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Fascination Issue 005
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Fascination! Newsletter
Issue #5 - January 2002
=======================================================================
Happy New Year from the staff of the Fascination! Newsletter! We
hope the new year will bring happiness and peace to all. To ring in
the new year, we are going to take a look at the classic Cirque du
Soleil shows, from Le Grand Tour of 1984, the 1984 and 1985 tours of
Le Cirque du Soleil, La Magie Continue (1986), and the ever changing
Le Cirque Réinventé (1987-1988). We feel it is important to understand
and have knowledge of one's past before the future can beappreciated.
With that in mind, let the adventure begin...
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Contents:
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* News & Tour/Show Information
* Fascination! Fan Club Updates
* This Month in Cirque History
* Birthday Wishes
* Cirque TV
* Introduction - The Odyssey Begins
* Feature: "A Grand Tour" (By: Ricky Russo)
* Feature: "The Magic Continues" (By: Ricky Russo)
* Feature: "Circus Reinvented, Restaged, and
Rethought (1987-1988)" (By: Jen Waldman)
* Feature: Reinventing Circus Music (Part 1)" (By: Paul Roberts)
* The Cirque Connection:
"Horsin' Around -- Cheval!" (By: T. Clay Buck)
* Cirque DVD Reviews (By: Keith Johnson)
* Parting Quote
* Next Issue
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimers
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NEWS & 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
------
Cirque 2002:
It has been announced that April 24, 2002 will be the grand
unveiling of the new Cirque du Soleil show (tickets are now on
sale for Cirque-Club members). "Wherever the wind caries us," is
the underlying theme as told by Dominic Champagne, the shows'
Director. Cirque 2002 was inspired by "the bond between circus
artists, acrobats, dancers, jugglers, contortionists, clowns and
actors as they risk their lives to defy the laws of gravity,
showing the world that something else is possible." The show
will begin its run in Montréal, and move on to Québec City and
Toronto before beginning its tour of the United States.
Creation Team of Cirque 2002 revealed:
Spotlighted on Cirque's own CirqueClub, the 12-member team is an
assortment of wonderfully talented people - many of whom are
working with the Cirque for the first time. These extraordinary
people are:
* Dominic Champagne - Director
* Andrew Watson - Director of Creation
* Stéphanie Roy - Set Designer
* Eiko Ishioka - Costume Designer
* Violaine Corradi - Composer
* Michael Montanaro - Choreographer
* Bill Shannon - Choreographer
* François Bergeron - Sound Designer
* Nol van Genuchten - Lighting Designer
* Francis Laporte - Projections Designer
* Nathalie Gagné - Make-up Designer
* Jaque Paquin - Rigging Designer
* André Simard - Acrobatic Act Designer
We can't wait to see what this talented group of people have put
together for us in 2002!
Dralion turns 1000!:
Sunday, December 16th was a very important date for the Dralion
cast and crew. The 1:00pm performance in Dallas, Texas
celebrated the 1000th performance of the show! Dralion has been
seen by as many as 2.5 million spectators since its debut on
April 24, 1999 and it continues to wow children and adults
alike. Fascination! congratulates the Dralion Cast and Crew --
here's to 1000 more performances!
Hoopsact.com:
Elena Lev, famous for her Hoops Act in the touring production of
Alegría, has her own web site. You can find Ms. Lev at:
<http://www.hoopsact.com/>. On her site there are a handful of
picture of her in costume and in performance, a section about
her, and even a way to contact her for bookings.
Rumors
--------
Alegría to return to the US?
It has been suggested by a newspaper, the Rocky Mountain News,
that Alegría, currently on tour in the Asia-Pacific region of
the world, might return to the United States as early as August
2002. While this is conjecture, the first stop on this new North
American Tour is said to be Denver, Colorado. Whether or not
other US cities would be on the itinerary is unknown at this
time.
Tour/Show Information
-----------------------
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Now in Perth
* Next Engagement: Singapore beginning 2/28/02.
* Singapore engagement will run until 3/24/02.
Cirque 2002:
* Begins North American Tour on 4/24/02
in Montréal and ends on 6/2/02!
* Other Confirmed Stops:
- Québec: 6/27/02 - 7/14/02
- Toronto: Summer 2002
- San Jose: Fall 2002
- San Francisco: Fall 2002
Dralion:
* Houston: January 17th - February 17th.
* Next stop: Los Angeles - 3/6/02!
* Other Confirmed Stops:
- San Diego: 4/18/01!
- Seattle: Summer 2002
Quidam:
* Quidam is on a rest period this month.
* Next stop: Miami, Florida: February 7th!
* New North American Tour to begin after Miami with a
stop in Charlotte beginning 3/29/02.
Saltimbanco:
* Is on a rest period.
* Amsterdam: 2/14/02 - 4/6/02
* Other Confirmed Stop:
- Barcelona: 4/26/02 - 5/26/02
- Vienna: 7/10/02 - 8/4/02
- Brussels: Fall 2002
- Madrid: 10/31/02 - 12/01/02
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* Other than its normal off nights, "La Nouba" is
not scheduled to be dark for the month of January.
Mystère:
* Other than its normal off nights, "Mystère" is
not scheduled to be dark for the month of January.
"O":
* Other than its normal off nights, "O" is not
scheduled to be dark for the month of January.
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FAN CLUB UPDATES
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New Home for Fan Club Website:
As many of you know, Seisouso.net, the home server for the
Fascination! Fan Club website has been taken down by its
webmaster. It has, however, found a new home at its old
location: < http://www.azlance.com/~richasi/Cirque/FanClub/ >.
Richasi is in the stages of rebuilding the site, but you can
find many of its features available to you. Your suggestions are
welcome on how to get more out of the site.
Two new writers!:
The "Fascination! Newsletter" is pleased to bring you two new
voices to the staff: Kimba Barton, who wrote the wonderful
article on "Alegría: Le Film" for last issue, and T. Clay Buck,
who has written the Cheval article. These two are now permanent
members of the newsletter staff, bringing our consortment up to
six. We welcome them wholeheartedly to our wonderful team!
