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Fascination Issue 002
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Fascination! Newsletter
Issue #2 - October 2001
=======================================================================
Bonjour! Welcome once again to the Fascination! Newsletter. We
are happy to bring you our sophomore issue and through all the tough
times during the month, we're glad to be bringing it to you. Many
tragic events have occurred since the newsletter was last published.
In the face of such a horrific event, we have picked ourselves up and
faced the challenge. The newsletter staff wishes to express our
condolences to those fans who may have had families and friends
involved in the attacks, and hope that we can overcome this tragedy
with peace. As always, this issue features the latest news and rumors
to reach the Cirque du Soleil fan community as well as our own written
features. This issue also contains a special note from Cirque du
Soleil in response to the attacks on September 11, 2001. So let's get
started, shall we?
============
Contents:
============
* News, Rumors & Tour/Show Information
* Fascination! Fan Club Updates
* Special: A Message from Cirque du Soleil: The WTC
* This Month in Cirque History
* Birthday Wishes
* Feature: Passages - A Journey of Man (By: Ricky Russo)
* Feature: Taïko - the Heartbeat of Cirque (By: Ricky Russo)
* JOM Fun Facts (By: Keith Johnson)
* Feature: Le Passage (By: Paul Roberts)
* How/Where to see "Journey of Man"
* New Cirque Musique! (By: Keith Johnson)
* Parting Quote
* Next Issue
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimers
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NEWS, RUMORS & TOUR INFORMATION
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We all know that anything can happen in the world of Cirque du Soleil.
This section highlights Cirque du Soleil news and rumors that have
brought themselves to light over the past month.
News
------
Official Cirque du Soleil Club Premiers!
We had been hearing that *big* things were in store for the
Cirque Website, including several rumored fan-outreach items.
Things are starting to happen, as they just recently started
taking sign-ups for the Club. After registering (basic
information, nothing too privacy-infringing), you're able to
choose the kind of information you'd like to receive. In
addition to the more standard features (getting news
information, special promotions, merchandise sales - with
separate sections for Touring and Permanent shows), there are
some interesting boxes to check. One section allows you to
select specific cities and get information on when Cirque might
be visiting there. Another box will let you know about upcoming
chats and webcasts! And, the most interesting box lets you know
about "temporary jobs available in your local area." The rest of
the site will be debuting later this year. Right now the only
page up and running is the sign up page, but that will soon
change. We can't see any reason why ALL of you out there
shouldn't sign up -- aren't we all Cirque fans? The place to go
is www.cirqueclub.com.
Francesca Gagnon has left Alegría:
After reporting last issue that Francesca Gagnon had returned to
the Asia-Pacific Tour of Alegría (still in Australia) as its
primary singer, she has left again. Her tenure was only
temporary as a replacement was needed once Andrée Simard left.
Francesca's replacement is Nathalie Noelle. Nathalie was
featured on a show on the new National Geographic Channel.
Quidam in Miami!:
Beginning February 2002, Quidam will journey back across the
pond to visit Miami, Florida. The actual dates have not yet been
set but tickets will go on sale beginning October, 2001.
DVD/VHS Releases abound:
Don't forget, on October 9th, "Journey of Man" makes its debut
to DVD/VHS. And, on 10/30/01, DVD and VHS re-releases of
"Nouvelle Expérience" "Le Cirque Réinventé" as well as "Baroque
Odyssey" and "Saltimbanco" will be available. Also, a new treat
for us fans, a 50-minute version of "La Magie Continue" --
their 1986 tour production. Make sure you pre-order your copies
today at your favorite store!
Mystère down to 8 shows a week!:
Due to the drop-off in visitors to Las Vegas following the World
Trade Center incident, Mystère has shortened its production
schedule from its normal 10 shows a week down to 8. Normally,
shows are 7:30pm and 10:30pm Wednesday through Sunday (with
Monday and Tuesday "Dark"). Until further notice, on Friday and
Sunday there will only be 7:30pm shows. The 10:30pm shows have
been canceled. Consequently, "O" is still going strong with its
normal 10 shows per week. (Thank you, Rhonda Povelko, Bellagio
Ticket Office Manager).
Contortionist for Alegría out with injuries!:
Nomin Tsveendorj, who has been with Alegría since the beginning
of the production, has recently left due to a back injury. Her
replacement is none other than Chimed Ulziibayar's sister. It is
unknown whether Nomin Tsveendorj will return to Alegría after
she has healed, or whether her tenure with Cirque has ended. We
will, of course, try to keep you updated.
Jenny Jacinto Back?
Jenny Jacinto who has been with Cirque du Soleil for quite some
time, has returned to the troupe. Having performed as a
contortionist for Cirque in Nouvelle Expérience and Saltimbanco
(Europe), she has now returned not as a performer, but as an
artistic counselor.
Alegría to visit Singapore in 2002:
By now, most of you are aware that an extra stop has been added
to the Alegría tour plan, and that stop is Singapore. Scheduled
to start February 28, 2002 and perform until March 24th.
Sponsored by M1 <http://www.m1.com.sg/ >, you can purchase
tickets now from Cirque's web site.
Trapèze Twins to Leave:
Elsie and Serenity Smith will leave Saltimbanco 2000 very soon.
