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T h e U n o f f i c i a l
C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r
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Issue #44 www.CirqueFascination.com May 2005
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===========
CONTENTS
===========
* Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* CRQ.NET -- Cirque du Soleil Online
* Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* CORTEO: The Press Release
* Le Spectacle:
"Dedicated to the Angels: A Review of Corteo"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
* Behind the Curtain:
"Who Has What It Takes? (Part 4 of 4)"
By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA)
* Le Spectateur
"Corteo, CirqueCon, and Me" (Guest Submission)
By: Rich Alford - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
More Permanent Cirque?
----------------------
Rumors have been floating around for years now: Cirque du Soleil
will open more permanent venues inside and outside of the United
States. Oft rumored sites are London, England; Paris, France;
Tokyo, Japan; Berlin, Germany, New York City, New York (USA);
and many others.
Just last month Cirque du Soleil stunned the Cirque fan
community with the announcement of an agreement with the
Oriental Land Co, Ltd. and the Walt Disney Company to open a
permanent theater at the Tokyo Disneyland Resort. But now, two
more cities have been fancied in the rumor mill: Miami Beach and
Singapore.
Miami Beach -- The Miami Herald and WTVJ-TV (NBC-6) ran
independent stories the week of May 10th highlighting the
possibility that Cirque du Soleil will bring its brand of
entertainment to South Beach's Jackie Gleason Theater. Details
are slim, however, the Jackie Gleason performing arts theater is
due to be renovated soon to make way for a new performance
theater in Downtown Miami and would be ripe for a 47-week stint
by Cirque du Soleil. "That is what Cirque du Soleil is doing
now, looking at the box that is the theater to see if it works,"
Miami Beach City Manager Jorge Gonzalez said in NBC-6's
coverage. But, a spokeswoman for Cirque cautioned against
getting too excited: "We're prospecting many cities in many
countries. There's been rumors like that in London, New York,"
said Renée-Claude Ménard. "We do all kinds of prospective work."
Singapore -- And from the Las Vegas Sun: MGM Mirage, which is
bidding to build a casino resort in downtown Singapore, will use
Cirque du Soleil Inc.'s shows to boost its proposal, the
Business Times reported, citing Chief Executive Terrence Lanni.
The Las Vegas-based casino operator said 500,000 people have
seen its 15 shows in the U.S. gaming hub, generating $500
million in revenue, the paper said, citing Lanni. The company
has an exclusive partnership with Montreal-based Cirque, known
for its elaborate theatrics in its circus acts. MGM Mirage would
also work with PaceWildenstein Gallery in New York, which
features artists such as Jean Debuffet and Pablo Picasso, to
bring collections to Singapore, the paper said. The gallery
brought in Claude Monet paintings displayed at its Bellagio
hotel in Las Vegas, the paper said.
[Source: NBC6 Miami, Miami Herald, Las Vegas Sun -- Direct Links
in the La Presse Section]
Tony Hawk Gets Cirque-ey:
-------------------------
Skateboard legend Tony Hawk, 36, recently name-checked Cirque du
Soleil. In a recent "10 Questions for..." in the May 9, 2005
issue of Time Magazine, Tony was asked:
Q: Your Boom Boom Huckjam arena tour starts in June. Is it
NASCAR for tweens?
Tony Hawk: I'd liken it less to NASCAR or a Monster Truck show
and more to Cirque du Soleil. It has a lot of choreography, and
it's visually exciting - it's showcasing our sport as
entertainment, not competition. And it's not just for the
younger generation - it's one of the few events that dads and
sons can equally enjoy. (He must have seen the skateboards in
Quidam.) [Source: Time; Keith Johnson]
Where's the Bar?
----------------
With all the time and money Celebrity Cruises put into their
collaboration with Cirque on "The Bar at the Edge of the Earth"
you'd think they'd publicise it better. While Cirque has a
notation about it on their "Shows" page, it's harder to find on
the Celebrity.com webpage.
It is no longer mentioned at all on their Home page. You have
to go to the "Why Celebrity" and choose "Entertainment Abounds."
It is there, in a box on the right side of the page, that you
find the first mention of The Bar. In fact, there is no mention
of the special installations on the pages specifically dedicated
to the features of the Constellation and Summit, the first two
ships in the fleet to be retrofitted.
Maybe they'll get around to updating their website, sometime.
[Source: Celebrity.com; Keith Johnson]
In The Ring
-----------
During the month of April, "The Collective," an exhibition of
artwork by Cirque du Soleil cast and crew ran at the Arts
Factory in Las Vegas. Did anyone see this exhibit?
On Thursday, April 21, Mark Schreiber signed copies of his 318-
page book "Dreams of the Solo Trapeze: Offstage with Cirque du
Soleil," at the Barnes & Noble on Charleston Blvd in Las Vegas.
"Dreams of the Solo Trapeze" details a chance meeting with
trapeze artist Olga Sidrova outside a club in Amsterdam and the
friendship that followed as he followed Olga on Saltimbanco's
tour through Europe. [We took a brief look at this book in Issue
#39 - November 2004.]
=======================================================================
CRQ.NET -- CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ONLINE
=======================================================================
This Month in Cirque Club
(By: Keith Johnson)
-------------------------
Cirque Club has been all over the premiere of Corteo. The have
features on the press premiere (with video), and premiere night, as
well as video clips of some of the creators and a gallery of photos.
They also mention the Tokyo resident show, and talk about a Street Art
project with Quidam in Melbourne.
