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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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E X P A N D E D I S S U E
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VOLUME 9, NUMBER 2 MAY 2009 ISSUE #64e
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Bonjour et bienvenue! Greetings and welcome to another addition of
Fascination!, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter.
If you've been with us over the years you know our publication
schedule has been inconsistently consistent, adjusting from monthly to
quarterly to bi-monthly over time as we modify our involvement with
Cirque here behind-the-scenes. And with this issue in-hand you may
have noticed yet another change: it's not a bi-monthly
issue. That's right! With Cirque du Soleil announcing more and more
projects, and further reaching out into online social communities,
we're accelerating our publication in the interim to bring all the
news and updates of these exciting new projects to you!
We're re-dedicating ourselves to Cirque du Soleil and with that
direction we have re-vitalized our efforts to cover all-things Cirque.
We've expanded and heightened our ITINÉRAIRE section, separating out
the many tours into their four general categories: Touring (in the big
top), Arena (in the dome/stadiums), Resident (in theaters), and
Seasonal (those performed for a limited time). With new shows of all
four types on the horizon, sharing said information will become even
more complicated (and confusing). With this change we hope to make the
listings more clear.
Our news, rumors, and sightings section - CIRQUE BUZZ - will continue
to remain the same with all the news updates posted to our website
for the prior month reprinted here, just in case you missed a headline
or two. And, of course, our FEATURES section will continue with
expanded articles, reviews and highlights of the many facets of Cirque
du Soleil, just as they always have. In fact, this issue we're covering
OVO, Cirque du Soleil's newest touring production!
But we're very excited to point out a new column: OUTREACH.
Since September 2001, CirqueClub has provided fans around the world
with a unique connection with their favorite circus: Cirque du Soleil.
Fascination! has, throughout the years, followed Cirque du Soleil's
initial public outreach with excitement. Now that Cirque has expanded
beyond its normal outreach at CirqueClub into the social networking
scenes at some of the more popular hangouts (Twitter, Facebook,
MySpace, YouTube, and Flikr), Fascination! is committing itself to
bridge the various byways to these networking sites filtering and
compiling the most interesting tidbits from all these sources into
one place: right here!
That about wraps up this intro. Now, onto the issue!
Join us on the web at:
< www.cirquefascination.com >
Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only):
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Touring Shows -- Productions under the Big Top
* Arena Shows -- Touring in Dome/Stadiums
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
* Seasonal Shows -- Performed for a Limited Time!
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
* Networking -- Cirque on Twitter, Facebook & MySpace
* Telemajik -- Cirque on YouTube & Television
* Gatherings -- CirqueCon, Celebri & More!
o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History
o) Fascination! Features
*) "The Birth of Ovo: A Teeming World..."
By: Ricky Russo - Celebration, Florida (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
*) "My Thoughts on OVO"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
{As Published on Cirque Tribune}
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Cirque to Close Toronto's Luminato Festival
{Apr.03.2009}
-----------------------------------------------
CBCNews is reporting that Cirque du Soleil will take part in the
closing ceremonies of Toronto's Luminato festival this year:
The free event will see Cirque members as two tribes of
colourful characters interacting together in street
performances.
Luminato, the Toronto Festival of Arts and Creativity, announced
the Cirque collaboration on Friday, along with other closing
weekend activities.
The Luminato Cirque event will be staged June 12 to 14 at
Harbourfront Centre, the Toronto Music Garden and HtO Park, all
on the Toronto waterfront.
For more information on the Luminato Festival:
< http://www.luminato.com/ >
{SOURCE: CBC.ca}
LONG-RUNNING SHOW: 'O' performers prepare,
practice beyond the view of the audience
{Apr.06.2009}
----------------------------------------------
The blackened heads of former cast members hang along the back
wall, their lifeless and vacant eyes greeting all those who
scurry past.
Life backstage at "O" is nothing if not surreal.
Each performer is required to have a bust of his or her head
cast upon joining the show. The piece enables wardrobe staff to
work more aptly with the nearly 400 headpieces needed each night.
When a performer leaves, the busts are painted black and hung
along the staircase wall.
The show, which is comprised of 75 stage performers (artists), a
10-member band and 143 technicians, is one of Cirque du Soleil's
longest-running and most popular Strip productions.
"O" functions with a surprising sense of tranquility behind the
high curtains, beyond the sight of audience members who fill the
1,805-seat auditorium.
There are no raised voices, no stage managers barking
instructions while lithe and fast-moving figures cut through the
blackness to meet their cues.
Twice a clown might walk by on fire reading a newspaper.
Nearly a third of the performers have been with the show since
it began its run at Bellagio on Oct. 28, 1998. Little about the
show's protocol has changed since then. The show performs twice
nightly except Monday and Tuesday.
Performers are required to sign in by 6:30 p.m., an hour before
the curtain drops, and they don't leave until about 12:30 a.m.
For many, however, the day starts long before then.
While a day for the artist can start as early as noon, the day
for the stage crew starts as early as 7 a.m.
Artists apply their own makeup, a skill that takes time to
learn.
When Chelsea Luker, one of the synchronized swimmers, first
arrived in late 2007, it took 90 minutes to apply the waterproof
makeup that needs to last two shows.
Now it takes 35 minutes.
Gene Kimlin, a former competitive diver from Brisbane,
Australia, is among the more recently hired cast members.
The 24-year-old, a featured artist in the high-dive and the
Russian swing, also acts in bit parts throughout the show, as do
many of his fellow artists.
Having joined the show in November, Kimlin is in the training
stages of guiding 750-pound propelled horses around the watery stage.
Three days a week, he attends tutoring sessions for dance or on
the Russian swings. The experience is similar to what other
artists are required to go through in their respective crafts.
Kimlin says that his favorite moment during the show comes when
the audible gasp of the crowd surrounds him as he dives nearly
65 feet into the waiting water below.
Artists, according to Kimlin, have the uncanny ability to tune
out crowds of nearly 2,000 people at any given moment, but often
choose not to.
"In the high-dive, I quite like hearing the reaction of the
crowd because it pumps you up and makes for a better performance
as well," Kimlin says. "The moment before you dive, stepping out
and actually hearing the crowd gasp."
According to Kimlin, the show presents quite a workout for
performers, enabling them to maintain the physical standard
required to endure two high energy shows per day.
Still, should performers feel the need to work out during their
downtime, a pair of backstage exercise rooms offer opportunities
to work the medicine ball, take a yoga class, a course taught by
the head of wardrobe, and stretch out before hitting their cue.
Kimlin's path to "O" has been similar to that of many of the
artists.
He found himself looking for a new career after a head injury on
the diving platform at the 2006 Goodwill Games trials cut short
his competitive diving career after 11 years.
While the injury cut Kimlin's career before the Olympics, eight
former Olympic synchronized swimmers, divers and gymnasts make
up the artists' ranks. The show's artists also represent 23
countries.
One of Kimlin's friends mentioned that Cirque du Soleil was
looking for divers for the Russian swing. So he was off to
Montreal, location of the company's headquarters and training
facility.
However, no positions were available after three months in the
company's general training program in 2006, so Kimlin went back
to Australia for two years until the call came.
Kimlin says he views his new career as a combination of
entertainment and a continuation of his diving career.
"The difference is, here, I'm enjoying every moment of what I'm
doing and not being judged on what I'm doing," Kimlin says.
"Competitive diving is a lot more stressful."
During the show, artists find their way to the exercise rooms or
the greenroom where they can follow the show on televisions.
So there, in a surreal moment, sits a clown reading the
newspaper, waiting for his cue.
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal }
Cirque Turns to Bosch Communication in Europe
{Apr.13.2009}
-----------------------------------------------
The Canadian Circus Cirque du Soleil - renowned for providing
top-class artistic entertainment for many years - turns to Bosch
Communication Center for sales support and customer care. The
Bosch agents provide detailed information regarding program
contents and are responsible for reservations and ticket sales.
The service repertoire also includes a team of specially trained
associates who offer specifically targeted VIP care for business
customers.
"Éric Valley, Ticketing Operations Manager at Cirque du Soleil,
adds: "Cirque knows from experience that customer satisfaction
is not achieved solely through the production itself, but also
through the services associated with the show. The various
services provided before the show are our chance to make a good
first impression. We know that Bosch is perfectly capable of
performing any acrobatics that are necessary to satisfy even our
most demanding customers."
{SOURCE: Webwire}
Pumped Up and Always Bouncing Back [EXPANDED]
{Apr.15.2009}
-----------------------------------------------
EXHILARATING, dangerous, awe-inspiring and adrenalin-pumping.
Not too many people get to say that about their day job, but
Russian trampolinist Oksana Pochynok certainly does.
Pochynok is touring Australia with Cirque du Soleil in Dralion,
a mythical celebration of life that draws from both the East and
the West and pays tribute to the four elements of air, water,
earth and fire.
Born in Kiev in 1978, Pochynok started jumping on trampolines
when she was six years old. Her parents encouraged their
daughter's taste for high altitudes, and within 12 months she
was competing in national competitions. For the next 20 years
she represented the Russian junior and senior teams, and by the
time she retired, at 27, had won the world and European
championships.
Pochynok says that while she enjoyed competing, it was
relentlessly stressful.
"Being in competition meant training for two hours, twice a day,
every day. I had had enough of the pressure, but I still loved
trampolining."
By comparison, rehearsing and performing nine or 10 shows a week
with Dralion is a breeze. "Dralion is much more enjoyable for
me. There is still pressure, but it is very different to what it
was like when I was competing."
Which is not to say it is any less dangerous. For Pochynok's big
trick of the night, she jumps off a big metal wall fixed with
small platforms onto the trampolines and bounces back up to
gobsmacking heights.
"At first I was scared of the wall - it is probably one of the
most difficult tricks I've ever had to learn. When my mum first
saw the show, she thought we must be stuck there with some kind
of magnet, but there is nothing there except the wall and the
platforms."
So, how does she do it? "First it's your abdominals (against the
wall), followed by your legs, shoulders, arms and then the
brain."
The one question she is asked more than any other is, "How high
do you get?" Pochynok says it is difficult to answer because
they do not measure by metres, but by time. "If I get 10 bounces
in 21 seconds, then that's the ideal," she says.
Like most athletes, her tolerance for pain is high, and after
doing her job for so long, she knows how to compensate in one
area of her body for another.
Her worst injuries have been two broken ankles. One, she broke
in competition, the other in Cirque du Soleil.
Having been with Dralion for almost five years now, she has no
plans to retire any time soon. "I may be 31, but I feel 20. As
long as I listen to my body, it will let me know what I can do
and whether I should keep going or not."
Meet Julie Cameron from Quidam! [EXPANDED]
{Apr.15.2009}
-------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil is a remarkable global business that has now
reached an audience millions larger than the population of the
United Kingdom. Established over a quarter of a century ago in
Quebec, with the help of a government grant, its public is now
drawn from around the world (excluding only the continents of
Africa and Antarctica). It created a new form of animal-free
circus that has been copied by other companies and has a huge
permanent presence in Los Angeles. That's where a show using the
songs of The Beatles, Love, most recently put the French-
Canadian company in the news, but every day earlier productions
are playing somewhere. There are few enterprises of the same
scale in the world of entertainment, including the biggest names
in pop and rock, not least because of the huge number of people
employed by the company as well as the scale of the shows it
puts on.
The facts and figures of the Cirque story are mind-boggling, but
it looks just as remarkable up close. Through the eyes of Julie
Cameron, who has travelled the world with Quidam, the production
which opens at the SECC in Glasgow tonight, it is both a dream
come true and a succession of stressful demands, a passport to
global travel and a lot of places not properly explored. This
week's performances are a homecoming for Cameron, who began her
gynmnastics career in Kilmarnock and still speaks with a strong
Scots accent, although her upbringing was also in Prague and
Leeds. Her grandfather and cousins will be among members of the
family at the SECC to see what it is that she does for the first
time this week.
Trained in sports acrobatics, a branch of gymnastics not
recognised by the Olympics and suffering a bit of a crisis, she
was competing at international level when she first saw Cirque
du Soleil and decided that was what she wanted to do next. Like
any other performer, she submitted a showreel to HQ in Montreal
and was summoned there for tuition in the theatrical side of the
business (and to have a mould made of her head for future masks
and hats) before being offered a contract and sent out to join
the show on the road. Even for a cosmopolitan girl like Cameron,
South Korea was a culture shock that still has her reeling, but
each stop she has since made with the show has made its own
mark. Shanghai? "A revolving restaurant and The Great Wall."
Mexico? "That was where I turned 18 and was set free."
If there is a strict discipline in being part of the Cirque
company, it is even stricter for the under-18s. Unchaperoned in
Central America, however, Cameron hooked up with a local music
star, and the relationship ended happily enough for her to be
invited to spend Christmas with his family. You can tell this
was a highlight of her world tour. She's been across Europe
since, with stops in Lisbon, Malaga, Alicante, Brussels and
Prague.
When we spoke, Quidam had just opened at the Royal Albert Hall
in London, and Cameron was about to do a matinee. It is a tough
regime right enough, with 10 shows each week during the run in
the capital. Only Monday is "dark" and there are two shows on
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Only on Sunday night is
it possible to relax with a drink. "That's where I get my
calories," says Cameron.
"It can be very hard to wind down after the show, there are
times before it starts when you think, How am I going to get
through it?', when you are tired and hurt everywhere. Of course,
afterwards you feel great.