These two twins replaced the Steben twins when they went to "O".
Elsie and Serenity are to be replaced with two little blond
girls who are almost done with their studio training. They will
join the show sometime late 2001 or early 2002.
Official Alegría Wallpaper:
Catch your official Alegría Australian Tour wallpaper at the
Official Cirque site! It is available in standard 800x600 and
1024x728 resolutions.
Karl to Fritz to... Target?:
Most of us know that Matthew Baker, who performed the character
"Fritz" in the European Tour of Quidam has left the show.
Matthew Baker was a replacement himself for the original
character, Karl, played by Karl Baumann - an ex-Mystère dancer -
during the original North American Tour. Matthew Baker's
replacement is also an ex-Mystère dancer named Andrea Ziegler.
Her character, named Target, has changed the sex of the
character from Male to Female. But, consequently, the character
remains male.
Rumors
--------
Touring Shows to Return to North America?:
It has been rumored that all of Cirque du Soleil's touring shows
(Quidam, Saltimbanco and Alegría) not currently seen inside of
the North American continent will return next Spring. As
mentioned above, Quidam is set to return to the USA, will the
other two follow? Only time will tell...
Acts list for Cirque 2002:
Martin, who posts regularly to Seisouso.net's news page reported
a couple of the acts that may be seen in the new Cirque show set
to debut in April 2002. One of those is a Duo Trapeze act
featuring the Steben twins (Karyne and Sarah - of Saltimbanco
and "O" fame). Fans had heard the twins left "O" to pursue
Cirque 2002 previously. Two other acts that have been rumored
are a Korean plank/Banquine type act and a group Aerial Hoops
act.
New Hoops for Alegría?:
It has been reported that Elena Lev is currently still
performing with the production. She is sporting a new costume
and is only performing temporarily. Her replacement, Maria
Silaeva (who performed a manipulation act previously) is
currently out with injuries. There is to be a new personage
coming in with an entirely new hoop act! More details as they
emerge.
THANKS TO: Blair, Ricky and Martin for this months news/rumors!
Tour/Show Information
-----------------------
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Ended its run in Brisbane on 9/23/01
* Next stop: Adelaide on October 10th
Dralion:
* Currently in Philadelphia (Began 9/27/01)
* Tickets on-sale now for the Dallas run
that begins on November 16th!
Quidam:
* Currently in Zurich (as of 9/14/01)
* Next stop: London on November 22nd!
* Miami, Florida: February 2002!
Saltimbanco:
* Still in Japan -- Yokohama until 11/25/01!
* Next Stop: Europe -- Amsterdam 2/14/02
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* La Nouba is scheduled for a "dark" period between October 1st
through the 4th. There are no other "dark" periods other than
normal "off" times for the remainder of the month.
Mystère:
* Mystère is also scheduled to be dark other than its normal off
nights, from October 7th through October 10th.
NOTE: Mystère has gone to an 8 show-per-week schedule until
further notice. The normal 10:30pm shows on Friday and Sunday
have been canceled. The 7:30pm shows on those days will run as
scheduled.
"O":
* Besides from its normal off nights, "O" is scheduled to be
dark from October 15th through October 18th.
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FASCINATION! FAN CLUB UPDATES
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New Fascination! Message Board:
The Fascination! Fan Club has prepared an online message board
for our fans to chat about the newsletter, the fan club and
Cirque du Soleil in general. You can find the message board from
the fan club main page: < http://www.seisouso.net >. Click on
"The Fascination Message board" to take part. There is no
registration required!
Subscribers:
As of this issue, we have 95 subscribers to the newsletter. The
newsletter staff welcomes you all and thanks you for your
interest and continued interest in our newsletter and in Cirque
du Soleil in general. Thank you!
Results of First Polls:
As the first issue was released, four different polls were set
up to gather your opinions. The results of those polls are
below.
Question 1: Do you think the newsletter was
informative?
- Yes, 10 votes, 100.00%
- No, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Kinda, 0 votes, 0.00%
Question 2: Would you recommend the Newsletter
to friends?
- Yes, 8 votes, 100.00%
- No, 0 votes, 0.00%
- I dunno, 0 votes, 0.00%
Question 3: Is the newsletter....
- To Long?, 2 votes, 25.00%
- To Short?, 0 votes, 0.00%
- Just Right?, 6 votes, 75.00%
Question 4: How do you rate the premier issue
of the "Fascination! Newsletter"?
- 10 - Best, 2 votes, 22.22%
- 9, 2 votes, 22.22%
- 8, 4 votes, 44.44%
- 7, 1 votes, 11.11%
- 6, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 5, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 4, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 3, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 2, 0 votes, 0.00%
- 1 - Worst, 0 votes, 0.00%
Thank you to all who participated in the polls. New polls
will be set up from time to time to gather your opinions
and input from you, our readers, to make sure we are
providing the best and most informative newsletter we can!
=======================================================================
A MESSAGE FROM CIRQUE DU SOLEIL -- THE WORLD TRADE CENTER
=======================================================================
By now, everyone around the world is familiar with the events that
occurred on September 11, 2001 in New York City. Those tragic events
spawned an outpouring of emotion that is felt by all. Cirque du Soleil
responded to the events eloquently and the newsletter staff wanted to
make sure everyone had a chance to read their release, which was first
released to the fans on September 13, 2001 and later appeared on their
web site:
Cirque du Soleil is deeply saddened by the recent
events that took place this week. Our thoughts
have been constantly with our fans and friends
all over the United States.
