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Fascination Issue 058
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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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http://www.CirqueFascination.com
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VOLUME 8, NUMBER 2 MAR/APR 2008 ISSUE #58
=======================================================================
Bonjour et bienvenue! Welcome to another exciting edition of
Fascination!, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter.
The month of April has, historically, been the time of year when
Cirque du Soleil launches its newest touring productions. Since
Saltimbanco premiered on April 21, 1992 through to Koozå's premiere on
April 19, 2007 - every touring show in between has premiered in the
month of April. To celebrate this achievement, Fascination! has
decided to dedicate this issue to Varekai's 6th anniversary, which it
celebrated on April 24th this year.
Inside you'll find "Remembering Varekai in Montreal" by Ricky Russo
that describes his adventure in Montreal for the premiere of Varekai
and "The Art and Evolution of Varekai" by Wayne Leung, which examined
the show a couple of months later. Of course Varekai has continued to
evolve over the last few years and wish all Cirque fans in Europe
happy viewing!
Be sure to check out the Itinerary section for any last-minute changes
To tour stops and extensions - especially the new information
pertaining to 2008 dark dates for all resident productions!
I also invite you to visit our website for the latest news, rumors and
information about Cirque du Soleil. What you're reading here is only a
collection of what was posted daily on the Fascination website for a
specific period of time (in this case July, August and September.)
For more current information about Cirque du Soleil's activities,
please visit < www.cirquefascination.com >.
And if you're interested in having our daily postings sent directly to
you, don't hesitate to take advantage of our Really Simple Syndication
(RSS) feed! Simply use the following URI with your favorite email/news
program: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >.
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Compartments -- Information on Tour and Behind the Curtain
* Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History
* CirqueTech -- The Technical Side of Cirque
o) Fascination! Features
*) "People are Amazing Creatures" - a Promo CD Review
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
*) "Remembering Varekai in Montreal"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
o) From the Fascination! Archives...
*) "The Art and Evolution of Varekai"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
{Originally Published: Issue #11 - July 2002}
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Article: Cirque teaches BFAs how to
"Hang by Thread"
{Mar.18.2008}
------------------------------------------
In an article appearing in the University of Alberta student
newspaper, student arts and entertainment editor Paul Blinov
lets us in on a little teaching that Cirque du Soleil is doing
in his province:
For every wizard-like effect in a Cirque show, there's a
towering amount of technical set-up and behind-the-scenes
rigging--something that the U of A's third- and fourth-year
technical BFA students got a taste of over the weekend when two
members of the Cirque's technical crew came in for a three-day
workshop. [...] The workshop, which balanced technical theory and
hands-on application, was taught by a pair of veteran Cirque
riggers. They provided each student with a sizeable package of
technical information, and then, after going over the theory,
guided them in planning out and setting up a trapeze.
Read the full article here:
< http://www.thegatewayonline.ca/cirque-du-soleil-teaches-bfas-
about-hanging-by-a-thread-20080318-2361.html >
Cirque at "Hot Docs"
{Mar.18.2008}
------------------------------------------
From the news release:
Hot Docs, North America's largest documentary festival,
conference and market, will present its 15th annual edition from
April 17 - 27, 2008. An outstanding selection of more than 150
documentaries from Canada and around the world will be presented
to Toronto audiences and international delegates.
And Cirque du Soleil is going to be there presenting:
ALL TOGETHER NOW
Director: Adrian Wills (Canada) World Premiere
This not-to-be-missed, behind-the-scenes story of the Cirque du
Soleil's latest spectacle, "Love," inspired by the Beatles'
music, features fabulous stock footage of the Beatles and cameos
by Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono.
Read the article here:
< http://www.corrieretandem.com/printer.php?storyid=8142 >
{SOURCE: TandemNews.com}
Corteo's Next Tour: JAPAN!
{Apr.08.2008}
------------------------------------------
FUJI Television Network is already busy in preparation for
Corteo, Cirque du Soleil's next spectacle to be seen in the land
of the rising sun. Catch an early informational preview at
Corteo Japan's website: http://www.corteo.jp/ and stay tuned
there for further information in the future.
If you can't read Japanese but want to know where it'll be?
Corteo makes it first stop in Tokyo from February 4, 2009
through May 5, 2009.
Get TIX for Cirque Tokyo Previews!
{Apr.08.2008}
------------------------------------------
Want to catch a performance of Cirque Tokyo 2008 before the
grand premiere on October 1, 2008?
Starting April 11 at 10:00am, tickets for 39 "preview"
performances will go on sale at www.cirquedusoleil.co.jp! These
preview performances start Friday, August 15, 2008 and will end
on Tuesday, September 30, 2008.
Tickets for preview performances are as follows:
o) "Premium View" seat - Closest to the stage, within the
first 9 rows of center
¥14,400 per person
o) "Front View" seat - Beyond the first 9 rows of center
and lower side
¥12,000 per person
o) "Regular" seat - everything else
¥7,840 per person
o) "Overview" seat - the last row, furthest from the stage
¥6,240 per person
Tickets will be released to the general public starting April 26,
2008!
"The show is about a story that the "heaven" and the "earth,"
these two worlds that are completely incompatible with each
other, will understand and become harmonized with each other
through the protagonist's adventures. Enjoy attractive and
unique characters, artistic costumes and stage directions, and
bold, spectacular performances. Cirque du Soleil's original
program that you can only enjoy here in this theater will
certainly meet and even exceed your expectations."
The show runs approximately 135 minutes (including a 30-minute
intermission)
Find further information at Cirque du Soleil in Japan's website:
< http://www.cirquedusoleil.co.jp/new_tokyo_show/tryout_en.php >
Aritsans de l'Imaginaire
{Apr.14.2008}
------------------------------------------
From April 26 to May 6, 2008 during Japan's "Golden Week"
holiday period, an event will be held at the Omotesando Hills
shopping complex in Tokyo to give Japanese audiences a taste of
Cirque du Soleil!
Details on event contents for "Artisans de I'maginarie: The
World of Cirque du Soleil" will be announced shortly; however,
if you're in the area you'll definitely want to check it out!
This special event is being held at Space "O:", B3 Floor, Main
Bldg, Omotesando Hills from 11:00am to 9:00pm from April 26 to
May 6, 2008. Note: April 27th until 8:pm; May 6th until 6:00pm)
{Source: Cirque Japan Press Release}
Tokyo 2008: What's in a Name?
{Apr.14.2008}
------------------------------------------
NOTE: A press conference has been scheduled on June 5, 2008 to
unveil the name of Cirque du Soleil's first resident show
outside of North America! What will it be?
APM Music Launches New Film Trailer
Library with Cirque du Soleil Composers
{Apr.15.2008}
------------------------------------------
From Business Wire:
APM Music today is launching its new film trailer music library,
"Sonic Elixir," with two CDs of new compositions from
Composer/Songwriters Ella Louise Allaire and Martin Lord
Ferguson, who were part of the creative team behind the original
score for KA by Cirque du Soleil as well as the Fina open water
championship opening ceremonies and the new Saltimbanco arena
show. Three more CDs of original compositions are being written
now for release later in the year.
Business Wire also reported that Martin Lord Ferguson is serving
as musical director and arranger for the Tokyo 2008 show and as
co-composer for Dubai 2010. Ella Louise Allaire is the arranger,
orchestrator and voice specialist for Tokyo 2008 and is also co-
composer for Dubai 2010.
Read the original press release here:
< http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/APM+Music+
Launches+New+Film+Trailer+Library+with+Cirque+du+Soleil+
Composers/3544280.html >
{SOURCE: Business Wire/Street Insider}
BELIEVE in Criss Angel
{Apr.17.2008}
------------------------------------------
Wow, this one really snuck up on us and we must thank an
anonymous Cirquester for passing on this information to us!
TODAY CIRQUE ANNOUNCES "BELIEVE"
WHY BELIEVE?
On his death bed, legendary magician and escape artist, Harry
Houdini told his wife the following; "After my death, many
people will claim that they are still able to communicate with
me. If their claims are valid, they will be able to tell you a
code word - that word is BELIEVE."
ABOUT THE SHOW
CRISS ANGEL Believe will be a haunting exploration deep inside
the inventive mind of mystifier Criss Angel as he hovers between
the land of the living and a surreal world uniquely woven
together by the distinctive imaginations of Criss Angel and
Cirque du Soleil.
Unlike traditional magic-themed shows, CRISS ANGEL Believe
transcends any preconceived notion of what it means to be truly
emotionally engaged by the arts of mysticism and illusion.
Imagine a fantasy, an allegory, a highly theatrical tableau of
mood, reverie and emotion set against a backdrop of dreamlike
darkness and light.
Criss Angel stars as a surreal, enigmatic Victorian Noble. Along
a path of imaginative exploration, he encounters Kayala and
Crimson, two women who represent different aspects of femininity,
four bizarre Ushers, who will introduce the audience to the
baroque theater of Criss's mind and a high-energy troupe of
characters and dancers who mix a multitude of styles into a
high-energy visual feast, punctuated by moments of grace and
sensuality.
The stunning illusions in CRISS ANGEL Believe will not be
presented as stand-alone elements, but as interdependent
components using heightened imagery, fantastical creatures and
impossible feats of legerdemain, which will all be integrated
into the dazzling, colorful fabric of the story.
The show will hold its Gala Premiere on September 12, 2008, with
preview performances beginning September 1, 2008.
BELIEVE Press Release
{Apr.17.2008}
------------------------------------------
In addition to the information forwarded to us, Cirque du Soleil
also prepared a Press Release. We'd like to call attention to
the following information, which was not included in our
original note:
CRISS ANGEL Believe will be performed Friday through Tuesday
with no shows on Wednesdays or Thursdays. Beginning September 1,
there will be two shows nightly at 7p.m. & 10p.m. Please consult
the most current show schedule at www.cirquedusoleil.com/
crissangel and www.crissangel.com. Schedule is subject to
change without notice.
Ticket Information: Tickets are on pre-sale to Cirque Club
members, Criss Angel Loyals and Luxor Insiders starting April 17,
2008. Ticket prices: $150, $125, $99, $79, $59 plus tax. All
preview performances* will be discounted 25 percent.
To Reserve Tickets: During the pre-sale period tickets will be
exclusively available to Criss Angel Loyals, Cirque Club members
and Luxor Insiders. These groups can purchase tickets online at:
www.cirquedusoleil.com/crissangel and www.crissangel.com.