Since our last issue, Press Releases also mentions the Tokyo show and
premiere of Corteo. And over in the Boutique, they are now stocking
several cute 3-D figurine likenesses of Cirque characters. They are
also offering the "Cirque du Soleil" first CD and "Nouvelle
Experience" CD for $12.00 each, $7.00 off. Looks like they're trying
to clear them out!
In Cirque Club marketing messages, Anne-Josée was again busy.
About a special performance at the Cannes Film Festival:
"Last Wednesday, May 11, there was a definite buzz at the Palais du
Festival! After three days of intense preparation, the opening
ceremony of the 58th Cannes Film Festival was about to kick off. As
the hostess of the evening-Cécile de France, a Belgian actress-was
awaiting her cue to take the stage, so were our artists! After a brief
introduction of the jury and our artists, aerial performer Delphine
walked onto the stage and began to climb her red drapes while her
colleague Richard started to sing. Images from films by Emir
Kusturica, the president of the jury, were projected onto the set,
adding to the breathtaking performance that unfolded! Following the
performance, the Festival was officially declared open. We all ended
up backstage as the champagne began to flow. The party had officially
begun!"
Quidam leaving Melbourne:
"It's been an all-round excellent stay in Melbourne! Everyone on tour
is so grateful for the wonderful hospitality you have shown. Several
unforgettable events happened while we were in town, including my
favourite - a very special collaboration with four local and talented
artists to create a one-of-a-kind piece of art." (Includes a citation
to the Cirque Club article on the street art project.)
Varekai leaving Pittsburgh:
"It seems like only yesterday that we set up the Grand Chapiteau at
Heinz Field and welcomed Pittsburgh to the world of Varekai. With
only 12 days left of our stay in Pittsburgh (the show is playing until
Sunday, May 8), the cast and crew wanted me to tell you how much
they've enjoyed themselves and to thank you for making their time here
so great! Your city reminds us of our own "traveling city" in terms of
its cultural diversity. The food, attractions and people have made
this tour stop one that we will not soon forget. I must admit that
Pittsburgh has held a special place in my heart ever since I
discovered that it is the birthplace of Andy Warhol and Heinz
ketchup!"
And Corteo's World Premiere:
"I thought you might like to hear a little about Corteo's world
premiere last Thursday. Excitement filled the air around the Grand
Chapiteau in Old Montreal as media representatives, famous faces and
little old me hurried inside to find our seats. "Once seated, I
couldn't help but stare at the incredible diaphanous curtain... Soon
the lights dimmed, the music started and the show began. Wow! A
festive parade punctuated with feats of strength, graceful movements
and moments of pure folly. I loved catching glimpses of the audience
on the other side of the stage during the performance, too! After a
great round of applause it was time to exit the Grand Chapiteau. The
show was excellent, and the celebrations continued late into the
night!" (Includes a citation to a longer Cirque Club article.)
Above text courtesy of Cirque Club.
La Presse
---------
1. [ WTVJ-TV, Miami: Cirque Considers 47-week Stint at Jackie Gleason ]
< http://www.nbc6.net/news/4472901/detail.html?rss=ami&psp=news >
2. [ Miami Herald: Cirque du Soleil Eyes South Beach ]
< http://www.thestate.com/mld/miamiherald/business/11605276.htm?
source=rss&channel=miamiherald_business >
3. [ Las Vegas Sun: Cirque May Boost Chances at Singapore Bid ]
< http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/may/23
/518797973.html?Cirque%20du%20Soleil >
4. [ Las Vegas Sun: Dragon's Le Reve Drags On ]
< http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/may/09/
518727363.html?Cirque%20du%20Soleil >
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Nagoya, Japan:
Apr 20, 2005 to Jun 12, 2005
* Osaka, Japan:
Jun 25, 2005 to Aug 25, 2005
* London, England:
Jan 5, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006
Corteo:
* Montreal, Quebec, Canada:
Apr 21, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* Quebec City, Quebec, Canada:
Jun 30, 2003 to Jul 24, 2005
* Toronto, Ontraio, Canada:
Aug 4, 2005 to Sep 11, 2005
* Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Sep 23, 2005 to Oct 23, 2005
* San Francisco, California:
Nov 11, 2005 to Jan 8, 2006
* San Jose, California
Jan 19, 2006 to March 5, 2006
Dralion:
* Barcelona, Spain:
Mar 17, 2005 to May 22, 2005
* Rotterdam, Netherlands:
Jun 3, 2005 to Jun 26, 2005
* Oostende, Belgium:
Jul 21, 2005 to Aug 14, 2005
* Zurich, Switzerland:
Sep 8, 2005 to Oct 16, 2005
* Bilbao, Spain:
Nov 18, 2005 to Dec 4, 2005
* Seville, Spain:
Jan 12, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006
* Valencia, Spain -- TBA
Quidam:
* Adelaide, Australia:
May 12, 2005 to Jun 12, 2005
* Perth, Australia:
Jul 1, 2005 to Jul 31, 2005
* Singapore:
Sep 9, 2005 to Sep 25, 2005
Saltimbanco:
* Boulogne Billancourt (West of Paris):
Apr 8, 2005 to Jul 3, 2005
* Monterrey, Mexico - TBA
* Mexico City, Mexico - TBA
* Guadalajara, Mexico - TBA
Varekai:
* Baltimore, Maryland:
May 19, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* East Rutherford, New Jersey:
Jun 30, 2005 to Jul 17, 2005
* Columbus, Ohio
Aug 11, 2005 to Sep 11, 2005
* Hartford, Connecticut:
Sep 22, 2005 to Oct 9, 2005
* Charlotte, North Carolina
Oct 28, 2005 to Nov 20, 2005
* St. Petersburg, Florida -- TBA
* Miami, Florida -- TBA
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
* Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 6th - 9th -- August 28th - 30th
-- April 3rd - 6th -- October 9th - 12th
-- June 5th - 20th -- November 13th - 15th
-- August 14th - 17th -- December 4th - 13th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Beginning June 13th: Except Sundays; 4:30pm and 7:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Beginning June 9th: Wednesday - Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- January 3rd - 18th -- July 10th - 12th
-- February 6th - 8th -- September 12th - 20th
-- March 13th - 15th -- November 13th - 15th
-- May 16th - 24th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 20th - 22nd -- October 16th - 18th
-- April 18th - 26th -- December 5th - 20th
-- August 22 - 30th
Zumanity:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
* Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 7th - 10th -- August 15th - 18th
-- April 18th - 21st -- October 10th - 13th
-- June 8th - Jun 16th -- December 7th - 22nd
KÀ:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
* Location: MGM Grand: City of Entertainment, Las Vegas (USA)
* Note: One show nightly at 8:00pm from Nov 26 to Dec 7.