Cirque du Soleil has a substantial number of
performers and staff in the US. After Tuesday's
events our priority was to make sure that all of
them were safe and sound. This was made additionally
difficult given the complete shutdown of our email
and internet service. To date our email service
has not been fully restored. Nonetheless, Cirque
du Soleil, it's artists and staff wanted to pay
their respect to the families and friends of the
victims in the best way they knew how - by
performing and trying to bring a little hope
and joy during this terrible time. That is why
all Cirque du Soleil performances this week are
dedicated to the victims, rescue workers and
families touched by the September 11th catastrophe.
I want to assure you that the lack of an official
posting on the website does not reflect passivity
or lack of compassion. Everybody at Cirque has been
touched by this tragedy.
Our hearts go out to everyone in the US.
Rikke Wivel
Marketing Manager - Internet
Cirque du Soleil
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THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE HISTORY
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* October 09, 1992 -- The Saltimbanco CD was Released
* October 09, 2001 -- Journey of Man Released on DVD/VHS
* October 10, 2001 -- Alegría opened in Adelaide, Australia
* October 11, 1994 -- The Alegría CD was Released
* October 11, 2000 -- Dralion opened in McLean, Virginia
* October 12, 2000 -- Saltimbanco 2000 opened in Tokyo, Japan
* October 14, 1993 -- Saltimbanco opened in Washington DC
* October 19, 1998 -- "O" Premiered at Bellagio, Las Vegas
* October 30, 2001 -- "Magie Continues" Released on DVD/VHS
* October 30, 2001 -- "Saltimbanco" Released on DVD
* October 30, 2001 -- "Nouvelle Experience" Released on DVD
* October 30, 2001 -- "Cirque Réinventé" Released on DVD
* October 30, 2001 -- "Baroque Odyssey" Released on DVD
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BIRTHDAY WISHES!
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* September 07, 1959 -- Francine Poitras (Singer/Saltimbanco)
* September 10, 1965 -- Steven Ragatz (Manipulation/Quidam)
* September 19, 1955 -- Michael Deschamps (Clown/La Nouba)
* September 27, 1955 -- Vasily Dementchoukov (Chairs/La Nouba)
* September 30, 1975 -- Sébastien Coin (Character/Mystère)
* October 03, 1969 -- Ebon Grayman (Fleur/Biloxi Alegría)
* October 10, 1960 -- Serguei Chachelev (Clown/La Nouba)
* October 10, 1970 -- Viktor Kee (Juggling/Dralion)
* October 12, 1965 -- Marie-Laure Mesnage (Statue/Quidam)
* October 13, 1967 -- Paul Bowler (Cube Man/Mystère)
* October 18, 1961 -- Soizick Hébert (Les Voilà/Dralion)
* October 19, 1964 -- Guennadi Tchijou (Sleeper/Saltimbanco)
* October 30, 1958 -- Nathalie Gauvin (Singer/Mystère)
* October 31, 1941 -- Yuri Medvedev (Clown)
* October 31, 1957 -- Johnny Filion (Les Voilà/Dralion)
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FEATURE: PASSAGES -- A JOURNEY OF MAN (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
The story of "Journey of Man" is larger than life. The canvas used to
paint the tale is humongous -- an IMAX screen. Using 70mm film, this
38 minute Three-Dimensional adventure enlightens our senses with an
imaginative allegory about the passage of life -- from birth to
maturity. Set in various unique settings throughout the world, Cirque
du Soleil has provided a marvelous example of their creativity.
Our adventure begins in the vast void of space; A cold place but a
fresh canvas. And even though space is cold, we are not alone.
Everything to create and sustain life is upon us... and then, an
explosion permeates that vastness, sending a flash of brilliance
rippling throughout the universe. Creation! The Birth of the Universe
-- Yes! The stars, the planets, everything is created before our
eyes... and man.
From the vastness of the universe to the confines of a cavern,
inhabited by primitive creatures. They are a tribe of prehistoric
humans confined to their animalistic ways. But then, something special
occurs -- a child robed in white (symbolizing an embryonic human)
appears and the tribe begins to beat on their drums. More and more
powerful beats come representing the first beats of a new heart. A new
life.
The Child, pure and innocent, is the Universal Child -- seen in
Saltimbanco. He is surrounded in a womb-like cave, which consequently
is the only man-made set in the entire film. His companions are the
Tribe - the Taïko drummers from Mystère, under the direction of Pierre
Dubé. Together, they set the scene for the first stage in development:
the breath of life. Next, an elegant display of aquatic
synchronization dazzles us. Water, the universal element, provides
nourishment for our child and sets the scene for his birth.
