Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Fascination Issue 093 expanded
=======================================================================
______ _ __ _ __
/ ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / /
/ /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ /
/ __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/
/_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_)
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
------------------------------------------------------------
E X P A N D E D I S S U E
------------------------------------------------------------
=======================================================================
VOLUME 11, NUMBER 10 October 2011 ISSUE #93e
=======================================================================
Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter, now broadcasting to you from beautiful
Atlanta, Georgia.
I say it's beautiful here because we've had nothing but sunny skies
and mild temperatures (not to mention mild humidity) ever since our
arrival in mid-september. Although this is destined to change (more
toward the frigid in the coming months), we're enjoying this time.
It's actually Autumn, a season the sunny state of Florida doesn't
subscribe to, and it's wonderful. We're looking forward to getting
to know our new home here in Georgia...
In the meantime there's a lot of Cirque to discuss. From ZED's
Eventual departure (and our continued reflections on the show) to
Cirque du Soleil's IRIS having its official Gala Premiere, there's
quite a bit going on inside this month. We check in with Steve
Long who recently returned from a trip to Japan and continue to
gather his thoughts on ZED, see what IRIS is all about through
materials published in the Cirque du Soleil press room, and hear
once again from CirqueCon - if you're a member they'd like your
opinion!
At press time Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour show
also had its premiere in Montreal. We'll check out the reviews
of the show and learn a bit about its presentation next time,
okay? And if all goes as planned, you'll hear our thoughts about
the show in our January 2012 issue (we're planning to attend
MJ THE IMMORTAL World Tour at Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas for
Cirque Week 2011!)
As always we've got the latest news items posted to Fascination! Web
and, of course, updates to Cirque's tour schedule within.
So, let's get started!
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
* Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues
* BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
* Venue Shows -- Venue & Seasonal Productions
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
* Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Flickr
o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History
o) Fascination! Features
* "Remembering ZED: A Timeless Evocation"
Part 2 of 4 - "From A to ZED"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
* "The Last Viewings of ZED"
By: Steve Long - West Hartford, Connecticut (USA)
* "IRIS: A Journey Through the World of Cinema"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
* "CirqueCon Update #7 - We'd Like Your Thoughts!"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* "Music Interview: Danny Elfman" [EXPANDED]
A Special Reprint from Buzzline
o) Subscription Information
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
ZAIA's New Visual
{Sep.01.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil's Macau resident show ZAIA unveiled a new
visual earlier this morning - and it's... colorful.
Check out the new visual here:
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/wp-content/uploads/2011
/09/NewZaiaViz.jpg >
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil}
Cirque Plans Expansion in China [EXPANDED]
{Sep.02.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
Canadian global entertainment brand Cirque du Soleil plans to
use its current ZAIA showcase in Macau as a "springboard" to
further its Asian ambitions, President and CEO Daniel Lamarre
told Reuters in an exclusive interview in Hong Kong recently...
# # #
Lamarre said the Montreal-based entertainment company will
seek to bring more touring shows to Asia and establish
permanent venues in China, India and other countries around
the region.
"Macau now the way it's developing is attracting a lot of
clientele not only (from) mainland China but now we're seeing
more and more people coming from India and other countries and I
think it will help establish our brand not only in this
neighbourhood but across all of Asia and that's the plan, that's
the strategy," Lamarre said.
He said gambling probably accounts for 90 percent of Macau's
activities right now, but expects it to follow the Vegas model
where he says gambling has lost its dominance of the city's
attractions and entertainment is huge.
"So that's why we're here, to help develop the entertainment
business not only in Macau but in all of China," he said.
Cirque du Soleil's immediate goal is to maintain ZAIA as a
flagship showcase in Macau, and will have the potential to grow
into multiple shows per day. Vegas now features seven shows per
day - excluding Cirque du Soleil's upcoming Michael Jackson
show in October.
"We hope to have three permanent shows in Macau one day and I
see a day where we can have a permanent show in big Chinese
cities like Shanghai and Beijing and who knows," Lamarre said.
But first Lamarre said the Cirque plans to begin regularly
touring key cities in China in the next 18 months with a view to
establishing permanent shows within four years and spreading out
across Asia.
"We've been to Shanghai once, we've never been to Beijing."
He intends to follow a similar strategy in India and elsewhere
in Asia.
"For India right now, it's the same as China, it's establishing
a touring show first then it will probably take four years before
we have such a strong presence that we can contemplate having a
permanent show (in New Delhi and Mumbai)."
In addition, he said Cirque du Soleil wants to build on its
positive experiences from previous tours in other Asian cities
such as Seoul, Taipei and Manila.
"We started in Korea a few years back and we have become a very,
very important brand in that country."
# # #
Watch a video of the interview here:
< http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/lamarre-says-cirque-du-
soleil-plans-more-china-tours/2011/09/02/gIQAfrsgvJ_
video.html >
{SOURCE: Reuters, Washington Post}
La Nouba Price Increase
{Sep.05}
-------------------------------------------------
The annual price increases for Cirque du Soleil's La Nouba are
now upon us. The following ticket prices are effective for
performances from September 27, 2011 onward:
NEW FALL 2011 TICKET PRICES
(Category): (adults 10+) / (child 3-9):
o) Category Front & Center: $128.00 + tax / $102.00 + tax
o) Category 1: $113.00 + tax / $89.00 + tax
o) Category 2: $89.00 + tax / $72.00 + tax
o) Category 3: $73.00 + tax / $55.00 + tax
NOTE: new prices will apply to bookings beginning September 6
2011. If you already have an existing reservation you will not
be affected by the new pricing.
Previous 2011 Ticket Prices
(Category): (adults) / (child 3-9):
o) Category Front & Center: $120.00 / $97.00
o) Category 1: $105.00 / $85.00
o) Category 2: $85.00 / $69.00
o) Category 3: $69.00 / $56.00
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil}
Patti LuPone vs. Cirque du Soleil [EXPANDED]
{Sep.11}
-------------------------------------------------
Wow, so, someone really doesn't like the fact that Cirque du
Soleil is trying to make a name for itself in New York City...
BUSTY Broadway babe Patti LuPone is not a fan of Cirque.
The actress - most famous for making a cameo appearance on the
hit TV show 30 Rock, singing this song, and for starring in a
play about a lady called Eva - is furious that the company has
taken out a five-year lease on Radio City Music Hall because
it'll mean people will stay away from Broadway.
"You know, I'm very angry at the ticket prices in New York City,
and I think it has more to do with greed than it has to do with
anything else," she told Metro Weekly.
Cirque du Soleil its the big, bad brother now. My main
complaint is that the productions are just too loud. You cant
have an intimate experience in the theater anymore. And thats
what its about. Its really about the unification of an
audience, having a collective audience, individually, and
listening. And were not allowed to listen any more because
the sound level is too loud. And, I dont know where the voice
is coming from. Its not coming from the stage any more. My
eyes are looking at the stage, and my ears are searching for
the sound that the mouth is producing. So, immediately Im
disenfranchised from my experience. Hair is a perfect example.
The revival was just too loud. I remember seeing it originally;
its an intimate musical. And this I couldnt understand any
of the lyrics.
{SOURCE: Showbiz Spy}
Zarkana's Scenic Design [EXPANDED]
{Sep.12}
-------------------------------------------------
Live Design recently caught up with Zarkana's scenic designer -
Stephane Roy - and talked shop:
# # #
In taming the huge stage at Radio City Music Hall, French-
Canadian scenic designer Stéphane Roy (whose previous designs
for Cirque du Soleil include Dralion, Varekai, and Zumanity)
reduced the size of the stage to something more manageable yet
still majestic. "It's like a temple when you first go into Radio
City," Roy says. "The best approach in dealing with this large
space was to blend and continue the perspective in the theatre
to make it smaller." To do so, Roy used a series of three
portals, noting: "Within the third portal, the stage is almost
the same size as a Broadway theatre."
With Radio City as the framework for the production, everything
was large-scale: "Like an opera," says Roy, who used various
curtains, from Austrian, French, Kabuki, and Venetian, to
punctuate the performance and set the various scenes. "The idea
was that the theatre had been abandoned for 75 years," he
explains. "We wanted to express the idea of timelessness, we
have been there before, we are there now, and will be there
again. Everything is mystical, full of memories." With that idea
in mind, there are not a lot of set changes, but rather one set
that evolves throughout the entire show. "That language allows
us to have slow changes," adds Roy.
One of the major scenic elements in Zarkana is the 90x40
Panasonic LED wall that is permanently installed upstage at
Radio City. We actually thought about not using the LED wall,
and not using any electronic media, Roy explains. Instead he
had designed a set based on Gustav Klimt golden tiles to tie
into the gold of the theatre. The room and its art nouveau
texture were the priority, but then we thought we could use the
LED wall as a breathing element, so we finally added the video,
the designer notes: Then we went wild. We had the tools, we
might as well us them. Not to mention that Zarkanas director,
François Girard, comes from the film world and was comfortable
with the large, cinematic tableaux create for the show.
Girard directed us in terms of the video projection for each
tableaux, notes Roy. He indicated what kind of images he
wanted, and asked how do we fill that space, in terms of content
and aesthetics. From there, it was a three-way collaboration,
starting with the directors vision, then sets and video,
working from hand drawings that Roy did, then working on
computers, and tweaking colors in the theatre.
The result is a blend of classic scenic painting and state-of-
the-art LED, says Roy. This blend is important. With only LED
the look is too cold, the space seems empty. This works for rock
and roll, but in this case we needed a real context. The mix of
media makes it more interesting, more emotional.
Once video was determined to be a big part of the production,
the creative team decided to also add LED tiles to one of the
stage portals. The first portal is opaque, or paint on canvas
fabric, while the second one is a transparent light-box with 9
LED tiles behind it, and the third portal is a transparent scrim
that can fly it out. This allows us to have more space for some
of the big acrobatic numbers or large set pieces, or even to
have a larger image on the back wall, says Roy.
The color palette set for every number a year in advance, he
adds. Once we were in the theatre, I collaborated closely with
the video and lighting, often staying behind the table as Alain
Lortie, the lighting designer, tweaked each scene.
As the concept was always remaining in the same space, the
designers didnt want to change the feeling for each scene, just
the look. As a result, Roy designed spaces within a space: The
first space is the cathedral where everything happens, he says.
The second space, interior of that cathedral for each of the
numbers.
One of the big challenges was the historic aspect of Radio City
Music Hall: Zarkana is like a huge Vegas show on tour, yet we
couldnt touch the walls. No screws. We brought a grid and all
the mechanics, then had to integrate the set into all that
and
it has to fit into a truck, says Roy, noting that the show is
acrobatically very high-end and all the scenic elements are
flown in or ground supported.
Stage One, in York (UK) built the skeleton for the set, the
acrobatic trusses, and the stage floor, while the skin and
painted fabrics were al created in Montreal by Dominique
Gaucher. The shop was working on it for a year, painting and
sculpting, Roy points out. This was easier as the creation was
also done in Montreal, and I could visit the Shop. He us an
amazing scenic painter, and I have worked with him on many
Cirque du Soleil shows, as well as operas.
{SOURCE: LiveDesignOnline}
Guy Laliberté, Hotel Owner? [EXPANDED]
{Sep.16}
-------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté is behind a firm bid to
buy and convert the historic Montreal headquarters of Rio Tinto
Alcan into a hotel, The Gazette has learned.
The deal, which has not closed - and which is now in the buyers
due dilligence period - would have Laliberté, with the Cirque
and a private investor acquire the sprawling Alcan campus in the
posh Golden Square Mile for an undisclosed amount, multiple
sources say.
The minimum bidding price for the campuss seven buildings -
including the old Berkeley Hotel which serves as its main
entrance - is $30 million, the sellers report shows.
In the spring, the global aluminum giant quietly put its
Sherbrooke St. W. campus up for sale as a three-year leaseback.
News of the campus hitting the market followed a Gazette report
that Rio Tinto Alcan was shopping around for about 200,000
square feet of office space as anchor tenant in what would be
the first privately funded office tower built downtown in years.
Indeed, the spectre of a new tower in Montreal - devoted
exclusively to office space - sparked excitement in a real
estate community that had seen five towers delivered in downtown
Toronto over the past two years alone.
Rio Tinto Alcan Spokesperson Bryan Tucker said he could not
comment on the sale of the estimated 300,000 square foot
headquarters, which he said is confidential.
I can confirm to you that no decision has been made, Tucker
said.
Citing industry sources last spring, The Gazette also revealed
that Westcliff Group is poised to secure the corporate giant as
the main tenant in a LEED-platinum office tower to be built on
its site near the ICAO building at the Place de la Cité
Internationale. Westcliff president Alan Marcovitz once again
declined to comment when contacted this week.
Louis Burgos, senior managing director of Cushman & Wakefield
Montreal, which is brokering the deal, could not be reached for
comment.
Although specific plans for a future hotel on the Alcan site
have not been revealed, the Cirque has previously flirted with
the idea of opening hotels as a way to showcase its acts.
In late 2001, the Cirque announced it was considering a $100
million Montreal prototype of what would become several Cirque
Complexes - a concept featuring a 1,200-seat theater, 300-room
hotel, spa and restaurants, that would later be spread to other
cities like London and Tokyo, news reports said.
A year later, however, Cirque management nixed the idea over
concerns that the economic climate - including a downturn in the
global hospitality industry - made the venture too risky.
The sale of the Maison Alcan site would be a move from Rio Tinto
Alcans earlier plans to invest millions of dollars to renovate
the campus.
That pledge - which Tucker insists still remains on the table -
stems from an agreement that was both part of Alcans 2006 power
deal with the provincial government and part of its 2007
takeover by global mining giant Rio Tinto in a blockbuster $38-
billion U.S. deal, cleared by Ottawa.
Some critics have suggested that the move would be followed by a
reduction in Rio Tinto Alcans Montreal-based workforce.
Last winter, however, a spokesperson for former Economic
Development Minister Clément Gignac said Rio Tinto Alcan would
still be abiding by the deal, even it moves to another Montreal
site as a tenant.
As long as the head office remains in Quebec, it respects the
agreement, the spokesperson told The Gazette.
{SOURCE: Montreal Gazette}
Check Out: Totem Evolution
{Sep.18}
-------------------------------------------------
A new souvenir program souvenir program with hard cover
including exclusive images, special interviews, a behind-the-
scenes look and bonus features for Cirque du Soleil's TOTEM has
been produced - check it out!
Product's details:
o) Metric Size: 26cm x 28.5cm
o) Imperial Size: 10.13" x 11.25"
o) Number of pages: 98
o) Year: 2011
o) Country of Origin: Canada
o) PRICE: $49.00 USD
Purchase the deluxe souvenir TOTEM program here:
< http://eboutique.cirquedusoleil.com/Products.aspx?
Catalog=US&ProductId=512751(CDS
Catalog)&CurrentCategory=span1_Category(CDS
Catalog)&CurrentSubCategory=span2_MusicDvdBooks(CDS
Catalog)#lienImageLarge >
{SOURCE: Cirque Boutique}
ZAIA Crossroads in Macao DVD Now Available!