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- January 24th - 27th -- June 6th - 7th
-- February 1st - 4th -- August 1st - 2nd
-- March 23rd - 31st -- September 9th - 13th
-- April 1st - 14th -- November 14th - 15th
=======================================================================
DIDYAKNOW? -- FACTS ABOUT CIRQUE
=======================================================================
IN THEIR OWN WORDS - Questions and answers from people we've had the
honor of meeting and talking with in the last three years. While we
can't reveal identities, since several of them still work for Cirque,
we think some of the things they have to say would be interesting to
fans and aspiring artists and musicians.
We wondered if Franco Dragone stays involved in the Cirque shows he
directed? A knowledgable source confirmed, "Franco still goes and
sees his shows. When we have a big casting replacement [of a show
he's directed] he has a say in it. If there's a major change in a
show he has to approve it. So he's still there, he still has a say."
=======================================================================
CORTEO: THE PRESS RELEASE
=======================================================================
Miss the press release from last issue? Never fear, since we're all
about Corteo this issue, we've decided to re-print the press notice
that was released April 5th, revealing some of the details about
Corteo just prior to the premiere:
MONTREAL, April 5 /CNW Telbec/ - Corteo(TM), Cirque du Soleil's
latest touring show, will premiere in Montreal's Old Port on
April 21. This 17th production from Cirque du Soleil will be
joining ten other productions currently in performance around
the world.
Corteo, which means "cortege" in Italian, combines the craft of
the actor with the prowess of the acrobat to plunge the audience
into a world of playfulness and spontaneity situated in a
mysterious area between Heaven and Earth. Corteo is a grand
procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. Juxtaposing
the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the
magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show
highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as
his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity
that is within each of us. The clown is Everyman, a cunning
idiot, a colourful loser who shines a light on all that is
difficult and beautiful in life.
Corteo evokes the full spectrum of emotion and experience: love,
friendship, pain, joy, wisdom, beauty, life and even death.
Corteo, a timeless revel in which illusion teases reality.
The cast of Corteo brings together over 50 artists from 14
different countries: Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada,
France, Italy, Kenya, Romania, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, the
United Kingdom and the United States.
Corteo explores the circus arts in a way that is brand new to
Cirque du Soleil. Once again, the very limits of acrobatics are
challenged as Daniele Finzi Pasca lends his unique touch to
Cirque du Soleil's spectacular performances. Corteo redefines
the springboard, the Korean frame and the tightwire, and
presents acts that are as original as they are innovative. The
desire to surprise and move audiences is a big part of the
inspiration behind Corteo.
Daniele Finzi Pasca is the director of this new production,
which calls on the talents of 14 different creators, nearly half
of whom are working with Cirque du Soleil for the first time.
Members of the creative team are:
Guy Laliberté Guide
Daniele Finzi Pasca Creator and Director
Line Tremblay Director of Creation
Jean Rabasse Set Designer and Decorator
Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer
Philippe Leduc Composer and Musical Director
Maria Bonzanigo Composer and Musical Director
Martin Labrecque Lighting Designer
Jonathan Deans Lighting Designer
Hugo Gargiulo - Teatro Sunil Acting Designer
Antonio Vergamini - Teatro Sunil Acting Designer
Dolores Heredia - Teatro Sunil Dramaturgical Analyst
Danny Zen Acrobatic Rigging Designer
Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer
After its Montreal run, Corteo's North American tour will take
it to Quebec City and Toronto before the show goes on to the
United States.
=======================================================================
LE SPECTACLE:
"Dedicated to the Angels: A Review of Corteo"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
=======================================================================
Corteo, Cirque du Soleil's latest touring show, opened in Montreal on
April 21, 2005 and I, along with dozens of other Cirque fans, had the
pleasure of seeing Corteo during its opening weekend.
Directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca of Cirque Éloize fame, Corteo is a
very different style of show for Cirque du Soleil and while reaction
will undoubtedly be mixed, Corteo may be just what the company needs
as a refreshing change to the style of their touring shows.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
** SPOILER WARNING **
The reviews below reveals the show in detail. If you haven't seen
Corteo and would prefer to be surprised, skip ahead. There will be
an advisory ending this spoiler warning. Also, this review is based
on early performances of the show, and the information contained
herein may not be completely accurate, as the show continues to
be refined.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The first major difference one notices upon entering the Chapiteau is
the new seating arrangement, with the stage reaching from one end of
the tent to the other, bisecting the audience into two halves directly
facing each other. Each side faces a proscenium arch created by the
overhead rigging (the télépherique system) with a large scrim curtain
featuring a painted fresco covering the stage.