The second stage of life begins in a forest outside of Boulder Creek,
California. Among the giant redwood trees fly the birds of this
narration: the Bungees. It is also where our child explores his inner
self and comes in contact with his instincts for the first time. These
instincts, represented by two clowns - a male and female - are as
complimentary to one another as they are not. Known only as Flounes,
they provide consciousness to our child. The male is the confident
risk-taker. He has an enormous cache of energy and is willing to try
just about anything, no matter how dangerous it may be. The female,
the intelligent and thoughtful one, is as cautious as she is
considerate. She weighs all the consequences of a choice carefully
before deciding to act. The two of them were previously seen in
Nouvelle Expérience.
Wondrous creatures, too, inhabit the forest. From Mystère: The
Palmiers (big orange creatures that look like giant Pumpkins), a Giant
Stork and the double-face of the Asticots, a creature who slithers the
lengths of the giant trees. But it is the Bungees that capture the
child's attention. For the first time, fear, wonder and courage appear
within him as the flamboyantly costumed birds appear from the heavens.
They take hold of him and propel him to another plane... another stage
of development: into adolescence!
It is during Adolescence that our protagonist, no longer a child, but
not quite a man, comes upon the Cube Man (performed by Mikhail Matorin
from Mystère). Hidden in the Valley of Fire state park in Nevada, the
youth learns strength and stamina as the man wields his metallic cube
from atop a rocky precipice. After learning this, he next finds
himself in the confines of a garden. (San Mateo, California). Here he
witnesses a spectacular act of love and grace. The male-female pair,
looking like statues, perform their act upon a lone lily pad, in the
center of a pond. It is here the man learns harmony, balance and the
strength of union. The pair, Yves Décoste and Marie-Laurie Mesnage
from Quidam.
But there's trouble here. Mephisto, a demon from the dark recesses of
the mind tries to tempt our Everyman... He represents greed and
everything dark in society. Thankfully, Everyman is not easily
deterred and finds himself in an elegant hall where an amazing display
of acrobatics is taking place. Filmed in Severance Hall in Cleveland,
USA, the Banquine artists from Quidam wield their fanciful talents to
remind our Everyman, who has matured, that there are more important
things to life than to acquire wealth. And so, he recaptures his
youthful joy and the Journey of Man begins again.
Our story ends at the Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin, Germany. However,
this does not end the Journey of Man -- how it was created, and the
pains that the producers, directors and performers had to go through
to bring us this magnificent film. The rest of our newsletter will
explore a little bit of that... from the music to the more technical
aspects of the film's creation. And if you're ready for more... logon
to Cirque du Soleil's informative site for "Journey of Man" at the
following address: < http://www.cirquedusoleiljourney.com/ >.
=======================================================================
FEATURE: TAIKO -- THE HEARTBEAT OF CIRQUE (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
When you hear the beat of the Japanese drum what do you hear? Do you
hear centuries-old harmonies calling out to those who will listen? Or,
do you hear the beating of just another drum? What do you feel?
Anything? A longing perhaps? Wonder? Do you even know? Listen... hear
it? No? If not, you're missing out on something very special. Once
your attention has been captured by the Taïko drum, it is hard to turn
away. For that brief moment you will be transported to and from a
realm that is both ancient and modern. You have been given a sense of
order and of chaos. And, you have born witness to an age-old tradition
hundreds of years old. Listen now... feel the rhythm? Feel the power?
Cirque du Soleil harnessed that power and featured it in three of
their productions. It is an instrument hundreds of years old. An
instrument that lies within the religion of a culture just as old. But
did you know that the instrument is not entirely of Japanese descent?
Believed to have been brought to the Japanese islands by the Chinese,
the Japanese people adapted and made the drum more ornate. It was
first used, possibly, on the battlefield and later put in practice to
wake the god of rain in time for the rice planting ceremonies.
It has been used to mark the boundaries of a new village and to keep
the traditional stories of those villages alive. The word Taïko
literally translates into "big or fat drum" in the Japanese language
and it has served its traditional role well. Today, the drum and its
varieties can be heard all across the Japanese Islands and many places
from Australia to Europe, and from North America to the Middle East.
Taïko drums come in all shapes and sizes. They are typically made from
a single hollowed-out piece of wood (a large tree trunk for example),
but can be made from sections of any number of trees. The ends of the
drums are then covered with cow skin - usually from one cow, which is
stretched over the ends of the drum. Once that is complete the drum is
finely tuned -- a painstaking process -- you have a completed drum.
Sizes for these drums range from a tiny six-inch diameter striking end
to a gigantic six-feet surface! One can play these drums in many
positions - sitting down, standing up, or at an angle. To strike the
drum, one uses one or two sticks of various sizes (even large ones
resembling baseball bats!
And each size drum as its own name. For instance, the O-daiko is the
largest drum, the Chu-daiko is a middle-sized drum and the Hirado-
daiko is a flat-barrel drum. But there are many other different names
to choose from. The Taïko discipline has a vast and rich history. And
in that history lays an ocean of great information. Unfortunately,
there is no way to cover it all, and so I must stop here and turn the
focus to Cirque du Soleil's use of this wonderful instrument.
Featured in three productions, Cirque's use of the Taïko drum has been
limited throughout the years. The drum made its first appearance in
the 1992 production of "Saltimbanco". "Saltimbanco" is a show that
celebrates life. Originally created as an antidote to the violent
world around us, this production shows us a new vision of the world,
full of optimism and happiness. For this show, the Taïko drum was used
more traditionally - a single piece, sparingly used and played by
drummer Alain Bergé. You can hear the drum in the song "Kazé". While
its role was limited, one can not mistake the beat the drum makes. It
adds a simple, yet basic tone to the music... a lone heartbeat if you
will...