{Sep.19}
-------------------------------------------------
Inspired by the vastness and diversity of the cosmos, writer and
director Gilles Maheu soaked up a few dozen cultures to create a
show imbued with the different colours and flavours of the
world: ZAIA. A great challenge awaits the artists and
craftspoeple of this odyssey, who will have to relearn how to
move and communicate. They will explore new territories and make
the "Crossroads in Macau" their meeting point. Discover the
spectacular and poetic world of ZAIA
Bonus Features:
- Trampoline and double teeterboard (X-Board)
- Chinese poles on globes
- Then & now
- ZAIA - Experience the unforgettable
- Let your talent shine (on stage career opportunities)
- A message from One Drop
- Subtitles: Chinese (traditional and simplified),
English, French, Japanese, spanish
- Dolby digital 5.1
Now available in the online Cirque du Soleil boutique for just
$25.00 USD!
< http://eboutique.cirquedusoleil.com/Products.aspx?
Catalog=US&ProductId=512230(CDS
Catalog)&CurrentCategory=span1_Category(CDS
Catalog)&CurrentSubCategory=span2_MusicDvdBooks(CDS Catalog) >
Previews of New 3D Movie Underway [EXPANDED]
{Sep.20}
-------------------------------------------------
According to the Hollywood Reporter, James Cameron and his team
have begun to preview more than a half-hour of new footage from
the upcoming Cirque du Soleil 3D movie. The footage, which is
said to be stunning, is being shot using a CPG Fusion 3D camera
system, used on productions from Avatar to Justin Bieber: Never
Say Never to coverage of live events such as the recent US Open
tennis championship.
The production, which does not yet have a title, is a
partnership between Cameron, Adamson and Cirque du Soleil and
uses a new story as a device to weave together acts from various
Cirque du Soleil shows, such as Ka, with its climatic battle on
a vertical stage, and O, the water-themed production that
includes an acrobatic act on a ship that floats above the pool
of water.
The performers are in jeopardy the entire time, Cameron said
of the shows. The 3D camera gets right up there with the
performers, you feel the height when they are performing 90 feet
above the floor. You see the amazing physicality of the
performance--the strength, the grace, the beauty.
The multi-camera production was lensed both during actual
performances as well as during separate shoots.
We combined all of the newest technology innovation for this
production. The footage is spectacular, Pace said. CPG
delivered Slate2Screen services including 23 Fusion 3D systems
and a new underwater Fusion 3D system, Fusion H2O/20.
{SOURCE: Hollywood Reporter}
Happy Birthday, Zumanity [EXPANDED]
{Sep.21}
-------------------------------------------------
Yesterday, Zumanity celebrated its 8th Aniversary! And Robin
Leach took a moment to reflect on the show's run on the Las
Vegas Strip in his latest Luxe Life column.
# # #
Its the sexiest and definitely the most erotic of Cirque du
Soleils seven Strip spectaculars, and tonight Zumanity
celebrates its eighth anniversary at New York-New York. The
cutting-edge contemporary and adult-themed production has added
acts and artists to mark its milestone.
Zumanity has become a favorite of Hollywood stars when they
visit our Las Vegas playground. Celebrities who have visited
this past year include Avril Lavigne and Brody Jenner, Heidi
Klum and Seal, Sammi Sweetheart Giancola, Giuliana and Bill
Rancic, David Hasselhoff, Bam Margera and Bachelor Pad cast
members.
Audience members attending the 8th anniversary show this evening
are in for a treat. The first 100 early show guests will receive
a commemorative photograph in a meet-and-greet with the artists
along with a special gift. The 1,262-seat Zumanity Theater is a
seduction unto itself with the only romantic sofas for two in
Las Vegas. Kissing, cuddling and making out are definitely
encouraged.
It's difficult to believe eight years on that some original cast
members are still with the show: my favorite dance captain
Vanessa Convery, who still takes a midnight bath of milk every
show with a handsome hunk; Marcela de la Vega with the gusting
Queen of the Wind act; and the primal energy of African dance
star Wassa Coulibaly.
The new acts and artists include Christopher Kenney as Edie the
Mistress of Sensuality; Brandon Pereyda's aerial biker chains
act; Jonas Woolverton's Roue Cyr wheel/whip act; Polina
Volchek's tissue segment; and Dimitry Bulkin's amazing pole
acrobatic balancing stunts. Zumanity, with its international
cast of 45 performers in all shapes, sizes, ages, genders and
ethnicities, is about an unconventional culture and candid
exposition of eroticism that allows emotional freedom, natural
beauty and acceptance of differences.
In advance of tonights anniversary, I went to see the show for
the first time in more than a year. Its still a delicious
delight, and now I love the fact that all the artists seem to
stay on stage -- somewhat shrouded in the shadows -- providing
an even more Eyes Wide Shut atmospheric mosaic of love and lust
behind the individual star performing at center stage.
The incredible, oversized water bowl act of two sweet, topless
girls striking sensual poses while gliding fluidly is the
knockout sexy act of anything on the Strip, and you wont
believe Julia Kolosovas schoolgirl flying hoops routine. Plus,
Im convinced that the heavy breathing and gentle moans of
ecstasy from Jill Crook as she is raised ceiling-ward in leather
straps and bonds are for real. Talk about auto erotica!
Cirques traditional circus acts are there, along with the
outrageous Botero twins with their strawberries and bananas, and
all tied to the theme of seduction and sensuality highlighted by
the striptease. The extravagant, erotic Thierry Mugler costumes,
magnificent makeup, luscious lighting and extraordinary effects
are all punched-up provocatively by nine musicians, two singers
and the worlds most controversial contortionist, the
unbelievable Arsian Gusengadzhiev. It all ends as two members of
the audience are drawn onstage for the orgy finale -- a
smorgasbord of sexual positions on a revolving stage.
Zumanity is the first sensual show for Cirque, which since its
1984 start has entertained nearly 45 million spectators in 130
cities. Its other shows in Las Vegas are Criss Angels Believe
at the Luxor, Ka at MGM Grand, The Beatles Love at the Mirage,
O at the Bellagio, Mystere at Treasure Island, Viva Elvis at
Aria in MGMs CityCenter, plus the upcoming Michael Jackson
Immortal touring show and then later residency show at Mandalay
Bay.
You know how I love the fun facts behind these stage
productions. Zumanity has 53 technicians and 14 backstage
operators handling the 46 artists onstage. The wardrobe created
by 16 designers consists of 99 wigs and hairpieces, and the
tallest pair of high heels is 7 inches. More than 4 million
guests have seen the show since its Sept. 20, 2003, opening, and
its still going as strong as ever and now headed toward its
10th anniversary.
Congratulations to everybody at Zumanity -- Happy Birthday!
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Weekly}
LA Times Reviews "IRIS" [EXPANDED]
{Sep.27}
-------------------------------------------------
The LA Times' "Culture Monster" saw the premiere of Cirque du
Soleil's IRIS at the Kodak Theater and reviews the performance:
# # #
If the flights from Los Angeles to Las Vegas seem slightly less
crowded these days, dont take it as a sign that were in a
double-dip recession. Cirque du Soleil, the alt-circus company
out of Quebec that has grown into a global entertainment
phenomenon so lucrative it may be asked to bail out Greece, has
set up shop at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, making the trip
to see Mystère, Viva Elvis or one of the other Cirque
attractions nestled in a casino a little less necessary.
Fittingly, "Iris," the new $100-million extravaganza that opened
Sunday after a summer run of previews, is a love letter to the
art and science of cinema. Unfolding at the venue that hosts the
Academy Awards, the show is subtitled "A Journey Through the
World of Cinema." But please don't misread this as "A Stroll
Through Classic Hollywood." This is a celebration of the
imagination of filmmaking through a circus sensibility, which
similarly wants to escape the mundane through the fantasy of
limitless possibility.
Before we tackle the aesthetics of the production (cunningly
packaged with just enough daredevil razzmatazz to keep audiences
from minding some of the goofy dead spots), let's acknowledge
the economic effect of what amounts to a glitzy private-sector
stimulus for local businesses. The show, bound to be a major
tourist magnet, has already been persuading middle-class hordes
to throw credit card caution to the wind. Although the $253
price of VIP tickets is enough to make you queasy, there's
something agreeable about having this movie-themed colossus,
kinetically scored by composer Danny Elfman, permanently
installed in the heart of Hollywood.
The subject is a natural one for the company. Motion pictures,
when you get right down to it, are what Cirque du Soleil has
always specialized in. Tableaux that shrink and surge, twist and
tumble are its stock in trade. And as with film, the visual
image reigns supreme, even if this French-Canadian style of
circus goes in a chimerical direction that's quite a departure
from your standard multiplex fare. (Why was that woman wearing a
fern where her hair should be, you might find yourself asking?
For that matter, what are those antlers doing on that strapping
fellow happily prancing about like an uprooted oak?)
Directed by Philippe Decouflé, a French choreographer and dancer
making his Cirque du Soleil debut, the production often appears
to be transforming itself into a Busby Berkeley revue. But
before the musical momentum can crescendo, the piece returns to
its circus roots with a bit of clowning (probably the least
effective part of the show) or some aerial acrobatics. The most
ingenious moments pair human performers with their screen
avatars, as when floating dancers have their shadows rapidly
tracing their choreography.
While Im no connoisseur of Cirque du Soleil, which made its
U.S. debut downtown in Little Tokyo in 1987 and has enjoyed, in
the pre-show words of founder Guy Laliberté, an amazing love
affair with Los Angeles, I prefer the companys stupendous
athletic prowess to its artiste pretensions. (Give me "Kà" over
"Zumanity any day!) Iris tries to split the difference and
sometimes feels indecisive as a result. But when the cluttered
stage picture calms down to focus on some transcendent physical
feat or graceful multimedia maneuver, tired grownup eyes are
instantly brightened with childlike curiosity.
The first half of Iris concentrates on the shape-shifting
magic of the camera. The thematic emphasis seems to be on the
birth of a technology and its silent-film infancy. But its not
easy to identify the figures that are hypnotizing you. These are
hybrid organisms, bred by a surreal jokester determined to
eradicate any trace of the human safety instinct.
Are those two identical-looking blond men with the smooth,
muscular bodies twins or are they presenting a double image of
masculine adventure as they swing through the air like ballet
stars granted the ability to fly? Are those female
contortionists piled on what looks to be a film canister
rearranging themselves into different geometric shapes to
symbolize the transmutation of light and sound into pictures or
are they larvae hatching a new kind of insect? And what about
those wacky bounders with the trampoline board are they mad
jesters on a Jillian Michaels suicide mission or might they be
some crawling garden denizen, as their antennae suggest?
The second half of the show takes place on a film set, with a
cast of characters out of some occult Doctor Dolittle.
Elfmans music, invoking at times an antic Tim Burton car chase
through an otherworldly tunnel, intensifies the sense of
coordinated pell-mell. Theres so much scurrying, soaring and
undulating that I found myself muttering to myself at times,
This is a circus! Forgive me for losing track of the obvious,
but this is theater for those with the attention span of
mosquitoes. Cirque audiences like to be distracted, but they
also enjoy the opportunity of gazing on a wonderland. (Jean-
François Bouchard, director of creation, and the entire design
team have certainly succeeded in conjuring an endlessly
surprising three-dimensional dreamscape for them.)
Decouflé not only staged this company-created effort but has
also received writing credit. Yet lets not be too quick to pin
the dud clown show shenanigans on him. They have the loose,
bumbling and improvisatory feel of collective authorship. (Full
disclosure: Not even the old-fashioned Ringling Bros. men in
pancake makeup and lipstick could get me to crack a smile as a
kid.) Theres a parody of an award show competition that
initially seems pitched to children, but then the humor takes a
risqué turn suggesting that its real target is the vulgar brat
lurking within every adult. Who knows? Better to focus on the
charming saucer-eyed music man, who when not cartwheeling on his
piano is falling in love with a woman who can defy gravity even
more astonishingly than he can.
Before the pharmaceutical companies took over, movies were
Americans drug of choice, the best remedy for the cares and
woes of workaday life. Iris is a more luxurious elixir, but in
paying homage to the fantasy of film, the show incarnates those
same stardust properties that make movies so everlastingly
potent.
{SOURCE: LA Times}
Pre-Order IRIS Soundtrack Today!
{Sep.27}
-------------------------------------------------
Pre-Order the IRIS Sountrack today at Amazon.com!
It's just $18.00 USD.
Pre-Order CD Here:
< http://www.amazon.com/Iris-Cirque-Du-
Soleil/dp/B005P4HK3Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid
=1317121154&sr=8-2 >
{SOURCE: Amazon.com}
Zarkana's Video Design [EXPANDED]
{Sep.27}
-------------------------------------------------
Live Design recently caught up with Zarkana's video designer -
Raymond St-Jean - and talked shop:
# # #
Raymond St-Jean, image content designer for Zarkana, made his
Cirque du Soleil debut with Zaia in Macau (2007-08), and began
work on Zarkana two and a half years ago. "We knew had a huge
40'x90' Panasonic LED video wall in-house at Radio City Music
Hall, and the set was designed with that in mind," he notes,
pointing out that there are three arches, or portals, on the
set, one of which is also LED to add to the big screen look in
the back.
"With the LED portal added to our tool kit, the video encircles
the acts as well as provides images behind them. The goal was to
fill a huge place with images... and make the overall show one big
integrated canvas." There are also three Christie Roadster 20K
projectors with ZAP VIP Dual Yokes, and one Christie M 10K for
other images, such as the sand screen painter who opens the
second act.
St-Jean notes that doing research, and working with Cirque du
Soleil on Zarkana was "a long, very fruitful creative process.
The director had the inspiration for doing a freak show... but it
evolved from there to the story of a musician who meets all
kinds of unusual creatures," he explains. "Over a series of
meetings, we built a visual world around the various acts,
including a huge time machine, and I did some research into
Steampunk."
Fly Studio, a graphics studio in Montreal, worked with St-Jean,
who called up images evoking everything from Coney Island to
David Lynch, and a giant spider web: It was an 18-month process
to build the images after we designed the overall canvas, they
did all the 2D and 3D After Effects, it was great teamwork, and
we found our own aesthetic.
St-Jean would bring concepts to Fly Studio, where the animators
would start working with images and illustrations, going back
and forth with ideas, creating drawings and getting a consensus
from the director and other designers before finalizing an idea.
I worked closely with set designer, over the two years, says
St-Jean. I started early in the process, working with set
designer and director...the video is more a part of the set
design. To make the video as intrinsic a part of the set as
possible, a scrim in front of the LED wall helped make the sets
lighting and video all work together as one. The director comes
from opera and film, and he had a clear idea and vision for the
show. The video is very organic and brings the set alive.
St-Jean explains that is was essential to make sure the
decisions in a big show like this are the right ones. Sometimes
are not reversible, he notes. So everybody was involved for a
long time, it was a long, very integrated design process. VYV
Photon video servers are used to drive the video and the
interactivity of the show, and integrate the images with
lighting, audio and automation.
