right with tireless rehearsals and infusing verve and freshness into the massive set. Reinforcing the sense of awe and veneration are the stunning details of the mammoth set - where lush green fields, hard working famers, undulating meadows and cascading rivers juxtapose seamlessly with happy families enjoying picnics and playing sports on the village green. It is not just cut-outs that vie for the attention of an audience of a billion worldwide. Real farmland animals like sheep, horses, ducks, goats, cows, chicken and geese will breathe life into the show with effortless ease.

The Shakespeare-inspired opening ceremony will be off to a melodious start with the ringing of the world's largest "harmonically-tuned" bell. Produced by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, the bell strikes the right notes with an inscription from one of Shakespeare's most famous works - "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises"