Russian singers Tatu (known as t.A.T.u.) will perform a lesbian act which is being seen as an "attention gimmick" before the 3,000 athletes come into the stadium today, the Associated Press reported.
Tatu's performance contrasts with the Russian law banning gay "propaganda" aimed at minors that is being used to discriminate against gays, according to the AP.
Russia will use the opening ceremony as a way to showcase the best of Russian entertainment in a post-Soviet era to the rest of the world, the AP reported.
With the tension in Ukraine and fear of terrorism, Russia is instead focusing on Olympic ideals of sportsmanship and achievement, according to the AP.
For people who don't know much about Russia, the ceremony's director, Konstantin Ernst, promised "relatively simple metaphors" - and no obscure references, like the nurses in the London Games' opening ceremony representing the National Health Service, which he called one of the most "incomprehensible" moments in Olympic history, the AP reported.
Ernst said Tatu's "Not Gonna Get Us" was chosen because it's one of the only Russian pop songs that international viewers might recognize, according to the AP.
Ernst added Tatu's song was about motivating athletes with an upbeat dance song that challenges competitors by saying, "You're not going to get us," the AP reported.
There will also be a showcase of Russia's rich classical music traditions, with piano virtuoso Denis Matsuev performing and opera soprano Anna Netrebko singing the Olympic anthem, the AP reported.
During a dinner with 20 world leaders on Friday, Russian President Vladmir Putin did not touch on any of the current events, according to the AP.
"I'm feeling especially positive energy," Putin said, according to the AP. Adding that beside some hotel issues, the games will "allow people to appreciate our organizational capabilities and our traditional Russian hospitality."