"Only once did I feel I really couldn't go on, and phoned my mum
from Mexico. But you rely on muscle memory - a lot of the show
is stored in your body."
Now Cameron knows to trust her body and her own professionalism
to get her through the show. Quidam is one of the older shows
still in the Cirque du Soleil repertoire and much more like a
real circus than some of the more recent theatrical
extravaganzas.
Cameron is a key member of the show's "Banquine" climax, an
ensemble tour-de-force in which most of the athletes are
Russian. Her mentor and friend in the company is Alexander
Sacha' Maiorov, after she discovered that they had shared the
same coach. This man had trained a top Russian troupe, including
Maiorov, before moving to England and teaching the young Cameron
at the Spelthorne club in Wakefield. It is not such a remarkable
coincidence, she suggests, with the knowledge of how small the
pool of people who could participate in the Quidam routines
really is.
That is why an enthusiastic young girl with evident talent was
snapped up by the Cirque and swiftly parachuted into Seoul to
join the company. Developing teenage girls can find that their
changing body-shape suddenly makes a nonsense of all the
training they have done, and while sylph-like Cameron may joke
that "you get used to not eating for this sport", she is healthy
enough. Anorexics would not be able to perform at this level.
Such specialism does make it less easy to move on, however.
Having realised her dream of joining Cirque du Soleil, the
attractions of the Quidam show itself are starting to pall.
Cameron would like to move on. One of the newest touring shows
Kooza has a role for a contortionist that she'd like to have a
shot at. In Las Vegas the attraction is Zumanity, the Cirque's
saucy show, which includes elements of burlesque and features a
particularly acclaimed waterbowl act. But before she can join
another show, a replacement has to be found for her present
role.
This week, though, it is the skill of making a show that worked
well in the round at the Royal Albert Hall be just as effective
in the arena of the SECC, especially when the family is in the
audience.
As it begins, Quidam makes a musical reference to the show that
preceded it, Alegria, which was created to mark the company's
10th anniversary. Fifteen years on, both shows are still on the
road along with five more - and showcasing tumbling talent that
was new to the experience of walking when they began. Cirque du
Soleil's Quidam is at SECC, Glasgow from tonight to Sunday.
{SOURCE: The Guardian UK}
New Cirque CDs on May 26th!
{Apr.17.2009}
---------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil is releasing two new CDs into its catalogue on
May 26, 2009 and we're quite excited about them! The first is
the soundtrack to ZAIA, Cirque du Soleil's first resident show
in Asia currently performing to audiences in Macau, China. The
second is a re-mastered edition of one of Cirque du Soleil's
best selling albums to date: the 1994 smash Alegría!
Details about musical tracks and/or extras are not available at
this time; however, you can pre-order these CDs on Amazon.com
right now!
o) ZAIA CD, $16.98
< http://www.amazon.com/Zaia-Cirque-Soleil-Original-
Soundtrack/dp/B0024F13IW/ref=sr_1_31?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=
1239975062&sr=1-31 >
o) Alegría Remastered CD, $19.99
< http://www.amazon.com/Alegeria-Remastered-Cirque-Du-
Soleil/dp/B0025X4P2O/ref=sr_1_33?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=
1239975062&sr=1-33 >
Q&A with David Shiner [EXPANDED]
{Apr.17.2009}
---------------------------------------------
David Shiner first became a fan of Cirque du Soleil a quarter of
a century ago when he saw their first street show in Montreal,
and not long after, he became an official member of the troupe's
extended family. In 1990, he performed around the world in the
company's Nouvelle Experience, but he drifted away from Cirque
after that, with Shiner soon gaining international fame with the
Tony Award-winning Broadway show Fool Moon with his good friend
Bill Irwin. Recently, he returned to the Cirque fold to create
Kooza, which has been touring the world for two years and which
begins an extended run at New York City's Randall's Island on
April 16. TheaterMania recently spoke to Shiner about the show
and his other future plans, Cirque and otherwise.
Q. So how does one start creating a Cirque du Soleil show?
What I wanted to do with Kooza was go back to the roots of
Cirque du Soleil -- to pull all the high-tech stuff out and
really focus on the artists, which is what I love most about the
circus. I think we achieved a show that has classic elements but
is still very very modern. And I think we have some of the best
acrobats and artists that the circus has had in a long time.
There's not a single act in the show that's mediocre. I also
wanted the show to be very emotional. There has to be a good
connection to the audience, and I think we've succeeded in
creating that.
Q. How did the casting process work?
Some of the artists I've seen in other shows throughout Europe
and the United States, and some of them I saw just on video. I
knew I wanted a contortion act, because when I did Nouveau
Experience, we had a beautiful contortion act. I saw Anthony,
our juggler, in Las Vegas and he blew me out the door. I've
never seen a juggler like him in my life. His tempo, his timing,
and his rhythm are phenomenal; he rarely drops anything during a
performance. We have a beautiful unicycle act from Russia, and a
Wheel of Death act, and a chair act from China. Really,
everything and everyone in the show is just great.
Q. It must be a real luxury to have the resources of the whole
Cirque operation. Do you even have to worry about things like
a budget?
We're given a budget, but if they're concerned about it, they
just say: "David, this is costing too much; you've got to stop."
Otherwise, the support you have and the liberty you're given to
create is extraordinary. This is [Cirque founder] Guy
Laliberté's secret to success. He trusts you and your idea, and
then he leaves you alone.
Q. Was it your preference to do a traveling tent show as opposed
to, say, a stationary show in Las Vegas?
Yes, I wanted to do a big top show, because it's what I really
love -- and what I've done myself as a clown. There's nothing
like it -- the smell going into the tent for one thing. To me,
it's the experience of the circus which you just don't get in a
regular theater.
Q. Still, is there something you think you could bring to the
Vegas experience?
I think a comedy show would do really well in Vegas, like
getting the world's greatest physical slapstick comedians and
putting them all together.
Q. Did you know Kooza was a great show from the very beginning?
Actually, I remember we did our first run-through of the show at
the headquarters in Montreal and it was awful. Dead silence.
Afterwards, when the whole team got together, everybody was
looking at me like "oh my god, I hope he saw that it was a
mess." And I said to everybody: "What in god's name was I
thinking about?" And everybody laughed. The show had become
really serious and dramatic. Sometimes you need to go down a
road like that. And literally, in two weeks, I was able to
change it.
Q. Who do you listen to when you're putting a show together?
Everybody. Because if I don't, the risk is that it's all about
me and then it's never as good as it could be. But the person I
work closest with is my co-director, Serge Roy. He's very
bright, and he's been with Cirque since the very beginning. And
we work great together. He's keeps me in check; he's the one who
can say "David, you're going a little too far." And he's usually
right!
Q. How does it feel to bring this show to New York City?
It feels great to be back here. I love this city. If I was to
live in the United States instead of Europe, this is the one
place where I would live. I also think New Yorkers are such a
smart audience, because they really have seen a lot of stuff.
That said, when we first did Fool Moon in 1993, my feeling was
that we were going to die a thousand deaths. I kept saying
"Who's going to want to see a couple of clowns and a five-piece
band? New Yorkers are just not going to get this." And I was so
wrong.
Q. We hear you're doing another show for Cirque next year, but
you say you can't talk about it. Is there anything else on
your agenda you can talk about?
I've been working on a solo show that's been in my mind a long
time. It will be very different from what I did with Fool Moon
in that it would have a lot of different characters. And I'd
love to get back on the Broadway stage, maybe with Bill. Again,
not something like Fool Moon -- because we're both a bit too old
to be throwing ourselves around like that. But maybe we could do
an actual play together. We just have to find the right
material. I think it should be a comedy where we could still use
our physical gifts. Or who knows? I've always wanted to play a
really evil character -- a maniac of some kind or a lunatic or
even some sort of gang member. Something where you get to be
really dark. That would be fun!
{SOURCE: Theater Mania}
Q&A with Bruce Rickerd from Mystere [EXPANDED]
{Apr.23.2009}
----------------------------------------------
In the June issue of Guitar Player we met Bruce Rickerd,
guitarist for the Las Vegas Cirque show Mystère. Rickerd is a
guy who has not only never missed a performance in over 15
years, hes even covered for a buddy across town by recording
all of the friends parts while still making his regular gig,
thereby having his guitar playing heard simultaneously on both
sides of the Vegas strip. Having just seen a performance of his,
I can tell you that hes an amazing, versatile player who gets
uncommonly good tones without an amp. Here are some outtakes
from his interview.
Q. How did you get the Mystère gig?
Benoit Jutras, Cirque du Soleil composer, used to play keyboards
in my band. He was offered a job by composer René Dupéré as band
leader for their show. Thats what he did. Several years went
by, when, in May of 93, I get a call from Benoit. After telling
me stories about touring the world with Cirque and exchanging
family news, out of the blue, he asks me: what if I were to
offer you one of the top guitar gigs in Las Vegas? I told him
that he was very funny. He insisted that he was serious. He then
described the new permanent show Cirque du Soleil was working
on. Their most ambitious show to date; he wanted me to have the
guitar chair. I was very flattered, after consulting my wife and
family; I accepted the job and moved to Las Vegas.
Q. What was the audition like?
I didnt have an audition. Being personally called by Benoit
Jutras was all it took for me to get the gig.
Q. Whats a typical show day like?
A typical show day starts with a sound check at 5:45. We go
through a tune or try out changes to the music in the event of
modifications to the show due to injuries or artists who are out
of the lineup and to make sure the sound system is dialed in.
Q. When does the performance start? And what goes on in between?
The show starts at 7:00. After the sound check, we have time to
go to the cafeteria and then go to our dressing rooms to put on
our costumes and makeup. We have dinner after the first show and
suit up for the second show which starts at 9:30. Repeat this
routine 239 times a year and there you have it: 478 shows!
During the show is when things are really interesting. Our music
is very modular. In other words, the songs are made up of many
small sections. All the sections can be lengthened, shortened,
repeated or omitted as the action onstage requires, at a half
bar count cue. The music follows the action onstage. With
acrobatics, elaborate stage automations, mishaps and many
unforeseen situations, the bands job is to provide a seamless
musical score to the show. In the event of a situation that
causes a delay of any sort the seamless music will mitigate
anxiety and panic in the audience. In my case, being the lead
guitarist I provide solos that can be resolved within a bar.
They can be short or long but must be resolved on cue.
The guitar, both electric and acoustic is prominently featured
in the show. It provides atmospheric effects, special effects,
accents and punches to underline acrobatic tricks and dance cues
as well as playing melody and harmony with other instruments in
the score. It is a true privilege to work with such exceptional
musicians such Marc Solis on saxes, flutes and woodwinds, Martin
St-Pierre on violin, Devin Streator on keyboards, Bernard
Marchand as musical director and keyboards, David Pelletier on
bass, Aaron Guidry on percussion, Gilles St-Amand on drums, and
Dina Emerson and Sarah Boucher on vocals.
Q. For most people, playing 7000 consecutive shows would mean
not being able to take on any other gigs, but thats not true
for you. Talk about how you played guitar for the André-
Philippe Gagnon show without missing your Mystère
performance.
This is an amusing story. First of all, André-Philippe Gagnon is
a musical impressionist who does impressions of popular singers
of 20th and 21th century. His show is basically a 90 minute
comedic medley of over 100 tunes from singers and groups from
Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson to Elvis to Santana to the
Stones to the Temptations to Dire Straits and countless others.
Michel Cyr, André-Philippe Gagnons musical director called me
one day. They were playing at the C2K showroom at the Venetian
Casino right across the street from Mystère at Treasure Island.
He told me that their guitarist Michel Vaillancour (currently
Cirque du Soleils touring show Corteo musical director and
guitarist), had a ruptured appendix and was in surgery at UMC.
They couldnt do the show without him. He asked me to record all
the guitar parts of their show so that they could add them to
their sequenced track. It took me two afternoons to record them.
They then were able to do their show with Michel Vaillancour out
sick. Michel Vaillancour was back on the job two weeks later.
So, for two weeks, I was one of the very few people whose guitar
performance was heard simultaneously on both sides of the strip
on two different shows! By the way, Michel Cyr is currently, the
musical director at the Cirque du Soleil show ZED in Tokyo. I
also play, on average 2 to 3 nights a week, after the shows,
with friends at different clubs and bars in the Las Vegas area.
I have great pleasure playing with fantastic players such as
Junior Brantley (Jimmy Vaughn, Room full of Blues and many
others), Al Ek and the Shuffle-Airs, Rick Smith and the Black
Jack Blues Band, Gil Hernandez and the Groovemakers, John Earl
and the Boogieman Band, and many others, too many to name them
all, who graciously invite me to sit in to play and sing with
them.
Q. What gear do you use for this gig?
I currently use 2 Fernandes Revolver Elites for the electric
guitar parts. There are a lot of very long sustained notes in
the score. In pre-production I was able to achieve these notes
the conventional way: With the guitar in front of the amp,
inducing feedback. When we came into the Mystère Theater,
Jonathan Deans, Mystère sound designer, told me that using an
amp would not be possible because it would take the focus away
from the 48 channel 85000 watt surround sound system. I felt
like he was asking me to go upstream in a canoe without a
paddle. Upon doing some research, I discovered that there was a
company that designed a sustaining circuit that excited the
strings permitting me to get all the sustain I needed as well as
give me the harmonic feedback useful for creating special
effects. I had this Sustainiac system installed on my Yamaha RGX
1212S. I used this guitar for about a year. I quickly realized
that I needed a backup. Due to Lawsuit issues, Sustainiac
systems were no longer available. I was told by a friend at a
local music store that Fernandes guitars had Sustainer equipped
guitars. I got one and liked it so much that I made it my main
guitar and got a couple more to replace the Yamaha.