=======================================================================
THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE HISTORY
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* January 05, 1999 -- Alegría opened in London
* January 07, 1999 -- Saltimbanco Asia-Pacific Tour Began (Sydney)
* January 10, 1999 -- Alegría Le Film showcased, Palm Springs Festival
* January 10, 2001 -- Alegría opened in Auckland, Australia
* January 14, 1997 -- Quidam CD Released.
* January 17, 1999 -- Banquine Act awarded in the 23rd Festival du
Cirque de Monte-Carlo.
* January 17, 2002 -- Dralion opened Houston, Texas
* January 25, 2000 -- Saltimbanco opened Hong Kong
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BIRTHDAY WISHES!
=======================================================================
* January 02, 1991 -- Batmunkh Batjargal (Little Tamir/Alegría)
* January 24, 1959 -- Luc Tremblay (Tower on Wheels/Réinventé)
* January 27, 1962 -- Andrée Simard (Singer/Alegría Biloxi)
=======================================================================
CIRQUE TV
=======================================================================
From time to time, patrons of Cirque du Soleil can find their amazing
performances on television. To find out when and where Cirque du
Soleil will be on TV, follow the schedule below:
At press time, Cirque du Soleil shows were not scheduled to perform on
Bravo or Starz during the month of January.
For further information on when Cirque du Soleil will appear on TV,
check www.bravotv.com, and www.starzencore.com. These schedules are
subject to change.
=======================================================================
INTRODUCTION: THE ODYSSEY BEGINS
=======================================================================
For Cirque du Soleil, the journey began in 1984. Back then the troupe
was nothing more than a collection of street artists who decided to
band together and perform for the masses. As more and more people came
to see the show, the artists and performers decided to take their show
on tour; and everywhere they went people were amazed. Eventually,
Cirque du Soleil traveled further and further from their native
province of Québec. In doing so a vision was born; and they created
the most significant circus troupe seen to date.
Some fans are uncomfortable or might not wish to take a look back at
Cirque's humble beginnings, but that is exactly what we intend to do
here. Each and every show, no matter how miniscule or simple, is part
of the greater whole. Spectacular shows such as Mystère, "O" and
Alegría would not even be possible today if it weren't for the courage
and vision of the artists of yesterday. And so we honor them by
remembering them in this issue and next.
Our journey begins with the grandest tour of them all: Le Grand Tour,
featuring Cirque's 1984 and 1985 tours.
=======================================================================
FEATURE: "A GRAND TOUR" (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
To begin a history for Cirque du Soleil, one has to travel back more
than 20 years to 1981. That year a new and exciting union was formed:
"Club des Talons Hauts, Inc." (which means "the High-Heels Club").
This non-profit company was founded on principle alone: "to promote
circus arts and street performers." And in doing so this new
organization went on to produce Cirque du Soleil during its earliest
performances.
* 1981-1983: Les Echassiers de Baie St-Paul
* 1982-1984: Fête Foraine de Baie St-Paul
Le Rendez-vous des amuseurs publics.
In June 1984, Cirque du Soleil officially came together in part by
contributions and summons by the Québec government. Their name,
meaning "Sun Circus" or "Circus of the Sun", was created by the
troupe's founder: Guy Laliberté. Once armed with an identity, Cirque
du Soleil came together to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Jacques
Cartier's (1491-1557) arrival. For the festivities, Cirque du Soleil
presented a very special show in Gaspé, the very same place Mr.
Cartier's voyager took him so long ago as he desperately tried to find
a land route through to the Orient. The show was a smash success and
the artists, invigorated by its reception, took their creation on the
road and visited a handful of cities nearby: Baie-Comeau, Baie St-
Paul, Québec, Magog, Hull, and Sorel et Montréal.
Unfortunately, from a fan's point of view, there isn't much else known
about the original tour in 1984. However, in 1985, the tournée picked
up again where the original left off and created some wondrous acts
and feats. These include...
* Les Stagiaries (the Trainees): By the hand of ringmaster
Michel Barette, these folks dressed in Blue and White form a
human pyramid of people, among various other acrobatic acts.
Many artists performed this act, among them are Michelle Croze,
Elisabeth Geissbuhler, Michael Legault, Nathalie Sabourin, Jean
Saucier, and Tonatiuh Morales.
* Break Dance: That's right, Break Dance. Yves Decoste and
Sylvain Gaumont performed an interesting dance act in colorful
yellow, red and green outfits.
* Hand balancing: Angela Laurier and Steve Kielbasinski bond
together to perform a man-to-woman hand balancing act. Angela,
after stunning the audience with her nimble body, goes solo to
show just how nimble she really is!
* Juggling: What is a circus without a juggling act? For Cirque
du Soleil, Pierre Duhaime and Daniel Gulko came together and
produced this act: club juggling, ball juggling and just about
anything else they could get their hands on.
* Le Tango: An interesting performance by future Cirque du
Soleil director: Gilles Ste-Croix. After creating a performance
for the 1984 tour, Gilles Ste-Croix returned with his
performance "Les Singes" ("the Monkeys") and presented a new
act: "Le Tango de l'Échassière" ("The Tango of Échassière"). A
stilt walker, Gilles shows his ability in this performance where
he and a young lady dance on stilts.
* Aluna: Hailed from Argentina; Juan Saavedra, Elisabeth La
Commare and Luis Lopez formed the group with a desire to express
their native land through rhythm and dance. "Aluna is the mother
of fire and of the sun," and with their instruments, dance to
fertility. Called Zapateo, it is the dance of the Argentinean
man. Joined with the Malamo, the dance and beat awaken the
history of a forgotten Indian race. With exciting choreography
and continuous beat of the bombos (drums), Aluna was impressive.
