The evening had begun with a touching montage of shots featuring Queen Elizabeth II’s association with the Commonwealth during her 70-year reign.

Numerous red, white and blue cars formed - from above - a Union flag, converged on the sandpit and from one of them emerged the figures of the Prince of Wales, representing The Queen, and the Duchess of Cornwall, after which the national anthem was sung.

Shortly afterwards, perfectly timed and aligned as ever, Red Arrow jets fluming red, white and blue flew over.

In this scene were 72 red, white and blue cars that had direct links to the car manufacturing heritage of Birmingham.

The calamity of 1879, when fire destroyed the free public library in Birmingham which housed the Shakespeare collection, was recreated, with the thematic heroes and heroines of the presentation, Stella and the Dreamers - representing the 72 Commonwealth territories and nations - extinguishing the flames.

There followed a moving address by Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani advocate for female education who received the 2014 Peace Prize laureate aged 17 after defying the Taliban’s ban on girls from attending school in her native Swat and surviving an assassination attempt when she was shot in the head while riding on a bus, eventually recovering in Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Weeks after the attempted murder, a group of 50 leading Muslim clerics in Pakistan issued a fatwa against those who tried to kill her.

The Pakistani Taliban were internationally denounced by Governments, human rights organisations and feminist groups.

"Every child deserves the chance to reach her full potential and pursue her widest dreams," she said.

"It is my honour to say welcome to Birmingham, thank you."

Her words were fervently received.

Making no fuss, she turned and exited as soon as she had spoken.

This was followed by a rendition of Hear My Voice, an anthem for “all the unheard, undervalued and unacknowledged voices that have made Birmingham the city that it is today."

Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Birmingham was at the centre of the Industrial Revolution, with heavy industries dominating the Black Country landscape, and this was highlighted by a parade of innovations which helped establish the city’s nickname of the City of a Thousand Trades.

The original Bullring Market in Birmingham was established in the 12th century and was used for bull-baiting, as well as the sale of goods.

By 1832 it had become the traditional meeting place for speakers and remains a meeting place today.

Female chain-makers of the Industrial Revolution were underpaid and overworked.

Not only were they responsible for making some of the chains used in the slave trade, but they too were enslaved by their dire circumstances.

That was until they took back control by participating in the 1910 minimum wage strike.

Their subjugation, and emancipation, was celebrated in the next tableau.

And the next featured the figure of Stella, leading dreamer, approaching and appeasing the massive Bull figure - an image which, according to its creators, that "we are all worthy of love, whoever we are and whatever our circumstances may be."

The thematic element ended with the giant Bull collapsing after the different cultural groups of the city had fought against each other, only for Stella and the Dreamers to transform and raise the huge metallic creature as "a symbol of light and love" symbolising Birmingham as "a place for everyone."

A short and well-received introduction from Sir Lenny Henry, the comedian and national treasure born in nearby Dudley was followed by the parade of nations as the surrounds to the giant sandpit began to get seriously congested with those who will contest the Games.

The home team, concluding, marched through to We Will Rock You by Queen, to a video recorded message of support from women’s Olympic boxing champion Nicola Adams.

Addressing the stadium after the parade, Dame Louise Martin, President of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: "After so much uncertainty, sadness and time apart, let us celebrate a dream come true - inspirational athletes back on the global stage, right here in Birmingham and the West Midlands!

"Birmingham - your Games are the first to award more medals to women than men, the most sustainable Games yet, and the largest ever integrated programme of disabled and non-disabled athletes.

"Thank you for proudly hosting us and for everything you have done to get us here.

"Tonight, we are all back together again. I am thrilled to see this stadium full of supporters and teams from right across the Commonwealth."

The Commonwealth Oath was then taken by swimming coach Mel Marshall, netballer Geva Mentor and England cricket umpire Sue Redfern.

Birmingham's very own Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis, who has spent so many hours training and competing in this space as a member of Birchfield Harriers Athletics Club, presented the Queen’s Baton to the Prince of Wales...via Dame Louise...and the Queen’s message was read out by her son.

Addressing all the team taking part, the Queen's message said: "Your hard work and dedication, particularly in recent times, have been an inspiration to all of us."

With the Games officially opened the arena was more than happy to greet another home product as Duran Duran, fronted by Simon Le Bon, emerged with a big rendition of Save a Prayer followed by Ordinary World - although it was anything but at this moment in Perry Barr.