I use a 96 or 97 Revolver Elite. Its a 22 fret bolt-on neck
Strat-like guitar with a humbucker at the bridge and a Floyd
Rose Pro I had installed after the original licensed Floyd Rose
saddles all stripped out. It plays great and due to its specific
harmonics, I use it for the first part of the show. Ive got a
later model of the Revolver Elite that I use for the second half
of the show. Its a 24 fret neck-through design, humbucker at
the bridge and a Floyd Rose Pro replacing the original the
licensed Floyd. The harmonics it gives are perfect for the tunes
in the second half. Its very heavy. Its heavier than my Les
Pauls! I use Levy Leathers 3 padded guitar straps for my
guitars. They are very comfortable and durable guitar straps.
I use a Behringer V-Amp Pro for my electric guitars. They are
very low noise, versatile and really sound great. These units,
as well as all modeling processors need to be tweaked to achieve
optimum results. The patches the manufacturers load into these
units often have too much of everything in them: Too much
reverb, too much compression, too much effects, etc. That works
if youre listening to these things through headphones in the
store, but that doesnt work in a live situation. A good rule of
thumb is to back off all the effects; especially the gain and
the compression. Too much compression and/or gain squashes the
dynamics of your playing. You lose the attack of your notes. You
lose the rhythmic character of your phrasing.
Always be aware that reverb and echo are added to the inherent
ambience of the room which is a natural reverb and echo unit
itself; the larger the room the more the ambience. Too much
reverb and/or echo will muddy up your sound. It will blur all
your finely executed fast licks into an amorphous mush. Then,
add whatever effects you want making sure that they fit in the
context of the music. I worked on the patches for the show a
month before I brought it in to audition at the front of house
console with a recording of the show without guitar.
Dave Robertson, Mystères head of sound, and I stayed late after
the shows. We fine tuned the sound of every patch for every
tune, playing along with the recording. Only then, we integrated
the unit into the show. Occasionally, we still might fine tune a
patch to taste. I have 2 V-Amp Pros in my rack. The other is
there as a backup. I have a personal monitor board, a Behringer
DDX3216 automated Digital mixer. Its daisy-chained via MIDI
with the V-Amp Pros and controlled by a Behringer FCB1010 MIDI
pedal board. I programmed over 20 patches for the DDX3216 that
work in conjunction with the patches of the V-Amp Pro and the
levels of the rest of the band mix so that I always have optimum
levels between the guitars and the other instruments in the
band. Levels are tricky when you use in ear monitors.
Since were not allowed to have amps and monitors onstage, I use
Sensaphonic in-ear monitors. I have a tuner in-line on both the
electric and acoustic guitars. The tuner for the electrics is on
all of the time so that I can monitor the tuning in real time as
I play. The tuner for the acoustic is set up so that it mutes
when the tuner is on. When the guitar is not in use, its muted
by the tuner. Ive been using a Fernandes Monterey acoustic
guitar for the acoustic guitar parts. This guitar is no longer
manufactured as an acoustic guitar anymore. Its actually a
solid body guitar with a piezo-electric pickup. This particular
guitar is very rare as it doesnt have any electric guitar
pickup on it. Its got a terrific acoustic guitar tone.
When I go out to play on other gigs, I use a Bugera 333XL combo
amp. Its a sweet sounding bruiser. Ill take out my Fender
Strat with an EMG DG-20 David Gilmour pickup system; it has
superior sound with very low noise. For my studio, I have an
extremely versatile guitar that excels in recording electric,
acoustic, and MIDI. My Godin XtSA is the best MIDI controller I
ever owned. I also own a Gibson ES-335, a Gibson Lucille
autographed by B.B. King, a few Gibson Les Pauls, including a
1st run Robot, a couple Fender Strats, a Gretsch Country
Gentleman and a variety of other guitars, too many to name here.
You can never have too many guitars, I always say ;-)
Q. Is it going to be devastating if and when you finally miss a
show?
I dont know. It might just be a relief ;-). But seriously, you
dont just set out to do a gig with the specific goal of not
ever missing a show. Chaos gets in the way. Just as chaos might
have permitted me to not miss a show, it might make me miss a
show tomorrow. The proverbial Flying Finger of Fate
notwithstanding, Im taking every day one day at a time and only
time will tell.
{SOURCE: Guitar Player}
Cirque Coming to Quebec
{Apr.28.2009}
---------------------------------------------
For the next five summers, Cirque du Soleil and director Robert
Lepage will help keep Quebec City afloat by performing in the
streets. Here's more:
The Cirque is going back to its roots - street performances -
for the Quebec City show, which also coincides with the Cirque's
25th anniversary this year. Lamarre released very few details
about the show, aside from its title, The Dream Continues, and
the fact it will bring together 100 circus artists for an hour-
long show in the streets of Quebec's lower town, not far from
where the Robert Lepage show will take place. The free outdoor
performances will run five days a week, and will start in late
June.
As for Lepage, he will bring back a new version of his popular
Image Mill, an outdoor projection that was one of the highlights
of the 400th celebrations. The multimedia extravaganza will be
shown on a 600-metre row of grain silos transformed into the
world's largest outdoor projection screen.
{SOURCE: CanWest News; Canada.com}
Cirque takes Manhattan? [EXPANDED]
{Apr.29.2009}
---------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil has attempted to stage a lasting presence in
the Big Apple now for a number of years, and succeeded on a
seasonal basis with Wintuk in 2006. The company thought a more
permanent presence was well on its way when it signed a re-
development deal with Related Companies to establish a home on
Manhattan's Pier 40. With that possibility quashed, would Cirque
find a space to endure in New York City? It appears in the next
year, it will. Here's more from the New York Times:
Not content with performing in 271 cities in 32 countries and
attracting 11 million customers last year, Cirque du Soleil, the
Montreal-based circus empire, will establish a permanent
presence in New York City next year.
In February 2010 Cirque, which is celebrating its 25th
anniversary, plans to bring a new show to the Beacon Theater in
Manhattan for a multiple-month run that it hopes will become an
annual institution. And in 2011 Cirque is to establish a four-
month summer extravaganza in Radio City Music Hall as a warm-
weather counterweight to the Christmas Spectacular sans
Rockettes, but populated with acrobats and clowns.
These will be in addition to the companys touring tent
productions, which have played New York periodically since 1988;
the most recent show, Kooza, opened on April 16 at Randalls
Island. Also continuing will be Wintuk, Cirques $20 million
annual winter holiday show at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square
Garden.
But dashed for now are the companys plans to build a New York
City space that would give it a permanent home in Manhattan.
Dead, said Guy Laliberté, Cirques founder and majority owner,
when asked about its real estate negotiations, most recently a
2007 deal with the Related Companies to establish an outpost at
Pier 40 in Manhattan. So instead, you come in by the back
door, he added, or even a window.
That window is Madison Square Garden Entertainment which
programs both the Beacon and the Music Hall and which provided
Cirques theater for Wintuk two years ago.
We want something solid and permanent in the entertainment
capital of the world, and we are hoping to have a presence in
New York for 12 months a year, Mr. Laliberté said.
Some might worry that New York is facing a circus glut. In
addition to the annual Madison Square Garden stand of Ringling
Brothers and Barnum & Baileys traveling arena show, Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg recently announced that Ringlings smaller,
touring Gold Unit will be performing under a Coney Island tent
starting on June 18, and Ringling hopes that it will become a
yearly fixture.
Then theres New Yorks own nonprofit one-ring little top, the
Big Apple Circus, which since 1980 has dominated the Christmas
circus season.
Certainly Cirque will compete with us for disposable dollars
and audience attention, said Gary B. Dunning, Big Apples
executive director. But we have been succeeding in the most
competitive market in the world for 31 years.
Indeed, in 2007, the first year it went up against Wintuk, Big
Apple achieved record high revenues of $7.5 million. During last
years recession Christmas, Big Apple was down 2.3 percent in
sales. Cirque did not release figures, but box office experts
who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to
discuss confidential information said Wintuk sales were down
some 20 percent. Nevertheless, Wintuk has sold 750,000 tickets
since 2007, according to Cirque.
We and Big Apple have different niches and audiences. Mr.
Laliberté said on a recent afternoon, during which he chain-
smoked Gauloises.
He described the Beacon production, possibly titled
Vaudeville, as a show about that tradition, with a cast of 50
to 55, to be directed by David Shiner, also the director of
Kooza. The show, written by Laurence OKeefe, the author of
music and lyrics for Legally Blonde, is to be in tryouts from
Nov. 19 through Dec. 31 at the Chicago Theater in that city. The
show will run at the Beacon for at least three months and could
be extended to half a year.
During those months we will continue to work with all artists,
including the Allman Brothers Band, to find the best alternative
performance options while the vaudeville Cirque show is at the
Beacon, said Jay Marciano, president of Madison Square Garden
Entertainment.
Another $20 million still unnamed show, for the Music Hall,
will fully utilize the space and spend half of each year in
Paris or London, and have 72 to 80 performers, said Mr.
Laliberté, a wiry 49-year-old former street accordionist, stilt
walker and fire-breather who rarely talks to the press.
Mr. Marciano said that its only natural that we partner with
them, given Wintuk, adding that the Music Hall is the only
stage in the city that can handle such a large-scale
production. Cirque has long been circumspect about its profits,
but Mr. Laliberté acknowledged that it has felt the effects of
the recession. In Las Vegas, it has been ramping up its discount
offers at its six shows. As a result, Mr. Laliberté said, in
that city our lowest occupancy is 82 percent.
So, though Mr. Laliberté said that the Cirque touring shows were
up about 7 percent in revenues this year, Cirques six shows in
Las Vegas are down 7 percent.
Meanwhile, the companys casino show in Macau, Asias gambling
capital, has suffered after the Chinese government curtailed
visits from the mainland because of concern about gambling
losses. And an agreement to develop a permanent Cirque show on
Palm Jumeirah, a manmade island in Dubai, is now in recession
postponement.
Despite the down economy, Mr. Laliberté is aggressively making
optimistic plans, of which New Yorks shows are a part, he
said, adding that weve gone through three recessions in Cirque
history, and they were all growth periods for us.
Cirque has the wherewithal to expand. Last August the company
sold a 20 percent stake to a Dubai sovereign wealth fund and a
real estate developer for $600 million, Mr. Laliberté said. The
sale lined his pockets as well: according to Forbes, Mr.
Lalibertés personal wealth is $2.5 billion.
The privately held Cirque does not disclose profits, but
analysts who asked not to be named because they did not want to
jeopardize their relationship with the company estimated a
margin of more than 20 percent, better than the 18 percent
return that casinos customarily aspired to before the recession.
Mr. Laliberté said Cirque was forecasting $810 million in total
revenue this year.
But we are not tsunami-proof, he said. Referring to the
casinos, he added, It is a scary crisis in Vegas our partners
have so much debt. Cirque has been fighting against the
undertow in which hotels have posted historically low occupancy
despite historically low room rates.
Some circus people, most of whom would not speak for the record
because they did not want to alienate Cirque, have suggested
that with two more New York shows on the way and an Elvis
tribute show headed for Las Vegas, Cirque is overextended, and
have wondered whether the once-scruffy, former avant-garde
commune which has transformed itself into a blue-chip
multinational Disney would-be that has sold $7 billion worth of
tickets is losing touch with its creative soul.
There has been some dilution of the quality of their product,
said David Rosenwasser, a veteran arena manager and former
circus executive who is director of the Greater St. Charles
Convention and Visitors Bureau in Missouri. Im not as awed as
I used to be. The shows are almost indistinguishable to me.
But Mr. Laliberté countered that we constantly readdress the
issue of our shows being too corporate, adding: Every show
must be one of a kind. And we must have fun.
{SOURCE: New York Times}
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) TOURING - Under the Big Top
{Corteo, Dralion, Koozå, OVO, Quidam & Varekai}
o) ARENA - In the Dome/Stadium
{Saltimbanco & Alegría}
o) RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, «O», La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
ZAIA, ZED & Believe}
o) SEASONAL - For a Limited Time!
{Wintuk}
Note: While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate
touring dates and locations available, the information in this
section is subject to change. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter
does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings.
NOTE (*): Dates so marked are not official until released by Cirque
du Soleil.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit our website < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >.