Following the pre-sale, an announcement will be made outlining
when tickets will go on sale publicly.
The Creative Team:
Guy Laliberté Guide
Gilles Ste-Croix SVP, Creative Content
Criss Angel Illusions Designer/Star
Serge Denoncourt Director & Co-Writer
Pierre Phaneuf Director of Creation
Christiane Barette Associate Director of Creation
Ray Winkler Set Designer
Mérédith Caron Costume Designer
Éric Serra Composer, Musical Director & Arranger
Wade Robson Choreographer
Jeanette Farmer Lighting Designer
Francis Laporte Images and Projection
Jonathan Deans Sound Designer
Jaque Paquin Acrobatic Equipment & Rigging
André Simard Acrobatic Performance
Michael Curry Props & Puppets Designer
Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil Press Room}
2009 Calendars on the way!
{Apr.20.2008}
------------------------------------------
The recent run of multiple Cirque du Soleil calendars available
each year continues into 2009 with at least 2 new products by
Genevieve Bastien and published by Silver Lining Books - a Wall
Calendar and an Engagement Calendar.
Wall Calendar
o) Release Date -- Jul.11.2008
o) ISBN-10 -- 14-3510-760-8
o) ISBN-13 -- 978-14-3510-760-1
o) SRP -- $14.95 USD
Engagement Calendar
o) Release Date -- Jun.12.2008
o) ISBN-10 -- 14-3510-479-X
o) ISBN-13 -- 978-14-3510-479-2
o) SRP -- $14.95 USD
CirqueCon Tokyo Update - Ticket Deadline!
{Apr.23.2008}
------------------------------------------
Greetings, Passionates! Time is running out to reserve tickets
for our "official" show performance during CirqueCon 2008:
Tokyo! (Friday, November 7, 2008 at 7:30pm)
The deadline for reserving tickets is 11:59pm Pacific Time on
SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2008. We will then find out the total price and
exchange rate and advise our ticket reservers how much they owe.
Purchasers will then have until 11:59pm Pacific Time on MONDAY,
MAY 12, 2008 to pay for them (via check or PayPal).
Check out the details and approximate pricing at the "Show
Tickets" page of the www.cirquecon.com website. Note that you
must be a member to take advantage of our special ticket offer.
FL Resident Discount to La Nouba
{Apr.24.2008}
------------------------------------------
Are you a Florida resident?
If so, from May 1st through June 28th, residents can enjoy a 20%
discount (up to $17.00 off per ticket!) on all Category 2 seats!
Tickets must be purchased in advance and proof of Florida
residency is required.
Call the Disney ticket line at 407-939-7328 or visit the La
Nouba box office directly.
{SOURCE: Walt Disney World, MousePlanet}
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- INFORMATION ON TOUR AND BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
o) ITINÉRAIRE - Tour/Show Information
o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History
================
ITINÉRAIRE
================
NOTE: The information presented below is for historical purposes only.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit our website < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >.
Alegría:
Rio de Janerio, Brazil -- Dec 27, 2007 to Jan 27, 2008
Sao Paulo, Brazil -- Feb 7, 2008 to May 4, 2008
Porto Alegre, Brazil -- May 15, 2008 to Jun 8, 2008
Buenos Aires, Argentina -- Jun 20, 2008 to Jul 27, 2008
Santiago, Chile -- Aug 8, 2008 to Sep 21, 2008
Seoul, South Korea -- TBA
Taipei, Taiwan -- TBA
Dubai, UAE -- Spring 2009
Corteo:
San Diego, California -- Jan 11, 2008 to Feb 3, 2008
Portland, Oregan -- Mar 1, 2008 to Apr 13, 2008
Seattle, Washington -- Apr 24, 2008 to Jun 1, 2008
Vancouver, BC -- Jun 12, 2008 to Jul 20, 2008
Calgary, AB -- Jul 31, 2008 to Sep 7, 2008
Ottawa, ON -- Sep 16, 2008 to Oct 26, 2008
Miami, Florida -- Nov 13, 2008 to Dec 28, 2008
Tokyo, Japan -- Feb 4, 2009 to May 5, 2009
Dralion:
Tokyo, Japan -- Jan 25, 2008 to Apr 6, 2008
Fukuoka, Japan -- Apr 23, 2008 to Jun 15, 2008
Sydney, Australia -- Jul 17, 2008 to Aug 17, 2008
Canberra, Australia -- Oct 23, 2008 to Nov 16, 2008
Brisbane, Australia -- Nov 27, 2008 to Jan 11, 2009
Perth, Australia -- Jan 28, 2009 to Mar 29, 2009
Melbourne, Australia -- Apr 9, 2009 to Jun 14, 2009
Koozå:
San Francisco, California - Nov 16 to Jan 20, 2008
San Jose, California -- Jan 31, 2008 to Mar 16, 2008
Hartford, Connecticut -- Apr 1, 2008 to Apr 27, 2008
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -- May 8, 2008 to Jun 15, 2008
Chicago, Illinois -- Jun 26, 2008 to Aug 3, 2008
Boston, Massachusetts -- Sep 5, 2008 to Oct 19, 2008
Washington, DC -- Oct 30, 2008 to Dec 7, 2008
Atlanta, Georgia -- Jan 2, 2009 to Feb 15, 2009
Baltimore, Maryland -- Spring 2009
New York, New York -- Spring 2009
Quidam:
Mexico City, Mexico - Nov 16, 2007 to Jan 13, 2008
Monterrey, Mexico - Jan 17, 2008 to Feb 10, 2008
Veracruz, Mexico -- Feb 27, 2008 to Mar 16, 2008
Lisbon, Portugal -- Apr 20, 2008 to May 25, 2008
Màlaga, Spain -- Jun 5, 2008 to Jul 13, 2008
Alicante, Spain -- Jul 24, 2008 to Aug 31, 2008
Barcelona, Spain -- Sep, 11, 2008 to Oct 19, 2008
Brussels, Belgium -- Oct 30, 2008 to Dec 21, 2008 (*)
London, England -- Jan 7, 2009 to Feb 22, 2009 (*)
Varekai:
London, UK - Jan 6, 2008 to Feb 3, 2008
Amsterdam, NL -- Feb 28, 2008 to May 25, 2008
Berlin, Germany -- Jun 5, 2008 to Jul 13, 2008
Oberhausen, Germany -- Jul 31, 2008 to Sep 14, 2008
Vienna, Austria -- Sep 25, 2008 to Nov 9, 2008
Madrid, Spain -- Nov 20, 2008 to Dec 28, 2008
Bilbao, Spain -- TBA
Seville, Spain -- TBA
Hamburg, Germany -- TBA
Oostende, Belgium -- TBA
Zurich, Switzerland -- TBA
Munich, Germany -- TBA
[Arena Shows]
Delirium:
Oberhausen, Germany - Feb 1 & 2
Hanover, Germany - Feb 5 & 6
Bremen, Germany - Feb 9 & 10
Stockholm, Sweden - Feb 13 & 14
Turku, Finland - Feb 16 & 17
Zurich, Switzerland - Feb 25 & 26
Budapest, Hungary - Feb 29 & Mar 1
Berlin, Germany - Mar 6
Nurnberg, Germany - Mar 8 & 9
Milan, Italy - Mar 11, 12 & 13
Turin, Italy - Mar 15, 16 & 17
Birmingham, UK - Mar 22 & 23
Liverpool, UK - Mar 25 & 26
Paris, France - Mar 31 & Apr 1, 2
Antwerp, Belgium - Apr 5 & 6
Glasgow, UK - Apr 9 & 10
Belfast, UK - Apr 12
London, UK - Apr 17, 18 & 19
(Delirium's final curtain call was in London)
Saltimbanco:
Quebec, Quebec - Jan 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8
Chicoutimi, Quebec - Jan 16, 17, 18 & 19
Detroit, Michigan - Jan 23, 24, 25, 26 & 27
Cleveland, Ohio - Jan 29, 30, 31 & Feb 1
Memphis, Tennessee - Feb 20 & 21
Charlottesville, Virginia - Feb 26, 27, 28, 29 & Mar 1
Little Rock, Arkansas - Mar 4, 5, & 6
Shreveport, Louisiana - Mar 8 & 9
San Antonio, Texas - Mar 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16
Laredo, Texas - Mar 18 & 19
Corpus Christi, Texas - Mar 21 & 22
Wichita, Kansas - Mar 26, 27, 28, 39 & 30
Omaha, Nebraska - Apr 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
Des Moines, Iowa - Apr 10, 11, 12 & 13
Moline, Illinois - Apr 15, 16, 17 & 18
Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Apr 23, 24, 25, 26 & 27
Alberquerque, New Mexico - May 14, 15, 16 & 17
Boise, Idaho - May 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25
Victoria, BC - May 29, 30, 31 & Jun 1
Kelowana, BC - Jun 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8
Kamloops, BC - Jun 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15
Edmonton, Alberta - Jun 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Jun 25, 26, 27, 28 & 29
Regina, Saskatchewan - Jul 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
Winnipeg, Manatoba - Jul 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13
Kansas City, Missouri -- July 16, 17, 18, 19 & 20
Newark, New Jersey -- Aug 7, 8, 9 & 10
Toronto, Ontario -- Aug 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23 & 24
Hamilton, Ontario -- Aug 27, 28, 29, 30 & 31
Amherst, Massachusetts -- Sep 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7
Buffalo, New York -- Sep 10, 11, 12, 13 & 14
Trenton, New Jersey -- Sep 17, 18, 19, 20 & 21
Minneapolis/St-Paul, Minnesota -- Sep 24, 25, 26, 27 & 28
[Resident Shows]
NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise
noted.
(*) Price reflected in brackets [] is inclusive of 10% Las Vegas
Entertainment Tax where applicable, but does not include
Sales Tax.