With Alain Lortie, who is great lighting designer, we started
with the whole set in an arena in Orlando, where the big
creative push for the color palette was made, St-Jean adds. We
spent long evenings playing with the wonderful toys we had at
our disposal
the set created by Stephane Roy was made to be
transformed by light and video
We played with images and
colors, had a lot of fun, and went to NYC. The color palette was
rough when we started at Radio City with what we had in Orlando
and it evolved as we went along. We chose a certain color
palette for each number, then in Orlando played with it
The 3D animations are hard to change once they are finished,
St-Jean adds. But the basics were all set in brown golden
tones, and the video servers could change colors as we went
along with Alain and the director... it was an interesting two-
way process, as we changed the palette from the lighting and or
the video.
For the wheel of death scene, St-Jean designed a large machine
with gears in the background, and as he explains, The video is
controlled by the wheel of death itself
there is the notion of
interaction between the acrobatic apparatus and the video
images, he says. There is live interaction with the video as
the wheel turns it makes the video go at the same speed
it is
not pre-programmed. There is a decoder in the middle of the
wheel of death, if it stops, the wheel stops, when the wheel
goes forward it goes forward, etc.
During the hand balancing acrobatic act, the backdrop is a
curtain of ropes, with a projection of the performers
silhouette. There is a camera filming him, done live, and we
project a filmy silhouette onto the rope curtains and LED wall.
It is a simple but beautiful moment, adds St-Jean.
In the high wire act, the idea was to how to use the video to
direct the audience to the performer and not distract, St-Jean
continues. There are snakes coming in to frame the act and look
at the act, not take away the audience attention. The snakes
react to whats happening on stage
whats great is the
technology that works so seamlessly, not to make the effects too
obvious
but very organic. If you have snakes they should react,
but its a show, they dont perform at the same speed every
night. This is interactive to whats happening with the act each
night, its complex
and beautiful.
As Zarkana comes to a close at the end of each show, the stage
is flooded with images of red roses and white clowns, a visually
magical moment that reflects the technical, as well as acrobatic
artistry, achieved by Cirque du Soleil at Radio City Music Hall.
{SOURCE: Live Design}
Zarkana's Lighting Design [EXPANDED]
{Sep.27}
-------------------------------------------------
Live Design recently caught up with Zarkana's lighting
designer - Alain Lortie - and talked shop:
# # #
I call this the no-focus tour, says lighting designer Alain
Lortie, who designed Cirque du Soleils new $50 million
production, Zarkana, playing at Radio City Music Hall in New
York City through October 8. Zarkana was designed as a touring
show and will be reduced in size for arenas, adds State Kremlin
Palace Concert Hall and Theatre in Moscow in February, while the
same show, in the smaller arena version, opens in Madrid in
November.
The magic and mystery of Zarkana, designed as a rock opera, are
the purview of Zark, a magician who wanders into a theatre that
has been abandoned for 75 years. As he finds his true love and
his magical powers return, the theatre is restored to its former
glory. Francois Girard, a noted film director (The Red Violin,
Silk), is at the helm.
In lighting Zarkanas numerous acrobatic acts, Lorties rig of
primarily moving lights and LEDs gave him a leg up during
rehearsals, as he was also to work straight through without
stopping to focus conventional fixtures. The lighting is
primarily for the acrobats, he confirms. I built each number
around them. I like to build images for the director, and then,
through subtraction, take away whats not needed. Lortie, who
is a very hands-on LD, did his own programming on an MA Lighting
grandMA2 console and ran the show until it opened.
I was not shy about using a lot of color, says Lortie, noting
that he has been referred to as the candy man for his varied
palette. Zarkana has many colors and many emotions, from the
dark side to a golden look on the stage. Everything on the set
catches light beautifully, and I added extra saturated colors
from the moving lights.
The rig includes a total of 163 automated fixtures: 74 Philips
Vari-Lite VL3000 Spot fixtures, 22 VL3000Q Wash units, 14 VL3500
Spots, 42 VL3500 Wash FX Stippled/Buxom units, three High End
Systems DL.3s, and eight Martin Professional MAC 301 Wash units.
In addition, almost 1,000 LED fixtures are controlled by 40
universes of DMX: 19 Chroma-Q Color Block 2 22° fixtures, 18
Chroma-Q Color Force 48 units, 883 eldoLED PowerPIX 510 5W LED
Pixel String with flexible pitch, and 13 Ayrton Color Player 150
3G fixtures. The LEDs are hidden inside the set in order to
create the colorful scenes, notes Lortie. One painted backdrop
is lit with 18 Color Force 48 units from a pit in the stage.
On the conventional side, 34 ETC Source Four PARs are employed
primarily as work lights and 60 ETC Source Four ellipsoidals of
varying degrees are used as specials for live interaction with
an infra-red video camera. Effects comprise six High End Systems
Data Flash and six Wildfire WF-400-S/F fixtures. Solotech
provided the lighting gear.
For the trapeze act, which has a huge scenic element with
spiderwebs, Lortie faced a challenge. We had to put the lights
where we could, he says, indicating that the main positions for
the moving lights are behind the three portals on the stage as
well as on overhead electrics. There is not much room between
the portals due to the size of the scenery, Lortie adds, noting
that he used some of the VL3500 Wash FX units as sidelight.
They are very powerful and very efficient, he says. It was a
challenge to use them as theatrical fixtures, but I was happy
with them.
Lortie collaborated with set designer Stéphane Roy, video
content designer Raymond St-Jean, and costume designer Alan
Hranitelj on the visual complexity of Zarkana. Sébastien
Pedneault served as assistant lighting designer while Bill
Hopkins is the grandMA board op at Radio City.
{SOURCE: Live Design}
What Ever Happened to Matthew Cusick? [EXPANDED]
{Sep.29}
-------------------------------------------------
That's the exact question Kris Coronado of the Washington Post
asked and then sought out the answer. We covered the case
extensively here at Fascination and we were just as interested
to know as well...
# # #
"The way they treated me, it was like I was a piece of trash."
These were the words Matthew Cusick had for his former employer,
Cirque du Soleil. In a 2004 story in The Washington Post, the
33-year-old recounted his experience with the world-renowned
acrobatic-theater company.
In February 2003, Cusick had been hired for "Mystère," the
entertainment group's in-house show at Treasure Island Hotel and
Casino in Las Vegas. He was to be a catcher, using his solid 6-
foot-2 frame to grab acrobats as they flew off trapezes. Elated,
Cusick had quit his bartending and personal training gigs,
broken up with his boyfriend and moved from Silver Spring to
Montreal to learn his role. During a physical exam, Cusick told
Cirque's doctors about his HIV status - a condition he has had
since 1993 - and was relieved when the physicians weren't
alarmed. "I was like, wow, these people could care less that I'm
HIV-positive," Cusick said. "I felt very accepted there."
That turned out not to be true. A week later, Cusick was let go,
with Cirque officials stating they thought he'd put other
performers at risk. Outraged, Cusick took the company to court.
Represented by Lambda Legal an HIV, AIDS and gay rights
advocacy group the self-proclaimed poster boy for HIV won
a $600,000 settlement. Cirque acknowledged its mistake and even
offered Cusick his job back.
No way, he said. Its a sentiment that Cusick, 40, doesnt think
hed reverse today. He has had no contact with the company since
the lawsuit and plans on keeping it that way: That was quite a
large wound, and I think its still healing, he says.
Not that hes wanting for work. He lives in Manhattan he has
moved from Hells Kitchen to Harlem and his days are jam-
packed. (Ive made a new clock that has 28 hours in the day,
he jokes.) Hes a personal trainer with a handful of clients,
and the rest of his time is divided between the Metropolitan
Opera and his company KENiMATTix. Cusick has been a frequent
performer at the Met since late 2004, tumbling and dancing in
the likes of Macbeth and La Bohème. It was there that he met
fellow stunt artist Ken Berkeley, and in early 2005, the pair
developed KENiMATTix and perform choreography in which the
pair create amazing positions with their bodies, relying on
strength and hand-balancing. He estimates that he and Berkeley
perform 12 shows a week for both public events and private
parties.
As far as his health goes, Cusick says everything is status quo.
He has taken Atripla a pill that combines three HIV treatments
in one since it was approved by the Food and Drug
Administration in 2006. Im doing fine; Ive really had no
problems. Just still maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
So whats next? For a man who makes his living by doing dazzling
and complicated stunts, the answer is pretty cut and dried: to
live a happy life.
{SOURCE: Washington Post}
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem & Varekai}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{Saltimbanco, Alegría, Quidam, Dralion
& Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
ZAIA, ZED, Believe & VIVA Elvis}
o) VENUE - Venue & Seasonal productions
{Iris & Zarkana}
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 without notice. As such,
the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility
for the accuracy of these listings.
.) 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 Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Cirque 2012:
Montreal, QC -- TBA
Quebec, QC -- TBA
Toronto, ON -- TBA
Corteo:
Sevilla, ES -- Sep 7, 2011 to Oct 16, 2011
Paris, FR -- Nov 4, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011
Barcelona, ES -- Jan 19, 2012 to Feb 12, 2012
Amsterdam, NL -- Mar 30, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Gijón, ES -- Jul 25, 2012 to Aug 26, 2012
Zurich, CH -- Sep 7, 2012 to Oct 14, 2012
Antwerp, BE -- Nov 2, 2012 to Dec 23, 2012
Koozå:
Osaka, JPN -- Aug 4, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011
Nagoya, JPN -- Nov 23, 2011 to Jan 22, 2012
Fukuoka, JPN -- Feb 9, 2012 to Apr 1, 2012
Ovo:
Calgary, AB -- Sep 7, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Mexico City, MX -- Oct 30, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011
Santa Monica, CA -- Jan 20, 2012 to Mar 25, 2012
Portland, OR -- TBA
Brisbane, AU -- TBA
Sydney, AU -- TBA
Melbourne, AU -- TBA
Totem:
Toronto, ON -- Aug 11, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
San Francisco, CA -- Oct 28, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011
London, UK -- Jan 5, 2010 to Feb 5, 2012
San Jose, CA -- Mar 2, 2012 to Apr 1, 2012
Atlanta, GA -- May 9, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012
Varekai:
São Paulo, BR -- Sep 15, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011
Rio De Janeiro, BR -- Dec 8, 2011 to Jan 8, 2012
Belo Horizonte, BR -- Jan 18, 2012 to Feb 12, 2012
Brasilia, BR -- Feb 22, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012
Recife, BR -- Mar 29, 2012 to Apr 22, 2012
Salvador, BR -- May 3, 2012 to May 27, 2012
Curitiba, BR -- Jun 7, 2012 to Jul 1, 2012
Porto Alegre, BR -- Jul 11, 2012 to Aug 5, 2012
Buenos Aires, AR -- Aug 17, 2012 to Sep 16, 2012
Santiago, CL -- Sep 28, 2012 to Oct 28, 2012
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
Saltimbanco:
Ekaterinburg, RU -- Oct 15, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Kazan, RU -- Oct 26, 2011 to Oct 30, 2011
Moscow, RU -- Nov 3, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011
St. Petersburg, RU -- Nov 16, 2011 to Nov 21, 2011
Kiev, UA -- Nov 27, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011
Vilnius, LT -- Dec 15, 2011 to Dec 17, 2011
Riga, LV -- Dec 21, 2011 to Dec 23, 2011
Tallin, EE -- Dec 28, 2011 to Dec 30, 2011
Malmö, SE -- Jan 26, 2011 to Jan 29, 2011
Bratislava, SK -- Feb 15, 2012 to Feb 19, 2012
Graz, AT -- Feb 22, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012
Alegría:
Munich, DE -- Sep 28, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Salzburg, AT -- Oct 5, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Berlin, DE -- Oct 12, 2011 to Oct 16, 2011
Bremen, DE -- Oct 19, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
cologne, DE -- Oct 26, 2011 to Oct 30, 2011
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 2, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011
Mannheim, DE -- Nov 9, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011
Malaga, ES -- Dec 1, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011
Santiago, ES -- Dec 7, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011
Zaragoza, ES -- Dec 14, 2011 to Dec 18, 2011
Lisbon, PT -- Dec 21, 2011 to Jan 8, 2012
Granada, ES -- Jan 11, 2011 to Jan 15, 2012
Bilbao, ES -- Jan 18, 2012 to Jan 22, 2012
Toulouse, FR -- Jan 25, 2012 to Feb 29, 2012
Nantes, FR -- Feb 1, 2012 to Feb 5, 2012
Lyon, FR -- Feb 23, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012
Toulon, FR -- Feb 29, 2012 to Mar 4, 2012
Nice, FR -- Mar 7, 2012 to Mar 11, 2012
Montpellier, FR -- Mar 14, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012
Strasbourg, FR -- Mar 21, 2012 to Mar 25, 2012
Manchester, UK -- Apr 4, 2012 to Apr 7, 2012
Glasgow, UK -- Apr 11, 2012 to Apr 15, 2012
Birmingham, UK -- Apr 18, 2012 to Apr 22, 2012
Dublin, IE -- Apr 25, 2012 to Apr 29, 2012
Budapest, HU -- May 17, 2012 to TBA
Hambgurg, DE -- May 30, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Hanover, DE -- Jun 6, 2012 to Jun 10, 2012
Nuremberg, DE -- Jun 13, 2012 to Jun 17, 2012
Vienna, AT -- Jun 20, 2012 to Jun 24, 2012
Quidam:
Albany, NY -- Sep 28, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Amherst, MA -- Oct 5, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA -- Oct 12, 2011 to Oct 16, 2011
Milwaukee, WI -- Oct 19, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Philadelphia, PA -- Nov 10, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011
Washington, DC -- Nov 16, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011
Fayetteville, NC -- Nov 23, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011
Greenville, SC -- Nov 30, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011
Hampton, VA -- Dec 7, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011
Worcester, MA -- Dec 14, 2011 to TBA
Toronto, ON -- Dec 20, 2011 to TBA
Windsor, ON -- Jan 11, 2012 to TBA
Hoffman Estates, IL -- Feb 8, 2012 to Feb 12, 2012
Springfield, IL -- Feb 15, 2012 to Feb 19, 2012
Baton Rouge, LA -- Feb 22, 2012 to TBA
Austin, TX -- Feb 29, 2012 to Mar 4, 2012
Dralion:
Tallahassee, FL -- Sep 28, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Birmingham, AL -- Oct 5, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Gainesville, FL -- Oct 11, 2011 to Oct 13, 2011
San Juan, PR -- Oct 19, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Santo Domingo, DO -- Oct 27, 2011 to Oct 30, 2011
Cypress, TX -- Nov 17, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011
Beaumont, TX -- Nov 23, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011
Houston, TX -- Nov 30, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011
Lafayette, LA -- Dec 6, 2011 to Dec 8, 2011
Bossier City, LA -- Dec 10, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011
North Little Rock, AK -- Dec 13, 2011 to Dec 14, 2011
Montreal, QC -- Dec 18, 2011 to Dec 30, 2011
Quebec, QC -- Jan 3, 2012 to Jan 8, 2012
Kingston, ON -- Jan 11, 2012 to Jan 15, 2012
El Paso, TX -- Feb 15, 2012 to TBA
Colorado Springs, CO -- Feb 22, 2012 to TBA
Rio Rancho, NM -- Feb 29, 2012 to TBA
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour:
2011
----
Montreal, QC -- Oct 2, 2011 & Oct 3, 2011
Ottawa, ON -- Oct 7 & Oct 8, 2011
Hamilton, ON -- Oct 12 & Oct 13, 2011
Detroit, MI -- Oct 15 & Oct 16, 2011
London, ON -- Oct 18 & Oct 19, 2011
Toronto, ON -- Oct 21, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Winnipeg, MB -- Oct 26 & Oct 27, 2011
Saskatoon, SK -- Oct 29 & Oct 30, 2011
Edmonton, AB -- Nov 1 & Nov 2, 2011
Vancouver, BC -- Nov 4, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011
Seattle, WA -- Nov 9 & Nov 10, 2011
Spokane, WA -- Nov 12 & Nov 13, 2011
Euguene OR -- Nov 15 & Nov 16, 2011
Portland, OR -- Nov 18 to Nov 20, 2011
Salt Lake City, UT -- Nov 28, 2011
Las Vegas, NV -- Dec 3, 2011 to Dec 27, 2011
Phoenix, AZ -- Dec 30 & Dec 31, 2011
2012
----
Boise, ID -- Jan 3 & Jan 4, 2012
Denver, CO -- Jan 6 to Jan 8, 2012
Sacramento, CA -- Jan 10 & Jan 11, 2012
San Jose, CA -- Jan 13 to Jan 15, 2012
Oakland, CA -- Jan 17 & Jan 18, 2012
San Diego, CA -- Jan 21 & Jan 22, 2012
Anaheim, CA -- Jan 24 & Jan 25, 2012
Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 27 to Jan 29, 2012
St. Louis, MO -- Feb 7 & Feb 8, 2012
Houston, TX -- Feb 10 to Feb 12, 2012
New Orleans, LA -- Feb 15 & Feb 16, 2012
Tulsa, OK -- Feb 18 & Feb 19, 2012
Kansas City, MO -- Feb 21 & Feb 22, 2012
Indianapolis, IN -- Feb 24 & Feb 25, 2012
Miami, FL -- Mar 2 & Mar 3, 2012
Jacksonville, FL -- Mar 7 & Mar 8, 2012
Raleigh, NC -- Mar 10 & Mar 11, 2012
Charlotte, NC -- Mar 13, 2012
Milwaukee, WI -- Mar 16, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012
Montreal -- Mar 20, 2012 to Mar 22, 2012
Quebec City, QC -- Mar 24 & Mar 25, 2012
Minneapolis, MN -- Mar 27 & Mar 28, 2012
Newark, NJ -- Mar 30 & Apr 1, 2012
New York City, NY -- Apr 3, 2012 to Apr 5, 2012
Uniondale, NY -- Apr 7 & Apr 8, 2012
Philadelphia, PA -- Apr 10 & Apr 11, 2012
Pittsburg, PA -- Apr 13, 14 & 15, 2012
State College, PA -- Apr 24 & 25, 2012
Columbia, SC -- Apr 27 & 28, 2012
Hartford, CT -- May 2, 2012
Baltimore, MD -- May 5 & 6, 2012
Worcester, MA -- May 16 & May 17, 2012
Dayton, OH -- Jun 6 & Jun 7, 2012
Columbus, OH -- Jun 9 & Jun 10, 2012
Nashville, TN -- Jun 12 & 13, 2012
Austin, TX -- Jun 15, 2012
San Antonio, TX -- Jun 23, 2012
Atlanta, GA -- Jun 29 & 30, 2012
Montreal, QC -- Jul 6 & Jul 7, 2012
Washington, DC -- Jul 13, 14 & 15 2012
Cleveland, OH -- Jul 17 & 18, 2012
Chicago, IL -- Jul 20 & 21, 2012
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise
noted.