Once the audience has settled into their seats the requisite pre-show
announcement is piped over the sound system in the form of a sexy
female voice welcoming us on board the "express elevator" to the sky.
"Level 101: The use of cameras and video recorders is dangerous for
the artists, we ask that you turn them off . . . Level 411: Please
turn off your cell phones and pagers . . . Seventh Heaven: Mesdames et
Messieurs bienvenue dans l'univers de Corteo!"
The show opens with a somber scene; a bell tolls and the lights come
up on a grand hall where three large chandeliers hang from the
ceiling. We see a clown (Mauro Mozzani) on his death bed. An angel
hovers over the clown as his friends and cohorts walk across the stage
forming a grand funeral cortège (the show's namesake) en route to pay
their last respects. The Clown dies and the premise of the show is
basically his journey through a sort of purgatory where moments from
his life, real or imagined, flash before his eyes (and ours as well).
Corteo is the Dead Clown's journey to heaven, his dream for a final
show, his quest for redemption and a celebration of life.
The sobriety of the opening scene soon gives way to whimsy as four
beautiful ladies, the Dead Clown's former lovers (Evelyne Allard,
Julie Dionne, Marie-Michelle Faber and Helena Saldanha), ascend on the
three chandeliers to perform a gorgeous aerial act. Combining skills
from the disciplines of trapeze and aerial hoop, the women perform to
the sounds of a lilting Italian waltz sung by Corteo's main vocalist,
sandy-voiced tenor Paul Bisson.
The next scene is a flashback to the Clown's childhood; two large beds
are wheeled out and a group of performers dressed as children begin
bouncing up and down and playfully throwing pillows at each other.
The beds are actually trampolines and the performers spring up,
perform flips, balance on the bed frames and eventually bound from one
bed to the other all to the sounds of an upbeat swing song.
At the end of the scene angels appear overhead to escort the dead
clown toward heaven, his bed rises and he is fitted with a pair of
angel wings. The audience laughs at his awkward first attempts to
fly.
A group of performers roll across the stage, each performing in an
apparatus called the Roue Cyr (Cyr Wheel), a simple metal hoop about 6
feet in diameter. The artists roll and manipulate their wheels so
they spin like quarters on their edges. A beautiful duet sung by Paul
Bisson and Marie-Michelle Faber over a soaring string arrangement
accompanies this graceful act and lends an air of nostalgia.
A comedy act where a little person (Grigor Paylevanyan) plays a
trainer of two mischievous horses follows and eventually gives way to
a somber funeral procession where the cast marches slowly from one
side of the stage while singing a lament. The funeral cortège then
takes a festive turn and breaks into a party before the show's
ringmaster The Loyal Whistler puts everybody back in line.
As the procession vanishes the partially lowered scrim curtains rises
to reveal a tightwire. Tightwire walker Anastasia Bykovskaya crosses
the wire en pointe, on a unicycle, and then proceeds to spin hula
hoops while balancing on the wire. She finishes by ascending a
precarious diagonal wire before disappearing into the rafters. The
nature of tightwire acts means they don't lend themselves well to
artistic presentation and for the most part the act in Corteo is no
exception. The saving grace for the presentation is the sensuous
Latin ballad that accompanies the act. Guitarists Michel Vaillancourt
and Buddy Mohmed sit on the centre turntable of the stage and play
while singer Paul Bisson passionately sings the gorgeous Spanish song
while clapping rhythmically to the music.
A comedy routine follows where Corteo's Giant Clown (Victorino Antonia
Lujan) attempts to play a game of golf with a human golf ball.
Unfortunately, the routine falls flat because it is a one trick visual
gag that drags on for five minutes.
The next number features a team of highly skilled jugglers; the
Teslenkos (siblings Anatoly, Dmitry, Elina and Victor) performing an
astounding variety of intricate juggling routines. Using hoops and
clubs, they flip and balance on each other while maintaining an
unbelievable number of objects airborne. Though this act is
technically very strong, the artistic integration is weak. The act
feels tacked on because it was; it was a very-last-minute addition to
the show two weeks before the premiere.
Two vignettes follow. The first features a performer as a marionette
puppet rigged to a fascinating contraption of pulleys and
counterweights. The second is an enchanting scene featuring a small
person (Valentyna Paylevanyan) taking flight over the audience under a
large array of weather balloons.
The first half of Corteo ends with a bang as the cast takes to both
sides of the stage forming two opposing factions singing, chanting and
clapping in time to the catchy melody. Drummer/percussionist Kit
Chatham stands on the edge of the outer turntable and pounds out the
pulsating rhythm that accompanies the Teeterboard (Korean Plank) act.
The act is performed by two young men (alternating between Stéphane
Beauregard, Jérémie Robert and Petar Stoyanov) who propel each other
ever higher and perform increasingly daring flips before landing back
on the plank. This act is simply astounding not only for the high
skill level but also the inventive staging. The atmosphere is
intense, like a street fight, and each of the two factions on stage
chant and cheer their champion. The first act closes with the two
combatants reconciling and the entire cast breaking out into a
rendition of the catchy Teeterboard theme as the scrim curtain
descends for intermission.
Upon returning from intermission we peer through the scrim to see what
looks like a large safety net apparatus laid across the floor of the
stage. As the second half starts a team of acrobats bounce across the
net using it as a trampoline in an act Cirque du Soleil calls
"Paradise" Eventually, catchers perched overhead on Korean cradles
catch the bounding acrobats and toss them about on the trampo-net.