* The Children: Children are especially sacred to Cirque du
Soleil, and during the tour five children were featured in the
ring. Lucie Laurier, Claude Beaudoin, Noémie Gélinas, Daniel and
Jean-Paul Seart-Boun participated with: "The Small Girl",
"Bicycletas", "Monkey's", "Soap Bubbles" and "The Dream";
connecting segments between the main acts. The children are
watched over by Ben La Barouette, a clown in a red hat.
* Tightrope: The tightrope performance is one of the mainstays
of traditional circuses, and Cirque du Soleil is no exception.
For Cirque, the tightrope was performed by a duo - a man and
woman - as they walked across the wire on their tip-toes,
balance on the wire with their heads and performed various other
acts of strength and balance.
The 1985 tour also had its share of comedic acts: "La Ratatouille"
were one such group. They were mischievous clowns who made their
presence known at the wrong time and place. They were masters of
disguise and appeared as Hockey Players, Magicians and Eccentric Women
throughout the show! And not only were they talented in the arts of
comedy, they even surprised with their juggling abilities. Formed by
Michel Dallaire, Doug Vernon, Wayne Hronek, Francine Côté and John
White.
Denis Lacombe, who is an amazing man and who is seen in later
incarnations of Cirque (La Magie Continue (1986), and Le Cirque
Réinventé (1987-1989)), took comedy to new levels. Most fans know him
as the "Conductor" and even in this early stage he was the master of
the orchestra. Another character he performed was the "Invisible Man",
where he talked to a person who did not exist! And, he performed a
parody of a hand-to-hand act with Chatouille.
The final character of the 1985 tour, and the most illusive, is
"Chatouille", which is literally translated into "Tickle".
"Chatouille" was brought to life by Sonia Côté who was trained in
music, dance, piano and song. She even had theater, acrobatics,
juggling and magic talents. She was part of the 1984 Grand Tour and
once again, created two new numbers "Pierrette lunaire" and "Tuyaux",
which translate into "Lunar Rock" and "Pipes".
While the 1984 and 1985 tours can never be seen again, there is a
group of people that should be recognized for their insight, ingenuity
and gumption to go on with the show. Many of these names are still
familiar to Cirque du Soleil fans today, and managed to stay with the
company to this day: Guy Laliberté: Co-Founder, Robert Lageux: Co-
Founder, Richard Bouthillier: Chief Assembler, Guy Caron: Artistic
Director, Jean David: Communication Director, Hélène Dufresne: Tour
Director, Daniel Gauthier: Administrative Director, Guy St-Amour:
Technical Director, René Dupéré: Musical Director, Franco Dragone:
Director of Creation, Hélène Dubé: Costuming, André Caron: Decoration,
Jean Leduc: Lighting, Serge Roy: Studio Director, Lorraine Turpin:
Artistic Director of Production and Zygmunt Biegaj: Trainer.
=======================================================================
FEATURE: "THE MAGIC CONTINUES" (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
The fantasy and magic did indeed continue for Cirque du Soleil. The
1984 Grand Tour and 1985 tour of Le Cirque du Soleil proved very
successful in their native homelands. In 1986, they decided to expand
the show, revamping it into: "La Magie Continue".
With a new title and attitude, Cirque du Soleil took Canada by storm.
The seasonal tour took the show to a handful of Canadian cities -
eight in all; and Cirque had the distinction of being part of the
festivities surrounding Expo'86 in Vancouver to represent their
Canadian heritage and homeland. It became one one of Cirque's own
personal successes.
"La Magie Continue" featured many familiar faces that appeared in
previous and would continue to appear in later shows: Michael Barrette
as the Ringmaster, Ben La Barouette - a man who signifies the magical
qualities of the circus linking the acts together, comes to us with
his red hat, and Denis Lacombe with his one-man orchestra to name a
few. Also with this tour new faces appeared. For the first time in
Cirque du Soleil history they extended an invitation to the Chinese
government to have a team of its most talented acrobats take part.
That invitation grew into the Spinning Meteor performance by Cui Feng
Yun, Li Yi Shi and Xu Juan.
Another new face for the 1986 tour was Rodrique "Chocolat" Tremblay.
Prior to 1986, he had been pleasing audiences for 12 years with his
stage character: Chocolat. For Cirque he performed a bicycle act and
generally brightened up the show with his brief comedic appearances.
[Rodrique went on to perform on the Alegría soundtrack, perfecting the
"Musical Saw" instrument.]
The show begins with a man and a lamp. The two invade the stage and
its darkness turns to day. Soon, that light illuminates the world
around it showing men and women as they begin to storm the stage,
umbrellas in hand. These men and women begin to gather in the center
of the ring, their umbrellas covering them. The anonymous group only
comes to life when "Red Hat" touches them with his own brolly. Off
they go, one-by-one and double-faced, showing their true selves to us
and thus beginning the spectacle.
The beginning of "La Magie Continue" also serves as an eerie prelude
to a couple of Cirque creations that came much, much later. The first
resemblance is to "Dralion" -- the man with the lamp? The second
resemblance is to "Mystère" -- the double-faced people. Who knew how
impressionable "Le Magie Continue" would be on future Cirque
creations!
As for this one, "Le Magie Continue" had an electrifying program with
about a dozen performances.
* Cycles: By Frédéric Zipperlin, Amélie Demay, Luc Tremblay,
Roch Jutras, Tonatiuh Morales, Jean Saucier, Daniel Seart-Boun,
Nicolas Dupéré and Piotr Matula.
* Tightrope: by Agathe and Antoine who returned for their second
year. The pair reworked their act into an even more flamboyant
style, dancing on points and doing head stands!
* Hand-to-hand: Pawel Biegaj and Piotr Matula, the artists for
hand-to-hand placed third in the European indoor acrobatics
championship and prepared a one-of-a-kind performance --
standing on the shoulders of his catcher, one acrobat actually
flips landing back on the same shoulders!