(*) Ticket prices exclude the 10% Live Entertainment Tax, the
$7.50 per-ticket processing fee, and sales tax where
applicable.
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
o Category 1: $109.00 / $54.50
o Category 2: $99.00 / $49.50
o Category 3: $79.00 / $39.50
o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50
o Category 5: $60.00 / $30.00 (Limited View)
2011 Dark Dates:
o November 2
2011 Added Performances:
o December 30th
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2011 Ticket Prices:
o Orchestra: $150.00
o Loggia: $130.00
o Balcony: $99.00
o Limited View: $93.50
2011 Dark Dates:
o October 9
o December 5-18
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2011 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9):
o Category 0: $120.00 / $97.00
o Category 1: $105.00 / $85.00
o Category 2: $85.00 / $69.00
o Category 3: $69.00 / $56.00
o Category 4: $55.00 / $45.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o November 22
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday
Dark: Wednesday & Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2011 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!):
o Duo Sofas: $129.00
o Orchestra Seats: $105.00
o Upper Orchestra Seats: $79.00
o Balcony Seats: $69.00
o Cabaret Stools: $69.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o October 17-18
o December 16-20
2011 Added Performances:
o November 23rd
o December 31st
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
o Category 1: $150.00 / $75.00
o Category 2: $130.00 / $65.00
o Category 3: $99.00 / $49.50
o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50
2011 Dark Dates:
o November 15-16
2011 Added Performances:
o November 27
o December 26
o December 31
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices:
o Lower Orchestra: $150.00
o Upper Orchestra: $130.00
o Lower Balcony: $99.00
o Middle Balcony: $93.50
2011 Dark Dates:
o October 3
o December 1-12
2011 Added Performances:
o December 28th
o December 31st
ZAIA:
Location: Venetian, Macao (China)
Performs: Every Day, Dark: Wednesday
One to Two Shows Daily - Times Vary
2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-11):
o VIP Seating: MOP$ 1288 / MOP$ 1288
o Reserve A: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 394
o Reserve B: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 294
o Reserve C: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 194
ZED:
Location: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo (Japan)
Performs: Varies
One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary
2011 Ticket Prices (Non-Peak / Peak Time):
o Category 1 ("Premium"): ¥15,000 / ¥16,000
o Category 2 ("Stage-Side"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500
o Category 2 ("Center"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500
o Category 3 ("Wide View"): ¥9,500 / ¥10,500
o Category 4 ("Value"): ¥7,500 / ¥8,500
BELIEVE:
Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm
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.
2011 Ticket Prices (all):
o Category 1: $160.00
o Category 2: $130.00
o Category 3: $109.00
o Category 4: $89.00
o Category 5: $59.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o December 6-17
VIVA ELVIS:
Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices
o Category 1: $175.00
o Category 2: $150.00
o Category 3: $125.00
o Category 4: $99.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o November 8-12
2011 Added Performances:
o November 27th
o December 26, 31
--------------------------------------
VENUE - Venue & Seasonal Productions
--------------------------------------
IRIS:
Location ///
Kodak Theatre, Hollywood, CA (USA)
< http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/iris/
tickets/los-angeles.aspx >
Performances ///
Times: Performances are held from Tuesday through
Friday at 8pm, Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm (with the
exception of Saturday December 24 at 1pm), and
Sundays at 1pm (with the exception of July 24 & 31
at 6:30pm) and 6:30pm. There are no performances on
Monday.
2011 Dark Dates:
o October 10-19
o November 24
o December 5, 6, 7, 25
Tickets ///
Preview Performances (July 21 - September 24):
o Category Premium - $203.00 USD
o Category 1 - $100.50 USD
o Category 2 - $78.00 USD
o Category 3 - $59.25 USD
o Category 4 - $33.00 USD
Weekday Matinees:
o Category Premium - $253.00 USD
o Category 1 - $123.00 USD
o Category 2 - $93.00 USD
o Category 3 - $68.00 USD
o Category 4 - $43.00 USD
Saturday Matinee & All Evening Performances:
o Category Premium - $253.00 USD
o Category 1 - $133.00 USD
o Category 2 - $103.00 USD
o Category 3 - $78.00 USD
o Category 4 - $43.00 USD
ZARKANA:
Location ///
New York, NY -- Jun 9, 2011 to Oct 8, 2011
Madrid, ES -- Nov 12, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011
Moscow, RU -- Feb 4, 2012 to Apr 8, 2012
Performances ///
Full Schedule:
< http://static01.cirquedusoleil.com/en/~/
media/shows/zarkana/pdf/new-york-schedule.pdf >
2011 Dark Dates:
o October 3
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
o) Networking -- Cirque on Facebook, Youtube & Twitter
---------------------------------------
CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub
---------------------------------------
MJ THE IMMORTAL WORLD TOUR PRODUCTION JOURNAL
{Sep.09}
-------------------------------------------------
Club Cirque gives you all access to the production journal of the
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour! Join Greg Philliganes,
Musical Director, as he reveals musical scoops of the upcoming
production. Learn all you need to know about the creation team
working on the musical legacy of Michael Jackson.
Watch episodes:
< https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/cirque-club/news/
2011-09-01-mjtiwt-production-videos.aspx >
FIVE WAYS TO STAY IN TOUCH
{Sep.17}
-------------------------------------------------
Offline, or away from your email for a bit, don't miss a second
of the magic of Cirque du Soleil! CirqueClub has five ways for you to
always stay in the know...
o) RSS Feed: http://cirk.me/oIVt8E
o) Facebook: http://cirk.me/qJNeKr
o) Twitter: http://cirk.me/oHawbj
o) You Tube: http://cirk.me/qsQjhY
o) iPhone app: http://cirk.me/olxuJz
Click and keep in touch!
LEARN ALL ABOUT THE MARTIAL ARTS OF KÀ
{Sep.28}
-------------------------------------------------
"Don't try this at home." That's what two of the martial arts experts
of Cirque du Soleil say about the feats you see in KÀ at MGM Grand
Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It sounds like obvious advice when you
consider the nine-story KÀ Theatre, which the performers use in every
acrobatic way imaginable (assuming you have a wild, death-defying
imagination).
Drawing inspiration from martial arts
These KÀ performers were talking about the ancient Chinese martial
arts tradition called Wushu and the stylized form of fighting-turned
dance called Chinese opera. Both involve sharp weapons; and both
should be only tried under the supervision of a trained professional.
And yet when you watch the Pageant, the opening scene of KÀ, the
performers make their moves so gracefully, so lightly, so easily that
it's hard not to be inspired to try a little spear juggling when you
get home. Such is the magic of KÀ.
A touch of Brazil
Fortunately, Capoeira the third form of martial arts displayed in
KÀ is something audience members can try at home. You can learn
enough about the Brazilian form of dance fighting to have fun in
four or five practice sessions. And it's a great workout for people
who think the gym is boring.
Three forms of martial arts combine to create edge-of-your-seat
excitement. Here's how to tell them apart:
Wushu. According to Jian Zeng Jiao from China, Wushu embodies the
spirit of the warrior. Jian who plays the General in KÀ, says
that Wushu is divided into defense and attack movements. Watch
for a low stance, high speed tricks, high jumps and falls. Power,
energy and tension are always kept at a high level. But in the
end, Wushu is all about the discipline of the mind.
Capoeira. Although the precise origin is uncertain, many say
that this lyrical form of martial arts originated among African
slaves in Brazil who were not allowed to train, so they hid the
fighting movements in the steps of dance. Sao Paulo native
Gabriel Nogueira, who does acrobatics and capoeira in KÀ,
describes Capoeira as a game of improvisation. Look for break-
dancing flowing into acrobatics, rolls onto the floor and
fluid, sweeping, dancelike motions.
Chinese Opera. Created to be performed, this type of martial
arts took moves from Wushu and made them even more beautiful
than they already were. In KÀ, the most immediatly visible
example of Chinese Opera is in the beginning scene when a
team of performers juggle opera sticks for the imperial
Court. Although it looks deceptively easy, performer Ge Bai
from China says the act is difficult to practice and requires
extensive training. He says it takes continual focus of the
mind and hands, not to mention perfectly coordinated teamwork
with the other performers.
---------------------------------------------------
NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter
---------------------------------------------------
---[ ALEGRIA ]---
{Sep.30}
Added 4 new photos to the album Alegria in Munich_2011
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set
=a.10150389175495746.414038.38543815745&type=1 >
{Sep.20}
Added 3 new photos to the album Load In_Stuttgart, DE.
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set
=a.10150375057975746.411135.38543815745&type=1 >
---[ CORTEO ]---
{Sep.20}
Corteo on Canal Sur!
LINK /// < http://www.canalsuralacarta.es/television/video/el-
circo-del-sol-en-sevilla/7369/11 >
---[ DRALION ]---
{Sep.02}
Added 17 new photos to the album Santo Domingo, DR Press
conference.
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set
=a.10150793636245195.742486.39340140194&type=1 >
{Sep.02}
Happy Birthday Guy Laliberte from Dralion!
LINK /// <http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150287223050353>
{Sep.11}
Photos and pictures of Dralion in Huntsville, AL
LINK /// < http://photos.al.com/4462/gallery/cirque_du_soleil_-
_dralion/index.html >
{Sep.17}
Dralion's Orlando native performer Amanda Orozco returns home
this week! Dralion by Cirque du Soleil will perform for the 1st
time in Orlando at the UCF Arena opening on Wednesday!
LINK /// < http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_stage_
theat/2011/09/amanda-orozco-is-flying-high-in-cirque-du-
soleils-dralion.html >
{Sep.21}
It's opening day for Dralion at the UCF Arena! Today marks the
300th performance of Dralion in Arena. Happy 300th performance
everyone!!!!
{Sep.29}
Dralion in Tallahassee, FL
LINK /// < http://www.fsunews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=
CD&Dato=20110928&Kategori=FSVIEWGALLERIES&Lopenr=
109280809&Ref=PH&odyssey=mod%7Cgalleriespic%7Cfrontpage >
{Sep 30}
Did you know we recently incorporated a new character in
Dralion? Let us introduce you Kàla. He is closely related to the
Little Buddha and represents the movement of time.
LINK /// <http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150318628305353>
---[ IRIS ]---
{Sep.08}
Take a look at our new collection of IRIS merchandise! Exclusive
to Facebook fans: Get 10% off this new collection. Use promo
code: IRIS10CDS. Visit our shop tab for more details!
LINK /// < http://cirk.me/pQI2DP >
{Sep.19}
Behind-the-scenes: View from inside Kodak Theatre during a
rehearsal for the show..
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set
=a.173536262684722.34125.161171830587832&type=1 >
{Sep.24}
Preparing for the Premiere of IRIS - View from Hollywood Blvd.
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=
256763291028685&set=a.173536262684722.34125.
161171830587832&type=1&ref=nf >
{Sep.29}
See what the artists see! A view of from the stage.
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=
258727184165629&set=a.173536262684722.34125.
161171830587832&type=1&ref=nf >
---[ KA ]---
{Sep.01}
Here's a pop quiz about some of the special effects in the show.
In the show's opening scene when the tribe of Archers ambush the
Imperial Court there are three types of arrows used in the
attack - live arrows shot by Archers, arrows fired by air
cannons offstage, and one other type of arrow. Can you tell us
what it is?