A heartbeat that is fully explored in the second and most prominent
use of the drum in any of Cirque du Soleil's productions -- "Mystère".
By all accounts, "Mystère" is a mega-production, melded from the
creative minds of Cirque du Soleil president Guy Laliberté and Steve
Wynn -- Mirage Resorts Chairman and CEO at the time. What they gave
birth to is a powerful image of the journey of man. A reflection
back... an age-old tale. A tale of a mountain and a bird. And two
babies crying at two separate points of the universe. The creativity
of these two men, amongst many others, turned a traditional Japanese
instrument -- the Taïko drum -- into a prominently featured apparatus
from which to begin their narrative. During the prologue and epilogue
of each show the Taïko invades the very essence of "Mystère"...
It is of Mystère's drums we'll examine further.
Percussionist Pierre Dubé has the distinction and honor of playing the
Taïko for "Mystère". In preparation for his own journey, Pierre
traveled to Japan to learn the art. His teachers? None other than
Kodo, a magnificent group of forty-two members from Sado Island,
Japan. And they taught him well; so well that he is responsible for
teaching the other artists of the troupe to play. Which, from what I
have been told, isn't always an easy task.
First off, the person must have what is referred to as "the touch".
This is the delicate balance between force and grace. Hit the drum too
softly, and nothing good comes out of it... hit the drum too hard...
and your entire arm can go right through the outer cow-skin covering.
And that is a very costly mistake! (upwards of $10,000 or more!) If an
artist does not take care in how they play the drums, that artist can
find themselves in a bad situation during the middle of a performance.
(And yes, that has happened!)
For the show, we see a flawless routine by Pierre and his students.
The drum we most associate with Mystère is his O-daiko piece. Laying
on its side, the drum is 6 feet long and 8 feet wide and was put
together by Pierre himself along with a friend he found in Japan. As
mentioned earlier, the drums are usually manufactured out of one tree
-- in this case a Japanese Cypress tree. But, the drum was so large
that the one seen in the show was actually constructed out of more
than one tree. When not in use, the O-daiko rests within the theater
ceiling, 75 feet in the air. It is accessed by a catwalk structure (in
place from the very beginning -- which, in fact, the catwalk is an
interesting story into Mystère's beginnings, and its possible failure
the first year).
While Mystère is the show that features the Taïko drum the most, the
third and final place it is used is in the IMAX 3-D movie "Journey of
Man." Its use in the film presented an interesting challenge. The
drums themselves are delicate as they are very finely tuned and are
susceptible to the elements. The sun can damage them and moisture can
cause problems to their striking surfaces. So, the drums used for
"Journey of Man" were made especially for the production. The scene
used for filming the sequence was shot on a set -- the only scene in
the film to do so!
Pierre hand-selected his team of acrobats and performers to be part of
his Kumi-daiko, or grouped drums, team. Many of them are dancers,
acrobats or otherwise non-musicians... but only the best that have
taken to his teachings were able to perform on the big, big screen.
Most of them play the Shime-daiko drums, which is a general term a
rope-tensioned drum. These drums usually have very thin heads and are
relatively small compared to other Taïko drums. The next step up is
the Chu-daiko, which are "Medium Sized Drums", played by two talented
artists.
Two other drums, called Hirado-daiko for "Flat Drum", were manned by
Natasha Hallett, a former Olympian from Canada and Greg Wise, a stunt
man who went on to become one of the Grinch's stunt doubles in the Jim
Carrey production of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Other drummers
in the cast are Maria Akhlatkina, Nathalie Bollinger, Annick Moreau,
Ursula Trpin, Mark Ward and Michelle Wise.
The final drum used on the Journey of Man set is the O-daiko. Pierre
Dubé once again wields his Bachi ("drum sticks") and provides us a
beat for the beginning of our Universal Child's journey. The cavern
itself symbolizes the womb of a mother and the beating of the the
drums creates the heartbeat. But, I bet you didn't know the drum
itself is actually... a fake drum! That's right, the O-daiko featured
on screen is actually not an O-daiko at all! The drum had only one
side (O-daiko's, of course, have two) to allow a camera to be placed
behind it... interesting, eh?
Unfortunately, the rich history and world of the Taïko drum cannot be
discussed within the confines of this article -- there's just too much
to tell. However, if you are interested in the history and culture
surrounding this great instrument, you find a great online resource
called "Rolling Thunder: The Taïko Resource" <http://www.taiko.com/>.
It comes complete with a dictionary, a drum resource catalog and even
a lesson or two on learning how to play. If you are interested in
hearing what Taïko sounds like outside of Cirque du Soleil, the Sado
Island group "Kodo" is recommended. You can reach them at this
address: < http://www.kodo.or.jp/ >.
I wish to thank the generosity and time of Mr. and Mrs. Dubé for their
help with the creation of this article. They've been excellent friends
and my guides. Thank you so much.
=======================================================================
IMAX FILM FUN FACTS (By: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
Some fun quick facts about IMAX and the filmmaking process for large-
format films...