* Les Cyclones: For the 1986 tour André St-Jean and Luc Tremblay
celebrated the tenth anniversary of their professional
partnership by joining the Cirque. For the tour they performed
as waiters on unicycles; juggling bottles of champagne.
* Chair Balancing: A unique performance in that the performer
doesn't balance on chairs, he balances the chairs on his chin!
Providing a very interesting twist to an age old performance.
* Juggling: Virtuosos in several different disciplines,
Nicolette Hazenwinkel, Frédéric Zipperlin and Eric Borgman
juggle rings, pins and even soccer balls for their performance -
and this after exploding from a box on stage! Unfortunately, the
video performance cut most of this act, only showing the
juggling of the soccer balls.
* Springboard: When one looks at the Korean Plank performance by
the Ring Team: Sigmunt Biegaj, Michael Barette, Jean Paul Seart-
Boun, Luc Dagenais, Roch Jutras, Tonatiuh Morales, André St-Jean
and Jean Saucier, one immediately perceives an eerie likeness to
the Korean Plank act seen in Nouvelle Expérience. The blowing of
the whistle by the ringmaster and the orders to perform echo the
likeness of the rude bellows of Madame Corporation and her
workers. And even though the performance here is simple in its
theatrics compared to what followed, there's still a simply
amazing piece which occurred right at the beginning of the act
(as seen on video): with the two planks side by side, one man is
tossed into the air and instead of landing on the same board, he
jumps from one to the end of the second board, sending a second
man flying over his head to be caught by the catchers. I found
that to be amazing.
All of the acts in "Le Magie Continue" are very special because the
acrobats lent their heart and soul to its creation. Yet, out of those
amazing performances I found three or four that really caught my
attention as being over and beyond; consisting of something a little
more than the average.
* Trapeze: The beginning of this act is as unique as I have ever
seen, which is why I single this act out. The Double-Faced
people seen in the opening of the show have covered the stage in
a white cloth - shutting off the ring to the world. More
importantly, however, this cloth and the way the act begins
leaves the impression we're witnessing a birth. The cloth sheath
then becomes the womb of the earth and from it, Lorraine
Desmarais, a Québec writer, actress and choreographer, is born.
The rest of the performance is a dazzling display of aerial
acrobatics, but I can't help but place that aside to the acts
unique introduction.
* Equilibriste: This act, known as the Mechanical Doll act, is
a single-handbalancing act, and it features one of the more
emotional pieces of the entire show. Our man in the Red Hat
comes about on stage carrying a stool and a small doll that he
is quite fond of. He shows it to the audience as he sits down,
and even shows that the doll spins around on its base, but it
won't do so now. He becomes depressed that his little ballerina
will not perform and soon, becomes tired and falls into a dream.
In his dreams the doll does come to life - performing wondrous
acts of balance, agility and strength! (Balancing on one's head
is hard enough, but keeping your balance as you spin around is
just... brilliantly talented). After a while, the man in the Red
Hat suddenly awakens from his dream and rises from his stool to
find a pink dress in his lap - the very same dress his doll is
wearing. His eyes begin to twinkle and he takes the mechanical
doll and dress and takes leave of the spectators.
I first heard about this act when I purchased a 1986 Tour
program and was intrigued immediately. The description of the
act within the program was not that forthcoming and for months I
tried to picture the act in motion. From the program I knew the
act had a young girl from France as its performer, performing
through her motions as if she were nothing more than a robot.
When I was finally able to see the performance in motion for the
first time I could not help but fall in love with it and
appreciate it for its simplicity.
* Fire!: I'm still puzzled over this performance because we, the
later generation of spectators (aka, fans) were not able to see
this lively production by Cirque founder and president, Guy
Laliberté. Mr. Laliberté is a very skilled fire swallower who
perfected his art in Hawaii. He presented this fascinating
performance backed up by a spectacular display of fireworks. I
would have loved to see this performance, alas, it must forever
remain in the boundless realm of history.
* Spinning Meteor: Last, but certainly not least, is the
Spinning Meteor performance. Two men, one woman, perform a
unique balancing act using bowls filled with water and a rope.
With their hands and feet, they twirl the bowls around to create
an interesting and well executed performance. While the entire
act is pleasing to the eye, there is one moment that I think
needs further attention, and if it were easy to explain I would
certainly do it... but it comes at a point about half way
through the performance where all three are involved in a mid-
air flip and pass that they make look so simple! The act won the
Silver Clown award at the International Circus Festival in
Monte-Carlo in 1984 and is now captured for all time on the
VHS/DVD of "Le Magie Continue".
Thankfully, "La Magie Continue", or the 1986 tour, can be seen by fans
and spectators alike through DVD and VHS versions of the show. And it
is through these media that many of us have been able to see the show
for the first time. Not only must we thank those at Cirque du Soleil
who had the foresight to record the show, but we must also pay homage
to those who created "La Magie" in the first place. Their imagination
paved the way for the next tour... and the one after that... and the
one after that. These incredible men and women are: Guy Caron
(Artistic Director), Franco Dragone (Director), Lorraine Turpin
(Artistic Production Director), Claude Lemay (Director's Assistant),
René Dupéré (Composer), Jean-Yves Cadieux (Costume), Luc Lafortune
(Lighting), and Set Design: André Caron. These few names among those
in administration, production, communication and the artists
themselves helped bring about a wonderful production that really does
continue the magic.
=======================================================================
FEATURE: "CIRCUS REINVENTED, RESTAGED, AND RETHOUGHT
(1987-1988)" (By: Jen Waldman)
=======================================================================
[1987-1988]
By today's standards, Le Cirque Réinventé (aka We Reinvent the Circus)
is a very simple and plain little show. The costumes were not fancy
and the budget was $200,000, which left the Cirque penniless, But in
1987, a show like this--a circus without animals or brass band music--
was new, and a great risk.