The answer to yesterday's trivia question is: projections! There
are also arrows shot out of the Tatami deck and one that's part
of the Empress' costume, so technically it's five types of
arrows!
{Sep.19}
Who am I? I am beautiful, accomplished and brave. I'm desired by
the villains, but I'm not interested in them. When I fall for
the Twin Brother I find my loyalties unexpectedly divided, and
realize I'm in a battle of wills with my doting father.
A: The Chief Archer's Daughter
---[ KOOZA ]---
{Sep.23}
Good day to all English speaking Kooza friend in Japan! If you
are having a hard time buying tickets to see our show, please
click on this link :
LINK /// < http://www.fujitv.co.jp/events/kooza/
global/ticket/index.html >
---[ MJ THE IMMORTAL ]---
{Sep.05}
Good Morning America talks about Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL
World Tour. Only a month left before the world gets to see the
show. Are you excited?
LINK /// < http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/cirque-du-soleil-
tribute-michael-jackson-gma-pop-14411281 >
{Sep.06}
Hear from the show's Director of Creation Chantal Tremblay as
she speaks about the dance and acrobatic elements that are part
of the show.
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PqKOC4B94o >
{Sep.19}
With 13 days to go before our World Premiere, a special group of
Michael Jackson fans fly into Montreal for an exclusive look at
rehearsals of the show!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aLCP_imvI8 >
{Sep.20}
Now 12 days 'til the show premieres to the World! Coverage of
our Michael Jackson fan-preview continues with them meeting the
show's Executive Producer and the Estate of Michael Jackson.
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wezssw17bcc >
{Sep.21}
11 days and counting to our World Premiere! See these Michael
Jackson fans as they set foot in the venue's performance area
and hear them react to their first look at the show's set-up!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQun4vEeeZY >
{Sep.22}
10 days to go! These lucky Michael Jackson fans meet Musical
Designer Kevin Antunes and Choreographers Rich and Tone
Talauega.
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZanc5uesQQ >
{Sep.23}
Premiering in 9 days! After having a look at the show, these
Michael Jackson fans chat with Musical Director Greg
Phillinganes.
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxWxCJxsX2A >
{Sep.28}
The count down to premiere continues with just 4 days to go! As
rehearsals continue until then, performer Gianinni interviews
cast mates on their experience on the show.
LINK /// < http://www.vimeo.com/28703485 >
{Sep.29}
Down to 3 days 'til Premiere! Hear what these Michael Jackson
fans think of the show they have previewed.
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoLsTeCBX3I >
---[ MYSTERE ]---
{Sep.15}
Time for another installment of Mystère Mystery Character
Thursday! Franco Dragone, writer/director of Mystère, describes
me this way: A geological oddity of trembling flesh who craves
to be human. Who am I?
A: The Mountain
{Sep.22}
Check out our Tumblr, where we've uploaded a video from the
Magic Event with Desigual!
LINK /// < http://cirk.me/ouXWPF >
---[ QUIDAM ]---
{Sep.09}
Quidam in the Boston Globe:
LINK /// < http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2011/
09/09/cirque_du_soleils_quidam_is_an_adventure_
of_aerial_imagery/ >
{Sep.15}
Quidam in the State College papers
LINK /// < http://www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2011/09/15/
Cirque_du_Soleil_perform_at_BJC.aspx >
LINK /// < http://live.psu.edu/story/55103 >
{Sep.16}
Backstage with Cerceaux artist in State College
LINK /// < http://wearecentralpa.com/fulltext-
centralpalive?nxd_id=306307 >
{Sep.29}
Quidam in the Albany papers:
LINK /// < http://blog.timesunion.com/localarts/cirque-du-
soleils-quidam-the-times-union-center-92811/18294/ >
LINK /// < http://www.troyrecord.com/articles/2011/09/29/
entertainment/doc4e840dff923b2755155282.txt >
---[ SALTIMBANCO ]---
{Sep.01}
Take a behind-the-scenes look at Saltimbanco
LINK /// < http://passport.jetsetter.com/index.php/2011/08/31/
behind-the-scenes-of-cirque-du-soleils-saltimbanco/ >
{Sep.20}
Saltimbano in Shanghai Daily:
LINK /// < http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/
?id=482961&type=Feature >
{Sep.22}
Saltimbanco well received by the Chinese audience!! Last night
Opening show!
LINK /// < http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMzA2Mjc0NjQw.html >
{Sep.29}
Saltimbanco in Shanghai Daily Again!
LINK /// < http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/
?id=483765&type=Feature >
And China Daily:
LINK /// < http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/sunday/2011-09/25/
content_13786462.htm >
---[ THE BEATLES LOVE ]---
{Sep.02}
Added 24 new photos to The Beatles LOVE at Dodger Stadium.
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=
a.10150320453003666.326726.14653468665&type=1 >
{Sep.16}
Want to get a bird's eye view of the LOVE crew setting up for
the show? Well now you can with the "Cirque Inside Access" tour.
Tickets available at BestofVegas.com, details available at
LINK /// < http://www.bestofvegas.com/Cirque-Du-Soleil-Insider-
Access-Show-Tickets/ >
{Sep.21}
Who am I? I'm a glamorous, albeit rebellious, daughter of wealth
and propriety. I seek to find what money cannot buy, soaring to
new heights only after I meet the brutish Fireman. The ultimate
conduit between reaching for the stars and keeping my feet
planted firmly on the ground is the Fireman.
A: LUCY
{Sep.30}
Today at the RSD office we had a cake war and the theme was Guy
Laliberté's birthday! Check out this cake, which reminisced
Guy's exploration to the moon!
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=
10150355155148666&set=a.101066423665.92500.
14653468665&type=1&ref=nf >
---[ TOTEM ]---
{Sep.21}
Fitness Tips from Totem's performers
LINK /// < http://www.marilyn.ca/Video.aspx#clip535991 >
---[ ZAIA ]---
{Sep.19}
BRAND NEW - 2-min Promotional Video of ZAIA !!! I know you all
can't wait to see the new look of ZAIA. Enjoy !!!
LINK /// < http://youtu.be/4hF8YZfz7j8 >
---[ ZED ]---
{Sep.06}
Just posted more photos from Tokyo Girls Collection! You can see
so many people were watching us! Thank you!
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=
a.10150429705331164.450200.41326571163&type=3 >
---[ ZUMANITY ]---
{Sep.15}
Our fabulous Edie talks Las Vegas Pride in the latest issue of
CityLife!
LINK /// < http://lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2011/09/15/
news/local_news/iq_47313586.txt >
{Sep.16}
We don't think our amazing Hand to Hand artists could look
anymore gorgeous on the cover of the latest issue of Las Vegas
Magazine (LVM)/VEGAS2GO! See the link below to read up on our
8th anniversary and how we keep the show spicy!
LINK /// < http://lasvegasmagazine.com/2011/09/16/
the-edge-of-desire/ >
{Sep.22}
Added 29 new photos to the album Zumanity's 8th Anniversary.
LINK /// < http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=
a.10150325034663847.364583.13931088846&type=1 >
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts at a Glance about Cirque
o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History
---------------------------------
DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque
---------------------------------
Facts:
o) Did you know the "O" Winches used to fly the performers have a
maximum line pull of 1000lbs at a maximum velocity of 15 feet per
second with a 2G acceleration?
o) Did you know that the automation in Believe has over 3 miles of
network cable, which has the ability to move people or scenery at
10' per second?
o) Did you know that the word most chosen by audience members during
the Premonition Illusion in BELIEVE is 'love'?
o) Did you know that CRISS ANGEL Believe contains more than 40
illusions, which includes Harry Houdini's death-defying upside down
strait jacket escape?
o) Did you know there are more than 100 combined years of magic show
experience among the Illusionaires at CRISS ANGEL Believe!
o) Did you know that IRIS features 603 lighting features?
o) Do you know what inspired this cinema-themed show to be called
IRIS? The word "iris" refers to the colored part of the eye as well
as the adjustable opening - or diaphragm - that controls the
amount of light that passes through
o) Did you know the Projection crew for IRIS, headed up by Olivier
Simola and Christophe Waksmann, is the largest in Cirque du Soleil
History?
o) Did you know the Kodak Theatre, the new home of IRIS, was initially
custom-built in November of 2001 to serve the enormous technical
needs of the live worldwide television broadcast of OSCAR night?
o) Did you know there are over 80 motorized winches (lifting machines)
in IRIS that require only 2 people to operate? Some can lift up to
1,200 pounds at speeds of 10 feet per second!
o) Anne-Séguin Poirier, Props Designer for IRIS, also credits as
costume designer for the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010
Olympic games.
o) Did you know Seventy specialists worked more than 35,000 hours to
produce the first full set of KÀ costumes?
o) The Wheel of Death in the Slave Cage scene weighs 10,000 pounds,
and is comprised of two independent sets of circular "cages" that
rotate around a common axle. The movement is completely controlled
by the artists in the "cages"
o) There are 14 "trees" in the Forest scene and they're made of
corrugated steel tube. Each has a diameter of four feet, is up to
80 feet tall, and weighs up to 3000 pounds.
o) Michel Crête designed the seven cloud-like Fabulous Figures that
decorate the ceiling of La Nouba's showroom. They measure 30 feet
in length and are constructed of copper tubing and wrapped in mesh.
o) Did you know The Mystère Wardrobe department applies more than
2,500 sequins to the Bungee Girl costumes by hand? It takes about
20 hours to re-sequin just one costume.
o) The Mystère Props team goes through 5,712 red balloons (or
Fünftausendsiebenhundertzwölf Luftballons for you Nena fans out
there) each year to fly the Baby Girl from the stage to the
ceiling. No wonder they're always out of breath!
o) Dancers in VIVA ELVIS can be expected to run up to 15 flights of
stairs per show - that's 150 flights per week! Could you keep up?
o) Did you know VIVA ELVIS finale has 90 wigs and 45 of the Elvis
headpieces in the show? Each wig and headpiece is custom made to
fit each performer's head. And we have plaster casts of each
performer's head for fittings!
o) Did you know there are 112 costume changes within the first 3 songs
at VIVA ELVIS?
o) Did you know the superheroes bouncing on the trampolines in VIVA
ELVIS happens an average of 180 times per show? After 700 shows,
that's 126,000 bounces!
o) The Return to Sender flag in VIVA ELVIS is made of real long
underwear and boxer shorts, adding up to a total of 224 lbs of
laundry!
------------------------------------
HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History
------------------------------------
* Sep.01.2003 -- Tapis Rouge CD released (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Sep.01.2003 -- "Parade of Colors" Book Published
* Sep.01.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Berlin, DE
* Sep.01.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Kamloops, BC
* Sep.02.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Albany, NY
* Sep.03.1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Las Angeles
* Sep.03.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Boston
* Sep.03.2009 -- Ovo opened Toronto, ON
* Sep.03.2010 -- Quidam opened Lima, PE
* Sep.04.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Brussels
* Sep.04.2008 -- Koozå opened Boston
* Sep.05.2005 -- Cirque held 5th Run Away with Cirque du Soleil 5k
Run and 1 Mile Fun Walk at Paseo Verde
Park in Henderson
* Sep.06.2005 -- "O" CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Sep.06.2005 -- La Nouba CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Sep.06.2005 -- Mystère (Live) CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Sep.08.1985 -- 1984 Tour opened Montréal
* Sep.08.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica
* Sep.08.1995 -- Alegría opened Boston
* Sep.08.2005 -- Dralion opened Zurich
* Sep.08.2006 -- Corteo opened Boston
* Sep.08.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Munich, DE
* Sep.08.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Victoria, BC
* Sep.09.1988 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Washington DC
* Sep.09.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened in Boston
* Sep.09.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened in Perth
* Sep.09.2005 -- Quidam opened Singapore
* Sep.09.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Syracuse, NY
* Sep.09.2009 -- Name of CirqueVaudeville Released [Banana Shpeel]
* Sep.09.2010 -- OVO opened Washington, DC
* Sep.11.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened San Jose
* Sep.11.2008 -- Quidam opened Barcelona, Spain
* Sep.12.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Toronto
* Sep.12.1997 -- Alegría opened Vienna
* Sep.12.2003 -- Varekai opened Los Angeles
* Sep.12.2005 -- Zumanity celebrated its 1000th performance
* Sep.13.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Chicago
* Sep.13.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Zurich
* Sep.14.2001 -- Quidam opened Zurich
* Sep.14.2007 -- Alegría opened Curitiba, Brazil
* Sep.14.2010 -- Banana Shpeel opened San Francisco, CA
* Sep.15.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Düsseldorf
* Sep.15.2002 -- Fire Within premiered in Canada [7:00pm EST/Global TV]
* Sep.15.2005 -- Name of "Cirque MGM" released - KÀ
* Sep.15.2008 -- Mystère celebrated 7,000th performance [9:30pm]
* Sep.15.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Milan, IT
* Sep.15.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Tacoma, WA
* Sep.16.2004 -- Varekai opened Washington DC
* Sep.16.2008 -- Corteo opened Ottawa
* Sep.16.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Amherst, NY
* Sep.16.2010 -- Koozå opened Calgary, AB
* Sep.17.1998 -- Alegría opened Zurich
* Sep.17.1998 -- Quidam opened McLean
* Sep.17.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena Tour Begins in Europe
* Sep.17.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Stockholm, SE
* Sep.17.2009 -- Dralion opened Monterrey, Mexico
* Sep.17.2010 -- Varekai opened Zurich, CH
* Sep.18.2009 -- Quidam opened Brasilia, Brazil
* Sep.19.2002 -- Varekai opened Philadelphia
* Sep.19.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Zurich
* Sep.20.1989 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica
* Sep.20.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened Yokohama
* Sep.20.2003 -- Zumanity Gala Premiere (Previews End)
* Sep.21.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened in Yokohama
* Sep.21.2001 -- Alegría celebrated 2,500th performance [Brisbane]
* Sep.21.2003 -- Cirque wins Outstanding Nonfiction Program award
* Sep.21.2004 -- "Le Best of..." CD Released (CDS Musique)
* Sep.22.2002 -- Cirque lost Emmys (nominated Jul.18.2002)
Outstanding Variety, Music or
Comedy Special - Alegría
Outstanding Choreography for 74th
Academy Awards - Debra Brown
* Sep.22.2005 -- Varekai opened Hartford
* Sep.22.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Zargoza, ES
* Sep.22.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Spokane, WA
* Sep.23.1999 -- Dralion opened in Santa Monica
* Sep.23.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Helsinki, FI
* Sep.23.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Rochester, NY
* Sep.24.2008 -- Cirque2009 tickets go on sale!