* IMAX images are ten times larger than a standard 35mm image (most
conventional films are made and shown in 35mm). For example, the area
of a 35mm film frame is about 1/2 a square inch. An IMAX film frame
has an area of 5 1/2 square inches!
* IMAX originally premiered at the Fuji Pavilion during EXPO '70 in
Osaka, Japan. IMAX Solido (the 3-d version of IMAX in which "Journey
of Man" was filmed) debuted in the Sanwa Midori-Kai Pavilion during
EXPO '90 in Osaka, Japan.
* An average IMAX film costs $125,000.00 USD per print. That cost must
be doubled for 3-D films such as "Journey" since two prints (left-eye
and right-eye) are required. Each print weighs about 200 pounds, and
is about 3 miles long. It takes 15 thousand watts of light per print
in the projector to light up the screen.
* IMAX Solido cameras (two IMAX cameras filming side-by-side to get
the 3-D effect) only hold 3 minutes of film. This caused long
turnaround times during the "Birth" section, shot underwater in the
Bahamas. It was one hour between takes! The average number of "takes"
was also reduced, from 25 or so per day on a conventional film, to 6
or 7 with "Journey".
* Director Keith Melton has worked on several large-format and
specialty-films in his career, but this is the first time he's
directed an IMAX 3-D film. A graduate of USC Film School, he also
directed the "James Bond-License to Thrill" ride film for the Magic
Mountain parks, and "Pirates 4-D" for the Sea World parks. He says he
loves "the unique experience" of IMAX 3-D, saying it gives an
"immersive film experience which cannot be recreated in any other
medium."
* The film took one year from development to finished product
including four months to shoot, and cost "around the 12 million range
- less than some, more than others," according to Melton.
* Adapting Cirque to the huge IMAX screen presented its' own
challenges. For example, costumes had to be altered as the huge frame
captures everything, and the sometimes scanty, form-fitting Cirque
costumes would have been "too revealing for a family film."
* IMAX filmmaking is known for a more leisurely pace, which gives the
viewer more time to take in all the information the huge screen
presents. Director Melton also adds, "All the performances you see are
real, there's no special effects, and that's the magic of Cirque.
That's why so many of the takes are so long, to emphasize that this is
happening in real time and this is not a trick."
* "Journey of Man" has won two awards! The Giant Screen Theater
Association (a group of IMAX and similar theater owners) presented
awards at their 2000 Conference in Frankfurt, Germany. "Journey" won
for Best Cinematography by Reed Smoot, and for Best Film! The only
other award, for Best Sound, was won by "Fantasia 2000."
* Since being released, "Journey" has racked up receipts of
$12,464,000.00 so far in the US. Not bad for an IMAX film!
(Thanks to, 1570films.com, cirquedusoleiljourney.com, boxoff.com,
bigmoviezone.com, imdb.com, scienceplace.com, rossanthony.com, and
fears.com.)
=======================================================================
FEATURE: LE PASSAGE (By: Paul Roberts)
=======================================================================
Starting in January, 2001, and nearly every day afterward, I checked
the Chicago Navy Pier's IMAX web site in hopes that "Journey of Man"
would still be playing in July. My family had made plans to see
"Dralion" in Chicago-the closest stop to my home in Ohio-and I wanted
to surprise my daughter, Tara, with a little Cirque du Soleil bonus.
My hopes were realized.
When my parents, daughter, and I approached the IMAX ticket window,
Tara looked up on a marquee and saw a picture of a Cirque du Soleil
bungee performer and screamed, "Dad, 'Journey of Man' is playing."
"That's why we're here," I said and she hugged me so hard that I felt
three ribs nearly splinter. We decided to see the film again two days
later prior to leaving for home.
The day the soundtrack CD hit the stores in 2000 I purchased it in
anticipation of enjoying composer Benoît Jutras' possible swansong for
Cirque du Soleil. I surely hope not, as with his predecessor, René
Dupéré, I find myself listening to their Cirque du Soleil-composed
music more than anything else.
The CD opens with the theme song: "Journey of Man," that features a
memorable melody line sung by "O" vocalist, Roxane Potvin. It
surprises me that there has never been a Cirque du Soleil song to
receive commercial air play. "Journey of Man" is equal to, or even
better than, a lot of film soundtrack songs that have enjoyed hit
status. Another surprise to me is that this version of the song
appears nowhere in the IMAX film.
The IMAX film starts out with "Overture" (second song on the CD). The
orchestrated piece leads into one of Cirque du Soleil's signature
performances: "Taïko" featuring the drumming troupe from the Las Vegas
show "Mystère." Representing the birth of man, the troupe powers the
ancient Japanese polyrhythmic art that includes an abbreviated solo
from "Mystère" lead percussionist, Pierre Dubé.
The next scene features a group of synchronized swimmers choreographed
to the song "Birth." A harp provides the background layering for a
floating viola melody line that has become a trademark of Benoît's
more recent orchestrated pieces. Various stringed instruments then
join in and interweave the peaceful tones that are followed by a full
orchestra build-up. The piece ends with cascading strings and soft
bird noises as Youth meets his two guides: a female and male Floune.