Early shows by the Cirque du Soleil were unique and lovely in their
own right, but certain aspects of Cirque (such as non-acrobatic
choreography) were not complete yet. Le Cirque Réinventé was the
first Cirque du Soleil show to tour outside Canada and the first in
which all of the basic elements of a Cirque show were put into place.
Several of the performers were new, but veterans such as Amelie Demay,
Faon Shane-Belanger, and Denis Lacombe also participated.
The show made its first tour in 1987. The first tour stop outside of
Canada was the Los Angeles Festival--a complete success. Everyone who
attended knew that history was being made, that this was THE show of
the festival. Cirque du Soleil was on the map. This first production
of Le Cirque Réinventé had several acts that echoed earlier
productions, such as Balancing Chairs, a Bicycle act and Denis
Lacombe's "Chef d'Orchestra (Conductor)." It also featured several
winners of the "Circus of Tomorrow" competitions.
Le Cirque Réinventé included the crowd of Ordinary People, masked
Everypeople who opened the show and observed the goings-on with the
same amazement as the audience. As they explored their strange
surroundings, one of these Ordinary People was transformed into the
Ringmaster. The Ringmaster was Michel Barrette, a veteran of earlier
shows. Tango Handbalancers Eric Varelas and Amelie Demay performed
together for a second Cirque season (interesting note: Amelie was
"discovered" by Cirque people while she was spinning on her head,
which seems to me an excellent way to be discovered). A slack-wire act
was performed by Masha Dimitri-- the only Cirque show to date in which
a slack-wire act appears. Christopher Suszek did a solo on chair-
balancing high above the ground. Two separate bicycle acts were
performed--the "Tower on Wheels," in which many acrobats did stunts of
balance and precision and 15 rode on one bike all together, and the
Zhao family from China displayed their talents in Trick Cycling. Eight
acrobats from different backgrounds soared through the air for the
famed "Penguin Step" (Korean Plank) number.
Britishers Andrew Watson and Jaqueline Williams quit their office jobs
and first joined Gerry Cottle's Circus (UK), and then came to the
Cirque in which they performed an aerial Voltige, incorporating
several styles of aerial acts. Benny le Grand (who would later appear
in "Mystère") made his first appearance with Cirque, along with Mexico
City native Catitan Cactus, and Denis Lacombe. Le Cirque Réinventé
would be the last Cirque show in which Denis would perform his
Mechanical Clown, in which he was a robot who discovered the joy of
smashing pies in his face and gargling with soap bubbles, and Chef
d'Orchestra, where he tried to conduct the 1812 overture from a
Walkman that conducted HIM instead.
1988 brought some changes. Michel Barette's Ringmaster began the show
as usual, then transformed into a character called Ti-Claude, a
mystical guide into the world of the show. The Ordinary People
expressed the amazement and wonder echoed in the audience, but a new
addition called the Queen of the Night (Angela Laurier) drew them into
the magical world.
The Chair-Balancing act was performed by several acrobats, some of
them children. In a new act, a juggler (Daniel Le Bateleur)
manipulated five balls at unbelievable speeds. The notorious Penguins
still flipped and twisted through a Yuppie's workday. The slack-wire
act was replaced with a duo on a low tight-wire, acting out a gentle
love story as they danced across the wire. Denis Lacombe added an
"Invisible Man" routine--he was beaten up by an unseen assailant. He
also performed Mechanical Clown and Chef d'Orchestra. In addition to
Denis Lacombe and Benny le Grand, punk clown Toniatuh Morales was on
hand to harass the audience at every opportunity.
Angela Laurier, a self-taught contortionist, adopted an almost-feral
attitude as she twisted herself up in knots. Though not as flexible as
some later Cirque contortionists, she moved from position to position
with ease, and was spellbinding to watch. Eric and Amelie tangoed,
Watson and Williams swung though the air with the greatest of ease,
and the Bicycle acrobats did their Tower routine with an added solo by
Luc Tremblay.
The Queen of the Night lead her helpers and others out into the ring.
As Ti-Claude took a bow, the Queen removed his hat and transformed him
back into an Ordinary Person. However, as the colorful Queen exits, he
realizes that he is still holding his hat--perhaps the shape of his
Destiny. Perhaps it is the shape of our own...
[The Adventure Continues in our next Issue...]
=======================================================================
FEATURE: "REINVENTING CIRCUS MUSIC (Part I)" (By: Paul Roberts)
=======================================================================
One of the aspects that make Cirque du Soleil shows special is the
dramatic music that accompanies the acts. To me, the music is the
most important element. In the early 1990s, I was TV channel surfing
and came across a viewing of an unusual non-animal circus. I almost
surfed on until I noticed the semi-electronic music in the background,
but my short attention span caused me to only watch a couple acts. I
never bothered to find out the name of the circus and did not give it
a second thought. Until two years ago.
In 1999, I purchased the "We Reinvent the Circus" video and
encountered deja vu during the trapeze act that is followed by zany
Dennis LaCombe's conductor-on-a-trampoline routine. I realized that I
had actually witnessed Cirque du Soleil long before seeing Mystère
live in 1996.
The music of Cirque du Soleil has matured over the years as the early
themes featured a mixture of sequenced synthesizers with live drums,
woodwinds, and occasional guitar. The bass line almost always
consisted of a staccato synthesizer patch that gave the music a sort
of Wendy Carlos' "Switched on Bach" feel. And very rarely a vocal
part could be heard. Early Cirque du Soleil music could be labeled as
new age; however, it is difficult to put Cirque du Soleil's music in
any given category due to the various styles that support the
accompanying act. In "La Magie Continue" a swing-jazz song
accompanies the "bar scene" chair balancing act, in "We Reinvent the
Circus" a tango-like song accompanies the dancing male and female
hand-to-hand act, and in "Nouvelle Experience" an Asian-influenced
theme accompanies an umbrella balancing act performed by two Asian
girls. As with the present, Cirque du Soleil's music has always
provided a subliminal background to control the emotion of the
onlooker.