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tue through Sat, Dark: Sun/Mon
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2008 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9):
o Category 0: $121.41 / $96.92
o Category 1: $105.44 / $84.14
o Category 2: $86.27 / $69.23
o Category 3: $69.23 / $55.38
2008 Dark Dates:
o January 22 to 26
o March 25
o May 20 to 24
o May 27 to 312
o July 29
o September 23 to 27
o November 18
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly -
o Saturday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm
o Sunday: 4:30pm & 7:00pm
o Monday - Wednesday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices:
o Category 1: $95.00 [$104.50]
o Category 2: $75.00 [$82.50]
o Category 3: $60.00 [$66.00]
2008 Dark Dates:
o January 3 to 18
o February 3
o March 12
o May 1 to 9
o July 9
o September 4 to 12
o November 5
o December 24
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices:
o Orchestra: $150.00 [$165.00]
o Loggia: $125.00 [$137.50]
o Balcony: $99.00 [$108.90]
o Limited View: $93.50 [102.85]
2008 Dark Dates:
o February 10
o April 7 to 15
o June 8
o August 11 to 19
o October 12
o December 8 to 23
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!):
o Sofas: $129.00 USD [$141.90 USD] (Sold in pairs)
o Seats: $99.00 USD [$108.90 USD] (Lower Orcestra)
O Seats: $79.00 USD [$86.90 USD] (Upper Orchestra)
o Balcony: $69.00 USD [$75.90 USD]
o Stools: $69.00 USD [$75.90 USD]
2008 Dark Dates:
o Feburary 3
o February 19 & 20
o April 6 to 14
o June 9 to 11
o August 3 to 11
o October 14 & 15
o December 1 to 16
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Fri through Tue, Dark Wed/Thu
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
NOTE: Category locations change based on Early vs Late Show
o Category 1: $150.00 [$165.00] / $75.00 [$82.50]
o Category 2: $125.00 [$137.50] / $62.50 [$68.75]
o Category 3: $99.00 [$108.90] / $49.50 [$54.45]
o Category 4: $69.00 [$75.90] / $34.50 [$37.95]
2008 Dark Dates
o January 13 to 28
o March 16 to 19
o May 11 to 19
o July 13 to 16
o September 7 to 15
o November 2 to 4
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices:
o Lower Orchestra: $150.00 [$165.00]
o Upper Orchestra: $125.00 [137.50]
o Lower Balcony: $99.00 [$108.80]
o Middle Balcony: $93.50 [$102.85]
o Upper Balcony: $69.00 [$75.90]
2008 Dark Dates:
o February 3 & 4
o February 11
o April 1 to 9
o May 12
o June 12
o July 29 to August 6
o October 9
o December 2 to 17
Wintuk:
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
Multiple Shows Daily -
Wednesday: 2:00pm, 7:30pm
Thursday: 11:00am, 7:30pm
Friday: 2:00pm, 7:30pm
Saturday: 11:00am, 3:00pm, 7:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am, 3:00pm, 7:00pm
2008 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-12):
Wednesday & Sunday:
o Category 1: $99.00 / $89.55
o Category 2: $65.00 / $59.95
o Category 3: $40.00 / $36.45
Thursday, Friday & Saturday:
o Category 1: $200.00 / $180.45
o Category 2: $110.00 / $99.45
o Category 3: $75.00 / $67.95
o Category 4: $50.00 / $45.45
Information regarding the 2008 season is not yet available.
BELIEVE:
Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm
PREVIEW PERFORMANCES - SEPTEMBER 1st through 11th
GALA PREMIERE - SEPTEMBER 12, 2008
NOTE: Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by
an adult. Children under the age of five are not permitted
into the theater.
2008 Ticket Prices (all):
o Category 1: $150.00 +tax
o Category 2: $125.00 +tax
o Category 3: $99.00 +tax
o Category 4: $79.00 +tax
o Category 5: $59.00 +tax
2008 Dark Dates:
o September 8 & 9
o September 13
o November 5 to 13
=================================
DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque
=================================
o) Did you know that a compression sprayer is used to accelerate make-
up changes between two scenes in KÀ?
o) Did you know that Varekai's tour is affectionately dubbed the
"Wherever Tour" in homage of its linguistic roots?
o) Did you know that on June 16, 2004, Cirque du Soleil went for a
Guiness World Record for Stiltwalking? Employees and Artists alike
walked a distance of 100 meters on stilts to quench the record.
o) Did you know that in Spain, Cirque du Soleil is known as "Cirqo del
Sol" ?
o) Did you know that Cirque du Soleil chose to use a white Grand
Chapiteau for touring shows in Europe rather than the blue and
yellow striped/swirled big tops because white is considered to fit
better with the European public's image of a sophisticated product?
That and because many other circuses travel around Europe in a
striped big top, so using an all white Grand Chapiteau on European
soil distinguises Cirque du Soleil from more traditional circuses.
o) Did you know that when Cirque du Soleil's Corteo visited New York
City in 2006, a giant publicity billboard graced Time's Square? A
320-foot long by 46-foot wide banner featuring Corteo's angels hung
from the W hotel located between 46th and 47th streets in
Manhattan.
o) Did you know that on July 11, 2004 over 200,000 spectators filled
the streets of Downtown Montreal to take part in Midnight Sun to
celebrate Cirque du Soleil's 20th Anniversary? This unique an
exclusive musical event also celebrated the 25th anniversary of
the Festival Internation de Jaz de Montreal.
====================================
HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History
====================================
[January]
* Jan.03.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Quebec, QC
* Jan.04.2007 -- Quidam opened Dubai, UAE
* Jan.05.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened London
* Jan.05.1999 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2006 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2007 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2007 -- Varekai opened Auckland, New Zealand
(Asia-Pacific Tour Begins)
* Jan.05.2007 -- REVOLUTION Lounge opens (based on Beatles/LOVE)
* Jan.06.2003 -- Premiere of Fire Within on BRAVO
* Jan.06.2005 -- Saltimbanco opened Manchester
* Jan.06.2005 -- Varekai opened Houston
* Jan.06.2005 -- Dralion opened London
* Jan.06.2008 -- Varekai opened London, UK
* Jan.07.1998 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.07.1999 -- Saltimbanco Asia-Pacific Tour Began (Sydney)
* Jan.07.2003 -- Saltimbanco Euro Tour II began London
* Jan.07.2003 -- Varekai CD Released in US (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Jan.09.2004 -- Dralion opened London
* Jan.09.2004 -- Alegría opened Miami
* Jan.10.1999 -- Alegría: Le Film showcased in Palm Springs
* Jan.10.2001 -- Alegría opened Auckland, Australia
* Jan.13.2006 -- Saltimbanco opened Mexico City
* Jan.14.1997 -- Quidam CD Released in US (RCA/Victor)
* Jan.16.2003 -- Varekai opened San Jose
* Jan.16.2004 -- Saltimbanco opened Seville
* Jan.16.2004 -- Varekai opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.16.2008 - Saltimbanco Arena opened Chicoutimi, QC
* Jan.17.1999 -- Banquine Act awarded in the 23rd Festival du
Cirque de Monte-Carlo.
* Jan.17.2002 -- Dralion opened Houston, Texas
* Jan.17.2008 -- Quidam opened Monterrey, Mexico
* Jan.19.2006 -- Quidam opened San Diego
* Jan.19.2006 -- Dralion opened Seville
* Jan.19.2006 -- Corteo opened San Jose
* Jan.20.2000 -- Quidam opened Barcelona
* Jan.20.2006 -- Varekai opened Miami
* Jan.20.2008 -- Corteo celebrated 1,000th performance [San Diego, CA]
* Jan.23.2003 -- Alegría opened Dallas
* Jan.23.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Detroit, MI
* Jan.24.1995 -- Alegría opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.24.2007 -- Delirium opened Detroit, MI
* Jan.25.2000 -- Saltimbanco opened Hong Kong
* Jan.25.2008 -- Dralion opened Tokyo
* Jan.26.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened San Diego
* Jan.27.2004 -- Order of Canada bestowed upon Guy Laliberté
* Jan.28.1999 -- La Nouba Premiere Gala (Previews End)
* Jan.29.1997 -- Quidam opened Orange County
* Jan.29.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Cleveland, OH
* Jan.30.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.31.2007 -- Delirium opened Grand Rapids, MI
* Jan.31.2008 -- Koozå opened San Jose, CA
[February]
* Feb.01.2008 -- Delirium opened Oberhausen, Germany
* Feb.01.2008 -- Announcement that Delirium will fold in London, UK
(April 2008)
* Feb.02.2001 -- La Nouba celebrated 1000th performance [Friday, 6:00pm]
* Feb.03.2000 -- Dralion opened San Francisco, California
* Feb.03.2005 -- KÀ Premiere Gala (Previews End)
* Feb.04.1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica (again)
* Feb.04.2007 -- Cirque du Soleil performs at Super Bowl XLI.
* Feb.05.2007 -- iShares Announces Sponsorship of 2007-2008 US Teams
* Feb.05.2008 -- Delirium opened Hanover, Germany
* Feb.06.2003 -- Dralion opened New Orleans
* Feb.07.2002 -- Quidam opened Miami, Florida
* Feb.07.2003 -- Region 2 DVDs released: Saltimbanco, Quidam, Dralion
* Feb.07.2003 -- Quidam opened Tokyo
* Feb.07.2007 -- Dralion opened Tokyo
* Feb.07.2007 -- Koozå Creative Team Announced
* Feb.07.2007 -- Delirium opened Moline, IL
* Feb.07.2008 -- Alegria opened Sao Paulo
* Feb.08.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Hambourg
* Feb.09.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened Fukuoka, Japan
* Feb.09.2005 -- Alegría opened Fukuoka, Japan
* Feb.09.2007 -- Corteo opened Dallas
* Feb.09.2007 -- Delirium opened Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN.
* Feb.10.2008 -- Delirium opened Bremen, Germany
* Feb.10.2006 -- Cirque announced/launched Fashion Line
* Feb.10.2008 - Cirque du Soleil performs "A Day in the Life" from The
Beatles/Cirque du Soleil LOVE at the Mirage at Grammy's.
* Feb.10.2008 -- Cirque du Soleil wins 2 Grammy's for LOVE album.
- "Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture,
Television or other Visual Medium"
- "Best Surround Sound Album"
* Feb.11.1998 -- Quidam opened Dallas
* Feb.12.2007 -- Cirque & Orange Business Services sign Partnership
* Feb.13.2008 -- Delirium opened Stockholm, Sweden
* Feb.14.2001 -- Dralion opened Miami, Florida
* Feb.14.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Amsterdam
* Feb.14.2007 -- Delirium opened Fort Wayne, IN
* Feb.15.2005 -- Cirque Music available on iTunes
* Feb.15.2007 -- Cirque Partners with Champ Car race
* Feb.16.2001 -- Quidam opened Manchester
* Feb.16.2008 -- Delirium opened Turku, Finland
* Feb.17.2005 -- Saltimbanco (2005) CD Released (CDS Musique)
* Feb.17.2007 -- Delirium opened Chicago, IL.