* Sep.25.2005 -- Corteo opened Minneapolis
* Sep.25.1996 -- Quidam opened in Santa Monica
* Sep.25.2002 -- Cirquedusoleil.com won four awards for its website:
"Best of Show", "Experience", "Content & Information",
"Experimental"
* Sep.25.2008 -- Varekai opened Vienna, Austria
* Sep.26.2002 -- Quidam opened Cleveland
* Sep.27.1994 -- Alegría CD released in Canada (RCA/Victor)
* Sep.27.2001 -- Dralion opened in Philadelphia
* Sep.27.2003 -- Cirque du Soleil HQ Open House
* Sep.28.2003 -- Cirque du Soleil HQ Open House
* Sep.28.2006 -- Quidam opened St. Louis
* Sep.29.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Granada, ES
* Sep.30.1997 -- Quidam opened Denver
* Sep.30.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Turku, FI
* Sep.30.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened State College, PA
* Sep.30.2009 -- Guy Laliberté, Cosmonaut!
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "Remembering ZED: A Timeless Evocation"
Part 2 of 4 - "From A to ZED"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) "The Last Viewings of ZED"
By: Steve Long - West Hartford, Connecticut (USA)
o) "IRIS: A Journey Through the World of Cinema"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
o) "CirqueCon Update #7 - We'd Like Your Thoughts"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
o) "Music Interview: Danny Elfman" [EXPANDED]
A Special Reprint from Buzzline
---------------------------------------------------------
"Remembering ZED: A Timeless Evocation"
Part 2 of 4 - "From A to ZED"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
---------------------------------------------------------
Shocking news hit the Cirque du Soleil fandom around Noon on Sunday,
July 24th- ZED, Cirque du Soleil's resident show in Tokyo, Japan would
cease operations and close as of December 31, 2011 - and it was the
proverbial shot heard around the world for Cirque fans. It was no
surprise to learn that ticket sales and attendance had plummeted since
the 2011 Tokoku earthquake and tsunami, and Oriental Land Company
(OLC), Cirque du Soleil's partner in Japan, said the decision to close
the show amounted to just that - low attendance and a bleak overall
outlook on the show's future.
Thankfully this will not be the last time we hear from the world of
ZED, as pieces of the show will be salvaged and used to upgrade VIVA
ELVIS and MYSTERE on the Las Vegas Strip. While we absorb the full
impact and meaning of this closure, and contemplate the knowledge that
we may never again see ZED staged whole, I'd like to take a moment to
reflect upon my experience with ZED and highlight the fascinating
characters and acts we'll now miss once the final curtain is called.
* * *
When I last left you, my friend (and fellow Cirque du Soleil fan) Rich
Alford and I had entered the ZED theater complex on the afternoon of
November 8, 2008 in triumph, though huffing and puffing from the walk,
with only a few moments to spare before the curtain would rise again
on ZED, Cirque du Soleil's then newest resident production. We had
found ourselves at Tokyo DisneySEA that morning as hosts to a
CirqueCon lunch for a table of eight patrons at Magellan's, then made
our way to the Theater for the afternoon performance. When we arrived,
though, we were in for a bit of a shock: our seats were occupied, and
our tickets were issued in error!
With about a minute before curtain call and with the box office on the
phone to Kyoko Hasegawa (our friendly contact at Cirque Tokyo), they
found us alternative seats, which we took quickly, settling down to
gaze over the white canvas that keeps the world of ZED tightly
wrapped.
As a CirqueCon Passionate, I had quite a good look at it the day
before...
The journey from A to ZED began with an announcement on April 7, 2005
that Cirque du Soleil came to an agreement with the Walt Disney
Company and Oriental Land Co., Ltd (the company that administers Tokyo
Disneyland Resort) to open a permanent theater in Tokyo. Ground was
broken on the $140 million USD, 2,000 seat project on April 18, 2006
and blessed by a Shinto priest from nearby Seiryu shrine. By October
1, 2007, construction was far enough along to announce the show would
officially open on October 1, 2008, during the Resort's 25th
Anniversary celebrations.
"ZED" became the show's official name on June 3, 2008 (though it had
been leaked to the fandom some time before the official announcement).
ZED would go on to premiere on time to rave reviews and spectacular
attendance. Since its premiere (and over 1,000 performances), ZED has
proven to be very popular and reached the one-millionth guest
milestone faster than any other show in Japan.
However, the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
event, which took place on March 11, 2011, greatly changed the
business environment for the theater (and all of Japan). Based on a
review of the expected results and the long-term viability of the
show, it was mutually agreed on July 25, 2011 to indefinitely close
the Cirque du Soleil Theater Tokyo and cease performances of ZED as of
December 31, 2011. The show, which premiered on October 1, 2008, marks
Cirque du Soleil's twenty-second production overall, the first
permanent theater and show in Japan and its first permanent venture
outside of North America.
The story of ZED blossoms in an environment that recalls antique
astronomical and navigational instruments set in an ancient cosmos
that is at the same time new and somehow familiar. In fact the set
takes its inspiration from many eras and influences: ancient science,
the inventions of Leonardo da Vinci, the products of the early days of
the Mechanical Age, nautical instruments and astronomy all play a part
in creating an atmosphere of solidity and tradition, floating in space
that looks toward the future. As an example, on the floor of the stage
is a representation of the Milky Way, with symbols referring to the
different phases of the moon, and star placements.
An alphabet of 26 symbols, known as the Zed Alphabet, appears
throughout the set and spells out the periodic table of the elements
as well as other words related to the production. And five spheres of
various diameters, each displaying their own special effects, form a
miniature representation of an Astrolabe - a micro world that reflects
the macro world. Made mostly of steel, the suspended astrolabe weights
19,504 kilograms (43,000 pounds) and is fitted with a net that can
deploy and retract as needed.
The theater is quite unique as it is the first permanent Cirque du
Soleil Theater outside of North America (they're either located in Las
Vegas or Orlando). It opened after about two years of construction and
a total business cost of 14 billion yen. The distinctive Theatre roof
formed with polyhedrons is designed in the image of a circus tent, the
very beginnings of Cirque du Soleil. It is specifically designed to
harness the sun's rays from any direction and its glass exterior
definitely presents an appearance befitting Cirque du Soleil, the
Circus of the Sun. By the numbers: the building stands about 35 meters
high, has approximately 5,400 square-meters of building area and
14,000 square-meters of total floor space to get lost on.
Inside is equally impressive.
Cirque du Soleil Tokyo's stage is one of the largest in Japan with a
width of about 35 meters, a depth of about 20 meters, and a height to
the ceiling of about 21 meters. The open, semi-circular stage thrusts
out into the audience allowing guests to feel even closer to the
action. A grid above the audience covers about 1,700 square meters of
the ceiling and can support a load of 750 kilograms per square meters.
This grid is used for special mechanical equipment and devices that
make possible various stage effects.
Such as the "basket" winch from Fisher Technical, a custom ten
horsepower counterweight assist winch that provides the means for
rigidly securing a four ton piece of scenic and acrobatic equipment
through an enormous range of loading conditions; the "net" winches,
used to deploy and tension the safety net system for the trapeze (It
is a two stage machine, with the first stage rotating a large drum to
pull the stage width net into its initial slack position. After
engaging a huge ratchet backstop on the first stage, the second stage
drives a large ball screw to pull the entire winch system backward
(riding on heavy duty FTSI FastTrack) to put over 7 tons of tension on
the net); and the "vortex" winches that breathe life into the
breathtaking opening curtain effect (done using 25 hp motors coupled
with huge drums that are over eight feet in length and four feet in
diameter. At over 25 linear feet per second, the drums collect almost
an acre of fabric in the blink of an eye!). Underneath the stage is
one of the world's largest trap rooms with a depth of six meters. All
these elements make it possible to present a show that can only be
staged at a permanent theater.
The theater's 2,170 seats are arranged around the semi-circular stage
with the seats at the back of the theater about 30 meters away, giving
the audience a sense of being close to the action. The seats at the
front of the theater are designed to allow a good view of Cirque du
Soleil's spectacular aerial acrobatics and other effects by having
seat backs that recline and extra space between rows. All the seats
have cup holders so that guests can enjoy refreshments while they
watch the show. These elements all help provide a comfortable and
enjoyable ambience in the theater.
To ensure that the highest quality performance can always be
presented, the backstage area includes dressing rooms that can
accommodate a total of 70 performers, a training room for physical
care and treatment, and a rehearsal room with a 10-meter-high ceiling
where acrobats can rehearse. Also backstage are acrobatic and other
equipment, a metal workshop for maintaining special equipment, and a
costume shop where costumes are maintained.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Next time: discovering the theme of ZED and the characters that play
in its world.
---------------------------------------------------------
"The Last Viewings of ZED"
By: Steve Long - West Hartford, Connecticut (USA)
---------------------------------------------------------
It's hard to believe that I've seen ZED for the last time. Those last
viewings on August 11 and August 13, 2011 were wonderful. There had
been a couple of casting changes and a couple of artists were absent
from their group routines but the show was still strong. The aftermath
of the March earthquake in Tohoku did result in a major change to the
show, however, the deployment of an airbag below the high wire act,
just in case the stage and high wire started shaking in the middle of
the act. It's one thing to consider the odds of an earthquake shaking
things while you're a couple of stories above the stage, it's another
to have a major quake followed by numerous major aftershocks bringing
into focus the actual possibility of an earthquake induced fall.
The resident creative team, most of whom were involved in the superbly
realized change of ZED from a two-act show to a one-act show, once
again worked their magic with the process of deploying and then taking
down the airbag. Someone seeing the show for the first time would have
had no idea that anything had changed from the first days of
performance. The change had the added benefit of emphasizing the
character of the Shaman and his role in creating the world of ZED. His
actions bringing out the airbag carried over into more activity on the
Shaman's part as he brought the other aspects of the ZED world into
being.
I think I have seen about 20 different Cirque du Soleil (CDS) shows
and while I acknowledge that seeing live performances is a very
personal thing, one person may love a show that another person sees as
just ordinary - for me, ZED is one of the strongest shows, residential
or touring, that CDS is currently presenting. The creation of the
world of ZED was well done, the artistic base of the show is strong
enough to weather changes in cast and acts. I think ZED could have
challenged Mystere in terms of longevity. But on December 31, 2011 it
will be done.
ZED was the product of a particular artistic purpose (to create a
residential show in Japan) and the product of a particular collection
of artistic talent and insight at all levels of creation and
performance. I look forward to the day when artistic purpose and
artistic talent once again combine to create a show that I would
travel to the far side of the world to see again.
Afterthoughts
The Oriental Land Corporation (OLC) press release talked about a
review of the business conditions for their collaboration with Cirque
du Soleil (CDS). As it was OLC that made the initial announcement of
the closing and as the Tohoku disasters were so fresh in our minds it
was easy for me to assume that this was a decision primarily made in
Japan in reaction to the difficulties the country was facing.
After my visit to Japan, though, it struck me that Cirque du Soleil
may have had reasons to question the value of continuing ZED as well,
such as a change of business plans and the increasing cost of
operating in Japan.
During CirqueCon 2007, Orlando!, when ZED was in development in
Montreal, we learned of a plan to build a number of Cirque du Soleil
theater spaces using the La Nouba Theater as a template. This would
allow the possibility for shows to rotate among theaters. There was
also the move to create permanent resident shows outside North
America, starting with Macao, Tokyo and Dubai.
Cirque Theatre Tokyo, the host space for ZED, was the only other
theater built using the LaNouba stage footprint, the Dubai show never
materialized and no other locations were added to the list. Now what
we're seeing are shows developed for existing theater spaces with an
emphasis on increasing the overseas touring model, both by finding new
venues for existing shows and creating new shows that will travel
internationally from early on in the tour, with the intent to perform
in venues of various sizes, not just big tops. With this shift in
business plan could come a shift in support for shows created under
the old business plan, especially shows that are running into
difficulties, like an increase in operational expenses.
When ZED was being developed the returns were probably generated using
a Yen exchange rate of something a little better than 100 Yen to the
U.S. Dollar. When CirqueCon 2008, Tokyo! occurred the rate was about
97 Yen to the U.S. Dollar and it kept dropping as time went on. For
the first half of 2011 the exchange rate was in the low 80's and in
August, when I went over, it was trading just under 77 Yen. If the CDS
artists and staff were being paid in Yen, then Cirque du Soleil was
having to pay more in Dollars to achieve the same amount in Yen. If
the pay was in Dollars converted to Yen then CDS was having to provide
financial supplements so that people could live. The cost of OLC
provided services was also increasing in Dollar terms.
OLC might have had reasons other than the earthquake damage and the
reliability of electricity, I'm thinking attendance. Not just
attendance at performances of ZED, but attendance at Tokyo Disneyland
Resort overall.
I'm not sure how CDS approaches repeat attendance at its shows. How
much of the total audience for a particular show is going to be one-
time only guests? How much will be people returning a few times to see
the show again? How much will be passionate fans purchasing seats at
locations all over North America, or even all over the world? For the
various Disney parks though I'm fairly certain that there is an
emphasis on bringing the same visitors back again and again over time.
In the early afternoon of August 16, I returned to the Tokyo DisneySea
park in Tokyo Disneyland Resort, having first visited it in May of
2010. The park was crowded, popular rides had waits of 150 minutes,
many other rides had waits of 50 minutes. At the Mediterranean Harbor,
a large body of water for the staging of extravaganzas just inside the
main entry to the park, people were already gathering for the
afternoon performance of "The Legend of Mythica." This involved a
dozen or more tricked out motorized barges, with a dozen decorated
skidoo type watercraft running around, easily a hundred cast members
in full costume with synchronized choreography at locations all around
the Harbor. No sign of anything being held back in terms of production
values. There was also a nighttime program called "Fantasmic!", which
involved different tricked out motorized barges but less cast members
as the nighttime aided the visual technology. Again, there was no
sense of anything being held back in production. In fact in a
September article in the Japan Times online it's noted that attendance
had started to return in May of 2011 with July attendance matching
that of the year before. (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-
bin/nn20110902f2.html). Neither of these extravaganzas were staged
during my visit in 2010 and it's likely that next year there will be
something entirely different plying the waters of Mediterranean
Harbor. To bring back the Guests, all the Disney parks need to create
new things for the Guests to see and enjoy on repeat visits. It's
possible that, even as they were creating a special ticket, (a full
fare ZED ticket with a reduced cost ticket to either Tokyo DisneyLand
or Tokyo DisneySea) OLC was wondering how long a show that does not
change could bring repeat business to a place that changes on a
regular basis.
Both Oriental Land Corporation and Cirque du Soleil were probably
reconsidering their long term commitment to ZED well before March
2011, and the Tohoku disasters gave them an opportunity to sit down
and review the long term viability of the show in light of far more
than the damage resulting from the natural and man-made disasters that
had impacted the country.
For me, ZED was the primary reason to make the journey out to the
Tokyo Disneyland Resort every year since 2007. That doesn't mean I
won't visit the next time I'm there, just that visiting won't have the
priority it had before. I'll be focusing on Cirque du Soleil
performances at venues closer to home.
---------------------------------------------------------
"IRIS: A Journey Through the World of Cinema"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
---------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil and CIM Group presented the world premiere of IRIS,
a new resident production created exclusively for the Kodak Theater
at the Hollywood & Highland Center, home of the Academy Awards, on
September 25th. Proudly presented by Sun Life Financial, IRIS is
written and directed by French stage and film director, artisitc
director, dancer and choreographer Philippe Decouflé. Let's take
a journey into the world of cinema with IRIS...