The act segues into a full-fledged Korean cradle number as performers
are tossed from one cradle station to another while performing
elaborate aerial twists and flips. While it is an interesting concept
showing a great deal of potential, the staging of the act leaves much
to be desired. The Paradise act will undoubtedly increase in skill
level and improve in presentation as it has time to evolve.
When the trampo-net is being disassembled and hauled off stage we find
the Dead Clown and the Loyal Whistler (Sean Lomax) in the audience.
The Dead Clown coaxes the Whistler to perform pieces of classical
music. The Whistler then takes the stage to join a fantastical
orchestra comprised of performers playing crystal wine glasses and
large glass basins filled with water to create a whimsical opus. At
the conclusion of the act the Whistler breaks out in a musical duel
with the violinist (Yonatan Miller).
The next act features the Little Clown and The Clowness (Grigor and
Valenyna Paylevanyan) in a beautiful adagio act balancing on a
rotating circular frame. They are accompanied by Helena Saldanha and
Marie-Michelle Faber vocalizing to an enchanting melody played on
bells. This is a sweet act and is actually the most touching act of
the show.
In an act dubbed "Not-So-Serious Act" Yuliya Raskina, Tamara
Yerofeyeva and Alexander Savin perform a balancing/contortion/
manipulation act in which nothing goes right, the two ladies fight and
attempt to upstage each other, and eventually the act is interrupted
by a downpour of rubber chickens. The act is ludicrous and,
unfortunately, doesn't work at all. It's supposed to be funny but it
just comes off as boring and awkward. The performers are obviously
highly skilled in juggling and rhythmic gymnastics but the act is an
awful waste of their talents. I'd personally prefer to see these
performers performing a "serious act," a bit of dance and choreography
could go a long way toward making a spectacular and beautiful act.
Once the chickens have been swept off the stage an angel hovering over
the stage passes a man (Uzeyer Novrusov) a ladder. The artist
proceeds to climb up and balance on the shaky ladder, amazingly
keeping the precarious ladder in equilibrium. It's a great circus act
even if, again, it lacks in presentation.
The next act is a comedy routine called Teatro Intimo in which the
little people are set to perform a rendition of Romeo and Juliet, but
everything that can go wrong does. The scene is cute and mildly
amusing at first, but at over ten minutes in length the scene is more
than two or three times as long as it needs to be and it gets tired
quickly.
In the lead up to the finale we see the Dead Clown riding a bicycle
and ascending to heaven in a scene reminiscent of a Franco Dragone
show (or the movie E.T.). His friends assemble below to wave goodbye
and a celebration ensues.
The final act of Corteo is called Tournik. It consists of a team of
gymnastic highbar performers on a cube shaped highbar apparatus centre
stage with two additional bars on the outer turntable. The performers
exhibit a remarkable sense of timing as they perform elaborate
figures, and multiple artists fly through the air from bar to bar The
act is breathtaking; one small misstep would lead to a catastrophic
collision.
At the conclusion of the act the cast returns to the stage as the Dead
Clown descends from heaven, he is now an angel. The cast flourishes
with a reprise of the joyous Teeterboard theme and takes their bows.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
END SPOILER WARNING
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Corteo is a very different show for Cirque du Soleil. It is a
complete 180-degree turn from Cirque's most recent offerings. While
the style of the show can be described to a certain extent as a super-
sized Cirque Éloize or perhaps Franco Dragone-lite, the credit goes to
director Daniele Finzi Pasca for the dramatic change in style and
presentation and Corteo is unmistakably his signature.
If I had to describe this show in one word it would be "charming".
It's a very different style of show for Cirque but there's a lot of
warmth and a lot of charm. For a show with such a seemingly dark theme
it is not morbid at all, it is actually quite joyous and uplifting in
the end. I enjoyed Corteo very much.
I loved the staging I had my reservations about an in-the-round show
but they've managed to pull it off very well, and it seems as though
the show would play well regardless of where one sits in the
Chapiteau. The new télépherique is fascinating, it's hidden in the
flies and not supposed to be a visual element of the set like the one
in Quidam. It is mostly used to fly the angel characters on and off
stage and to create some of the show's beautiful imagery.
The musical score is a mixed result. Some of the songs are gorgeous
and beautifully romantic; the Italian ballad for Chandeliers, the
soaring strings and vocals on Roue Cyr, the gorgeous Latin ballad for
Tightwire, the catchy and upbeat rhythm piece for Korean Plank and the
joyous Tournik song are my favourites and can easily rank with some of
the best Cirque du Soleil songs. However, other pieces are simple and
forgettable. However, the musicians, all talented multi-
instrumentalists, excel at breathing life into the score of Philippe
Leduc and Maria Bonzanigo. The musicians in Corteo sit out in the
open in four pits on either side of the stage and are clearly visible
for the entire show.
Director Daniele Finzi Pasca has described himself as the son of a
painter and a photographer. He has a keen sense for evocative imagery
and seeks to bring still images to life. Indeed the turn-of-the-
century circus scenes depicted on the giant frescos painted on the two
scrim curtains on either side of the stage are skillfully "brought to
life" by the characters of the show.
The first impression I had about Corteo was how similar it was in
style and presentation to Cirque Éloize's Rain, a previous show by the
same director. Though the stage is bigger, Finzi Pasca really sought
to keep the degree of intimacy and the uniquely human element in the
production. It is the directors aim to tell a very simple, human
story in a fanciful and slightly surreal manner. Unlike previous
Cirque shows where the atmosphere is exotic, foreign and inaccessible,
Corteo feels very warm, familiar and evokes a strange sense of
nostalgia for a time most of us haven't lived and a place that
probably never existed.