* Feb.19.1998 -- Alegría opened Madrid
* Feb.19.2002 -- Quidam Extended CD Released (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Feb.19.2004 -- Alegría opened St. Petersburg
* Feb.20.2007 -- Cimarron gives KÀ new visual style
* Feb.20.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Memphis, TN
* Feb.21.2007 -- CirqueCon's 2007 & 2008 Announced
* Feb.21.2007 -- Delirium opened Kansas City, MO
* Feb.22.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Cosa Mesa
* Feb.22.2000 -- Alegría: Le Film CD Released in US (RCA/Victor)
* Feb.22.2007 -- Alegría opened Barcelona
* Feb.23.2006 -- Alegría opened Milan
* Feb.24.2005 -- Saltimbanco opened Birmingham
* Feb.24.2005 -- Varekai opened Austin
* Feb.24.2007 -- Delirium opened Ames, IA
* Feb.25.1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Calgary
* Feb.25.2001 -- Quidam opened Manchester
* Feb.25.2008 -- Delirium opened Zurich, Germany
* Feb.26.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Bilbao
* Feb.26.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Charlottesville, VA
* Feb.27.2005 -- Dralion opened Amsterdam
* Feb.27.2008 -- Quidam opened Veracrux, Mexico
* Feb.28.2000 -- La Nouba celebrated 500th performance [Monday]
* Feb.28.2002 -- Alegría opened Singapore
* Feb.28.2007 -- Delirium opened Green Bay, WI
* Feb.29.2008 -- Varekai opened Amsterdam
* Feb.29.2008 -- Delirium opened Budapest, Hungary
==========================================
CIRQUETECH: The Technical Side of Cirque
==========================================
The Technical Side of Wintuk
-----------------------------
LiveDesign Media recently ran a fabulous article peeking into the
techincal side of Wintuk, Cirque's "Winter Tale" at the WAMU Theater,
Madison Square Garden, New York City. They discovered a treasure trove
of secrets about how this particular show functioned. In this special
installment of CirqueTech, we're going to take a look at some of the
material LiveDesign published; specifically, the equipment used to
help illuminate the show night after night, as well as, the technology
that goes into bringing the production to life musically.
Check out the original article here:
< http://livedesignonline.com/theatre/cirque_du_soleil_wintuk_0101/ >
LIGHTING
o) Control and Dimming
.) 1 MA Lighting grandMA
.) 1 MA Lighting grandMA Light
.) 1 MA Lighting grandMA Ultra Light
.) 4 MA Lighting NSP
.) 5 ETC Sensor Dimmer Rack
o) Conventional Instruments
.) 4 ETC Source Four 10° Ellipsoidal
.) 24 ETC Source Four 19° Ellipsoidal
.) 45 ETC Source Four 26° Ellipsoidal
.) 36 ETC Source Four PAR MFL
.) 14 Altman UV-703 Blacklight Fresnel
.) 19 Strand Iris 1 Single Cell Cyc Light, 1kW
.) 100 Color Kinetics ColorBlast12
o) Automated Lights
.) 12 Vari-Lite VL 3500 Spot
.) 24 Vari-Lite VL 3000 Spot
.) 42 Vari-Lite VL 3000 Spot
.) 24 Vari-Lite VL 2500 Wash
o) Followspots
.) 2 Robert Juliat Aramis 2,500W HMI followspots
.) 2 Strong Lighting 2kW Super Troupers
o) Atmospheric Effects
.) 2 MDG Atmosphere APS Haze Generator
.) 1 MDG Max 3000APS Fog Generator
.) 44 Artistry In Motion Confetti Machine
.) 36 Bowen Fan
.) 16 CO2 Cannon
VIDEO
.) 10 Green Hippo Hippotizer media servers
.) 16 Christie Roadster S+20K projectors
AUDIO
o) Console
.) 1 Level Control Systems CueConsole System
Processing
.) 1 TC Electronics System M3000
.) 7 Meyer Sound Galileo Loudspeaker Processor
o) Loudspeakers
.) 7 Meyer Sound M1-D for Front Fill
.) 38 Meyer Sound M1-D for Surround
.) 65 Meyer Sound MUB M1-D Mount
.) 8 Meyer Sound 700HP Subwoofer
.) 6 Meyer Sound UPA1-P Stage Foldback
.) 12 Meyer Sound UPA1-P Delay
.) 10 Anchor AN1000 Self Powered
o) Wireless Systems
.) 2 Sennheiser SK-5212 UHF Transmitters c/w 10dB Pad &
Limiter Disconnect
.) 2 Sennheiser 3532 RX Diversity System
.) 1 GZA 2003TVP UHF Active Ground Plane Antenna
system, with boosters and 10db Stepped Attenuators
o) Input
.) 5 Sennheiser EW 300 IEM G2 In-Ear System
.) 10 Shure E3 Earphones
.) 2 Sony WRT810a RF Handhelds
.) 1 Sony Dual WRR840 Receiver
CREDITS
.) Yves Aucoin, lighting designer
.) Francis Laporte, projection designer
.) François Barbeau, set designer
.) Patricia Ruel, set and props designer
.) Jonathan Deans and Leon Rothenberg, sound designers
.) Greg Meeh, special effects designer
.) Rene Charbonneau, puppet designer
.) Guy St-Amour, acrobatic equipment and rigging design
.) Claude Plante, lighting director
.) Alexandre Lefrancois, head electrician
.) Dan Hochstine, sound mixer
.) Jake Hall, mics
.) Jake Davis, assistant to Leon Rothenstein
.) Sebastian Laurendeau, playback operator
.) Gavin Whitely, Giga system
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
Within...
o) "People are Amazing Creatures"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, FLorida (USA)
o) "Remembering Varekai in Montreal"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, FLorida (USA)
-------------------------------------------------------
"People are Amazing Creatures"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
-------------------------------------------------------
A few weeks back, we at "Fascination!" made a couple of purchases
through online auction site Ebay that piqued our collective interests.
Both were CD-R/DVD-R promo CDs from the Australian tours of Quidam and
Varekai; we became inquisitive about the contents of each - were they
your basic show promo CD, were they comparable to the promo CDs
launched in the United States, and/or did they harbor new,
undiscovered gems? So we bought them! And here's what we discovered...
QUIDAM
Optus, a mobile telephone company, which was the presenting sponsor of
Quidam during its 2004-2005 Australian tour, produced a wonderful
little CD-R as promo material for the Quidam tour. The packaging is a
simple Digi-Pak design, with an image of the four hoop girls adorning
the front, and Isabelle Vaudelle suspended high above the stage in her
red silks on the back. You'll find Quidam himself on the inside front
cover and a whirling Shayne Courtright on German Wheel as the CDs
silk-screen label.
Slipping the disc in we found an Optus splash screen (with a few
Quidam characters popping on and off our field of view) and then the
main menu appeared. The content of the Quidam Promo DVD-R is divided
up into three distinct sections: Internet, Video and Audio. Each is
represented by a specific character from the show itself - Internet is
John (and his toaster radio), Audio is Target, video is Boum-Boum
(gloved-hands held high triumphantly.) Let's take a look at each:
INTERNET, is a rather unremarkable collection of world-wide-web links.
In this section you'll find links to the Official Cirque du Soleil
Website, Optus' Official Website, the Cirque Boutique, Optus Zoo
Mobile site and CirqueClub. When you click on the link inside the
program, it immediately opens up your primary browser of choice and
takes you there.
AUDIO, is equally unremarkable today, containing two full-length songs
from Cirque du Soleil Musique's repertoire: "Alegría (a Man caleld
Adam's Magical Mix {6:07})" and "Emballa (Llorca Remix {5:47})". Both
of these mixes can be found on the Tapis Rogue Solarium Chill CD and
are played through an in-software audio program.
VIDEO, is the section where we find the most interesting material.
Besides the standard DVD promo (this time featuring Varekai {1:40}),
we also find a Cirque du Soleil Music Promo (1:02) and a Fire Within
TV Series promo (3:04). However, the coop-de-grace in this collection
is - get ready for it - a fully digitized "Full Cirque: The Making of
Quidam" documentary (22:34) previously available only on VHS (and now
well out of print). All four videos play through an in-software video
program; however, getting a chance to see a digital version of Full
Circle outweighs any negativity brought about by it.
But, if you're curious and adventurous like we were, we discovered one
can hear and view the audio/video material on the CD-R itself by
placing the disc in their drives and, rather than running the start
file (or having the computer automatically running it), traverse the
directories using Windows Explorer on the PC or Finder on the Mac. In
doing so, you'll find that the two previously mentioned audio tracks
are available in MP3 format in the Audio directory. The Alegría remix
in 160kbps and the Emballa remix in 256kbps. Under the Video
directory, you'll find the four previously mentioned video previews
and the full-length Quidam documentary here (in .MPG video format).
Which means you can view the documentary in your video player of
choice!
And for an added bit of functionality, pop the CD-R into your standard
CD player to hear "Alegría (a Man called Adam's Magical Mix)" on Track
1 and "Emballa (Llorca Remix)" on track 2!
VAREKAI
Optus, the presenting sponsor of Cirque du Soleil in Australia,
produced yet another great little promo CD-R/DVD-R to promote Varekai
on its 2006-2007 Australian Tour. Like its predecessor, this one too
sports a simple Digi-Pak design, with an image of the lizard in the
Varekai forests for a cover, and the Aerial Hop artists on the back.
The inside sports the Body Skaters (in a tower pose) with Icarus and
the Green Butterfly on the CDs silk-screen label.
Slipping this disc in our drive found a unique splash screen created
from the multiple pin-points of light numerous fireflies give off, as
they float about and come together to form the VAREKAI logo. The main
menu itself is a flash-animation of the Varekai forest with Icarus
hanging from his net above the ground. The content of this CD is
divided up into two distinct sections: EXPERIENCE VAREKAI and CIRQUE
DU SOLEIL, with further divisions as you continue to explore. So,
let's take a look!:
Under CIRQUE DU SOLEIL you'll find "Cirque Club", "Other Cirque DVDs",
and "Music" categories.
CIRQUE CLUB, is a standard quick video promo about joining CirqueClub.
OTHER CIRQUE DVDS, is the standard video promo about the Cirque du
Soleil DVD catalogue, which has been seen on other DVD special
features and/or promotional CDs.
MUSIC, features four Cirque du Soleil songs from four different shows
and is the most significant section here: "Kumbalawé" from
Saltimbanco, "Alegría" from Alegría, "Réveil" from Quidam, and "Vocea"
from Varekai. All tracks are full-length and are from the original
studio CDs (i.e., these are not remixes or reissue tracks).