---------------------------------
TOURING - Under the Big Top
---------------------------------
Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=39 >
Corteo:
Tokyo, Japan -- Feb 4, 2009 to May 5, 2009
Nagoya, Japan -- May 21, 2009 to Jul 12, 2009
Osaka, Japan -- Jul 29, 2009 to Sep 30, 2009
Fukuoka, Japan -- Feb 11, 2010 to Apr 4, 2010 (*)
Sendai, Japan -- Apr 21, 2010 to Jun 6, 2010 (*)
Dralion:
Melbourne, Australia -- Apr 10, 2009 to Jun 14, 2009
Auckland, New Zealand -- Jul 10, 2009 to Aug 24, 2009
Monterrey, Mexico -- Sep 17, 2009 to Oct 11, 2009 (*)
Guadalajara, Mexico -- Oct 22, 2009 to Nov 15, 2009 (*)
Mexico City, Mexico -- Nov 26, 2009 to Dec 31, 2009 (*)
Koozå:
Baltimore, Maryland -- Mar 12, 2009 to Apr 5, 2009
New York, New York -- Apr 16, 2009 to Jun 21, 2009 (*)
Minneapolis/St-Paul, Minnesota -- Jul 3, 2009 to Jul 26, 2009
Denver, Colorado -- Aug 21, 2009 to TBA
Santa Monica, California -- Oct 16, 2009 to Dec 20, 2009 (*)
Orange County, California -- Dec 28, 2009 to TBA (*)
OVO:
Montreal, QC -- Apr 23, 2009 to Jul 12, 2009
Quebec, QC -- Jul 30, 2009 to Aug 23, 2009
Toronto, ON -- Sep 3, 2009 to Oct 4, 2009
Quidam:
Fortaleza, Brazil -- Jun 11 to Jun 28, 2009
Recife, Brazil -- Jul 09, 2009 to Aug 02, 2009 (*)
Salvador, Brazil -- Aug 13, 2009 to Sep 6, 2009 (*)
Brasília, Brazil -- Sep 18, 2009 to Oct 11, 2009
Belo Horizonte, Brazil -- Oct 23, 2009 to Nov 22, 2009 (*)
Curitiba, Brazil -- Dec 4, 2009 to Dec 27, 2009 (*)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- Jan 8, 2010 to Feb 7, 2010 (*)
Sao Paulo, Brazil -- Feb 26, 2010 to May 2, 2010 (*)
Porto Alegre, Brazil -- May 10, 2010 to Jul 11, 2010 (*)
Buenos Aires, Argentina -- Jul 23, 2010 to Aug 29, 2010 (*)
Santiago, Chile -- Sep 11, 2010 to Oct 31, 2010 (*)
Varekai:
Bilbao, Spain -- Mar 26, 2009 to May 3, 2009
Lisbon, Portugal -- May 15, 2009 to Jun 28, 2009
Gijon, Spain -- Jul 9, 2009 to Aug 16, 2009 (*)
Hamburg, Germany -- Aug 28, 2009 to Oct 4, 2009
Moscow, Russia -- Oct 15, 2009 to Dec 31, 2009 (*)
London, UK -- TBA
---------------------------------
ARENA - In the Dome/Stadium
---------------------------------
Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=251 >
Saltimbanco:
Lakeland, FL -- Apr 29, 2009 to May 3, 2009
Gainesville, FL -- May 7, 2009 to May 10, 2009
Tallahassee, FL -- May 13, 2009 to May 17, 2009
Jacksonville, FL -- May 20, 2009 to May 24, 2009
Sunrise, FL -- May 27, 2009 to Jun 7, 2009
Tampa, FL -- Jun 25, 2009 to Jul 5, 2009
Estero, FL -- Jul 8, 2009 to Jul 12, 2009
Cypress, TX -- July 15, 2009 to Jul 19, 2009
Houston, TX -- July 22, 2009 to Jul 26, 2009
Phoenix, AZ -- TBA
Salt Lake City, UT -- TBA
Columbus, Ohio -- TBA
Alegría:
Halifax, NS -- May 27, 2009 to Jun 7, 2009
St. John, NB -- Jun 10, 2009 to Jun 14, 2009
St. John's, NF -- Jun 19, 2009 to Jun 28, 2009
Providence, RI -- Jul 2, 2009 to Jul 5, 2009
Manchester, NH -- Jul 8, 2009 to Jul 12, 2009
Newark, NJ -- Jul 15, 2009 to Jul 19, 2009
Wilkes-Barre, PA -- Jul 22, 2009 to Jul 26, 2009
Hamilton, ON -- Jul 29, 2009 to Aug 2, 2009
Bridgeport, CT -- Aug 20, 2009 to Aug 23, 2009
Boston, MA -- Aug 26, 2009 to Aug 30, 2009
Amherst, MA -- Sep 2, 2009 to Sep 6, 2009
Syracuse, NY -- Sep 9, 2009 to Sep 13, 2009
Albany, NY -- Sep 16, 2009 to Sep 20, 2009
Rochester, NY -- Sep 23, 2009 to Sep 27, 2009
State College, PA -- Sep 30, 2009 to Oct 4, 2009
Pittsburgh, PA -- Oct 7, 2009 to Oct 11, 2009
Hershey, PA -- Oct 14, 2009 to Oct 18, 2009
Reading, PA -- Oct 21, 2009 to Oct 25, 2009
London, ON -- Nov 12, 2009 to Nov 15, 2009
Greenville, SC -- Nov 18, 2009 to Nov 22, 2009
Duluth, GA -- Nov 26, 2009 to Nov 29, 2009
Hampton, VA -- Dec 2, 2009 to Dec 6, 2009
Worcester, MA -- Dec 9, 2009 to Dec 13, 2009
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
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.
Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=40 >
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tue through Sat, Dark: Sun/Mon
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2009 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9):
o Category 0: $117.00 / $94.00 (+Tax)
o Category 1: $102.00 / $82.00 (+Tax)
o Category 2: $83.00 / $67.00 (+Tax)
o Category 3: $67.00 / $54.00 (+Tax)
o Category 4: $53.00 / $43.00 (+Tax)
2009 Dark Dates:
o May 17 - Jun 1
o July 28
o September 20 - 28
o November 17
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
2009 Ticket Prices:
o Category 1: $109.00
o Category 2: $99.00
o Category 3: $95.00
o Category 4: $79.00
o Category 6: $69.00
o Category 7: $60.00 (Limited View)
2009 Dark Dates:
o May 1 - 8
o July 8
o September 3 - 11
o November 4
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
2009 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]
2009 Dark Dates:
o June 7
o August 3-11
o October 4
o December 7-22
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
2009 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!):
o Category 1: $135.00
o Category 2: $99.00
o Category 3: $79.00
o Category 4: $69.00
o Category 5: $69.00 (Obstructed View)
2009 Dark Dates:
o May 25 - 27
o June 15 - 17
o July 13 - 15
o August 3 - 10
o September 7 - 9
o October 19 - 21
o December 1 - 14
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Fri through Tue, Dark Wed/Thu
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2009 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
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]
2009 Dark Dates
o May 10 - 18
o July 12 - 15
o September 6 - 12
o November 10
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2009 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 [$75.90]
2009 Dark Dates:
o June 11
o August 3 - 12
o October 8
o December 1 - 16
ZAIA:
Location: Venetian, Macao (China)
Performs: Tuesday through Sunday, Dark Monday
One to Two Shows Daily -
Tuesday: 8:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00pm
Thursday - Saturday: 7:00pm & 10:00pm
Sunday: 4:00pm & 7:00pm
2008 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 0-12):
o Category 1: MOP$ 1288 / No Child
o Category 2: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 688
o Category 3: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 488
o Category 4: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 288
2009 Dark Dates:
o Not Available
ZED:
Location: TOKYO DISNEYLAND, Tokyo (Japan)
Performs: Varies
One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary
2009 Ticket Prices (all):
o Category 1 ("Premium"): ¥18,000
o Category 2 ("Front"): ¥15,000
o Category 3 ("Regular"): ¥9,800
o Category 4 ("Overview"): ¥7,800
2009 Dark Dates:
o Not Available
BELIEVE:
Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and10:00pm
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.
2009 Ticket Prices (all):
o Category 1: $160.00 +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
2009 Dark Dates:
o May 3 - 11
o July 5 - 19
o August 11
o September 9 - 17
o November 10
o December 8
---------------------------------
SEASONAL - For a Limited Time!
---------------------------------
Wintuk:
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
Multiple Shows Daily -
Information regarding the 2009 season is not yet available.
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE'S SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
o) Networking -- Cirque on Twitter, Facebook & MySpace
o) Telemajik -- Cirque du Soleil on YouTube & Flickr
o) Gatherings -- CirqueCon, Celebri & More!
---------------------------------------
CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub
---------------------------------------
There have been a number of fascinating articles posted since we last
reported about the goings-on at CirqueClub. So, to catch us up, we'd
like to highlight the following articles posted since the first of the
year:
CDS and the Royal Albert Hall: A Match Made in Heaven [EXPANDED]
{Jan.12.2009}
In January 1996, Cirque du Soleil made its debut at London's
revered Royal Albert Hall with the presentation of Saltimbanco.
It was a milestone that was to mark the beginning of one of the
great relationships in the Cirque du Soleil history books. it
was such a success that we have been back almost every year
since, with a run at the celebrated venue now engrained as one
of the most anticipated stops on our European tour.
Last January 4th, Quidam took the stage in the iconic building,
which was inaugurated by Queen Victoria back in 1871. While
Quidam has wowed audiences in London before-under the Grand
Chapiteau at Battersea Power Station in 2000 and 2001-it had not
yet been seen at the Royal Albert Hall because the theatre was
undergoing major renovations at the time, including upgrades
that would allow it to continue to host highly technical shows.
"We are delighted to be back again this year. It is an honour
for us to have access to this mythical place, where so many
great artists have performed before us," says Louise Murray,
Vice-President of Tour Planning and Partnerships. "When Varekai
was there earlier this year, the violinist virtually threw
himself on the stage during setup because he was so moved to be
performing on the same stage as other great virtuosos before
him.
By performing our shows in such a venerated theatre, and being
invited to return time after time, we too have become a part of
its history as we forever leave a Cirque du Soleil trace within
those walls."
The Royal Albert Hall has a long and rich history as one of the
world's leading entertainment venues. Since its opening by Queen
Victoria in 1871, it has seen no less than 150,000 performances.
From Rachmaninov to The Beatles, and the Bolshoi Ballet to Frank
Sinatra, the list of legendary artists who have graced its stage
is long and diverse.
Since the debut of Saltimbanco in 1996, Cirque du Soleil has
returned to the Albert Hall with Alegría, Dralion, Varekai and
now Quidam, and Londoners have grown accustomed to our January
visits.
25 Years Worth of Stories! [EXPANDED]
{Jan.13.2009}
General Manager - Corteo /// This is one of my very first Cirque
memories: The setting is Centennial Park, Miami. January 2002,
Quidam setup. I had just started with Cirque du Soleil and was
getting ready to set up my first big top. Now that I
differentiated the roles and responsibilities of our staff that
came the onslaught of local labour! There was one rather
"seasoned" gentleman in the group who had been working with
circuses in Florida for many, many years. He was a true old
timer who had seen it all... or so he thought.
As everyone stood inside the tent and listened to the
instructions on how to push the poles into place in order to
raise the roof, he stood there, slowly shaking his head from
side to side. Clearly something didn't make sense to him. What
could be missing? He'd done this many times before.
Well, when the "push" happened, the side poles went up and our
seasoned circus man stood back, looking a little amazed. "In all
my years of experience, I've never once seen this done without
elephants!"
HEATHER REILLY
General Manager Corteo
15 years of Mystère [EXPANDED]
{Jan.14.2009}
December 25, 2008 marked the fifteenth anniversary of the first
Cirque du Soleil resident show in Las Vegas. Like a human being
growing up, Mystère has evolved over the years. This
development, from the show's very creation and inception until
today, is described for you here throughout four anecdotes
shared by different members of the crew: BRUCE RICKERD - Musician,
SEAN JENSON - Head of Electrics, ANNIE WILKINS - Head of Props,
DANIELLE RODENKIRCHEN - Assistant Company Manager, JEFF LUND -
Company Manager & SANDI CROFT - Artistic Director
December 25, 2008 marked the fifteenth anniversary of the first
Cirque du Soleil resident show in Las Vegas. Like a human being
growing up, Mystère has evolved over the years. This
development, from the show's very creation and inception until
today, is described for you here throughout four anecdotes
shared by different members of the crew.
BRUCE RICKERD - Musician
I joined the second Cirque du Soleil project then known as
"Vegas2" (Mystère) in June of 1993 thanks to long-time friend
and colleague, composer Benoit Jutras' enticing invitation to
join Cirque du Soleil's then most ambitious project in its
history. At the Angus Shops in Montréal, we rehearsed and worked
out the score up to the September '93 load-out to Las Vegas.
Creation is like the birthing process. It is often long, painful
and difficult. We, the musicians, were present throughout the
process. We would come in, wait for the cue and start playing a
specific passage in the score and stop abruptly at the sound of
"Non, non, non, [
] c'est pas ça que je veux. Recommencez !"
("No, no, no. [
] That's not what I want. Start over!") Then,
Franco Dragone (the show's Director) would analyze, weigh, muse,
reconsider, experiment, and redo the scene. After an hour went
by, we would again get the order to play for another 10 seconds
"Stop, stop, stop!
" And the process would start all over.
During all that time, we would be on the bandstand, on standby.
We would be up there for 6 to 8 hours, waiting for the call to
play. In the meantime, we would observe, read magazines and
newspapers, nap and wait. It would be hours of lull interspersed
with minutes of panic
It was GREAT!
SEAN JENSON - Head of Electrics
Back in early 1994, when the show was still in its very early
development, Franco Dragone held a "tapis rouge" after a long
day of rehearsals. He gathered all of the artists into Section
102 of the theatre. Being that this was a quickly called
meeting, the lighting techs were still in position.