Another remarkable difference in Corteo is that there is much more
emphasis on acting and character work than in any other Cirque du
Soleil show. Each cast member plays a character and most numbers have
a distinct yet abstract dramatic thread expressed through the
character interaction and the music.
One instance where this works particularly well is in the Korean Plank
number, where the cast forms two opposing factions facing each other
on stage and sing, clap and chant in rhythm to the music. The premise
of the number is a showdown between the two performers who act with
such dramatic intensity that it really makes the act daring and
thrilling from a dramatic standpoint. Aside from being a technically
strong act, this number is also brilliantly acted, a first for Cirque
du Soleil.
A Daniele Finzi Pasca signature is to turn all his circus acrobats
into full-fledged stage performers. There is evidence in Corteo that
the performers went through an intense series of workshops to develop
skills in acting, music, singing and clowning, all of which the cast
must do in the show in addition to performing their acrobatic act. It
is the director's goal for the performers to be multi-disciplinary.
This was a bold move that comes with mixed results. While some
performers flourish in the opportunity to show off hidden talents such
as singing or comedy, other performers seem to be more timid when
singing or have trouble with comedic timing. These skills are honed
by seasoned stage performance and the cast will undoubtedly improve
with time.
However, while the acting is very prominent and for the most part
well-done, in Corteo it comes as a trade-off with dance and
choreography of which there is little to none. The most recent Cirque
shows were infused with dance and heavily choreographed numbers.
Varekai originally had three straight dance numbers, Zumanity relies
heavily on dance and even KÀ is a heavily choreographed acrobatic
ballet. In Quidam, for numbers like Aerial Hoop, Handbalancing and
Banquine, the artists are instructed to remain expressionless and
stone-faced so the artistic expression of the numbers comes almost
entirely from the choreography and not the acting. Corteo differs in
that most of the interstitial vignettes are acting and most of the
circus acts are performed in a very straightforward manner,
unembellished by choreography. While this is part of the director's
style I found that I really missed the dance elements, and Corteo
feels incomplete because of the absence of dance. The lack of
choreography for the acrobatic acts also lends to the roughness and
slightly unpolished look of some of the numbers.
While it is to Daniele Finzi Pasca's credit that much of the imagery
presented in the show is gorgeously surreal, the movement connecting
the images is not as refined as it has been in the past with the
Franco Dragone/Debra Brown team.
Having just opened, the show is still very rough around the edges; the
performers are still adapting to the show and trying to get
comfortable with their characters. The show also has some major
pacing issues; while the first act is a solid collection of acts and
time just seems to fly by, the second act is full of slower, longer,
comedic acts and really felt slow. This can be easily remedied by
some rearrangement of the order of the acts. The same problem
initially plagued Varekai early in its Montreal run but was remedied
by the rearrangement of the acts to even the pacing.
Overall, Corteo is a gorgeous show. Instead of being in-your-face as
some of the other shows tend to be it is more subtle and meant to be
savoured. With some additional refinement and some time for the
artists to become comfortable in their roles it has the potential to
become one of Cirque du Soleil's finest shows.
=======================================================================
BEHIND THE CURTAIN:
"Who Has What It Takes? (Part 4 of 4)"
By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA)
=======================================================================
Last month we concluded our coverage of Cirque dancer auditions that
took place in Seattle. After the day was over we had the opportunity
to speak with two of the artists who were selected as active
candidates to go into the Cirque du Soleil database. They kindly
spent a few minutes to talk with my wife LouAnna and I.
Morgan McConnell is a 30 year-old graphic designer from Vancouver.
His work can be seen at his nifty website, www.dangerboydesign.net.
Janine Teidi (Juh-neen Tee-dee) is 33 and originally hails from
Buffalo, New York. She dances with Lingo Dance Theater in Seattle
(www.lingodance.com). She also teaches "Slo-Body" movement, a Yoga-
based technique (www.slobody.com) and "YogaBeans" a movement program
for children 3 and up (www.yogabeans.com).
KJ: How long have you been dancing?
MORGAN: 4 years.
JANINE: 30 years. I started when I was 3 and now I'm 33, pretty much
the whole way through, some times more than others. For the last 10
years I've been trying to figure out how to be an artist and make a
living from my artistry. And that's part of why Cirque du Soleil is
so enticing. My skills as a dancer/gymnast - I don't really like to
call myself a gymnast anymore - but as an artist I feel I would fit
with them, so it's worth training and coming to auditions, seeing what
I need to do and training some more. It's worth it, totally worth it.
KJ: What's your background?
JANINE: Mine is dance.
MORGAN: None. Never done gymnastics, martial arts, anything really.
I started out with fire dancing. I went to a club and I saw this guy
spinning fire, I'd never seen that before. Just this little guy with
this big stick spinning and rolling around on the floor - and I
thought, "That's the coolest thing I've ever seen. I could do that!"
So I picked it up and went from there.
KJ: How did you find out about Cirque du Soleil?
MORGAN: I met an ex-performer when I was in Australia. She saw a
show I did and said, "That was great. You really should send Cirque
an audition tape." So I sent them a videotape, I never would have
otherwise. And they invited me to this audition in Seattle. I was in
Australia at the time but thought, "Why not? I'm going home [to
Vancouver] anyway." It was easy to adjust my schedule a bit.
JANINE: This isn't my first Cirque du Soleil audition. I auditioned
[for them] first in 1998, in Atlanta; I flew there from New York. It
was just a one-day audition, and I got all the way through to the end
and they put me on their active files. But I didn't send them a shred
of information and sort of wrote it off. Five years later I got an
email saying, "We want you to come to an audition in Vegas." And my
boyfriend said, "You have to go!" I was almost going to delete it but
then I started thinking about it, and yes, I had to go. And I went to
Vegas and I was cut in the first cut. I was mortified.