René Dupéré composed the majority of the early music with an
occasional composition by Benoît Jutras, who took over the writing
chores just after Mystère began its run in Las Vegas. These two
musical geniuses provided the scores for all productions up to
Dralion. Their work began and continued to cross the lines of various
musical genres that just does not seem to fit a circus. In the
"Baroque Odyssey" video, however, a clip is shown of a brass band
running around the circus ring in an earlier show than "La Magie
Continue." So I assume the very first Cirque du Soleil music had more
of a traditional circus feel.
As with the history of the two composers, there are several musicians
that continued a long reign with Cirque du Soleil. Keyboardist Stephen
Poulin, who is presently in the Dralion band, played in the "We
Reinvent the Circus" band. Studio guitarist Robert Stanley played on
most of the early albums, up to Alegría. Bassist Marc Langis also
played a lot on the early albums and resurfaced on the Alegría film
soundtrack. My favorite early musician has to be Martine Brisson, who
provided a few vocal lines in the self-titled Cirque du Soleil album.
Martine is the mother and Benoît Jutras is the father of Audrey
Brisson-Jutras, the talented young lady who played the original Zoë in
"Quidam."
As Cirque du Soleil has evolved into the massive productions of recent
times, a credit has to be given to their roots, especially the music.
Even though vocalists presently play major roles in the music and the
shows, the freshness and excitement of early Cirque du Soleil
instrumental music is evident.
[More Classic Cirque Musique in our Next Issue...]
=======================================================================
THE CIRQUE CONNECTION:
"HORSIN' AROUND -- Cheval!" (By: T. Clay Buck)
=======================================================================
There's a new sight on the Las Vegas Strip. As you ride the train
between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo casinos, you pass by a large,
multi-colored tent encircled by a community of RV's, horse trailers,
makeshift stables, and a lot of activity. Set up in the parking lot of
the home of Cirque du Soleil's aquatic show "O" (the Bellagio), Cheval
Theatre is moving in the footsteps of its famous predecessor.
The brainchild of President and Founder Gilles Ste-Croix, Cheval
Theatre bills itself as "Imagination at Full Gallop." Blending the
techniques of horsemanship, acrobatics, dance, and music, this new
creation represents a new departure from the traditional circus. It
features over 30 horses of 17 different breeds and a multitude of
horse trainers, acrobats, musicians, dancers, and the ever-present
clowns.
Ste-Croix is best known for his work as an original member of Cirque
du Soleil where he was the Director of Creation for many of Cirque's
shows. Having been with the troop since its beginnings as street
performers in Québec and Montréal, Ste-Croix has now applied his
remarkable imagination and energy to the creation of Cheval Theatre.
"I want to combine the strength and grace of the horse with the
theatricality of humans," he says, "and imagine a space where
horses and humans respect each other, interact, and create magical
moments."
While many comparisons can be made between Cirque du Soleil and Cheval
Theatre - fantastical lighting and costumes, hauntingly beautiful
music, acrobatics, all built around a thematic through-line or story -
the similarity ends with the introduction of animals to the circus
arena. Indeed, the horses are central to this phenomenal new work.
The arena itself is reminiscent of Cirque, but unlike the now-familiar
gold and blue Big Top, Cheval arrives almost unobtrusively in
a mottled, subtle Chapiteau of blues, browns, greens, and earth tones
designed to evoke the castles of the French Loire Valley. At 69,513
square feet, it is the largest hand-painted tent in the world, yet
still intimate enough to seat 2,000 spectators around its 46 foot
center ring. All of whom must enter the arena through the stables,
giving them the opportunity to 'meet' the performers before the show.
It is in this ring where the show takes its form, with acts such as
the Garotcha (an equestrian ballet), Vaulting, Cossack Vaulting,
Dressage (in a pas de deux and solo), the Carousel, Battlefield, and
comic routines. Both horses and humans are well-trained and at the top
of their field, coming from disciplines and countries all over the
world. Ste-Croix is joined by creators that share his passion for the
work, including several faces familiar to Cirque du Soleil. Michel
Crete, set designer for many of Cirque's shows, designed the sets; Guy
Desrochers, Sound Designer, also worked on Nouvelle Experience,
Fascination, Alegría, and Dralion. The equestrian choreography of Igor
Kassaer and Bernard Quental is matched with the costume and lighting
design of Francois Barbeau and Guy Simard, respectively.
The music was composed by Bernard Poirier and features live musicians
each night, including violinists, guitarists, saxophone, piccolo,
keyboards, and vocals. Equestrian and Acrobatic performers include the
Zamperia Zoppe Family, renowned in Italy for their equestrian and
acrobatic skills, and the world-famous Igor Kassaev's Cossacks who
also performed at the Olympic Games held in Atlanta. A troupe of
incredibly talented acrobats and horse riders complete the
show and perform all the acts.
Cheval Theatre is currently on a three-year North American tour, which
requires that great care be taken of both the acrobats and, of course,
the horses. It is obvious from seeing the site that they have formed a
small community around the show, and continue to train and perfect
their work as the show continues to move. It premiered on May 16, 2001
in Montréal and has played in Québec City, Denver, and now in Las
Vegas. Future stops are planned for Los Angeles, Costa Mesa, San Jose,
and San Francisco through 2002; more cities will be announced as they
are confirmed.
In addition to this new show, Gilles Ste-Croix has established "Le
Manege d'Alexis le Trotteur" a training program for equestrians and
acrobatics "when artist and horse learn from each other." Alexis le
Trotteur is a well-known name to Cirque fans, having been the name
Ste-Croix used as a stilt walker and street performer. Indeed, Alexis
is featured in Cirque's anniversary video "A Baroque Odyssey."
Many have confused Cheval Theatre as a new production of Cirque du
Soleil-It is not. It is a separate company, a new show, and apparently
following directly in Cirque's footsteps. While in Las Vegas it is
being hosted by the Bellagio and tickets are sold through their box
office, but it is a separate entity from Cirque. And Gilles Ste-Croix
remains as a consultant with Cirque as they continue to build new
ventures and opportunities.