As Franco addressed the obviously tired cast, we decided to have
a little fun. The spotlight operators created a lighting version
of the famous Claymation character Mr. Bill in the sky-making a
head, nose, eyes and mouth. We mimicked the emotion and words of
Franco as he spoke. At one point some of the artists noticed and
started to laugh. As more noticed, Franco caught on that
something was happening behind him. As he turned to look, we
faded out. The giggles got bigger. When he turned back to the
artists to talk again we faded back in with any even more
impending distraction.
Luc Lafortune (Lighting Designer) quickly put an end to our fun
and said we should quit while we were ahead. In our business,
any time is a good time for comic relief.
ANNIE WILKINS - Head of Props
Production was rough and the show was being nicknamed Mistake
instead of Mystère. Yes, shame on everyone. I'm sure it was just
the exhaustion talking. With production over, it was time to
settle into a routine, smooth out the rough spots and prepare
for what we all hoped would be a long run. Little did we know
I would say one of the biggest challenges for everyone was the
language barrier. I had a Russian, French and Chinese dictionary
backstage. After many hand gestures and lots of laughing, we'd
often run for the book to help us understand each other. We kept
trying to teach English and every once in a while, someone would
come up and say that they had just seen a movie and, for the
first time, understood every word, or that they were finally
able to help their children with their English homework. So many
of the artists could already speak five or six languages, and
now they had learned a seventh!
At one of the post-opening meetings, a gentleman from Montreal
said that he could not believe how much English we had taught
everyone. I said "English, sir? We have taught them Sarcasm."
Long live Mystère and everyone who loves her!
DANIELLE RODENKIRCHEN - Assistant Company Manager
I've had the opportunity to shadow a few of our technical
departments lately and, wow, has it been fun! Even after all
these years as such a successful show and my experience as an
artist, it's amazing to see how all the pieces come together and
work so smoothly night after night. The show is fortunate to
have such a great team that works so well together, both on
stage and backstage, and I'm lucky to be a part of it once
again, even if it is behind a desk. (Although I must admit
shadowing on stage in front of an applauding audience is almost
enough to make a girl want to put on make-up and a costume
again.)
There's a reason the show has more than a dozen original cast
and crew members after all these years, and I personally think
that reason is the sense of family that exists between everyone
on the show.
A WORD FROM JEFF LUND, COMPANY MANAGER
AND SANDI CROFT, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Mystère was a breath of fresh air when it opened in Las Vegas 15
years ago-and it still is today. More than ever, it is a classic
that stands the test of time, still thrilling those who see it
and stimulating their imagination. For us, Mystère is, above
all, a huge source of pride!
Every night, the audience's applause and smiling faces remind us
how lucky we are to be part of this spectacular production. The
show gives back so much to those who see it. It gives something
different to everyone. It provokes emotions, sparks imagination
and gives encouragement that anything is possible and, most of
all, it lifts people's spirits.
There are millions of ways to interpret Mystère and draw
inspiration from it. We get our inspiration from all the members
of the team-their strength, their versatility, their passion and
their creativity. The team spirit and camaraderie was started 15
years ago. There have been many artists, technicians and staff
members that have continued to build and maintain those values
over the years.
After some 7,140 performances, Mystère continues to be a
favorite among the many who come to see the show over and over.
Congratulations to everyone who was involved in the creation,
production and continue to support the daily activities that
enable the show to be the success that it is and will always be.
25 Years Worth of Stories! [EXPANDED]
{Mar.24.2009}
ANNE COSTISELLA - Coordinator - Images & Events /// I was born
in Gaspé at the time of the famous regattas held by the region's
artistic community. In 1984, I understood the magnitude of the
anniversary of Jacques Cartier's first voyage in Canada when I
saw all the work that was put into creating a perfect
celebration.
I was eight years old. I remember Cirque du Soleil 's ad and
when I saw the Big Top in the parking lot of Place Jacques-
Cartier, I was expecting to see dwarfs, three-armed people and
lobster men; instead, I saw the Cirque du Soleil troupe give it
their all in one of their first road performances. Tough I was
very young, I could see that they wanted to put on a memorable
show. When it was over, my mother and aunt, two friendly
schoolteachers, went to see the troupe to congratulate them. One
of the troupe members, brimming with confidence and eyes
sparkling, told my mother about their plans and upcoming
projects.
My mother congratulated them a second time, took me by the hand
and, as soon as we had walked past the tent, whispered sadly: "I
feel so sorry for them - they really think this is going to work
out."
Home Away From Home [EXPANDED]
{Mar.31.2009}
Fascinating facts about the famous Cirque du Soleil Grand
Chapiteau! Before presenting shows taking up residence in
custom-built theatres, or in renowned amphitheatres around the
world, Cirque du Soleil performed under what has become one of
its famous trademarks: the blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big
Top).
o) While the first Big Top could seat 800 people, the
current one seats 2,500.
o) Setup of the Big Top can take 8 to 10 hours depending
on conditions; tear-down requires 4 to 5 hours.
o) Since 1984, the Cirque du Soleil infrastructure has
traveled over 10 million kilometers all over the world
by boat, by train and by truck.
o) Over the past 25 years, it took 20,000 trucks to haul
the touring infrastructure.
o) The top five cities most visited by Cirque du Soleil
in a Grand Chapiteau since 1984 are:
- Montreal, Canada (17 times)
- Quebec City, Canada (13 times)
- Toronto, Canada (12 times)
- Tokyo, Japan (11 times)
- San Francisco, USA (10 times)
o) In 25 years, over 65,000 m2 of canvas have gone into
their production, excluding all the other tents on the
site. Currently :
- it is held down by roughly 500 stakes;
- it can support winds up to 200 km/h;
- it measures 51 meters in diameter and is supported
by four 25-meter steel masts;
- the cupola is 19 meters above the ground.
o) A typical infrastructure includes:
- The Big Top;
- A rehearsal tent for artists complete with
wardrobe, artists' dressing rooms as well as
physiotherapy, massage and first aid services;
- An entrance tent linked to the Big Top that houses
two concession stands and merchandising kiosks;
- A Tapis Rouge (VIP) tent that can accommodate
approximately 250 guests;
- A truck that opens out to become a school for the
young artists and the performers' children;
- A truck for the on-site box office;
- Seven trucks that open out to become a kitchen
complete with dining area and outdoor patio;
o) Over 20 trucks used for technical, electrical or
logistical purposes as well as for public washrooms and
shower rooms for the artists.
o) The average lifespan of a Big Top is about ten years,
depending on the conditions of use, such as weather and
frequency of setup/teardown.
New Artwork for La Nouba
{Apr.07.2009}
La Nouba, our resident show at Walt Disney World® Resort in
Orlando, FL, celebrates 10 years thrilling audiences; our 5000th
performance and welcoming our 7 millionth guest during the
course of 2009! To commemorate these milestones, we've created
new artwork to promote the show!
See the new artwork here:
< http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/
clubcirque/news/news20090407_138.htm >
---------------------------------------------------
NETWORKING: Cirque on Twitter, Facebook & Myspace
---------------------------------------------------
Over the last month there has been an explosion of updates from Cirque
du Soleil's networking outlets. While a number of these are small
updates, notes and other quick comments (such as "Mystère by Cirque
du Soleil thinks our giant snail looks like a beautiful tie-dyed
Easter Egg." Or "KÀ by Cirque du Soleil bites the ears off the
chocolate bunnies first. How do you eat yours?", we'd like to share
some of the more interesting ones that caught our eye:
{Apr.01.2009 | LOVE]
Check out these 2 fabulous interviews with Alex Belfied from BBC
radio, featuring LOVE dancer Tina Cannon and LOVE Head of Props
Mark Jenkins! | Mark Jenkins
worked on cruise ships and eventually found his way to Cirque in
Vegas. He's now loving living in Sin City with his family and is
responsible for the props (basically anything that moves in the
entire show) in this massive production of 'Love'. Tina Marie
Cannon talks about her love for dance and working for Cirque.
Tina is a talented dancer and performer from New York. Find out
what happened when Belfield's interview kept the entire 2000
members of the audience waiting! Recorded 27th March 2009:
< http://www.celebrityradio.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content
&view=article&id=628%3Alove-mirage-gaz-hopkins&catid=
36%3Avegas-interviews&Itemid=53 >
{Apr.01.2009 | BELIEVE}
BBC Radio interviews "Believe" dancers Martha & Eric! | BBC
Radio reporter Alex Belfield visited CRISS ANGEL Believe this
weekend to see the show, and then met with dancers Eric & Martha
to chat about the show, and what its like working with Criss. They
talked about all of that and more... that is, until a flirtation
seemed to develop between Alex and Martha! Listen to the
interview and all the juicy details online:
< http://www.celebrityradio.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content
&view=article&id=630:believe-cirque-du-soleil&catid=36:vegas-
interviews&Itemid=53 >
{Apr.02.2009 | «O»}
Swimmer Bill May and singer Briana Rossi were interviewed by BBC
Radio this weekend. Click on the link below to listen and learn
more about them and what happens behind the scenes:
< http://www.celebrityradio.co.uk/index.php?option=
com_content&view=article&id=631%3Ao-bellagio-2009&catid
=36%3Avegas-interviews&Itemid=53 >
{Apr.02.2009 | KÀ}
KÀ artists Brien McCrea & Kelly Tucker talked with the BBC's
Alex Belfield on Tuesday night!:
< http://www.celebrityradio.co.uk/index.php?option=com_
content&view=article&id=640%3Aka-mgm-grand-cirque-du-
soleil&catid=36%3Avegas-interviews&Itemid=53 >
{Apr.02.2009 | La Nouba}
Our Mountain and BMX bikers, Lance Trappe and Marcos de Jesus,
had the opportunity to do a few tricks live on ESPN First Take
with Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobsen. It was the first live
broadcast of ESPN The Weekend (2009) at Hollywood Studios. This
is raw flip cam footage from the staging area. The day was
gorgeous and we had a great time.
[1:36] | LINK: < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=
1140347751858&ref=mf>
{Apr.03.2009 | KÀ}
Hey Maverick Mom! We're glad you enjoyed the show - thanks for
the great feedback!
< http://www.themaverickmom.com/uncategorized/
cirque-du-soleils-ka/ >
{Apr.08.2009 | KÀ}
KÀ by Cirque du Soleil says a very heartfelt thank you and
goodbye to original cast member, Sarah Harding. Your
contributions to the show will be remembered always. Wishing you
all the best in your new starring role as Mommy!
{Apr.09.2009 | «O»}
This video is a beautiful p"O"rtrait of the show and its
Artistic Director Luc Ouellette. | Produced by Robert Osorio
[8:02] /// < http://tinyurl.com/d3svqk >
{Apr.14.2009 | Mystère}
Hey Dottingthemap.com! Thanks for sharing your Mystère
experience with your readers!
< http://www.dottingthemap.com/2009/04/14/las-vegas-premium-
entertainment-mystere/#more-589 >
{Apr.17.2009 | LOVE}
TIME Magazine's favorite Cirque du Soleil production in Las
Vegas is The Beatles LOVE! As seen in their "10 Things to do
In 24 Hours" - #2 Cirque du Soleil LOVE.
< http://www.time.com/time/travel/cityguide/article/0,31489,
1838100_1838099_1838075,00.html >
{Apr.17.2009 | Koozå}
Great behind the scenes look at KOOZA in NYC! | Video - Breaking
News Videos from 7ONLINE.COM
< http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/video?id=6765137 >
{Apr.22.2009 | OVO}
Backstage at Ovo | A visit backstage, under the big top, as
Cirque du Soleil prepares to launch its new show, OVO.
< http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/theatre/Gallery+
Backstage+Cirque/1503415/story.html >
{Apr.24.2009 | Alegría}
After 15 years under the Big Top, Alegría is folding up and
heading out on a brand-new tour in Arenas. What do 15 years
under the big top mean for Alegría?
o) 55 acrobats, musicians, singers, clowns and characters;
o) 54 technical, site-operation, tour-services, public-services,
management and artistic staff;
o) 24 different nationalities;
o) Over 10 million spectators since 1994, in more than 65
different cities;
o) More than 200 costumes, 300 pairs of shoes, 100 wigs and 22
Old Birds masks;
o) Some 500 balls of knitting yarn, 1,094 yards of braid,
1,586 yards of lace, 2,515 yards of silk jersey and 22 pounds
of glitter used to make costumes;
o) 1,000 buttons and jewels for the two singers' costumes;
o) Over 10,000 kilos of "snow" used in the Storm Act;
o) A "village on wheels" covering an area of 20,000 m; 60
trailers carrying 800 tons of equipment across Europe;
o) 8 days of set-up and 3 days of tear-down;
o) Thousands of hours spent in planes;
o) Hundred of visas, work permits and passport stamps!
{Apr.24.2009 | Mystère}
Mystère Revealed - Exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Look at Mystère |
We'll be opening the theatre doors a few hours before showtime &
letting guests see artists on-stage (in air) as they train the
Bungee act! The training will be followed by a question & answer
session and the opportunity to get an up-close look at show
costumes! The Mystère Revealed experience will last 20 to 30
minutes. Seating is limited to the first 100 guests and begins
at 4:35 p.m. [Fascination!: Did anyone attend?]