KJ: Did you find out why were you cut?
JANINE: Actually, they weren't up front about giving feedback to the
people who were getting cut at that audition. There were a lot more
people and the space wasn't arranged very well. There was nowhere to
go and sit, we had to go outside, and everybody was kind of smushed
together. That created a completely different atmosphere. But it was
eye opening because we just did an hour of ballet and I got cut and I
thought, "Oh, this is what I need to be doing." It kicked my butt.
But I came back and went to ballet class every day until this
audition. It shows, and I'm so glad I did it. I was thinking, "Damn
it, I'm better than that!" Ballet isn't my strong suit.
MORGAN: That's where having specialty skills comes in handy.
JANINE: Yeah. I can walk on my hands, but I didn't get to do any of
that. We didn't get to anything else; it was just straight-up ballet.
So I wrote [Artistic Scout Anne-Marie Duchène] an email as soon as I
got back saying, "After all that arranging and flying there and [other
things] my audition sucked. I know you're going to be in Seattle, can
I come to that?" And she let me and I made it all the way through.
So I've been through it three times now, and I would do it again if I
had the chance.
KJ: I assume you've both been through several auditions, how does
this audition process compare to other auditions?
MORGAN: This is my first audition.
JANINE: I love that you (Morgan) have only been doing this for four
years and you might get a spot in a show like this.
MORGAN: I love it too! (Laughs) I've done shows before but it's
never been through an audition. It's been more like, "We need
dancers, we need volunteers, quick, come!" Community productions,
stuff like that. When I was in Australia I did a lot of those but
never anything like this.
JANINE: This is a lot longer than other auditions I've been to. I've
gone to auditions where you can't even ask questions. They show you
something and you do it across the floor four at a time - "OK, we're
cutting." That's a different situation, a cattle call, where they're
auditioning you and you are dancers, and they don't break down that
barrier [like they did here]. You see it in Backstage Magazine, grab
your resume and headshot, go in, there are 150 people - it's a whole
different situation. Here you've already auditioned to be invited to
the audition. They've done a first cut. They're not going to see a
lot of people. They're being particular about who they're going to
see in person. And that's different from a lot of others.
But I don't audition a lot. I did when I was in New York, but not a
lot when compared to others I knew who auditioned all the time. They
would have three auditions in a day and I would have one. And one was
enough! But I don't think I got as much out of those auditions as I
got from this one. I really think they're learning experiences,
especially as I get older.
It was great to go to that audition in Vegas though it cost me a lot
of money. It really changed things for me as an artist. Because I
live in Seattle, and Vegas dancers are a lot different than Seattle
dancers. There's not a lot of competition dance here or real
contortion-ey or jazzy dance. It's a very modern scene [in Vegas],
where it's very ballet here. So all these competition dancers and
cruise ship-type dancers and Vegas contortion-like dancers were there,
and I thought, "Oh yeah, I remember this scene."
And then we did ballet, and I hadn't been to ballet class in months.
And I thought, "Oh yeah, I'm supposed to remember how to stand in
fifth position if I'm going to call myself a professional dancer." It
just was an eye opener. I want to call myself a professional dancer;
that's what I do, I dance with a company. And I want to be more
proficient. I would like to be able to teach a ballet class if this
is what I'm doing to do. So it pushed me, and I knew I had this
audition [in Seattle]. I wanted to come in and have them say, "Wow!
That was the same girl?" And that's what happened. (Smiles)
KJ: (to Morgan) You've not been through an audition process before,
what did you think of this process?
MORGAN: It was extremely challenging. (Janine agrees.) It pushed me
so hard. There were times I just wanted to leave. But you can't turn
around after coming this far and say, "I can't handle it." I've been
in situations where I've done shows and I tell them I do fire dancing
and they tell me, "Well, this is the choreography, and we're doing
[this]." And I'd tell them, "No, I don't do that." And I felt that
with this audition. But I knew I was here for a reason, they want to
see what I can do and I'll just fight my way through the discomfort,
and there was a lot. I've never done acting, never done character
stuff or anything like that, so that was a huge challenge. A tree?
How do I become a tree?
KJ: What do you take away from this audition? Anything you felt you
learned? What impressed you most about what you did, other than the
fact that you were picked and made it to the end?
MORGAN: I was impressed by the level of talent. I expected it - to
get this far you have to be good at what you do - but I had no idea
what to expect. I didn't expect so many dancers, I was expecting
jugglers and acrobats and contortionists and unicyclists. People did
some really amazing things. It made me feel really humble just to see
the amount of time [people have spent at their art], like 30 years [as
Janine has done]. And I've just been in it for 4. (Laughs) The
commitment people have is astounding. And for lots of people who put
that amount of time into their work this is the pinnacle of their
careers.
KJ: I've heard from many people that if you want to work for somebody
in a circus arts/performance type of situation, Cirque is the one.
And everybody else is somewhere below them. But I also keep tabs on
chat lists and places where 15-16 year-old kids write, "I want Cirque
to be my first job." And I want to say to them, "Go out and get more
experience." (Both nod.)
MORGAN: It is that type of circus. They don't take the fresh faced.
KJ: I've been told they only hire about 200 artists per year.
JANINE: Of course that's not what we want to hear right now.
(Laughter)
KJ: But they also replace 20% of their artists each year.
JANINE: Makes sense though if you look at the caliber of performers.