Under EXPERIENCE VAREKAI, there are three selections: "Varekai
Preview", "Varekai Short Acts", and "Behind the Scenes".
VAREKAI PREVIEW, is a short video overview of the show itself.
VAREKAI SHORT ACTS, is a video snippet collection of a handful of the
acrobatic numbers presented in the show: "Flight of Icarus" (0:27.08),
"Icarian Games" (0:29.19), "Water Meteors" (0:28.28), "Clowns"
(0:30.00), "Triple Trapeze" (0:30.00), and "Georgian Dance" (0:30.00).
The entire montage is set to "Vocea" and only plays if you select the
snippet from the first act to play first; otherwise it's a silent
preview.
BEHIND THE SCENES, has two items to explore here. First is "Fire
Within", which is just the standard promo video for the Television
Series (also featured on the Quidam CD-R by Optus). The other
selection, "Interviews", is a 4 minute (approximate) interview with
the Atherton Twins putting answers to the following five questions:
"How would you define Fire Within?", "Has the Experience with Fire
Within made you stars?", "What does Fire Within mean to you?", "How
did your friends and family react to you in Fire Within?", and "What
did you learn about yourselves?" The answers are what you'd expect so
we won't elaborate further here.
Unfortunately, unlike with the Quidam promo CD, it's much harder to
experience the material outside of the CD-R/DVD-R's program, as the
audio and video is in DVD format. Be that as it may, you can traverse
the CDs directories using Windows Explorer (PC) or Finder (Mac) to
discover the DVD files and force-play them in your DVD Player of
choice. Or, for a slightly different experience, just pop the disc in
your standard DVD player; however, the music clips are unavailable
this way (but we don't see that as a huge loss).
Both CD-R/DVD-R promo CDs were an exceptional buy and if you can find
them, we highly recommend you pick them up. Having a digital copy of
"Full Circle", the Quidam behind-the-scenes documentary of its
creation is a rare treat in any bit-rate - especially since Cirque du
Soleil Images missed the boat by not adding this to the Quidam DVD.
And viewing the short act previews for Varekai is also a cool thing to
have, especially since the show is constantly evolving.
-------------------------------------------------------
"Remembering Varekai in Montreal"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
-------------------------------------------------------
I stepped from my apartment at 4:30am the morning of April 24, 2002 to
the watchful eye of a green-colored, mysteriously large moon. It hung
eerily in the early morning sky like a sentinel in suspect, ready to
cast doubt on the ambitious plans I had for the day's expedition, and
the Grand Tour as a whole. I couldn't really say why, mind you,
nevertheless I sensed a hint of malice on the full figure of The Man
on the Moon's ever observant eyes: the Mare Imbrium and Mare
Serenitatis. And I wondered what craziness he had in store for me on
this exciting adventure.
Almost at once after Cirque du Soleil made the announcement of their
intention to debut a new show in April 2002, my heart was set on
making the attempt to be part of the celebration for the first time
and I certainly didn't want anything to impede that.
Deciding to embark on this journey was one I weighed heavily against
until the creation of the Fascination Newsletter, my Cirque du Soleil
fan periodical. With its creation came a legitimate means and
opportunity to shoulder the expense of traveling to Quebec: not only
could I satisfy my personal curiosity, but I could also go in the
capacity of the newsletter - to cover the show for our readers. I
spoke with Paul Roberts, a good friend and fellow writer on
Fascination and the two of us crafted a trip for two; but as the weeks
to April melted away, more and more people expressed interest in
joining us. By the time I stumbled into the Orlando International
Airport I knew whom to expect -- we were a group of seven: some from
the newsletter staff (Me, Paul Roberts and Keith Johnson, who came
very much at the last minute) with the rest made up of various friends
and family of each party. With me: Cedric Pansky, a long-time friend;
with Paul Roberts, his friends: Ted and Dion; and with Keith, his
fiancé: Lucy.
Any and all worries and trepidations were long gone by then. Thus I
smiled at my lunar companion, grabbed my belongings and took off for
Montreal full-force, beginning my coup-de-grace of Cirque du Soleil
fandom.
Vaaaaareeeeeekai!
===================
"You know, there's a searchlight on top of one of the towers
that is nearby our hotel. We can use that as a guide back."
"Great! We'll head for that!"
It's one o'clock in the morning and we've just gotten in - Cedric,
Paul and I - to our hotel room (#1506) at the Crowne Plaza Montréal
Centre just off the Sherebrook station on the Green Line of the Metro
system from an amazing time at the Grand Chapiteau, staked on Jacques
Cartier Pier, down in the Vieux Port of Montreal. I want nothing more
than to close my eyes and drift off into a blissful sleep, but I
can't; none of us can. The adrenaline continues to pump through our
veins, the music still pulses in our ears, our feet still stomping to
the acrobatics and our hands applauding their ovation. Varekai, if you
couldn't have guessed, was simply fantastic; I can hardly collect my
thoughts...
We would have gotten home quite a bit sooner - actually, our plan was
to take the mètro back to our room (it's only a couple of stops), but
our on-site antics (behind-the-scenes tour) lasted a bit longer than
intended. The metro closed at midnight stranding us there. Thankfully,
Lucy and Keith came to the rescue with a rental, so the five of us -
with Cedric on the right, me on the left and Paul in the middle (all
three of us crammed in the back seat) - hopped in and we were on our
way, through a wonderful, bizarre, and very much unplanned trip
through the streets of Montreal - driving through China Town, the Club
Scene, turning right on reds (against Montréal traffic laws) and
basically getting lost in the maze of roadways that are very much
unfamiliar.
Do you know before it was over we were on our way up Mount Royal?
But enough about that; what about the show? As I said, it was simply
fabulous. Cirque couldn't have picked a better spot to display their
newest creation either; the pier is located down in the Old Port of
Montréal. And we found ourselves in a flurry of activity upon entering
the grounds, especially the souvenir tents. Many of the folks were
enjoying the room's heat, compliments of Cirque - it was quite chilly
out - but for us (the fans), we were ready to drop our cold-hard cash
for some new Cirque goodies!
I was one of the first to enter the souvenir tent and quite regret
doing so: I was stopped by a girl hawking the Varekai Creator's
Notebook, a "work-in-progress" psudo-programme book featuring photos
of training sessions, costume illustrations and the like.
Unfortunately I didn't understand a word of her animated sales pitch,
it was in French! All I could do was smile, nod, laugh and agree with
whatever she said. But I suppose it didn't matter, we spoke the
universal language of Cirque and that was all that was needed to
complete the transaction.
Entering the big top was a treat in itself; its flimsy doors parted
and my nostrils instantly filled with a strange, cinnamon-like, scent.
It was sweet, intoxicating and welcoming. There were sights and sounds
all around, the crowd was a-buzz with excitement; us too!
The world of Varekai is a mysterious, lush realm that they say exists
deep within a forest - any forest - at the summit of a volcano. In
this world an array of fantastical creatures subsist amongst an
extraordinary place where anything is possible.
Varekai (pronounced var-ee-kie) is a Romanic term meaning "wherever"
or "it does not matter the place" and lives as a "tribute to the
nomadic soul, to the spirit and art of the circus tradition, and to
those who quest with infinite passion." The term is homage not only
to the acrobats that push their art to the extreme, but also a
reminder to the wanderers of ancient Europe: the Gypsy - the universal
wanderers.
"The sky lets go a solitary young man," the press release from Cirque
du Soleil eludes, "and the story of Varekai begins." The solitary
young man is Icarus, the fabled son of the brilliant Greek artisan
Daedalus. His is a story of how excitement can cloud one's better
judgment. As Greek legend tells, Daedalus crafted two magnificent
pairs of wings out of feathers and wax for himself and his brash young
son (Icarus). Taking to the skies in a flurry of excitement, Icarus
does not heed his father's warnings and strays too close to the sun,
melting his wings. But, unlike the Icarus of fabled tale (in which
Icarus plummets to his death) the Icarus of Cirque du Soleil falls
into a fantastical world of good and evil where he must redeem
himself.
This fantastical world of Varekai plays out on one of the most unique
stage structures I have ever seen for a Cirque du Soleil Performance,
and we can thank Stéphanie Roy for creating such an engaging scene. In
the background, 20-foot poles jet into the sky, simulating the forest
the main character (Icarus) falls into. The poles themselves appear
bamboo-like but are metallic in nature, and can sway to the winds of
change or of the weight of the occasional performer who climbs them.
And climb them they do - using strips of a sticky substance that runs
the entire length of them.
The poles are but one part of the a structure that will instantly
capture your attention upon entering the big top, no matter which door
you come through. The stage is cross-sectioned with a catwalk hanging
high above the forest floor, accessible only by a single staircase,
winding around the forest trees. The stage itself consists of many
movable parts, two round areas that are used for the Russian Swing, a
risible platform, and three small holes to allow characters to dive
below ground. (Believe me the space under that stage is not all that
big!)
"On this day at the edge of time, in this place of pure and undiluted
possibility, begins an inspired incantation of life rediscovered and
to a newly found wonder in the mysteries of the world and the mind."
There are eleven (11) different performances (acts) by the troupe of
Varekai. Each an extension of the world brought to us by Dominique
Champagne and the other creators. Varekai is certainly an uplifting,
colorful extravaganza that shatters the meaning of the word spectacle.
Let me now share with you those amazing performances that brought us
to our feet, mouths agape, hands applauding loudly, and our minds
exploding with emotions never before felt.
Flight of Icarus
The story of Cirque's Icarus is a rich one, filled with the essence of
freedom. Icarus, played by Anton Chelnokov (Tchelnokov) from Russia -
who is the same young (now all grown up) who was previously in
Saltimbanco as a third of the Adagio Trio (the child in white). His
drama takes flight as he descends into a populated forest full of
curious creatures "costumed as mutant birds, insects or exotic hybrid
species." Icarus is ensnared by a net, stripped of the wings that
gave him flight, and is hoisted high above the forest floor. His
struggle for freedom within the flexible cage touches on emotions
harbored in us all. The right to freedom is an insuppressible human
quality and is one that Anton Chelnokov plays upon well as he triumphs
over his imprisonment. In escaping his harsh encapturement, Icarus
flies once again across the heavens in celebration.
But, as he touches the ground he finds himself face to face with a
beautiful young creature (Olga Pikhienko), who is as inquisitive about
him as he is about her. Unable to communicate, they begin to mime each
other, and then... fall in love.