{Apr.27.2009 | Zumanity}
Zumanity - The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil's pole dancer
Felix Cane is back from competing at the World Pole Dancing
Championship and won the title of Miss Pole Dance World!
Congrats Felix!
{Apr.27.2009 | LOVE}
LOVE Parade through Mirage | 4 new photos
< http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=78140&id=
14653468665&ref=mf >
{Apr.29.2009 | «O»}
Check out the link to photos from the Annenberg Beach House
opening in Santa Monica on Saturday. The synchronized swimming
performance was beautiful and the highlight of the opening!
< http://www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?EventId=
86091372 >
Apr.30.2009 | BELIEVE}
CRISS ANGEL Believe ..."left the audience spellbound"! writes
The Examiner in a review published today. | There are not many
of those that filled the Luxor's showroom on Wednesday night,
that would have known what prompted Criss Angel to name his
Cirque du Soleil produced show "Believe". I think it fair to say
that outside the magic fraternity (of which I was once one) few
people indeed knew that this was the secret code that Harry
Houdini - possibly one of the world's greatest magicians, gave
his beloved wife on his death bed as a protection against
fraudulent mediums who claimed to be in contact with him after
his tragic death. If they were unable to tell her the secret
word ("believe") she would know the message wasn't from Harry!
For 10 years a small group of personal friends would gather with
her on the anniversary eve (Halloween) of Harry's death to hold
a séance and try to make contact. Surely if anyone could break
the bonds of death it would be Harry. I'm sorry to add he never
did! I'm not so sure this would have been the case had the
deceased been Criss Angel! This truly gifted magical performer
left his audience spellbound! His overwhelming personality
combined with the unsurpassed artistry of a Cirque du Soleil
production makes this a one of a kind evening you will talk
about for a long time. As with most Cirque productions you need
to be seated early! I won't spoil the fun but the pre show
shenanigans' is what I look forward to most, at all their
shows! "Criss Angel- Believe -by Cirque du Soleil is 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 and Cirque de Soleil."
-------------------------------------------
TELEMAJIK: Cirque on YouTube & Flickr
-------------------------------------------
[FLICKR]
Website: < http://www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/ >
Cirque du Soleil released 18 images through its Flickr photostream in
the month of April, all of which showcase OVO, Cirque du Soleil's
newest touring production. These were the first glimpses of some of
the show's main characters and acts before its premiere on April 23rd!
Check them out here!
o) OVO - Cirque du Soleil
Dress Rehearsals for the Press conference
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421450690/
Character: Cricket
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3420642387/
Character: Flipo
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3420642577/
Act: Foot Juggling & Icarian Games
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3420642757/
Act: Slack Wire
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3420642889/
Act: Slack Wire
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421451366/
Act: Contortion
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421451500/
Act: Contortion
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421451662/
Act: Contortion
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3420643481/
Act: Acrosport
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421452290/
Act: Acrosport
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3420644161/
Character: Foreigner
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421452674/
Character: Foreigner
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421452808/
Character: Lady Bug & Foreigner
o) Cirque du Soleil Presents OVO
Press Conference
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421850807/
Q&A Session
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421850849/
Group Shot: OVO Egg
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3422659958/
The Ants (Foot Jugglers)
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421850917/
Group Shot: OVO Egg
- www.flickr.com/photos/cirquedusoleildotcom/3421850969/
Big top & Moving Truck
[YOUTUBE]
Website: < http://www.youtube.com/cirquedusoleil >
Website: < http://youtube.com/CirqueLasvegas >
Currently there are 187 videos on the CirqueduSoleil channel at YouTube!
At first glance there appears to be quite a number of significant clips;
however at closer look we find that many are in the 15-30 second
range geared more toward "Jobs on Stage", showcasing many of Cirque du
Soleil's employable positions. We'll take a look through those in more
detail in the coming issues if and when there are periods of low
posts. In the meantime, check out these other great videos that were
more recently posted:
o) Happy Mother's Day / Mother's Day wishes from cast & crew
[1:07] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHD61-8Xypk >
o) Dralion in Melbourne / Spectators Comment on the Show
[3:46] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTbo4BfFLE0 >
o) Dralion in Melbourne / After Show Party
[1:29] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF4IS9oeWVQ >
o) Dralion in Melbourne / Red Carpet Arrivals
[2:08] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPCez4WLC0M >
o) Then & Now / A Look Back at Cirque History
[3:27] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NqDt2nSFpQ >
o) ZED by Cirque du Soleil / Trailer
[1:51] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h26w9TcNHFc >
o) ZAIA by Cirque du Soleil / Trailer
[1:36] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdnhvjvkifM >
o) OVO / Foot Juggling & Icarian Games
[0:31] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeAf6NDeoaY >
o) OVO / Cricket Dance
[0:31] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_YNlHRjyZ4 >
o) OVO / Power Track & Wall
[0:31] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHq8U1wDcNs >
o) OVO / Spanish Web Duo
[0:31] /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06s3mdWl7jE >
----------------------------------------
GATHERINGS: CirqueCon, Celebri & More!
----------------------------------------
[CirqueCon]
Saturday, May 22, 2004, 30-plus fans of Cirque du Soleil from across
North and Central America came together in Vancouver to celebrate the
return of Quidam, which had just delighted audiences in Japan. From
that moment CirqueCon was officially born. The story of its genesis is
somewhat more complicated, suffice it to say two individual groups
decided to combine and make the trip together. Add in a little folly
from Cirque du Soleil and viola! CirqueCon came to be through the
efforts of Jeff Tolotti, Keith Johnson and Ricky Russo ("Richasi").
Today, CirqueCon is brought to you by: Keith Johnson, LouAnna
Valentine, Ricky Russo ("Richasi"), and Rich Alford.
In years past we've been to Vancouver (2004), for Quidam; Montréal
(2005), for Corteo; Las Vegas (2006), for LOVE and the other Vegas
resident shows; Orlando (2007), to experience La Nouba, and Tokyo
(2008), for ZED. Join us for the next two adventures: Monterrey,
Mexico (2009) to experience Dralion; and Hollywood (2010), for the new
Kodak 2010 show!
We'll announce or weekend date for 2009's trip in the coming weeks, so
please stay tuned! In the mean time, learn all about our 2009 trip
here:
o) Memberships:
< http://www.cirquecon.com/2009/member.htm >
o) Show Tickets:
< http://www.cirquecon.com/2009/tickets.htm >
o) Hotel:
< http://www.cirquecon.com/2009/hotel.htm >
o) Itinerary:
< http://www.cirquecon.com/2009/itinerary.htm >
o) Social Activities:
< http://www.cirquecon.com/2009/social.htm >
Visit the CirqueCon website for further details on past,
present and future endeavors:
< http://www.CirqueCon.com/ >
[Celebri!]
From the Italian "to celebrate," Celebri! is a coming together
of friends to celebrate Cirque du Soleil in various geographical
settings. By supporting a small reunion multiple times a year,
Celebri! desires to ensnare the jubilant, ecstatic, and euphoric
feelings that well up inside each avid Cirque du Soleil fan and
nurture that festivity into a joyous and wonderful occasion with
friends and fellow fans alike! So join us for Celebri! in a
region near you - we announce the city and our timetable and all
you have to do is set your itinerary and join us! Celebri! Is a
partnership between Ricky "Richasi" Russo and Rich Alford.
Over the past year, Rich and Ricky have visited a number of cities
in search of Cirque du Soleil and had some amazing adventures.
Where've we been? NeW York City (Nov 2007), for Wintuk; San
Francisco (Dec 2007), for Koozå; Seattle (May 2008), for Corteo;
Las Vegas (Sep 2008), for Believe; and Seoul (Nov 2008), for
Alegría!
As of this writing, we've just finished our exciting trip to
New York City / Montréal for Cirque du Soleil's Koozå and the
premiere of OVO! We've got many more exciting adventures coming
up! Stay tuned for more!
Interested in joining us? Visit the Celebri website for further
details on past, present and future endeavors:
< http://www.celebri.org/ >
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- INFORMATION BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts about Cirque
o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History
---------------------------------
DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque
---------------------------------
o) Did you Know that Cirque du Soleil's touring shows have visited
over 200 cities around the world since 1984? That means over 90
million spectators have seen a Cirque du Soleil show since then.
Cirque du Soleil now has an official tour history database on its
website, which you can visit to review all 200+ cities it has
visited worldwide: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/
en/FAQ/shows_history.htm >
o) Cirque du Soleil's «O» celebrated its 5,000th performance on
Saturday, April 18, 2009! Did you know that after 5,000 shows, 25
original cast, 26 original crew and 2 original staff members have
remained devoted to «O»? In fact, the man on fire, Ray Wold, has
performed in all 5,000 shows. He has never missed a performance,
and the total time he's been on fire has totaled more than 250
hours! The 225 performers who have worked in the production since
Day One have represented nearly 30 countries.
o) Did you know that more than 8.5 million guests have enjoyed «O»
since it opened? More than 25,000 costumes and more than 15,000
shoes have been worn, with the wardrobe department handling more
than 144,000 loads of laundry in the 5,000 performances of «O»?. To
style the wigs, more than 23,500 ounces of hairspray have been used
since O began more than a decade ago. The crew has spent more than
100,000 hours underwater during the shows. The team of high divers
who travel 60 feet per show has racked up of 227 miles -- the
equivalent of journeying into space 3.6 times.
o) Did you know that an average of 55 tractor trailers is needed to
carry more than 2 million pounds of equipment from city to city?
Over the past 25 years it has taken 20,000 trucks to haul the
Cirque du Soleil touring infrastructure worldwide!
o) Did you know that as of 2009, Cirque du Soleil has more than 4,000
employees, including 1,000 artists? In 1984, only 73 people worked
for the Cirque but today (as of 2009), Cirque du Soleil has more
than 4,000 employees worldwide, including more than 1,000 artists?
Cirque's employees and artists represent 40 nationalities and speak
25 different languages, speaking to the truly global neighborhood
that Cirque du Soleil inhabits. At the International Headquarters
in Montreal, there are close to 1,800 employees alone. The average
age? 35 years.
o) Did you know that the water in the Zumanity Water Bowl is 99-
degrees Fahrenheit so the contortionsists' muscles stay warm and
flexible throughout the act? Consequently the water bowl girls have
used more than 2500 pairs of nipple covers.
o) Do you know what it's like to perform in your underwear? Zumanity
artist Arslan Gusengadzhiev ("Dislocation") does it every night -
his skivvies are $1500 designer silk boxer shorts!
------------------------------------
HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History
------------------------------------
* May.01.1986 -- Cirque Performs at Expo 86 in Vancouver
* May.01.2003 -- Cirque nominated for Drama Desk Awards:
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical - Stephane Roy
Outstanding Costume Design - Eiko Ishioka
Outstanding Sound Design - Francois Bergeron
Unique Theater Experience - Varekai
* May.02.2000 -- Journey of Man (IMAX) premiered in USA
* May.02.2000 -- Journey of Man CD Released in US/Canada (RCA/Victor)
* May.02.2006 -- Cirque announced Macau permanent production
* May.02.2007 -- Cirque announces Dubai 2010 show
* May.04.2006 -- Dralion opened Valencia
* May.04.2006 -- Varekai opened Seattle
* May.05.2006 -- Saltimbanco opened Buenos Aires
* May.06.2004 -- Quidam opened Vancouver
* May.06.2004 -- Alegría opened New York City
* May.07.1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé Premiered in La Salle
* May.08.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience Premiered in Montréal
* May.08.2006 -- Cirque announced Elvis-themed productions
* May.08.2008 -- Koozå opened Philadelphia, PA
* May.09.2002 -- Quidam opened Pittsburgh
* May.09.2008 -- Koozå CD officially Available
* May.10.2007 -- Alegría opened Saint-Denis, France
* May.11.1986 -- Cirque leaves Expo 86
* May.11.2000 -- Saltimbanco Pacific-Northwest Tour Began (Portland)
* May.11.2007 -- Corteo opened Columbus, Ohio
* May.11.2007 -- Cirque Celebrates 20 Years in Los Angeles
* May.12.2005 -- Quidam opened Adelaide
* May.13.2006 -- La Nouba celebrated 3500th performance
[Saturday, 6:00pm]
* May.13.2006 -- Dralion celebrated its 2500th performance
[Valencia, Spain]
* May.14.1985 -- 1985 Tour Began in Montréal [Vieux-Port de Montréal]
* May.15.1997 -- Alegría opened Munich
* May.15.2003 -- Dralion opened Montreal
* May.15.2008 -- Alegría opened Porto Alegre, Brazil
* May.17.2005 -- Solarium-Delirium CD Released (CDS Musique)
* May.18.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Sherbrooke
* May.18.1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Sherbrooke
* May.18.1989 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Chicago
* May.18.2000 -- Quidam opened Bilbao
* May.18.2003 -- Cirque loses Drama Desk Awards (nominated 5/1/03)
* May.18.2006 -- Quidam opened Ottawa
* May.19.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Munich
* May.19.2006 -- Varekai opened Baltimore
* May.20.1999 -- Alegría resident show premiered in Biloxi, Mississippi.
* May.20.2007 -- Quidam opened Seoul, South Korea (first time in Korea!)
* May.21.2003 -- Quidam opened Nagoya
* May.21.2004 -- CirqueCon 2004: Vancouver Began (through 5/24)
* May.21.2009 -- Corteo opened Nagoya, Japan
* May.22.1992 -- Fascination Premiered in Tokyo (Until Sep.)