You wonder how long they can possibly do that. The tumbling is hard
core. Even though in Alegria they are on tumble tracks, [which
lessens the intensity on your joints] you're still compressing,
compressing, you're landing, landing, landing. You can only do that
for so long, I learned that from gymnastics.
Fortunately in this day and age and with technology people are doing
things longer. I see people dancing into their 40's. And I remember
when I was 23 people said, "Aren't you getting kind of old?" And here
I am 33 and still doing it and I feel better than ever. I feel strong
and I'm not in pain all the time. I heard some [of the younger ones
today saying], "What are you going to do when you're 34?" And I was
laughing because I was doing a handstand on the wall and I was
thinking, "I'm 33 baby, and you have no idea." (Laughs)
KJ: So what happens now?
JANINE: My dance troupe is doing some great things. The company I'm
working with is just starting to take off. They're bringing some
French presenters to our rehearsal today, right now in fact. When our
Artistic Director told us I was concerned because I had this audition
today. So they had to put someone in my role for the segment they
were going to show. And I would love to go to France, so I was torn.
I wanted to be here, but I also really wanted to be there with them.
And we just found out that we're doing another showcase for presenters
in Dusseldorf, Germany. So it's possible we'll do a European tour.
I was hoping I would make it all the way through [here], and it would
end with, "Here you go, you're on our active files, send us a copy of
your passport." But I've been on their active files for five years.
For them to call me back is an honor in itself. It makes me think
there must have been something they liked. And for me to do really
crappy in Vegas, ask for another chance, and for them to let me try
again, they must have that sense that they believed I had something to
offer.
KJ: What about you, Morgan?
MORGAN: I do graphic design. That's my primary occupation, this is
just secondary. I just moved to Vancouver about a month ago and my
business is just kicking in. I've got a couple of clients there plus
some I got in Australia. And I'll explore the performance community
there.
Most of the time what I'll do is at 11 o'clock at night I'll take my
sticks out and put on my Walkman and go spin for an hour. Though now
that I've seen what's expected I wouldn't mind taking some flexibility
classes or some martial arts classes to make my body more flexible.
At that point we had to call our interview to a close so we could all
go home and rest after a hard, heady day of discovery. And they, like
the others, will go on with their lives and hope for that phone call
from Cirque du Soleil.
If you'd like to see some of Morgan's graphic design, check out
www.dangerboydesign.net. The dance company Janine works with can be
found at www.lingodance.com. She also teaches, check out
www.slobody.com for information on Slo-Body Yoga movement, and
www.yogabeans.com for her yoga and movement program for children.
Our sincere thanks to Janine and Morgan for spending time with us.
=======================================================================
LE SPECTATEUR:
"Corteo, CirqueCon, and Me" (Guest Submission)
By: Rich Alford - Seattle, Washington (USA)
=======================================================================
I recall being in Orlando, Florida during July of 2004 and getting
notification from Cirque du Soleil that a new traveling show will be
premiering in Montreal, QC in April of 2005 and I was getting the
chance to buy tickets to the premier before the general public if I
acted right away. There wasn't even a moments hesitation, I logged on
and got my front row, Tapis Rouge ticket right then (along with a
second ticket for the next day, I knew I'd want to see it twice, after
all it is Cirque du Soleil).
A few months later, while surfing the Internet for Cirque related info
and looking for any advance tid-bits about the new show, I stumbled
across CirqueCon 2005. I had heard of these folks previously, simply
by happenstance while in Vancouver, BC at Quidam. I was delighted to
have found them again, remembering all the great things I had heard
about the attention they got from Cirque, I immediately decided to
join and, being the Cirque geek that I am, sent in my check with a
letter to the organizer written on my own custom created Cirque
letterhead. Little did I know what that simple gesture was going to
get me into or, how much fun I was about to have, even before the show
began.
CirqueCon
---------
Being involved with CirqueCon has made the whole experience of Corteo
something incredible. I became the "Graphics Guy" and was asked to
create a program book, name badge, tickets and other things that we
would use during our get together. That process took almost five
months during which, the show and the experience were alive for me
every day, and I certainly got my membership's fee worth. The payoff
for me was walking around Old Montreal and seeing people wearing "my"
name badge and, there were a lot of us... being part of that group was
awesome and seeing how everyone seemed to enjoy what we created made
it even more great!
Being a member of CirqueCon gave me the opportunity to tour Cirque du
Soleil's International Headquarters. That was a once in a lifetime
experience for me. Being able to see where the magic happens and feel
the ambience of the place was amazing and, makes everything Cirque
much more personal to me. Along with all that, I had the incredible
experience of making many new friends from all over including Mexico
and Australia, all with a common passion for Cirque. That to me was
totally awesome. I can't wait for next year (Viva Las Vegas)!!
Corteo
------
This is the first time I was able to see a Cirque show during it's
premier. After watching "The Fire Within" I had some expectation that
the show would still be developing it's finesse and I was excited to
see that. I could see that not everything was as polished as a
seasoned show but, for me, that made it cool. When I see it again
later this year, everyone's timing will be on and all the little kinks
will be worked out, it'll be like watching it grow and mature. I was
thrilled with how the show was developed with the different placement
of the stage (in the center with audience on both sides) and some more
daring acts (the beginning of the second half of the show is amazing).
I love to watch a good juggling act and, the one they have in the show
is great. It was better on the 2nd night I saw the show than the
first, I imagine that by this winter (when I plan to see the show
again) it'll be near perfect. Being there from the beginning will
make Corteo a very special show of all the Cirque du Soleil shows for
me.
=======================================================================
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"Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, and Wayne Leung.
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
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