Zhang Yimou

BEIJING—The first dress rehearsal for the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics will start on July 10 at the National Stadium, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to Xinhua, rehearsals for the Olympic opening ceremony kick off on March 1 and the team will move into the National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest, on June 10.

Zhang Yimou, who was assigned to produce the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Olympics, has briefed a panel of officials and advisors at the headquarters of the Games organizing committee, Xinhua reported.

Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-executive president of the organizing committee for the 2008 Olympics, was also at the meeting.

The story also said Zhang’s team is on schedule as structural design for the ceremonies are finished while work on choreography, props and music are in progress.