ABOUT THE SHOW
A poetic phantasmagoria inspired by the world of cinema, IRIS presents
an imaginary journey through the evolution of cinema - from the
foundations of the art form to the bustle of the soundstage - through
optical effects and film genres. IRIS transposes into a language of
dance and acrobatics all of cinema's splendor, inventiveness and,
above all, its sense of wonder.
When the two young heroes - Buster and Scarlett - find themselves
plunged into the joyful chaos of a film set, their escapades transport
the spectator into a kaleidoscope of movement, moods and images
supported by an orchestral score.
Buster is a melancholy composer in search of true love. Somewhere
between reality and make-believe, he spots the girl of his dreams:
Scarlett, a naïve actress who longs to become a movie star. But will
Buster and Scarlett find each other in the real world?
IRIS conjures up a place between motion and picture, light and sound,
that shifts constantly between reality and make-believe, to explore
the limitless possibilities of cinema. By combining dance, acrobatics,
live video, film footage and interactive projections, the show
illustrates both the mechanics of cinema and its extraordinary power
to deceive the eye.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Cooperation with others is essential to Philippe Decouflé's process.
In 1983 he gathered together a group of artists and artisans who have
been with him ever since as members of his dance company DCA, which
has created scores of playful and fantastic productions that represent
a veritable revival in contemporary dance. In 1992 Philippe created
the magnificent opening and closing ceremonies of the Albertville
Olympic Games. Watched by two billion viewers, this work earned him an
international reputation. Philippe Decouflé also created the show
Désirs that has been running at the Crazy Horse Saloon in Paris since
2009. IRIS is his first show with Cirque du Soleil.
Along with Philippe Decouflé, the creative team consists of the
following distinctive talents:
o) Guy Laliberté -- Artistic Guide
o) Gilles Ste-Croix -- Artistic Guide
o) Philippe Decouflé -- Writer and Director
o) Danny Elfman -- Composer
o) Jean-François Bouchard -- Director of Creation
o) Pascale Henrot -- Associate Director of Creation
o) Jean Rabasse -- Set Designer
o) Philippe Guillotel -- Costume Designer
o) Daphné Mauger -- Choreographer
o) Patrice Besombes -- Lighting Designer
o) Anne-Séguin Poirier -- Props Designer
o) Olivier Simola -- Projection Designer
o) Christophe Waksmann -- Projection Designer
o) François Bergeron -- Sound Designer
o) Boris Verkhovsky -- Acrobatic Performance Designer
o) Shana Carroll -- Acrobatic Performance Designer
o) Pierre Masse -- Acrobatic Rigging and Equipment Designer
o) Nathalie Gagné -- Makeup Designer
THE ACTS
Through visual language, acrobatics and choreography, all interwoven
with the narrative of the show, IRIS brings the splendor,
inventiveness and sense of wonder of cinema to the stage.
Aerial Straps Duo
In an atmosphere of light and shade, two acrobats soar through the air
suspended from single or double straps. They take off high above the
stage and land with grace and fluidity, delivering a performance that
makes one think of an aerial hand-to-hand number.
Shadows and Contortion
In an evocation of shadow stories played out on prehistoric cave walls
- the very beginnings of what eventually would become cinema - four
contortionists adopt striking poses and undulate like dancing flames.
The flexibility of their movements is amazing as they are transformed
into living sculptures.
Hand to Hand
Two porters launch their partners into the air to perform stunning
feats requiring absolute mastery and control. Generated live by their
every move, the kaleidoscopic projections above the acrobats decompose
motion to add a poetic dimension to their number.
Filmstrip
In a choreography that calls for high-speed precision, performers
advance from one frame of film to the next to create the illusion of
continuous movement.
Kiriki (Icarian Games)
The principle of Icarian games - one of the oldest circus arts
disciplines - calls for a porter lying on his back spinning an acrobat
with his feet. This dazzling number features eight acrobats who
literally blur the lines between reality and the impossible as they
push the act far beyond its traditional boundaries with cool daring.
Movie Set
Controlled chaos reigns over a succession of highly visual numbers and
audacious plunges as a bold allusion to various aspects of filmmaking.
The choreography brings the circus disciplines of teeterboard, Spanish
web, Russian bars, aerial silk to floor gymnastics and original
choreography.
Trapeze and Broom Manipulation
An artist on stage manipulates his broom while above him, a trapeze
artist - the embodiment of his dream - performs with fantastic
artistry. Their interaction turns into a gentle complicity.
Trampoline (The Rooftops)
In a tribute to gangster movies and to the work of stunt actors,
trampolinists deliver a number packed with thrills on the roofs of
buildings, multiplying their astounding leaps, flips and glides in a
non-stop action movie atmosphere.
Hand Balancing
Playing the part of the show's heroine Scarlett, a young woman
balancing on canes performs a number infused with romanticism,
subtlety and sinuous strength that captures the already conquered
heart of Buster. Before it's over, they will share a tender kiss.
Aerial Ball
In an aerial bungee ballet that pays tribute to 3D movies, women in
costumes studded with crystal dive and soar in unison from the ceiling
above the audience in a thrilling, swirling flight.
COSTUMES
Cut! Print! Sew!
In a brilliant tribute to cinema, the costumes in IRIS are the result
of a visual exploration of a broad range of themes connected with the
invention of cinema: the taking of pictures and the recording and
transmitting of sound and light.
Designer Philippe Guillotel conducted extensive research into the
history of cinema to devise concepts which some 250 artisans brought
to life in the costume workshop at Cirque du Soleil. It took him three
years of intensive research to complete the project.
He searched the Musée des arts et métiers in Paris - where you can
find everything from the first chronophotographic gun to the earliest
sound projector - from top to bottom. He also screened innumerable
films including the works of Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin and
Georges Méliès, as well as the first films made with Thomas Edison's
pioneering cinema inventions.
The costumes he designed let IRIS follow the major stages in the
evolution of color in film, from black and white and sepia, through
Technicolor and colorization to the deliberately saturated colors of
films like Dick Tracy.
Giving Substance to the Machinery of Cinema
The symbiosis between the costumes and the technical inventions of
cinema is particularly striking in the half-human/half machine
'hybrid' characters. One of these creatures wears a skirt reminiscent
of the praxinoscope, one of the first animation devices. Based on the
stroboscopic effect, this costume illustrates the decomposition of
movement. The circular structure of the skirt reveals - through slots
as it rotates - two boxers in action.
Philippe Guillotel created unusual costumes for a wide range of hybrid
characters:
o) Two "camera men" whose costumes include a camera mounted on
their head or chest.
o) A " sound man" wearing a large carbon fiber cone.
o) A "screen man" whose costume conceals a 135 sq. ft. screen
that comes out of his stomach.
o) A character whose costume is inspired by the first sound
equipment used to detect the sound of bombs in war.
Some of these costumes have a useful function in the show, such as the
two hybrids fitted with cameras that capture the action on stage.
"I'm a devoted fan of Jules Verne's universe with all its mechanical
gears and rivets," says Philippe Guillotel. "When I see an old wood
and brass camera I immediately want to make a costume. And I want
everyone who sees the IRIS costumes to immediately think of one word:
cinema."
Material Benefits
Philippe Guillotel usually singles out five or six materials per show
which he uses in every possible way. For IRIS, these included soft
Lycra which can be made to look woolly or glossy, silk stretch nylon,
which drapes well and can be printed with reflective designs, and
natural cottons and linens.
For Philippe, the fabric is less important than the body of the
artist. "You can imagine the best costume of the world, but if the
dancer or acrobat doesn't wear it well, the effect will be lost," he
says. "The IRIS dancers have magnificent bodies, and it is this beauty
that I have tried to emphasize."
That is certainly the case with the acrobats whose costumes were
inspired by corsets that were fashionable in the early 20th century,
plus a little nod to Roman times. Even though he used a lot of leather
for the corsets, Philippe relied mainly on modern fabrics and high-
tech materials such as carbon fiber for their protrusions - for
reasons of flexibility, comfort and lightness.
Focus on Costumes
o) The influence of Dick Tracy is front and center in the number
that pays tribute to gangster movies. The artists who leap up
and down the buildings from trampolines hidden in the stage
floor are wearing bright red, yellow and blue tartan suits.
o) In the Aerial Ballet number the costumes of the bungee-
jumping "diamond women" are studded with nearly one million
Swarovski crystals. In the air, the artists themselves are
not as visible as the brilliance of the stones, which give
their bodies a smooth and bright look.
o) The costumes worn the by the Icarian Games "Kiriki"
characters are an evocation of costumes in the films of
Georges Méliès.
o) The hybrid Furniture Characters are artists whose costumes
make them look exactly like pieces of living room furniture:
two chairs, a lamp, a table and a moose head on the wall. At
one point, as part of a movie, they all come to life and
unfold in a matter of seconds.
o) Some costumes pay tribute to various professions and crafts
associated with cinema, including screenwriters, makeup
artists, cinematographers, carpenters, decorators, painters,
electricians and lighting designers.
SET, PROJECTIONS AND MUSIC
To create the cinematic world of IRIS a great many elements have to
come together, play off each other and create a coherent environment
of sights andsounds on the 9,600 sq. ft. stage of the majestic Kodak
Theatre.
Set
The set design by Jean Rabasse provides the physical framework for the
action and effects of the show. The sets' infrastructure occupies a
space that spans 122 ft. from the high grid to the bottom of the pit,
and conceals a lift with a capacity of 20,000 lbs that rises and
descends 34 ft. below the stage at a rate of one foot per second.
His first decision was to avoid direct references to specific films,
actors or directors, and to take a playful, universally accessible
approach to creating a world of cinema. The set also had to provide a
meeting place for acrobatics, circus arts, dance and projections. And
it had to do so in such a way that cinema techniques and live
performances could blend together.
What Jean wanted to express was a love, not just of cinema, but of the
whole process of film-making, from the technicians to the sound stage,
to the nuts and bolts of the machinery and equipment The set suggests
a fairground attraction inspired by Coney Island where movies were
screened to an audience for the first time.
Cinema Emerges from the Shadows
Jean Rabasse's concepts go beyond simple references to the
paraphernalia of the film set. They complement performances by artists
whose goal is to connect with the emotions of the audience. For Jean,
the shadows on prehistoric cave walls were the beginnings of what
would eventually be called cinema. The stories they told engaged the
intelligence and the emotions as much as they appealed to the eyes.
And so it is with IRIS. The show starts with shadows before bursting
into color.
The elements of positive and negative are essential components of
film; they are also the names of the two giant figures flanking the
stage. Above, the motto "In Motion We Trust" sums up not only the
theme of moving pictures, but also the constant action of the show.
The second act plunges into a rapid-fire succession of familiar film
genres, and the set transforms just as rapidly to supply each number
with a backdrop that supports the story elements through distinctive
visual references such as costumes, hairstyles and the outlines of
figures silhouetted in windows - as well as providing all the
structures and anchor points needed for each act.
The Color Palette
Some sequences, such as the Rooftops trampoline number vibrate with
bright saturated colors and the sharp contrasts of shadows and
silhouettes. However, The show's overall color palette leans more
toward earth tones - muted oranges and yellows. It has to be, to
ensure that the vitally important projections are clearly visible from
every seat in the vast Kodak Theatre.
Props
The result of extensive research and an exploration of the effects of
scale, some of the IRIS props have taken on a life of their own.
Resembling the contents of a cabinet of curiosities, they are
variations on the themes of sound, optics, light and smoke. These
little devices represent the beginnings of cinema and the mechanical
inventions that made its development as an art form possible. Light
sources and ingenious machines, as well as panels, ladders, beams and
chairs, take on personality traits, transforming them into characters
that give life to the artists who operate them.
Projections
Projection Designers Olivier Simola and Christophe Waksmann used a
wide variety of unconventional materials in their concepts, including
stretch plastic and micro-perforated tulle.
The stage, the set elements and, in one comic sequence, even the
artists' bodies and costumes are used as projection surfaces. The
content of the projections is largely driven by movements of the live
performers, and much of the time it is impossible to tell what is real
and what is artificial.
Early in the show, real-time projections of acrobats' performances
capture their movements as trails of still images - in very much the
same way that frames of film create the persistence of vision effect
that we see as motion pictures. The result is a living decomposition
of movement that takes on a luminous life of its own as an ever-
changing abstract kaleidoscope above the action.
The IRIS projections are widely varied in both technical approach and
content. Early in the show, a performer appears in a costume
reminiscent of the praxinoscope, one of the first animation devices.
Based on the stroboscopic effect, this costume illustrates the
decomposition of movement. The circular structure of the skirt reveals
- through slots as it rotates - two boxers in action.
The virtual traveling scene seamlessly mixes live performance captured
on camera with a succession of projected make-believe sets and props
that take the artists from the streets of LA to outer space. And the
Pursuit Race sequence recreates the menacing atmosphere of a classic
1940s Hollywood gangster flick as a set-up for the Rooftops number
that is the closest the show comes to presenting an actual film to the
IRIS audience.
To achieve all this, and more, Olivier and Christophe used eight large
15,000-lumen video projectors for the main projections, six for the
rear projections and four installed high above the stage to throw
images onto set elements on either side of the stage.
Music
Danny Elfman's music for IRIS is primarily orchestral, combining both
large and small ensembles throughout the show. Its melodies contain
references to many genres of film - at times grandiose and stirring,
at times playful and light, sometimes surrealistic, frequently action-
packed and often humorous and surprising.
The choice of the orchestral approach reflects the fact that over 95
per cent of film music since the 1930s has been scored for full
orchestras, and this imparts to the Cirque du Soleil show a sonic
connection between circus and film, via strings, brass, harps, flutes,
clarinets, bassoons and so on, as opposed to the sounds of a jazz or
rock ensemble.
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets range from $43 to $133 (VIP tickets are available at $253).
Tickets can be purchased on line at www.cirquedusoleil.com/IRIS or by
calling 1-877-943-IRIS.
For parties of 12 or more, contact Cirque du Soleil group sales by
calling 877-504-7164.
For Preferred Seating and other American Express(R) Cardmember benefits,
please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/amex.
Sponsors
Sun Life Financial is the presenting sponsor of IRIS. Infiniti and
American Express are the official sponsors of this new production.
About Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque
du Soleil is now a major Quebec-based organization providing high-
quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees,
including more than 1,500 performing artists from close to 50
different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight
to more than 100 million spectators in nearly 300 cities on six
continents.
For more information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
To find out more about the One Drop Foundation, visit www.onedrop.org.
About KODAK Theatre
Kodak Theatre is the crown jewel of the Hollywood & Highland Center, a
retail, dining and entertainment venue located in the heart of
historic Hollywood. The theatre opened in November 2001 and soon
became known to more than one billion people across the globe as the
first permanent home of the Academy Awards(R). Kodak Theatre was
designed by the internationally-renowned Rockwell Group to be as
glamorous as its onstage artists and celebrity guests, yet capable of
serving the enormous technical needs of a live worldwide television
broadcast on Oscar(R) night.