Icarian Games
Icarian Games is not only an energetic performance but an audience
pleaser as well. The discipline is a variety in the genre commonly
referred to as antipode. Antipodes (the plural form) are persons
dwelling at opposite points on the globe. But, in the case of the
Icarian Games, the antipodist is the porter, or the artist lying upon
his back in a specially created incline chair. His job is to be a prop
used only for tossing and juggling the voltigeur (flyer) with his feet
- unbelievable! The three brothers that make up the team known as the
Rampin Bros. - Javier Santos Leal ("Javi"), Pedro Santos Leal, and
Ramon Santos Leal ("Moncho"), from Spain) come from a seven-generation
family known as the Santos-Rampin, which explains how easy they make
this art look. Their energetic performance brings down the house and
their exciting choreography will raise the heartbeat.
Spinning Meteor
In every Cirque du Soleil show there is a nod, a hint if you will, to
the Chinese Circus. In Varekai, the Spinning Meteor (here, referred to
as the "Water Meteors") makes a triumphant comeback after first being
featured in the 1986 show "Le Magie Continue". Unlike "Magie's"
performance, the Spinning Meteor's here are performed by 3 cute
Chinese boys (Bin He, Junping Yang, and Siguang Li). Janice Kennedy in
the Ottawa Citizen put it best: "Three young boys toss spinning
meteors into the skies, twirling about with elegant energy as they
catch them, over and over"!
Aerial Straps
The second of three aerial acts is a spectacle called the Aerial
Straps. Performed by Kevin and Andrew Atherton (from the United
Kingdom), they fly on the scene as one. But just as soon as they catch
your eye, they become two angels flying amongst the stars. Their
performance blends the skills needed for a Tissu, with the demanding
arts of the Banquine. You'll be amazed as this brotherly duo soars
from one end of the big top to the other, then returning virtually to
the same spot from which they left. Or, launching away from one
another and meeting in mid air! The Aerial Straps is a powerful and
yet very elegant performance. The two brothers also make a re-
appearance later in the show as guardian angels for the - as yet -
unredeemed Icarus.
Georgian Dance
One of the most energetic dances on earth is the Georgian dance. Known
for their quick twists, spins and leaps, the dance is performed by
three male dancers: Temur Koridze, Badri Esatia, and Khvicha Tetvadze
(all from Georgia). One of the highlights of the performance is during
the clashing swords element. The house lights dim as the stage became
aflame, highlighted by the sparks of the crashing swords. A shocking
and wonderful way to end the first half of theshow.
Intermission
Normally I wouldn't say much about an intermission for a Cirque show.
Quidam's is as spooky as it is thought provoking with the Generics
giving up their souls (in red balloons). Varekai ends on a more
positive and upbeat note, thankfully. The energy from the Georgian
dance continues right on through the next 20 minutes. People get up,
visit with one another and while they are away, the stage is set up
for the second half of the show. The lights then lower with the sound
of dripping water still ringing in our ears, which has been playing
throughout the entire intermission, and the show begins. Once again
the big top fills with the buzzing of bees - filling with an array of
them, arranged in an optical display that is simple, elegant and
beautiful. Words fail when it comes to their display of light and
music - it's almost as if Cirque is lulling you to contentment. It
really is a neat effect! But while the display of light and music
continue overhead, the stage is being set below for the opening act -
Body Skating.
Body Skating
The second act is opened by a colorful and lighthearted act known as
Body Skating. An array of acrobats virtually "skates" across this
smooth blue surface performing an energetic and playful show of
strength, timing and fun! Their costumes mirror their jolly nature in
colors of red, green, yellow, blue, and purple in curious splashes of
all! These acrobats will have you smiling in no time!
Solo on Crutches
The show takes a darker turn with the Solo on Crutches performance by
Vladimir Ignatenkov (Russia). Flanked by ominous creatures from deep
within the forest and helped by the guardians of Varekai, he shows
Icarus that he can stand on two legs despite all that has kept him
down. This act is simple and yet difficult at the same time;
Ignatenkov twirls about the stage, feet far from the ground!
Acrobatic Pas de Deux
The Solo on Crutches performance gives way to the duo of Oleg Ouchakov
(Russia) and Tatiana Gousarova (Ukrane), who perform an acrobatic slow
dance with lifts, twists and mid-air spins. Their quick movements and
fast drops fluttered hearts and kept us on the edge of our seat! Both
artists were previously seen in Quidam's Banquine act.
Triple Trapeze
The Triple Trapeze is a wide, static (non-moving) trapeze performance
suspended from the ceiling by four equal-length ropes. Four spidery-
dressed females (alternating performances by: Stellah Umeh, Zoe
Voctproa Tedstill, Raquel Karro and Susanna Defraia Scalas, Helen
Ball, and Cinthia Beranek), spin, gyrate and roll with their amazing
grace and attention to detail. It's called Triple Trapeze because the
ropes create three bars which the girls may use to accent their
performance.
Hand-balancing on Canes
Olga Pikhienko, another Quidam alum, performs this beautiful hand-
balancing act dressed in an angelic white sequined costume. Her body
sparkles as she contorts herself upon one, two, and even three canes
as they're moved about on stage. Her performance mirrors that which
was seen in Quidam during her tenure, only here it is more sensual
than sexual.
Russing Swing
The Russian Swings are without a doubt the absolute show-stopping act
within the entire show. The Swings have previously been featured in
Saltimbanco (making its Cirque du Soleil debut) and in the Las Vegas
extravaganza "O"; and each time the discipline has made an appearance,
its spectacle is compounded. For Varekai, acrobats are hurled high
into the air where they are then caught by (and landing upon) the
wrists of their partners, who themselves are situated on a multi-
staged platform. The set is also flanked by two canvas sheets that
stretch from floor to ceiling; "Ooooo's" and "Aaaaahs" punctuate the
air when an acrobat flings across and lands in one! If there was ever
an act in Cirque du Soleil that I feared for the acrobat's life, this
would be it. And rightfully so, the crowd gave the troupe its own
standing ovation during the performance!
Interestingly, while the crew sets up most of the apparati, for the
Russian Swings the acrobats anchor the swings to their rotating floor
manually as the act is introduced. Tonight the cast had a hard time
getting the swings setup too, Paul and I noticed immediately, which
resulted in an improvised bridge between the two songs used for this
part of the show.
Varekai ended on such a high that the spectators did not (or could
not) sit back down in their seats. The standing ovation continued
right through the dancing finale, which (by the way) is not yet set in
stone). The show is very much a work in progress after all and will
continue to be that way until Toronto. Even so, that knowledge doesn't
take away the fact that the set was awesome, the costumes colorful and
the acrobatics out of this world!
The Wanderers of Varekai
==========================
Before we had even set foot into the Big Top that evening, a behind
the scenes tour immediately following the show was already waiting for
us. All we had to do was hang about the big top after the final
curtain call, wait for the patrons to leave and be met by Head of
Automation - Pascal Sioui - who would lead us on our journey
backstage. We actually met him just prior to the start of the show; he
came over and met with Paul (the two are good friends) and we went
over again what to do to meet up with him later. It was my first
handshake with the man; he looked exactly like his picture from the
web!
Pascal was very nice and easy going, but busy as all get out. Head of
Automation has a big responsibility to keep things going. All the
movements on stage - the turning Russian Swing tables, the stage-hole
covers, even the rising island was all under his command. It was his
job to make sure they were not only operated safely, but performed on
queue when requested. And if the machinery didn't work automatically
(as programmed), he had to find a quick-fix on the fly to keep the
show going.
Stepping behind the curtain and into the furious world of the behind-
the-scenes of Cirque du Soleil is always an interesting treat. While
each touring show is set up similarly, because each has its own unique
set of acts and needs, each offers its own compelling view of just
what goes on after that final curtain call. It's not all the same, and
our group got to experience it first hand with Varekai after the
night's performance.
It took quite some time for all the patrons to file out of big top
tonight; in fact, by the time the last of the VIPs were exiting, the
stage crew had already dismantled the Russian Swing apparatus and was
folding up the dismount matting for the night. And while one set
handled the swings, another worked furiously to anchor the Triple
Trapeze, remove the canvas sheets the Russian Swings flyers flew into,
and stow any remaining equipment that might have been left around by
the artists. This was an unusual point of view from a patron's
perspective - generally this happens out of the watchful eye of the
spectator, and for good reason! But it was all very fascinating to
watch just how quickly these folks worked. It truly is a testament to
their training and dedication that these folks can do what they do
night after night (and sometimes twice a night) for the sake of the
show.
The staff even had most of the celebratory "confetti" that rained from
the skies during the show's finale swept up. It was nothing more than
red, moon shaped thin-art tissue paper, but that didn't stop Paul and
me from grabbing a handful to keep as souvenirs anyway. We fans just
love that kind of stuff.
Once the activity on stage ceased and as soon as Pascal finished his
end-of-show check-list, he gathered around the group and began to take
us on a behind-the-scenes back-stage tour of Varekai!
Pascal immediately led us around the points of the stage, settling
near the bamboo pole forest. And as he went on about some thing or
another, my mind wandered off and I reached out and placed the palm of
my hand upon the stage: a simple gesture of reflection about all that
I had seen (the show) and what I had yet to see (the behind-the-
curtain aspects). It seemed appropriate to connect to the stage and
the experience in this manor. This tactile response made for an even
lasting memory and I'll never forget how cold the stage was even just
after the show.
The "Bamboo" poles were also a treat see up close. After I had planted
my hand on the stage, I immediately put it on one of the poles that
made up the "forest" of Varekai. I was surprised to find these poles
were purely metal, and not of a plastic substance I thought they might
be made from. Giving them a thump also proved they were hollow and not
solid as I also had thought. The backs of the poles were affixed with
a red colored sticky tape-like substance, which ran up the entire
length of many of the poles. This sticky-tape, I surmised, was used
for ease in climbing similar to what the Chinese Poles artists in
Saltimbanco and Mystère must use.
It was quite some time before we actually made it back stage too
because by the time we got close to the poles, we actually went around
the set into what I would call the "staging" area. This is an area
that exists between what the audience sees and the real back stage
room where the artists congregate before coming on scene. The view
from this angle was quite extraordinary. Looking out through the
forest into the spectator seats was something I had not expected to
see. And it seemed to put the experience into perspective and
heightened my thirst for more behind-the-scenes follies. Getting to
see what the artist sees? Oh yeah!