As the trio enters into a vast forest, I found myself disappointed to
discover that another one of my favorite CD songs was basically
eliminated from the film. "The Forest" is sung by "O" male vocalist,
Toumany Kouyaté, who also plays a Kora-a multi-stringed instrument
that originates from Africa. The CD version includes a few time
signature changes and a bridge that features the full band playing a
fast-paced unison scale that leads into the final verse. On film,
unfortunately, only about a minute of the 3:41 song is used-sans
Toumany's vocals-with the "Journey of Man" melody being played on
flute.
The shortened song leads into "In The Beginning" that accompanies a
trip through the forest. This song begins with a subtle rendition of
"Happy Birthday" then evolves into the main "JoM" theme as the child
and the Flounes encounter strange creatures roaming through the
densely wooded area. Darting about are human vegetable-like Palmiers,
a Giant Stork, a Double Face creature, and Moha-Samedi's bird puppet-
creatures from "Mystère." Throughout "In The Beginning," a light
orchestrated piece represents a feeling of serenity and wonder as four
bungee flyers perform an aerial ballet through the trees, but then as
in life, evil lurks. The calm becomes ominous as a flyer swoops down
and frightens the entourage. The boy's teddy bear is then stolen and
he grows older.
He becomes a teen and encounters a long-haired man balancing a massive
spinning cube in the palm of his hand. "Youth" accompanies the cube
act, performed by Mikhail Matorin of "Alegria" and "Mystère" fame.
The upbeat song includes sitars and tabla drums meshing with the
orchestra strings to provide an exotic Middle East ambiance. The
music calms down and again re-introduces the "JoM" theme as the scene
moves on to Mikhail flying with wings of red cloth. This leads into a
first-person soaring voyage-an IMAX staple-over the Grand Canyon.
Fittingly, the flight is complimented by the delicate orchestrated
song, "Flying."
Our hero ages into adulthood and discovers that his heart is empty as
he encounters a scene that represents the delicate balance between man
and woman. The imposing "Quidam" Statue Act is now performed by the
original and returning performers, Marie-Laure Mesnage and Yves
Décoste, set to the song, "Réveil." The film's rendition is closer to
the live version than the CD version, which is expanded and includes
massive thuds resembling footsteps like an imaginary approaching
giant. The slow tempo matches the movements of the male and female
bodies that contort around each other while lifting and posing in
marble statue-like poses. The young man then encounters a creature
called the Mephisto Demon that inspires a new lust: wealth.
And then the moment I had been waiting for: the day that the
soundtrack CD hit the stores, I purchased it with the excitement of
owning a studio version of one of my favorite Cirque du Soleil songs:
"Banquine" from the show "Quidam." I could not wait to hear the
incredible song and listened to it before anything else on the CD.
The Banquine is one of Cirque du Soleil's most intense performances
that highlight feats of human strength, agility, and precision without
the use of any supporting equipment. The performers toss and catch
each other; dance and leap; and illustrate an emotional tale that can
be interpreted as a love story or a tangle with everyday life.
The music's crescendos and diminuendos provide a flowing score that
inspires the passion. At times there is near silence with an eerie,
almost-human grumbling undertone as the performers concentrate on
their next moves. Then there is thunderous power in the music that
parallels flips and catches. Also included is a beautiful theme
featuring violin and a Koto (also known as a Japanese zither)-like
keyboard sound that enhances the emotional passages of the performers
as they dance and embrace.
The climax of the films' act captures lead flyer, Dmitro Sidorenko,
shouting commands as he prepares himself and his catching porters for
a multiple somersault flight that ends with a landing atop a three man
tower. The drums explode and the music triumphantly follows the
successful leap that brings out the child in Man. As with the show
"Quidam," the Banquine leads to the finale.
The journey's hero, now in his late stages of life-played by long-time
Cirque du Soleil performer, Brian Dewhurst-rediscovers his youth and
what he has missed in his all-business life. The finale musical score
is from the piece titled "Journey of Man (Instrumental)" that features
the "JoM" theme in a conventional orchestra setting using harps,
woodwinds, brass, and strings. Throughout the film, the narrator
tells the story of our hero's travels through life as he rekindles his
youthful spirit to share joy with others until the end of his days.
Closing the CD, but once again not on film, is the spooky "Trip Hop"
featuring inhuman undertone noises set to a hip hop-like drum beat.
This short piece is like nothing ever heard before from Cirque du
Soleil. While a distorted guitar picks the strings of a single chord,
sinister synthesizer sounds provide an eerie vibe. Interspersed
throughout are several highlights from the soundtrack. The choir from
"Banquine" possesses a Gregorian chant-like feel, the sitar from
"Youth" plays along with the guitar, and then the song fades out as
the Taïko drums return with the choir providing an angelic send off.
Closing the film, as the credits flow down the screen, a partial
version of the theme song "Journey of Man" is beautifully sung by Ms.
Potvin using the famous Cirque du Soleil imaginary language. The
second time Tara and I saw the film in Chicago, I found myself in
tears as I reminisced about a wonderful event that included this song.
In my next article for the Fascination! Newsletter, I will share this
experience...
=======================================================================
HOW TO SEE "JOURNEY OF MAN"
=======================================================================
Journey of Man is an IMAX 3D presentation by Cirque du Soleil. It was
released December 1999 in Australia and made its way across the world.