More information about Cheval Theatre is available in both English and
French at www.chevaltheatre.com. A CD recording of the music and
souvenir program are also available.
=======================================================================
CIRQUE DVD REVIEWS (By: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
Who would have predicted at the beginning of 2001 that by the end of
the year the DVD catalog of Cirque du Soleil would have tripled! From
three items at the beginning of the year, Cirque fans have been
blessed with a total of 10 by years end, with at least one more to
come in 2002.
In the greater scheme of things, re-releasing their older shows in DVD
and VHS makes perfect sense for Cirque. On the one hand it increases
the choices for the public and brings the depth and history of Cirque
to a wider audience, while on the other hand increasing revenue with
little cost by simply repackaging and marketing already produced (and
paid for) product.
Unfortunately, it's in the marketing where Cirque seems to have fallen
short. Students of business understand the concept of synergy - the
idea of using one product or platform to promote and market another.
Disney is known for doing this well - their ABC television network is
busy promoting the languishing California Adventure Theme Park with
every opportunity (football half-time reports from inside the park,
what's with that?). And anyone who has bought a Disney Video or DVD
can attest to the many ads placed ahead of the main program. But
that's what promotion is, making the consumer aware of other product
they might want to purchase.
Which makes these latest Cirque releases so curious. You would think
that Cirque would want to take advantage of the extra features on the
new DVDs by including trailers or information about all the other
product available. So any consumer buying one video would at least be
exposed to all the others. It makes perfect sense.
But there is only a minimum of cross-promotion here. Sure, each
package promotes "Trailers" as a feature, but with very few exceptions
these are the same two trailers, and only one of them specifically
promotes another video! The two Trailers are for the shows currently
touring in the US - a 60-second narrated preview of the Quidam DVD
(exactly!), and a 30-second un-narrated preview of the Dralion *Show*
(not even mentioning the DVD, huh?).
This is where I think Cirque dropped the ball. Sure the quality of the
DVDs is uniformly excellent, and it's great to have these older shows
available once again. But couldn't they at least have informed the
consumer of other Cirque product they might want to purchase?
One other small nit to pick is the lack of "Special Features" in the
most recent batch of releases. No "making of" featurettes, no
subtitles that might give us a clue just what those singers are
singing. While not unexpected (such features might cost more money
than they're worth), they would have been nice additions.
REVIEWS - With all the new videos available, we thought we'd look at
the entire series of Cirque DVDs, with emphasis on Special Features
(extras) and overall quality. While we won't be reviewing the VHS
Videos specifically, we can say that the quality of the newly re-
released videos is better than the previous "Telemagik" videos (they
also lack any special features or extras).
We'll start with the latest release, and move backwards in time. Note
in the reviews below that the distributor is Columbia Tri-Star Home
Entertainment (www.chte.com) unless noted. Also, unless noted they
should all be available at any major store or site.
ALEGRÍA - (coming in 2002 we think). As reviewed last issue, the
newly-recorded show of Alegría should be available sometime in 2002.
One can only hope it might include some extra features, and cross-
promote all the other Cirque videos as well. One special request from
a lowly reviewer - could you include the previously-available VHS
documentary "Alegría-The Truth Of Illusion" (1994, 22 minutes,
Telemagik 9451) as part of the complete package?
INSIDE LA NOUBA - (2000, 45 minutes - DVD # unknown, VHS # unmarked)
This video, a combination "making-of" and "review" of their Orlando,
Florida show, has just been released on DVD by Cirque as an in-house
product (and is only available at their boutique stores and on their
Website). It is said to include a look at Cirque costumes.
Unfortunately, my copy did not arrive by press time, so I'm unable to
comment (look for a quick review next time). The program is excellent
though, giving little previews of almost all the acts in the show,
while not giving away the entire show itself. I hope Cirque might
follow this concept further, and do the same for their Las Vegas shows
"Mystère" and "O."
JOURNEY OF MAN - (1999, 39 minutes - DVD # 07069-1, VHS # 05060-0)
Here is a program that should be in every Cirque fans collection. The
picture is brilliantly clear, sharp and full-screen. This was exactly
the way is was presented in IMAX, though this CD is missing the films'
3-D impact (that's not unexpected; none of the other previous IMAX 3-D
films transferred to video do, either). The transfer rate of the DVD
(the higher the rate, the cleaner and sharper the picture) is higher
than several other "reference" IMAX DVDs in my collection. The 5.0
Dolby Digital sound is wonderful though a little "hot" in level,
clocking in at a +3 Dialog Normalization level (meaning it will sound
louder than your other DVDs). Note however that the DVD defaults to a
2-channel mix unless told otherwise, a fault of the other DVDs
reviewed here as well. It's disappointing there is no "making of"
documentary included, and there was some talk that the DVD would
include multiple angles of some of the acts, which did not happen.
Nonetheless, it's the best looking of all the DVDs in the bunch.
DRALION - (2000, 89 minutes - DVD #06105-7, VHS #06139-2) This
currently-touring show gets the complete treatment on DVD. Presented
in 1.78:1 "widescreen" with a 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound mix, pretty much
the complete show is here. But it's in the extras where the DVD really
shines. There's a 23-minute "making of featurette", "In The Heart Of
The Dralion", which looks into the creation of the show. And, unique
to this DVD, there are four "multi-angle" sections, where you can look
at either the standard shot, a close-up, a medium shot, or a full-
stage view, all in sync with the rest of the program. The skipping
rope, dralions, teeterboard, and single hand- balancing acts can be
viewed with this feature (of interest is a bit of behind-the- scenes
trivia - during the handbalancing act, the first transfer from one
hand to the other is successful in the finished version, while the
alternate angles reveal that the shot is a re-shoot; the performer
almost missed it when originally shot!) And to top it all off, there's
an extra Trailer; a 90-second preview of "Riverdance: Live in New
York." What it's doing there, I have no idea. Otherwise a great video,
with plenty of extras.