It was there we met up with Paul Bannerman, the drummer for this
exciting new show.
Mr. Bannerman turned out to be a very nice man, young and quite
passionate about his job and his role in the show. He was so
enthusiastic in fact he was delighted to take all nine of us on a min-
tour of his musical world, with many of us actually climbing up into
his drummer's box (no more than two at a time, thanks to a warning by
the backstage crew.) While up there, he explained how he communicated
with the rest of the musicians and they with him; how he watched the
show from monitors rather than live; and how the music of Varekai fit
with the acts themselves. Both Paul Roberts and Keith Johnson were in
their element here - with Keith being an Audiophile and a Behind-the-
Scenes kind-of guy, and Paul Roberts being a musician himself.
While I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the drummer's world, most of
what Keith and Paul Roberts had engaged Paul Bannerman with was over
my head. So I didn't find it as fascinating as say... looking out
through the forest from the musician's area. Nor did I find it as
compelling as actually walking out onto the stage through those poles
- just as the singers, the musicians, and many of the
characters/acrobats did during the performance. I dared not go right
onto the stage, however, but I was tempted.
Did you know that not only was I actually able to touch the stage, put
my hand the poles that made up the forest, and see the where the music
was played, but I also saw and touched the big balloon John Gilkey
totes around during the show and the fancy light poles used to create
the "firefly" effect that opens the second act? It was all very, very
cool!
The second half of our tour began when we left the "staging" area for
the backstage area.
That is, once they pulled us away from Bannerman!
You can actually see this backstage area from outside the big top - it
appears to be another small tent right beside the Grand Chapiteau -
but small it is not. In this extension, the performers have access to
everything they need: costuming, make-up, a spa, showers, lockers, a
tumblers mat, and even a video system set up so they can view their
performance in that night's show. It was an amazing site to see, and
we were able to explore each of these areas in further detail.
Take the costume/make-up area for example. I was surprised at how
cramped the quarters there really were. On one side of this sectioned
off booth were the costumed, hanging there in all their glory. And on
the other were two or three tables with mirrors - places for the cast
to put on their make-up. Being there amongst the costumes was a real
treat and I had to cop a feel on one or two before we left the area.
We also got to see where the performers apply their make up - looking
right into the same mirrors! I was dumbfounded at how cramped, flimsy
and cheap the set up was. Cheap or not, though, it did serve its
purpose. I imagined the young boy who played Icarus taking off his
make-up after the show, while I looked into that mirror. It was
strange to see my face staring back. And, I also saw a few of the
performers milling about - running into John Gilkey (quickly), one of
the Water Meteor boys, Alberto the clown, and "Mad Max" himself!
But there is one person we did run into that pretty much made up for
that: Olga Pikhienko, former hand-balancer for Quidam, now a character
and balancing artist for Varekai. As soon as she walked by, Pascal
called her over, and I could see Paul's expression immediately -- he
was simply flabbergasted!
We left Olga, Pascal, and the rest of the Varekai backstage crew
around 11:45pm that evening chanting - "I met Olga, I met Olga!" in
homage to Paul and his daughter's experience with Erik Karol from
Dralion. Not unlike her experience, where she received a kiss on the
forehead from Erik just as she left the big top (dumbfoundedly saying
over and over "I met Erik! I met Erik!"), Paul and I too had the same
feeling. While we didn't receive a kiss (or any other kind of contact
from Olga), just being in the presence of such a fine specimen of
femininity was too much - it overwhelmed us both.
The Hidden World at Cirque HQ
===============================
6:45am.
That's what the time read as I turned over and my eyes fell upon the
clock; only fifteen minutes to go before our curtain call. Why did we
have to get up so early? Because we had a special treat in store that
we definitely did not want to be late for - a tour of the Cirque
Headquarters; our next great Cirque Adventure! To compliment our
Behind-the-Scenes tour of Varekai, I arranged for us to have a tour of
the HQ before we even stepped foot in Canada. That arrangement was
made possible by a growing friendship with Cirque du Soleil's Internet
Guru. How we met is somewhat a cliché nowadays, (considering we met
online), but we hit it off pretty quickly. We had the perfect working
relationship - if I had a question, I'd ask her; and if she could,
she'd answer! So when she asked me one morning whether or not I'd
enjoy a tour of the HQ building while I was in Montréal, I was
stunned. Why? In general Cirque du Soleil does not give tours of their
facilities to the general public.
Getting to the Cirque Headquarters wouldn't be a difficult process,
but it wasn't easy for a group of people without self-transportation.
My contact there instructed me to take the Mètro - the Orange Line -
in the direction of Henri-Bourassa. "You'll be on it for some time,"
she said. "Look for Jarry station. And get off there." Once we'd reach
Jarry, she continued to explain "you'll get on a bus, one-nine-three,
and take it East to Second Avenue." The bus trip would also take some
time as she said the HQ was quite far from Jarry station. No bother,
the five of us retreated below ground at Sherebrooke station and
caught the train.
After quite a long trip amongst the citizens of Montréal, we arrived
at Second Avenue. At first glance the neighborhood did not look all
that inviting. In fact, it was pretty run down! It was a good thing we
were a party of five or I don't think I would have felt safe there.
Besides, there weren't any signs or banners that said we were at
Cirque du Soleil - in fact, there was nothing of the sort! Our eyes
spotted a huge warehouse building in the distance and began to walk
toward it. It wasn't until we got closer that we figured out we were
in the right location - there was an old Cirque du Soleil touring
truck parked in the field right next to it. The building itself (which
was quite enormous) was not marked either. Only the numbers 8400
adorned it in black.
If there's one thing about Cirque du Soleil, they know how to choose a
location. The Headquarters building is situated on an old landfill
site, which has since been covered over. They chose the site for many
reasons - first of which was to revitalize the dilapidated area around
them. In fact, that is part of their charter - to remain close to the
people on the street.
The lobby was rather barren, except for a metallic sculpture right
ahead of us and above that - five Cirque du Soleil clocks - each for
its shows: Saltimbanco, Mystère, Alegría, Quidam and Dralion. The
clocks had a picture of a scene from their denoted show as its face,
and were set to the time wherever the show was set up. Before long a
young blond woman came walking around the corner of an unmarked
corridor and asked immediately for me. I rose from the bench I was
sitting on and introduced myself. She immediately hugged me and said
her name (which I'm keeping confidential). We embraced for a moment
longer before we began nervous chitchat about our journey down to the
HQ, the show the previous night even what we would see on this tour. I
introduced Paul Roberts, whom she knew well; Cedric Pansky, my friend;
Ted and Dion, who introduced themselves; and Keith and LouAnna. Now
the tour could officially begin!
The tour lasted for a little over three hours. We were led around
various places within the building. Our first stop was the trophy
cabinet, where various awards, Emmy's and other trinkets were kept
that Cirque du Soleil had been awarded with throughout the years. It
was interesting to see these awards up close. Not many fans can say
they've actually done that! Our next stop after that was into the
Costume Shop, where they hand make all the costumes seen in every one
of their shows - an entire room is devoted to this process; the Shoe
Shop, where they make all the shoes for the performers; the Hat Room,
where all the hats are made and kept; the Mask Room, where the masks
for the different shows are re-created and stored; even the two
practice studios, where one of the Spinning Meteor boys were actually
practicing and in the other, the Russian Swing number was set up for
practice and warm-up.
After our big tour around the various facilities housed within the
Headquarters building, the entire group was treated to something extra
special. We were led into a small boardroom where we met two other
folks from the Cirque Club website. It turned out these young women
were actually the folks who replied to the emails, wrote the articles
and kept track of the Discussion Board there. Keith had a field day
talking to them about various things, while I pretty much stayed
quiet. I think he was making enough conversation for the both of us
(if not the entire group!). Meanwhile, my contact was wrestling with
the computer network connection within the room. It seemed whatever
she wanted to show us was somehow tied into the network. As Keith
continued talking, the rest of us were quiet; the anticipation in the
room was quite thick. I began to wonder what she had in store for us,
but was cut short by the lights dimming and the computer projection
equipment whirring to life.
"Okay," she said, grabbing our attentions. "What I have to show
you is not to be released anywhere. We're still working on it and
information can not leave this room."
Whoa, I thought. Was she going to show us clips of Varekai or
perhaps some future show?
By then, I was on Cirque overload. We'd seen all sorts of things; felt
the costumes; seen hats and masks we recognized from past shows;
walked down a corridor adorned with show posters from around the world
- they even had posters there for Le Grand Tour and Magie Continues!
Our tour even took us by an office that we, under no circumstances,
could we enter - she wouldn't let us! For behind the door exists a
gold mine of Cirque pictures, articles, and tapes of their
performances (you know, Cirque records their shows each night - wonder
where that goes? In that room!) The office was the archive room and
she dared not let fans like us in there - we'd go absolutely insane!
"What you're seeing here is our new web site," she said, and my
attention focused once again on the projection. My jaw immediately
dropped upon seeing it. It was full of flash animation, colorful,
whimsical and very well done. The web site was divided up into four
sections: Spectaculara, IntraCirco, Odyssea and Inspiratum. These
options then housed further more elaborate animations and much more
information about Cirque du Soleil than their previous site. I tell
you, this new site made mine feel like a small insignificant thing
compared to what they were developing. My mind went totally numb!
After the Web Site preview we chatted a little more and Keith asked a
few more questions of the CirqueClub writers. Our tour ended at the
Cirque cafeteria - pretty much where it started - where we were
invited to have lunch by the staff. All around us were Cirque du
Soleil staff, costume makers, hat makers, shoe makers, Internet
developers, performers and yes, even show creators - we ran into
Andrew Watson! We were even told that certain people (who she could
not name not because she didn't know their name, but because she
wasn't aloud to) were also in the building. The ladies from CirqueClub
joined us and we took up residence at a huge table on the second floor
of their cafe. Think of it, seven Cirque fans and three Cirque
employees eating in the Cirque cafeteria! Totally out of this world!
At 1:00pm, we finished lunch and our time there officially came to an
end. My friend had to get back to work, much to Keith's chagrin, we
pulled him away under protest!
A l'Aventure en Montréal
==========================
Wings.
To soar among clouds is to be among gods -
In a sea of blue and white.
Azure the skies aloft; under, the Strata,
An echelon bathed in delight.
So peaceful it is to fly upon a silver bird.