* May.22.1998 -- Alegría opened Hamburg
* May.23.2007 -- Dralion opened Sendai, Japan
* May.24.2002 -- Mystère celebrated 4000th performance [Friday, 7:30pm]
* May.25.1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened New York City
* May.26.2009 -- ZAIA, Alegría Remastered CDs Released
* May.27.1999 -- Alegría: Le Film premiered in Netherlands
* May.27.2009 -- Alegría Arena Tour Beings [Halifax, NS]
* May.28.1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Montréal
* May.28.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Brisbane, Australia
* May.28.2003 -- BRAVO sneaks Varekai - Midnight to 2:00pm
* May.29.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Montréal
* May.29.1997 -- Quidam opened Oakland
* May.29.2001 -- Alegría opened Sydney, Australia
* May.29.2008 -- Name of "Cirque Macao 2008" Announced - "ZAIA"
* May.30.2006 -- Varekai celebrated 1500th performance
[Tues, 8:00pm/Seattle]
* May.31.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Stuggart
* May.31.2001 -- Quidam opened Hamburg
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
Within...
o) "The Birth of Ovo: A Teeming World..."
By: Ricky Russo - Celebration, Florida (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
o) "My Thoughts on OVO"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
{As Published in segments on Cirque Tribune}
-------------------------------------------------------
"The Birth of Ovo"
By: Ricky Russo - Celebration, Florida (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
-------------------------------------------------------
Witnessing the birth of a brand-new Cirque du Soleil touring show is a
must-see event that every fan of the Cirque should attempt at least
once in their lifetimes. Taking the show in with the hometown crowd is
a singular experience not to be missed - the abundance of excitement,
that electric spark of energy, and unfettered restlessness over the
anticipation of reveal is both fascinating and intoxicating. A pure,
raw, energy invades the Grand Chapiteau here unlike anywhere else in
the world. And when you share the experience with friends the
experience can be most enlightening.
Going to Montreal to see a premiere is a particular thrill I have been
privileged to experience, beginning with Varekai (2002), and
continuing with Corteo (2005), Koozå (2007) and now with Ovo (2009).
Each time the experience is different, as shows are opened at various
stages of development and different stages of presentation. Corteo and
Koozå had some minor work ahead of it before reaching its full
potential, while Varekai needed a complete act shuffle before coming
to its final form. From these examples we find that some concepts are
further along than others, but generally all turn out a well-satisfied
crowd.
But with Ovo, the spell seems to be broken.
Perhaps this one should have gestated a little longer.
Or perhaps the expectations were set just a wee bit high.
The Big Apple
---------------
Prior to hitting the beautiful cobblestone streets of the Vieux Port
of Montreal, I spent two days in New York City taking in the sights
and sounds of the Big Apple. There's something about New York City
that invigorates me, although I don't know why since exploring it saps
all my energy! Be that as it may, New York City has a number of Class-
A attractions and neighborhoods that simply cannot be ignored. There's
Uptown, Downtown, Theater District, Chinatown, Little Italy, the Park,
and more. Each one is an amazing cultural province all its own. And
each time I visit the big city I learn more about its identity.
For example, I discovered where the term "The Big Apple" originated:
It seems that in 1920, John J. Fitzgerald - a local horseracing sports
writer - heard a New Orleans stable-hand refer to New York by that
name. Shortly thereafter, he recycled the term in his newspaper column
whereby other reporters began picking up on it. Gossip columnist
Walter Winchell used it to identify New York's entertainment district
in 1927 - and by the 1950s, it had become a common way to refer to the
city, since New York represented opportunity for many people.
New York presented us an amazing opportunity to have fun over the few
days we were in town. We had Dim Sum in China Town, Chocolate Canole's
and Cappuccinos in Little Italy, hearty soups in Grand Central
Station, and bar-b-que in Times Square. Outside of the theater
district we visited two of the city's famed museums: MOMA (Museum of
Modern Art) and Metropolitan Museum of Art. MOMA has an eclectic array
of modern art in its collection from sculpture, painting, furniture,
architecture and more. Included as part of its gallery are many world-
famous paintings, such as: "The Starry Night" by Vincent van Gogh,
"Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" by Pablo Picasso, "The Persistence of
Memory" by Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol's "Campbell's Soup Cans", and
"Water Lilies" by Claude Monet. And while each one of these was a
treat to see, it seems Modern Art isn't my thing. Some of it is just
too abstract for my tastes.
Down the road at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, I found things more
to my liking. Unfortunately we didn't have a lot of time to explore
this enormous museum; however, we were able to examine the Egyptian,
Chinese and Japanese collections, pass through the Greek and Roman
statuary, and float through the classical European paintings on the
second floor. As such we got to see a print of "The Great Wave off
Kanagawa", the first in Hokusai's 36 Views of Mount Fuji (including
other fine examples). In the European painting section many fine
examples rested, including Van Gogh's "Self Portrait with a Straw Hat"
and Jacques-Louis David's "The Death of Socrates".
Outside of the arts we took in two shows: Lion King on Broadway and
Cirque du Soleil's Koozå on Randal's Island. While Koozå is always
great fun - my sixth overall viewing and I've enjoyed it each and
every time (this one no different even though the Juggler was sitting
out our performance) - our presentation of the Lion King at Minskoff
Theater was even more exhilarating. I've seen Lion King at least four
other times: twice on the US National Tour (both the Gazelle and
Cheetah companies), once on the West End in London, and again most
recently in Tokyo, but never in the location the show first opened: on
Broadway. It took a little more than 10 years but the dream finally
came true - and with front-row tickets no less! Experiencing the show
from the front row, while a little difficult due to the height of the
stage, cannot be equaled anywhere else. From this vantage you become
part of each scene, rather than watching it from afar. It is truly an
emotional experience to be caught up in Mufasa's death, the mourning
Lionesses, and many other facets that make up Simba's life story.
Meeting Nala after the show for a photo opportunity (thanks to a
donation to charity) was also a major highlight. It was simply a
treat I will never forget.
But of course, the reason for the journey was Ovo - Cirque du Soleil's
newest touring production.
A Teeming World...
--------------------
OVO (pronounced oh-voh) takes its name from the Portuguese word for
Egg, an animal reproductive body consisting of an ovum together with
its nutritive and protective envelope. "When a mysterious egg appears
in the insect's midst," the press release suggests, "they are
awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object;" a timeless
symbolic representation of birth. The enigma and its importance to
the insectoid microcosm embodies the underlying thread of the show,
which is also communicated graphically as OVO hides an insect in its
name: The two letter "Os" represent the eyes while the letter "V"
forms the nose.
"OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our
feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and
chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of
insect life begins anew."
Entering the Grand Chapiteau is always a treat; when you step foot
inside the big top for a brand new show expectations run rampant,
which only serves to heighten the excitement even more. When the
flimsy doors of Ovo's big top parted, my nostrils instantly filled not
with the strange but intoxicating, cinnamon-like scent that wafted
through the air at Varekai, but rather with a peaty, earthy kind of
smell. A hint toward the show's universal theme of biodiversity.
As with most Cirque du Soleil productions (all in recent memory), Ovo
begins with a pre-show animation sequence that puts the unsuspecting
audience face-to-face with Cirque performers. Here the theme of an
insect world is expounded upon by a small assortment of insect
characters (namely the grasshoppers) milling about the seating area
with an entourage of human scientists dressed in full-protective garb
carrying around catcher's nets and magnifying glasses, inspecting the
audience, capturing them with their nets and otherwise causing muted
chaos.
As the lights dim, our attention is then directed upon the trio of
stalks neatly distributed within this microcosmic arena, and to the
rather large and inescapable egg-shaped object situated in its center.
While we in the audience can only begin to wonder about the impending
reveal of the egg and its meaning, a small insect contingent converges
upon the stage, ascending the stalks (themselves reminiscent of
dandelion stems) to flit about. Once the spectator do's and dont's are
understood, the creatures come to life by crying, buzzing, trilling
and chirping the show's namesake - OVO.
A rainbow of light washes over the (28ft wide by 22ft tall) egg,
bathing it in reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, indigos and
violets - swirling about in a Technicolor rainbow, projections
reminiscent of Delirium. Strobes flash and thunder for fleeting
seconds, momentarily blinding, raising the level of tension. But if
you're waiting for a dramatic reveal a la Saltimbanco, "O" or ZED,
you'll be sorely disappointed. The world goes pitch black and the egg
simply deflates, its collapsed hulk simply drug offstage left.
When the lights arise - the insects swarm. There are nine (9)
different performances (acts) by this multi-cultural cast of 53, each
a new and exciting peek into this creepy-crawly world that Deborah
Colker, a renowned choreographer, has created for us, a headlong-rush
into this teeming buggy ecosystem. Theirs is perhaps a right of
passage dance, itching and scratching their way across the stage to
showcase their world to us, to welcome us and to invite us.
OVO: The Show
---------------
They part to reveal a lone dragonfly, performed by Vladimir
Hrynchenko. He floats about the stage and glides along on an
intricately conceived set piece that, upon second glance, is a
balancing cane twisted in a spiral to elevate him above the stage in a
very elaborate manner. (This apparatus is a perfect example of the
show's particular style: an organic inspiration whereby there are
almost no straight lines to be found). At the top rests a normal
balancing block, which he puts to great use in his handbalancing act,
but he also uses the curvature of the apparatus to slip, slide and
flit about in a very calm, soothing manner.
As the dragonfly slowly flutters off stage, a strange and alluring
character begins to traverse the pathways of the Grand Chapiteu,
carrying an ovo of immense size securely upon his back. He is the
Foreigner, a fly in vintage suit who only reveals his true nature (a
lone soul) when he falls for the ladybug. "OOOOHKAY!" - After coming
in contact with the Ladybug, the Crickets steal off with his egg,
leaving the Foreigner dazed and confused.
The ants, dressed in red, invade the macrocosm next, bringing with
them their foraging spoils - little bites of food (Kiwi, Corn and
Mushrooms)! Combining the ancient art of Chinese foot-juggling with
the equally old art of Icarian Games, this sextet of Asian-girl
cuteness (Han Jing, Kong Yufei, Pei Xin, Su Shan, Wang Shaohua, and
Zhu TingTing) takes the stage by storm and do not disappoint. The ants
work in tandem, flipping their food about with ease. And just when you
think you've seen it all they flip themselves while also flipping
their spoils! Easily it's the most exciting aspect of the first half
of the show.
A small cocoon ascends as the ants march off the stage, beautifully
introducing the next performance. A performer in silk struggles to
break free of her cocoon; spreading the silk threads after emergence
to evoke the delicate wings of a butterfly. Her metamorphic birth then
gives way to two other butterflies who soar into the sky on a strong
forest vine. Maxim Kozlov and Inna Mayorova (from Russia) perform a
slow, sensual dance of trust and love, wrapping themselves and each
other in a single Spanish web rope. After their performance, we meet
up with the Foreigner again as he continues his search for his Ovo.
But his presence in this world isn't liked by all and gets into a mock
sword fight with Flipo, the male matriarch of this little insect
community.
Slinky-dude comes forth to lighten the mood next. Performed by Lee
Brearley, he is figuratively and literally a human slinky; twisting,
twirling, lifting, and flopping about the stage in a multi-colored
tubular (caterpillar-esque) costume. Unfortunately his presence on
stage, while wonderfully appreciated, is short-lived.
And then... the scarabs take to the scene.
Volants is one of the more intriguing original creations from the
Cirque; it combines the techniques and talents of flying trapeze,
banquine, and Russian swing amongst a hand-full of other disciplines.
Here a team of black-and-gold colored scarabs take to the skies and
fly about the top of the grand chapiteau. On both ends exists a
staging platform and two standard pendulum swings from which the
trapeze flyers launch and the catchers catch, but in the middle,
however, rests a second platform from which to catch and launch the
flyers banquine style. It's quite an amazing set-up that just doesn't
quite live up to the build-up. (However, we've heard that an injury
during the lion's den - a performance done for Guy Laliberté before
the show can go on - resulted in an injury. That injury prevented most
of the staging to go on as planned).
Intermission.
When we return to our seats and the house lights dim once again, the
stage lights rise without fanfare to begin the second half of the
show, almost as if we just pressed play after pausing a video
presentation.
Hanging from all points of the insect's stage is a spider's web, spun
about to set up the contortion act of a trio of deadly female black
widow spiders. A relatively well done, typical contortion set
performed by Svetlana Belova from Russia begins, perfectly framed as
the ruler of her kingdom. As far as contortion acts go I will contend
she was quite nervous in our showing so her performance may not have
included more than just a typical set. Two other spiders (performed by
Robyn Houpt, USA; and Marjorie Nantel, Canada) joined the fun,
crawling about in the web and cavorting on stage to draw other non-
suspecting insect-prey into their grasp.
The yellow and white costumed fleas jump on stage next for Acrosport,
a cross between the adagio and banquine disciplines performed by Anna
Gorbatenko, Natallia Kakhniuk, Khrystsina Maraziuk, Elena Nepytayeva,
and Olga Varchuk from the Ukrane and Belarus. These costumed insects
leap and bound through an act that, while impressive, sorely lacks any
real choreography (and this from a director that specializes in
choreography). As such we're shown tricks rather than highly skilled
techniques. Cirque du Soleil has featured banquine in three of its
shows to date - Quidam, "O" and ZED - and at present I would have to
rate this performance similar to that featured in "O". While this does
not mean the presentation is overly ghastly, it does lack a certain
element, oomph if you will, that would bring this piece to that next
level.