QUIDAM - (1999, 90 minutes, DVD # 04225-4, VHS # 04224-7) A nice try,
but a dropped ball in the special feature department. Also presented
in 1.78:1 widescreen with a 5.1 Dolby Digital sound mix (mastered at a
loud +4), it also includes pretty much the entire show. The packaging
seems to suggest a plethora of subtitles available, 7 in total. But
these don't "decode" the lyrics of the show - instead they seem to
appear in the first chapter. This is a missed opportunity, they could
at least have subtitled the "Quidam" title song at the end of the
show. A larger miss is the absence of the previously-available "Full
Circle: The Making Of Quidam" (1996, 22 minutes, Telemagik 201Q01A).
This should have been included as part of the package, sadly it is
not. Of some interest, however are the trailers. The "Dralion" trailer
is visually the same, but includes different music than the same
trailer on the other DVDs. Unique to "Dralion" is a 3:30 wordless
preview of "Journey Of Man", which includes some shots that were not
used in the finished IMAX film.
ALEGRÍA (LE FILM) - (1998, 93 minutes, First Look Pictures/Image
Entertainment DVD # 0-14381-68742-2, VHS #6-87797-12303-9) This was
reviewed last issue. To summarize - a treasure trove of Special
Features in an excellent DVD. Audio commentary, making-of, three
videos, extended performance footage. By its nature (distributed by a
different company than the other DVDs here), there are no cross-
promoting trailers. But a complete package nonetheless.
From this point "backward" are the shows that were the majority of the
re-releases, sourced from tapes created for their original purpose -
television broadcast. As a batch they are presented full-screen, with
simple 2.0 Stereo sound (though Dolby Surround decoding does provide
some surround sound presence). Except for "Magie", these have been
available in a prior VHS edition, fortunately these re-releases have
not been edited further. There are no special features at all, save
the "Dralion" and "Quidam" trailers mentioned above.
A BAROQUE ODYSSEY - (1994, 56 minutes, DVD # 07075-2, VHS # 07211-4)
This is a curious documentary, produced as a retrospective for
Cirque's 10th anniversary. It's fascinating for its look at the main
creators and their takes on the shows of Cirque and their philosophy.
It also goes into depth describing their history, and takes a stark
honest look at their early years. (Hearing one executive talk about
how much money they made and lost in their early years is something
you don't often see in a company-produced documentary). The archival
footage of their early years means the program has an uneven look, the
older material looking more grainy compared to the new, but this is to
be expected. Yet there is one mystery surrounding the program. Up
until recently, according to the Cirque Store site, the video was
available in two editions; an "English" edition running 56 minutes
(from which this DVD is taken), and a "French" edition running 70
minutes, a full 14 minutes longer! If someone has a copy of this
"longer" French version, let us know, we'd like to compare and
report on the differences. In summary, a program fascinating for
anyone interested in looking "behind-the-scenes" at the nuts and bolts
(and surprisingly, some of the financial considerations) of Cirque.
SALTIMBANCO - (1994, 78 minutes, DVD # 07070-7, VHS #07208-4) A very
good presentation of the show. While a bit short compared to other
more "complete" show documents, it captures its' elements well. The
transfer is great for its source and age, there are few artifacts to
the picture, and the sound is clean. Features the debut of the Chinese
Poles and Bungee acts.
NOUVELLE EXPERIENCE - (1991, 85 minutes, DVD # 07074-5, VHS # 07210-7)
Another crisp, clean, good record of the show. To these reviewers
eyes, this is the show where the various elements of Cirque first came
together - music, concept, and acts. It would have been nice to have a
"making of" this show. Includes David Shiner's hilarious "Film Scene"
act, worth the price of the video.
CIRQUE RÉINVENTÉ - (1989, 56 minutes, DVD # 07073-8, VHS # 07209-1) A
smaller document of this show, edited to 56 minutes for a one-hour
television time slot. The presentation is more "traditional circus"
than the others, occurring in one round ring with one curtain. The
acts are also more traditional than other Cirque shows. Included here
is the hilarious "conductor" act, and an impressive Contortion act.
This show was the start of what we know as Cirque today, their
first truly successful production. It would have been nice to have
gotten a more complete record, but what is available is interesting
for its historical significance.
LA MAGIE CONTINUE - (1986, 50 minutes, DVD # 07071-4, VHS # 07207-7)
When first announced, this was the video that caught our eye, as we
had been unaware of it up to now. But the reality is, sad to say, not
worth the anticipation. This is a condensation of acts from the second
full tour of Cirque du Soleil. At this point they were trying to
gather their footing, looking for the direction that would ultimately
fall into place, embryonically with "Cirque Réinventé" but completely
by the time of "Nouvelle". Several of the acts here are repeated, with
better results, in the "Réinventé" video. There is one unique act of
interest in the video - called spinning meteor - which consists of two
bowls of water connected by a rope and swung by an acrobat, all the
while never spilling a drop of water. An interesting curio of Cirque
history but of all the videos here, I would list this as the one of
interest only to diehard Cirque fans (with "Baroque Odyssey" coming
in a close second).
=======================================================================
PARTING QUOTE
=======================================================================
"Where Magic and Fantasy are a Daily Event!"
- Le Magie Continue
=======================================================================
NEXT ISSUE...
=======================================================================
Unfortunately, all of the shows we discussed are no longer being
performed. But we can still find some of these courageous acrobats and
performers in Cirque shows today. In our next issue, we will continue
our look into classic Cirque shows with the conclusion of Le Cirque
Réinventé. The adventure will then conclude with a peek into Nouvelle
Expérience, and end with Fascination! Look for Issue #6 on February
1st.
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
=======================================================================
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=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
"Fascination! Newsletter" Copyright (c) 2002 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 5a: August 01, 2002}