Currently,the film can be seen in many IMAX houses. To check for
current theater openings, please check your local listings or visit
their web site at: < http://www.cirquedusoleiljourney.com/ >.
Bear in mind that on October 9, 2001, Journey of Man will be released
onto DVD/VHS formats for your enjoyment at home. VHS ($19.95 USD,
Catalog # 05060, UPC 0-43396-05060-0) and DVD ($24.95 USD, Catalog #
07069, UPC 0-43396-07069-1). While not presented in 3D, due to the
clarity of the IMAX image, the quality will still be unimaginable.
=======================================================================
NEW CIRQUE MUSIQUE! (By: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
As we know, Cirque has produced distinguished sound-tracks for almost
all of their shows, to date totaling 13 disks. There have even been
some interesting "variations" such as issuing the CDs in metal tins
(see the Cirque Shop website). This month we have another variation
to report on, as well as an interesting tangential Cirque-ish
connection.
Cirque's "Saltimbanco" is currently on its' Japan-Asia tour. To
coincide with that, BMG/RCA Japan has re-released the "Saltimbanco"
soundtrack on CD (BVCF-31076). Nothing special about that, except
that this Japan-only release contains *two extra bonus tracks*!
Tacked on the end of the original sound-tracks' 11 cuts are "Adagio"
(5:43) and "Arlequin" (7:27). This raises the total amount of music
on the CD by a whopping 13 minutes!
The two songs are taken from live performances, as you can hear
applause. But these are *not* just copies from the "Saltimbanco"
video/DVD, they are brand new performances (and much nicer sounding,
in this reporter's opinion). In the show, "Adagio" accompanies the
balancing/contortion act involving a man, woman, and a very flexible
child. Here the subdued arrangement and Spanish guitar/saxophone
melody line provide a dreamlike atmosphere. Not so "Arlequin" (music
for the juggling act) which punches through with accentuating
flourishes. While these two pieces of music appeared in the video, to
this point they've never been released on CD.
The only criticism for these two pieces is their feeling of being
"tacked on" to the CD without much care. The audience applause fade-
ins and outs are rough and quick. In fact "Arlequin" ends with a
final musical coda and then *cuts out*, without any following applause
at all. This makes the two cuts (despite their fine sound) seem
sloppy and "last minute."
As with many other Japan CD releases, there is a small booklet
(written in Japanese of course), where the two tracks are listed.
This and the back cover are the only places they are mentioned in
print, and no musicians or composer are known (though I would not
doubt it would be René Dupéré, who composed the rest of the score).
For those of you wishing to be "completist" and order the CD, but
aren't in Asia, copies are available through www.cdjapan.co.jp. (On
the main page, select "Album/Movie Titles," then enter "Saltimbanco"
in the "CD Search" box on the left. When last checked, the CD cost
2548yen ($21.23 USD) plus shipping.
For our tangential Cirque connection, we go... to the sea! Anheuser-
Busch-owned Sea World of San Diego recently ventured into the realm of
"human circus"-type entertainment, with a production called "Cirque De
La Mer" ("Circus of the Sea"). Though the show had closed by the day
I visited, I understand it be very Cirque-ish in nature, featuring
human feats of strength and precision (it even has a picture of
Chinese Pole performers on the cover!).
Naturally, the show had a CD produced of its Original Soundtrack
(#10171184). And herein lies the Cirque connection - one of the
singers on the CD is Nathalie Gauvin, who sings on both of the
"Mystère" CD's! What a small world!
While the CD is not available on the website (www.seaworld.com),
copies are (of course) available at the park (I found several in the
main gift shop). We've also found out that copies may be ordered via
email at "darlene.wasson@seaworld.com" or by calling Darlene Wasson at
1-800-237-4268, and asking for extension #3826, between 9am-5pm
Pacific Time Tuesday-Saturday. Cost is $10.00 USD plus $4.00
shipping.
(Thanks to Yuki for the Saltimbanco CD)
=======================================================================
PARTING QUOTE
=======================================================================
"The journey is about to begin..."
- Journey of Man
=======================================================================
NEXT ISSUE...
=======================================================================
Our next installment will dive into the depths of Cirque du Soleil's
aquatic show "O". Plus, a DVD review of "Journey of Man", more news,
rumors and features!
Thank you for reading!
Have a comment, question or concern? Simply email the Fascination!
Newsletter staff at either richasi@azlance.com or through the
Yahoo Groups email address: CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com.
We are anxious to hear any and all comments!
=======================================================================
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=======================================================================
Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available only through sub-
scription. If you wish to unsubscribe, please send an email to:
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questions, feel free to email us at: richasi@azlance.com.
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
"Fascination! Newsletter" Copyright (c) 2001 Ricky Russo, published by
Vortex/RGR Productions, a subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No
portion of this newsletter can be reproduced, published in any form or
forum, quoted or translated without the consent of the "Fascination!
Newsletter". By sending us correspondence, you give us permission
(unless otherwise noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without
remuneration. All submissions become the property of the "Fascination!
Newsletter". "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way
with Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are
Copyright (c) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil,
Inc., and Créations Méandres, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No copyright
infringement intended.
{Issue 2a: August 01, 2002}