A black spider takes firm control of our world with this phenomenal
number - slackwire. First strung loosely close to the stage's floor,
then raised 20 feet or more above the stage, Li Wei performs an
amazing number of hand-balancing and coordinated techniques on this
tension-less wire. One hand, two hand and no-hand (cane) balancing
techniques are made without a fuss. He even makes riding a uni-cycle
upside down powered only by his hands look easy. It was definitely the
most exciting performance of OVO at this showing; quite a crowd
pleaser!
The last remaining scrim is then removed from the stage revealing an
enormous wall and trampoline. The crickets, which we've seen hopping
about at various times during the show, finally get to shine here,
bouncing and tumbling about, while other insects take part by using
the wall. The ants, for example, can be seen crawling along in a
perfect line, just like typical ants. Unfortunately the wall is
overused and the power track and trampoline completely underutilized.
The entire act is performed with an enormous amount of (obviously)
pent-up energy on the grasshopper's parts; however, the techno-pop
music and abhorrent staging deflate any excitement generated by this
number's reveal. Why go through all the trouble and expense of a
trampoline and powertrack (similar to La Nouba's) and not really flip
down the track much? It is my sincere hope that since this number
closes the show acrobatically its presentation and execution will be
greatly tightened soon.
The insects once again swarm the stage in the show's finale, a feast
for a job well done. This closing dance number also acts as an act
sign-off - characters from each of the performed numbers crawl across
the banquet table giving the audience a moment to show their approval
in claps and cheers. Unfortunately the presentation of this ending is
somewhat confusing, as the traditional pause in music (usually
announcing a curtain call) did not come; therefore, the audience was
unsure whether this was just a dance or whether it was really the end.
It was.
In Conclusion
---------------
All in all, while I think biodiversity is a grand theme to attempt,
and I don't mind the buggy world, I think its concept was taken a
little too literally here, which appears quite heavily in the
character's costumes. They are ingenious and highly detailed, but
appear more laughable in that pulp sci-fi kind of way. You know,
cheesy. In other shows - Mystère for example - we have birds and
lizards whose costumes evoke the sense of that creature, but do not
literally cast the performer as that creature. It is my opinion that
perhaps something similar should have occurred here - especially with
the Ladybug.
What OVO lacks is a concrete choreography and wasted potential in the
presentation of its acrobatic acts. The skill set is not showcased;
the bar has not been raised from previous efforts. This can be seen
time and time again with the Hand-balancing act, the contortion piece,
the Acrosport, and the power track/wall performance. More time and
effort appears to be spent on the visuals surrounding the performance
(a.k.a. its framing) rather than on the physical performance itself.
And if there's little new technical merit whatthen is the point? It's
all very nice and colorful, but there's no pop, no oomph, no chutzpah
- which is also a problem with the show's score. There's a lack of
depth, sophistication, and worldly vibe that we expect from Cirque du
Soleil music. What we get instead are uses of Beethoven's Fifth and a
rather jazzy "La Cucaracha" and a number of choices that act more as a
background tune than a supportive note.
The performances on the old quays of Montreal are by definition
previews, and as such should only be taken as a peek into the final
product. Of that I can only say this: with Varekai the entire audience
was up on its feet during the final Russian Swing number, for Koozå a
total of four standing ovations were given DURING the show, but for
Ovo... timid applause. Does this mean the show is a dud? By no means.
It just needs a little more work. And it will come. I can't wait to
see how this show evolves over the next few months!
-------------------------------------------------------
"My Thoughts on Ovo"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
{As Published on Cirque Tribune}
-------------------------------------------------------
I just got back from the first pubic performance of OVO. To describe
the show in a word: mediocre.
While the show has a few worthwhile moments, a few high-level acts and
some good design elements, as a whole, none of it really comes
together into a cohesive whole and and the show really suffers from a
lack of direction. I really didn't find OVO all that engaging as a
show. Overall, I think it's in better shape than Kooza was at its
premiere (however, that's not saying much considering I pretty much
thought Kooza was a disaster at premiere and it's still near the
bottom on my list of Cirque shows)
SET
Some of the show's design elements are very good. I like the set
design, the layered backdrop is interesting aesthetically and the
reference to spider webs makes for some interesting imagery.
LIGHTING
The lighting design was really sub-par, after seeing some of the
brilliant designs of previous lighting designers I thought OVO looked
really amateurish. The opening was especially embarrassing,
purposeless strobe lights and flashing coloured lights onto the giant
egg? It looked cheesy and I thought to myself, "Where am I? The grade
8 dance?" The lighting definitely was not used creatively or
purposefully to accentuate the scenic composition in the way I saw in
Corteo and Zed amongst others.
COSTUMES
I'm divided on the costumes; I sat up close and was literally face-to-
face with one of the cricket characters in the opening and could
really see the intricate details and the pleating work done in the
costumes but I generally don't like the style of the costumes. The
style came off as an unsuccessful amalgam of insects and cheesy 1960s
sci-fi aliens plus some other things way out of left-field like the
contortionists (spiders) costumes being almost exact rip-offs from
Cats, the musical or the ridiculous cockroach costumes for the
musicians (although I will admit the singer's cockroach dress and
headpiece had me in stitches).
CHARACTERS
After the complete lack of character-work for Kooza I was glad to see
at least some for OVO, the different groups of insects are given
unique movements and character traits. I especially thought the
cricket characters were really well-developed and were reminiscent of
some of the engaging animal-inspired characters in Mystère. The other
character groups still need more work in developing their characters
but to the show's credit the characters (with the exception of the
three main characters) aren't as "cartoony" as I feared they'd be and
thankfully, unlike in Kooza, the performers don't annoyingly break
character after every trick to flap their arms like idiots and cry out
for more applause.
The clowning was generally pretty bad. On the scale of annoying-to-
engaging the three main characters are definitely way more toward the
annoying end. Flipo played by Joseph Collard was vaguely reminiscent
of Brian Dewhurst in Nouvelle Éxperience minus the sophistication and
poise, François-Guillaume Leblanc who plays the Stranger channels John
Gilkey but is so over the top in his portrayal he makes Gilkey seem
subtle! Michelle Matlock's lady bug is the most tolerable of the trio
and in her best moments succeeds in coming off as cute. Though the
clowning is very weak it's still better than the low-brow insufferable
clowning in Kooza and OVO's clown interludes are mercifully brief and
should remain so.
CHOREOGRAPHY
Since the show was directed by a choreographer, I'm especially
disappointed that the dance elements in the show were so weak. The
show lacked the kind of thoughtful, integrated choreographic concepts
that really made the Debra Brown-choreographed shows the gold
standard. The group dances featured in the show were silly and felt
awkward and out-of-place (they were done in a jazz style that reminded
me of mid-90s Janet Jackson music video dance choreography). OVO was a
wasted opportunity for the choreographer.
MUSIC
Then of course there's the music . . . supremely disappointing. It's
probably the weakest Cirque score to date. It consisted mostly of
generic early-90s-sounding synth pop/rock with a little bit of
Brazilian flavour and while some of it is catchy the score was
generally boring and uninspired. With few exceptions it was just
background music rather than anything integrated and conceptual. The
musicians are excellent there are a few instrumental solos where they
get to shine, I'd recognize Sebastien Savard's airy, Quidam-style
violin flights anywhere. Marie-Claude Marchand has a gorgeous voice
(reminiscent of Zara Tellander) but is unfortunately, really under-
used in the show and never really given anything of substance to sing.
ACTS
The acts in OVO are a real hodge-podge, while the skill level is
consistently high, the acts lack the thought in theatrical
presentation to really make them pop in a context of a Cirque show.
The opening of the show features the insects gathering around a giant
egg on the stage . . . and that's about it, very anti-climactic.
The handbalancing act starts off the show and is one of the stronger
acts in terms of presentation and artistic integration. The balancing
cane is placed atop a metal spiral which enables the artist to perform
some interesting choreography. The artist performs the act with grace
and poise and the act is one of the few in the show where the music
complements the artistic concept.
The foot juggling act is another direct transplant from the
traditional Chinese circus the music features Marie-Claude's first
vocal solos but other than that there's nothing interesting about the
presentation of the act.
The web act is introduced by an interesting interlude where a
performer on silks hatches herself from a nylon cocoon and spreads the
silks to look like wings to evoke a butterfly. The web act itself is a
nice little act if nothing particularly unique, it flows nicely but
lacks any real emotion or connection with the music.
The first act closer, the flying act is spectacular and Cirque
deserves credit for developing this original concept in-house when
they've recently stuck to buying acts others have developed for their
recent shows; the act combines acro sport, aerial cradle and flying
trapeze techniques and while it is very high-calibre, the presentation
leaves a lot to be desired; the music doesn't suit the act at all it's
very generic background music. The act really needs a strong piece of
music like the Aerial High Bar music from Mystère or Alegría to add a
sense of drama to really complete the staging.
The contortion act immediately following intermission is awkward. The
set-up is promising, a web of rope is strung across most of the stage
extending over the first few rows of the audience. The first part of
the act consists of web rope contortion, then a floor portion follows.
The problem is again the lack of direction in the presentation; the
act has neither a strong enough choreographic concept to be considered
dance nor a strong enough mise-en-scène to qualify it as a theatrical
concept.
The acrosport number suffers similarly from lack of thought in its
presentation. The performers are obviously highly skilled yet the
"act" just consists of going down a list of tricks. I would think that
a choreographer would be excited to have the opportunity to
choreograph performers with such limitless possibilities in their
range of movements however the choreography of the act is almost non-
existent. It's such a wasted opportunity.
The slackwire act is a highlight of the show in terms of artistic
integration. The music is one of the more interesting pieces of the
score featuring instrumental solos by the guitarist, violinist and
accordion player (the latter two of whom are visible on-stage during
the act. However, slackwire acts generally don't lend themselves well
to artistic presentation so the presentation in OVO is probably as
strong as one is likely to find for such an act.
The power track/trampoline/climbing wall act is a very promising
concept and the troupe performs the act with a great amount of energy,
flipping down the power track, bouncing up and down the tramps and
climbing on the wall in various groups. Where the act fails is again
in the presentation. The music is distractingly sophomoric, with
synthesizer blasts that remind me of the opening theme of an early-90s
MTV show and the choreography also leaves a lot to be desired
considering the brilliant staging of Cirque's previous fast/powertrack
numbers.
TRANSITIONS
In some of Cirque's best shows, the transitions are often just as
interesting as the acts, if not moreso, the interstitial sequences are
often given theatrical or choreographic substance which makes them
engaging. Conversely, I found the transitions in OVO to be abrupt and
jarring, more-so than any other Cirque show I noticed the techs
running about the tent to set up the rigging, there were no attempts
to make the equipment set-up seamless or incorporate the transitions
into the (non-existent) theatrical concept, the number of techs
running about the big top doing to do set-up was actually distracting.
CONCLUSION
OVO is missing a lot of the Cirque du Soleil value-added elements;
engaging music, theatricality, choreography and general presentation
quality. The presentation of OVO is all style over substance, and I
don't particularly care for OVO's style. While I'd like to believe
that they will make significant changes to improve the show and add
the presentation elements it sorely lacks in the next few months their
recent track record suggests otherwise.
In general OVO is really nothing special. It lacks the sophistication,
direction and attention-to-detail in the presentation that are the
trademark of Cirque du Soleil's classic shows and will, quite frankly,
never be up to par with the company's best works. While parts of it
are mildly entertaining it falls far short of the sublime, visceral
experiences of the classic Cirque shows and is not something I'd
really be interested in seeing again. It's hardly worth the steep
Cirque du Soleil ticket price and is definitely not anything I'd
recommend going out-of-your way to rush to see.
OVO is desperately crying out for any type of direction, a script, an
integrated choreographic concept, anything to give the show some sense
of purpose. I imagine OVO is about the same level a show as Cirque
Dreams or Neil Goldman's Cirque or the other cheap direct Cirque du
Soleil knock offs. The criticism of those shows is that they make a
meagre attempt to copy Cirque du Soleil's aesthetic (often
unsuccessfully, resulting in tacky, non-cohesive costumes and sets and
corny synthesizer music) and missing the finer points of what makes
Cirque du Soleil unique, the attention to detail in presentation, the
thought put into development of concepts, the mise-en-scène used to
explore deeper ideas or evoke emotions. OVO also fails on all these
accounts and belongs in the same league as these cheap imitation
Cirque du Soleil shows, it should be seen as an embarrassing misstep.
OVO's mediocrity is especially disappointing because it seemed for a
while that Cirque might be on the verge of a comeback after giving us
the brilliant Zed, it seems for every step forward Cirque takes two
steps back. OVO feels like the Cirque du Soleil machine has just mass-
produced another generic show . . . It's another miss for a company
that desperately needs to get its artistic groove back.
It's really sad to see the formerly great Cirque du Soleil slip to the
level of its cheap imitators. When the quality is no better it begs
the question, is Cirque du Soleil still relevant?
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 9, Number 2 (Issue #64) - May 2009
"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.05.2009 }
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