The trip was an enormous success from all standpoints. Montréal was a
gracious city, beautiful and majestic. Montréal was "discovered" in
1535 by Jacques Cartier - an explorer. In 1642, the town was
officially chartered and the founders settled along the banks of the
Saint-Lawrence, the majestic river that brought them here, in 1642
determined to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. Throughout
its colorful history, Montréal has been a French settlement, a British
stronghold and a bilingual city. Today, it is the largest French-
speaking city in North America. Much of what they built can still be
found, lovingly preserved: graceful stone buildings, stately churches,
and cobblestone streets. And, did you know that Montréal is actually
named for the Italian pronunciation of Mount Royal, the island's
dominant feature? The "mountain" is actually an extinct volcano 232
meters (760 feet) high.
Getting around was no trouble at all on their Mètro system (which
consists of 4 lines, each of a different color: Orange, Green, Blue
and Yellow) once you understand where you're going (there are no signs
in English due to Quebec language laws).
For purchase, the unit of currency is the Canadian dollar (usually
denoted CDN$). Coins are in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents,
and $1 (a large gold-colored coin - referred to as "Loonies" due to
the picture of the Loon on the coin) and a $2 (a large bi-metallic
coin - referred to as "Twonies" just because the one-dollar coins are
called "Loonies"). The bills are in increments of $5, $10, $20, $50
and $100, and what set the Canadian currency apart from the American
counterparts are its brash colors. For instance, the $5.00 bill is
blue, the $10.00 bill is purple and the $20.00 bill is green. If
you're lucky to see a $50 or $100, they're red and brown respectively.
It's such a colorful and interesting currency, much richer and
whimsical than what I'm used to.
The people too were very friendly, even if they couldn't always
understand English or we French! (It took me the longest time to
figure out what the PFK advertisement was - Poulet Frit Kentucky or
Kentucky Fried Chicken!) We found a nice place called "A L'Adventure",
a small Restro/Bar at Jacques Cartier Place. The restaurant resides in
a 200-year-old building in one of the busiest streets of the Old Port
area and it has a menu that is simply great. From burgers to pizza,
and steaks to seafood, this place has it all. It was no surprise that
we fell in love with the place immediately. We'd return to A
L'Adventure again... and again!
Friendly people but hellish weather - it was definitely something to
be reckoned with. It fluctuated from a sunny cloudless sky with a
temperature of 13 degrees Celsius (about 55 degrees Fahrenheit) on
Wednesday to a rainy, cold, and miserable day on Thursday. On Friday,
the winds picked up at a rate of 35 km per hour, blowing everything
about. On Friday, the temperature was about 6 degrees C and clear
skies - making for a cold night! But nothing could surpass the
surprise waiting for us on Sunday morning - SNOW! Lots and lots of it
to be exact! It was as if a blizzard blew in from the north it was so
bad. Two of us decided to venture out in the snow and came back
looking more like snowmen than Cirque fans.
In spite of the weather, Varekai was and is a huge hit for Cirque du
Soleil. All of us loved the show. In fact, we loved it so much that
some of us saw it three times! (We had guaranteed tickets for the
showing on April 25th, but we decided to wait in standby for the show
on April 26th and again on April 27th!). I recommend standby for
anyone who needs a ticket to a sold out show. Your chances of grabbing
a good seat are very good.
That first night in stand-by was my first and a bit exciting as Paul
Roberts procured two tickets very quickly from a gentleman who was
looking to sell. Unfortunately, that left us with a quandary:
purchasing two more tickets! It all depended on how many people didn't
show up for will call (and boy were we a sight to see hoping the
masses of people walking down the pier wouldn't pick up their
tickets!) Thankfully, two became available and we were in again - that
was so sweet! Probably sweeter than the first showing.
The second stand-by night, however, was an adventure that none of us
want to repeat. On Friday, Paul, myself and Cedric (a friend of mine)
stood in line for an hour and a half with no success. The show started
and tickets were scarcely available. By the time Paul and I got to the
window (you could buy two and two tickets only per person), they
closed up shop and advised there were no more tickets to be had. Oh
no! Seeing the show without Cedric was not an option so we proceeded
to sell the tickets to a couple waiting nearby. But, as the sale was
about to close, more seats became available and Paul snapped those
tickets back so quickly, I thought his arm was hooked up to a bungee
chord. While we missed the beginning of the show (and came in during
the first act), it was still a wonderful sweet moment to be once again
under the big top. Not to mention the fact that we bounced along to
the "la-la's" of the overture as we ran across the big-top grounds
into the Grand Chapiteu. Sweet!
=======================================================================
FROM THE FASCINATION! ARCHIVES
=======================================================================
-------------------------------------------------------
"The Art and Evolution of Varekai"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
{Originally Published: Issue #11 - July 2002}
-------------------------------------------------------
Alright, I have a confession. I'm absolutely hooked on Cirque du
Soleil's newest show, Varekai. Ever since the first time I saw it (a
week after the premiere), I knew right away that I needed to see it
again. So, see it again I did; three more times throughout the
hometown Montreal run. Doing so gave me a unique opportunity to
explore the art and evolution of this breathtaking new production.
Those of you who are veterans of live Cirque du Soleil shows already
know that you can't even get close to seeing all there is to see when
you see a show only once. Add that to the fact that Cirque
productions are always in flux. They always try new things to keep the
show fresh. This is especially true during the first six months or so
after a premiere, when the show is still in its "creation" stage.
So, what has changed in Varekai since Fascination! last checked in
with the show in the May 2002 issue?
Firstly, the order of the acts has been rearranged so that the
Triple Trapeze is performed in the first half of the show, in the slot
where Aerial Straps used to be performed. The spider goddess
characters perform the act immediately after they tear hand-balancer
Olga Pikhienko's character away from Icarus and ensnare her in their
cage. The Triple Trapeze is immediately followed by the finale of the
first half, the super-high energy Georgian Dance. The succession of
these acts develops the show's crisis theme and makes it all the more
potent, adding a degree of dramatic tension and energy that caries
through intermission. In the second half, the Aerial Straps now
immediately follows the Solo on Crutches. The juxtaposition of these
two symbolically significant numbers, makes the show much more of a
complete journey representing catharsis, healing and redemption for
Icarus.
The change gives the show much more dramatic weight and intensity.
The new order also does wonders for the fluidity of the show and
allows the acts to flow together even better than before. The energy
of the two halves is also more even, the second half originally being
very "heavy" compared to the first. Who would have thought making this
one change would have made such a difference?
Another notable change comes in the form of an absence;
Tatiana Gousarova and Oleg Ouchakov (veterans of Quidam's Banquine
act) did not perform the Acrobatic Pas de Deux the last few times I
saw the show. There is a rumour that Tatiana is injured; if this is
the case, then all of us at Fascination! wish her a speedy recovery.
Instead of the Pas de Deux, there is a replacement act. Characters
hidden in the darkened forest at the back of the set toss glowing orbs
into the air, a harbinger of the act to follow. A young man bursts
onto the stage to perform a unique, high-energy solo juggling/
manipulation number. The juggler is dressed in a "jester" costume
(the same costume worn by the porters in Icarian Games, but with a
blue and fluorescent green/yellow colour scheme). The music for the
act is up tempo with a South American/Brazilian influence. The
juggler begins with regular juggling pins, then switches to
manipulation and juggling of soccer balls. He then juggles ping-pong
balls with his mouth, spitting them and catching them in rapid
succession. As a finale he takes straw hats worn by the Water Meteor
boys (who act as characters/assistants during the act) and throws four
of them like Frisbees, but so that they return to him like boomerangs.
He continues to juggle the hats making, a dramatic dive to catch the
last one. This is definitely a high-calibre act and a real crowd
pleaser, he got some of the most enthusiastic applause.
The first time I saw Varekai I was blown away by its "wow" factor.
Upon each subsequent viewing the show retained that power to impress
but I was increasingly dazzled by the theatricality and drama at the
heart of the show. Another advantage to seeing a Cirque show multiple
times is being able to delve deeper into the art and symbolism of the
show and to search for the meaning behind each of the acts.
One thing I particularly enjoy about Varekai is that it has a
strong underlying narrative that threads through the numbers.
Each act then becomes an allegory advancing the storyline even more so
than in past Cirque shows which were more loosely themed. It's
similar to Quidam in that respect, but Varekai is more fantastic
rather than surreal like Quidam. Of course, there is still plenty of
room for artistic interpretation.
I'm always enraptured by my favourite acts; Flight of Icarus (Aerial
contortion in net), Icarian Games (foot juggling), Aerial Straps,
Hand-balancing and the Russian Swings, but I've also started to
appreciate acts that I overlooked the first time. For example, when I
first saw Varekai I thought the Solo on Crutches was lame (pun
intended). It isn't particularly acrobatic, it's more performance art
and interpretive dance, very avant-garde. However, when I saw it
again, it moved me deeply. Taken within the context of the show its
symbolism is so powerful. The performer urges Icarus to rise, to find
the power within himself to overcome the storms that bedevil him. At
one point the crutch dancer mimics Icarus' fall from the opening of
the show and, as he lies lifeless, is surrounded by masked demon-like
characters who close around ready to consume him. He then swipes them
away with his crutch and springs upright in a testament to the
strength of the human spirit.
The Triple Trapeze performed by four artists on a stationary trapeze
also was not one of my favourite acts upon first viewing. I was
expecting something more along the lines of Cirque's past trapeze
numbers, like Duo Trapeze from Saltimbanco or Synchro Trapeze from
Alegría. However, when I viewed it a second time, it really struck
me as something unique and breathtaking. The performers are like an
exquisitely beautiful, living, shape-shifting aerial sculpture.
With Varekai, Cirque du Soleil provides us with many achingly
beautiful moments and potent images. Every detail is meticulously
crafted to form the big picture; the set a striking mechanical
masterpiece, the unbelievable costumes stunningly exotic while also
sensually accentuating the performers' physique, the eclectic and
original music simply entrancing. This show ventures into the realm
of high art which can be admired again and again. Every time I see
it, there's more to discover, more to analyze and more to appreciate.
I loved it to begin with and it just keeps growing on me. So what
else am I to do but see it yet again! Temptation got the best of me
and I have already purchased tickets for the end of the Toronto run
this summer. I'm anxious to see what additional changes there will be
to explore and what new art there will be for me to discover in this
ever-changing magical world called Varekai.
(fin}
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter Compendium
Volume 8, Number 2 (Issue #58) - Mar/Apr 2008
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2008 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.
{ May.28.2008 }
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