For more information visit: http://www.kodaktheatre.com
About Sun Life Financial
Sun Life Financial is a leading international financial services
organization providing a diverse range of protection and wealth
accumulation products and services to individuals and corporate
customers. Chartered in 1865, Sun Life Financial and its partners
today have operations in key markets worldwide, including Canada, the
United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the
Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China and Bermuda. In the United
States and elsewhere, insurance products are offered by members of the
Sun Life Financial group that are insurance companies. Sun Life
Financial Inc., the holding company for the Sun Life Financial group
of companies, is a public company. It is not an insurance company and
does not offer insurance products for sale in the United States or
elsewhere, and does not guarantee the obligations of its insurance
company subsidiaries. Product offerings may not be available in all
states and may vary depending on state laws and regulations. As of
June 30, 2011, the Sun Life Financial group of companies had total
assets under management of $492 billion. For more information, please
visit www.sunlife.com. Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto
(TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the
ticker symbol SLF.
---------------------------------------------------------
"CirqueCon Update #7 - We'd Like Your Thoughts!"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
---------------------------------------------------------
Greetings, Passionates! Keith here with some Cirque-related activity
possibilities for our upcoming CirqueCon 2011: Hollywood! weekend.
While we're in Los Angeles, we thought we might take advantage of a
couple of local attractions that have a Cirque connection. Take a
look at these two activities and if you are interested please let us
know with an email to Hollywood@cirquecon.com. If there is sufficient
interest we will move ahead with arrangements. For both outings we
would take your ticket money ourselves and purchase tickets through
their Group Ticket office.
KODAK THEATRE TOUR - $10.00 USD/PSN. This is the public tour of the
theatre that houses IRIS. (It is of course located in the Hollywood &
Highland shopping complex, as is our Group Meal.) It would take 30-40
min and takes you through the public areas of the theatre only. There
is NO access to backstage or any areas Cirque has control over. The
primary focus of this tour is the Oscars and Academy Awards. You can
see more about the tour here: < http://www.kodaktheatre.com/
theatre_tours.htm >
We would schedule this for FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2, we believe at some
point between 12Noon and 2pm. We will work with Cirque and the
theatre to make sure that any "special Cirque activities" (not
quaranteed) won't conflict with the tour. (We'd like to schedule them
to happen close to each other.)
"LOVE" EXHIBIT AT THE GRAMMY MUSEUM - $10.00 USD/PSN. The Grammy
Museum is located in downtown LA in the LA Live complex (which also
houses the Staples Center and the Nokia Theatre). A Google map
showing its location is here: < http://maps.google.com/maps?
f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=800+W.+Olympic+Blvd.+Los+Angeles+90015&sll=37.0625,
-95.677068&sspn=48.822589,60.029297&ie=UTF8&z=17&iwloc=addr > Zoom out
a bit and you can see that it's a short drive from Hollywood south on
the 101 & 110 freeways. But you can also get there on the Metro Red
subway line that services the Hollywood and Highland Shopping Center.
10 stops later, after a 20-minute ride, get off at 7th Street/Metro
Center and after a short walk - you're there!
The Museum is four floors of cutting-edge exhibits honoring all forms
of music and the people who make it, from the creators and musicians
to the producers and engineers. The LOVE special exhibit is a couple
of display cases of costumes and an introductory film about the show
that was shot in 3-D! There will also be a special exhibition about
George Harrison on display while we are there. You can see more about
the exhibit here: < http://www.grammymuseum.org/interior.php?
section=exhibits&page=beatles_love >
Tickets would be available at the Will Call desk of the Museum (in
your name) starting Tuesday, November 29. You would be able to pick
up your tickets and enjoy the museum at your convenience. Depending
on how many people are interested we might schedule an "official"
outing, likely Thursday, December 1 at some time between Noon and 4pm.
Do either of these sound interesting to you? If so, please let us
know by sending an email to Hollywood@cirquecon.com and telling us how
many tickets of which kind of activity you would like. If there is
enough interest, we will respond with information on how to buy
tickets.
HAVE YOU GOT YOUR HOTEL ROOMS/SHOW TICKETS/GROUP MEALS? - Our
exclusive deals for tickets and hotel rooms are still available,
through the links we've sent to members previously (see more about our
deals at our website, www.cirquecon.com ). Don't wait too much longer
before reserving, when the hotel reaches a certain occupancy level the
offer will expire. And don't forget our group meal on Friday evening
at The Grill, which we told you about in our last email.
WE WANT YOUR STORIES! One of our members favorite sections of our
Program Book is our "Member Stories" section. Cirque fans love to
hear about other Cirque fans doing Cirquey things. How could we stop
now? As we have done with our other Program Books (viewable in our
"Artifacts" section), we would like to gather your Cirque stories.
Here's the deal. Send us your story about an experience you had, a
story involving Cirque, your feelings about Cirque, how you were
introduced to it - anything that involves Cirque du Soleil. As Cirque
said for their "Cirque du Soleil and Me" contest a few years ago,
"Tell us of a memory, an anecdote or a special moment you have had
with Cirque du Soleil... Think back over your fondest memories and
then write a brief story to share..." And it would be especially
interesting if it occurred at a CirqueCon!
Rules? Your text must be creative, original and true. You will
receive no compensation or prize other than the joy of seeing your
words published. If you want to use your text later for some other
purpose, be our guest. We'll take your submissions, edit them and put
them in the Program Book.
The more the better! We'll do everything we can to include everyone's
story. If you have pictures to illustrate, please send them along as
well. We Passionates enjoy hearing other's experiences. Send them to
Hollywood@cirquecon.com, by November 10, 2011.
Thank you again for believing in us.
In the meantime,
Live Passionately!
Keith, Lucy and Ricky
Your CirqueCon '11: Hollywood! Team
www.cirquecon.com
Hollywood@cirquecon.com
---------------------------------------------------------
"Music Interview: Danny Elfman" [EXPANDED]
A Special Reprint from Buzzline
---------------------------------------------------------
Its hard to think of a performance venue that Danny Elfmans music
hasnt conquered, be it the rock stages where Oingo Boingo reigned,
the movie theaters where Elfmans scores to Real Steel and Restless
are playing, the television sets where his theme for The Simpsons
hasnt stopped, or the concert halls whose ballet dancers have
pirouetted to Elfmans gossamer percussion.
Just about one location remains that Danny Elfman would be a natural
to shine under, and thats The Big Top. Ever since his early days in
the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, a madcap percussion akin to
circus music has been an Elfman trademark, continuing through numerous
Boingo songs to the nightmarish clowns of Pee Wees Big Adventure,
Beetlejuices demonic carousel, and the Penguins twisted fairway
minions in Batman Returns. Even when theres no cackling clown on
hand, the very nature of calliope music seems part of Elfmans DNA,
his hellzapoppin rhythms jumping through soundwaves like a trapeze
act.
Now Danny Elfman has at last come home to the place he was always
meant to be for Cirque du Soleils live carnival of movie love called
Iris, which has a likely infinite run at the Kodak Theater at the
Hollywood & Highland complex. Its more than fitting that the towns
most popular ringmaster has gotten his chance to inspire absurd
clowning and death-defying feats right next to the Chinese Theater --
the heart of peoples imagination for all the romance and adventure
that movies represent at their purest dream state. And its this
iconography that Iris beautifully taps into. Without ever specifically
naming classic movie titles, the Cirques always-stunning staging has
dancers evoking the rites to summon King Kong, acrobats trampolining
about a film noir cityscape straight out of Rear Window, then
recreating the De Mille-ian bustle of a backlot soundstage.
As his dynamic music provides the impossible synch points for these
performers, Elfmans tribal beats, haunting violins, hard-broiled
jazz, ethereal choruses, and gossamer bell magic also evoke the sum
total of his prolific scoring career, bringing to mind images of
Edward Scissorhands, Dick Tracy, Nightbreed, Black Beauty, and
Standard Operating Procedure, among his many soundtracks. Yet the
astonishing range of the whimsical, savage, and modernistic styles on
display are utterly unique to themselves, inspiring breathtaking leaps
and dances from the Cirque performers, all with the same fervor that
Elfmans music has taken listeners on their own flights of fantasy.
But perhaps most impressively on stage in Iris is how Elfman and
Cirque go beyond conjuring films greatest images to playing the magic
of movie creation itself. Rarely has music been so inextricably tied
to a Cirque show, or so different from their musical approach at that.
Where Hollywood is striving for new dimensions of audience
involvement, Iris and its music truly make us part of a living, joyful
screen, with Danny Elfmans music capturing the bliss of its
flickering, magical light that makes us dream of the stars.
Q. How would you describe the impact of circus music on your life and
your music?
Well, what can I say? I grew up with red hair and was called Bozo the
Clown all through elementary and junior high. So I guess I was pre-
ordained to have something to do with the circus from the very
beginning. I hope what Im doing right now with Iris is just a bit
more sophisticated than the music Bozo might have used for his show.
Q. What was your experience like writing for other mediums than film
before you got to Iris?
Ive just done two commissions in the last 26 years of writing for
film, which was Serenada Schizophrana for the Composers Orchestra, and
Rabbit and Rogue for Twyla Tharp. It was ironic that my third time
out, writing outside of film, would be about the subject of film, at
least surrealistically speaking. But over the course of almost three
years of working on the project, Iris became a story that was inspired
by the idea of cinema. The shows creator, Philippe Decoufle, was
designing extravagant visual images and set pieces, but every group of
performers was completely unique from each other. Youve got the
specific needs of the Russian hand to hand balancing artists --
theyre two couples -- two men and two women -- who are balancing on
each others shoulders and flipping from person to person. How they
move is completely different compared to the Mongolian acrobats, who
are used to doing their act while paying no attention to the music at
all. So I had to really learn that it wasnt writing for a group of
performers, but writing for a dozen very individual performers, each
with very different needs. I began to think more about really
designing things for them this past year, which was a new and very
unexpected challenge, like customizing music for the Atherton twins,
who begin the show on the high wire. That approach also led to me
realizing that our lead acrobat was a pianist as well, which meant I
could write a piano part for him. It was all really cool, but very
much not what I expected.
Q. Before composing Iris, what was your impression of the Cirque shows
and how music was used in them?
I had seen a number of Cirque shows and thought they were great. I
particularly loved going to Las Vegas to see their shows. Ive watched
O, KÅ, and Love several times. I also saw their equestrian show,
Cavalia, not too long ago, in Burbank. I always had a feeling that
their music was of a certain specific nature, which wasnt the kind of
music I really did. Then things began happening in a weird way that
would lead me to Iris. It all started three years ago in New York,
when a friend who represented my concert music called about a show he
wanted to take me to. It was this dance thing, so I said, Okay,
great. I meet him outside of the theater where he then tells me well
be seeing a solo artist. I told him, Oh my God. Youre taking me to a
solo fucking dance show? Im going to die. This is going to be so
boring. I just couldnt believe it. The idea of watching one dancer
for two hours seemed just impossible. But this show turns out to be
absolutely fantastic, just remarkable. It was by this artist named
Philippe Decoufle, and I said right at that moment, Man, Id love to
work with him someday. It wasnt even six months later that I get a
call from my agent, Richard Kraft, saying, Weve been approached by
Cirque du Soleil about doing a show. When I asked him, Why me?
Richard told me that it was because it was a show inspired by the
cinema, and that it was going to run in Los Angeles. I asked Richard
whose show it was. He said, Its by someone youve never heard of,
this obscure French director, Philippe Decoufle. Then it was an
immediate Yes! from me. There was really nothing left to decide
because I loved the Cirque shows, and I loved this guy. I was really
curious to see what hed come up with.
Q. You got your start with The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo,
which was like an avant-garde rock circus. Did that make it easier
for you to do a show like Iris?
Yeah, but Id have to correct you because The Mystic Knights of the
Oingo Boingo had no rock and roll. We had no electronic instruments.
In fact, for almost a decade that I was in the group, I didnt even
listen to music recorded after 1938. All of the music for the Mystic
Knights was driven and inspired by Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway,
Django Reinhardt, Igor Stravinsky, and Darius Milhaud. It was all
early 20th century inspirations. My first performing experience wasnt
even with the Mystic Knights. It was in Paris with my brother Rick at
Le Grand Magic Circus, a kind of avant-garde musical theatrical troupe
directed by Jerome Savary, who ended up becoming the director of the
National Theater in France. Rick was already a part of that troupe. I
was on my way to Africa, and I had only picked up a violin four months
earlier. He heard me practicing and he hired me, and I toured with
them. So you could say that I started with a troupe that had the name
Circus in their title. The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo was
directly inspired by Le Grand Magic Circus. It was Ricks own take on
what they were doing, but reinventing it in a much broader American
sense with burlesque and a nod to early vaudeville -- all the kinds of
things that Rick loved. And because I loved old music, Rick made me
musical director. Yet the Knights were far from being a rock circus
because there were no amplified instruments allowed in the show. I
played trombone, violin, guitar, and West African percussion.
Everybody else in the troupe had to play three instruments, preferably
one string and one brass instrument, so we could double between them
like a string ensemble or a brass band would. The other thing I did in
the Knights was fire-breathing, which was also a talent of Guy
Laliberte, who owns Cirque du Soleil. So it all definitely came full
circle in a weird way when I became part of Iris.
Q. I just want to make this clear. Anyone going to see Iris will not
be seeing Danny Elfman breathing fire as part of the show...
I will not be breathing fire in the show. What you will hear me doing
is singing the introductory cautionary announcements.
Q. Did Iriss acts exist before your music, or did the music exist
before the acts?
It was both. Id written quite a bit of music before there were any
acts to see. By the time they started rehearsals, Philippe was already
applying my pieces to some of the acts. Then, when I started going to
rehearsals in Montreal, I got an idea about how Id need to change my
music for the requirements of the different performers. Take the piece
Id composed for the Atherton twins, who fly over the audience at the
very beginning of the show. Its an amazing act, yet my music didnt
have the right vibe for them. But it turned out the trapeze artists
really enjoyed that music, so I took the piece Id originally written
for the twins and reapplied it for the trapeze, all while starting
from scratch for the Athertons. The piece Id written for them was too
delicate, especially because what they were doing was more masculine.
So their music needed a different kind of a feel with a little more of
a beat. I was constantly reinventing my score like that, greatly
elaborating on the music and redesigning it for the artists when I
began to learn what their needs were.
Q. Whats the importance of alternating the more furiously percussive
pieces with the slower ones so there isnt a continuous barrage of
energy?
We just kind of developed a flow as the show came together. It was
hearing where we wanted the music to be very aggressive, dreamy, or
going for more sporadic percussion. Each piece has its own thing, and
as it all came together, it just seemed to develop its own connective
tissue.
Q. When you score a film, the timings you had for their images are
never going to change. But while you have the freedom of live
performance in Iris, the music still has to remain in perfect synch
for them.
That was an enormous challenge. I have to say that, in the whole last
year leading up to our first dress rehearsals, I began to think more
and more that this was an idea that couldnt possibly work, especially
because Cirque du Soleil had never attempted anything like it before.
We had no template to follow or look at. I went through quite a few
sleepless nights thinking that maybe Id just took them down a
horribly wrong road. Even in the first couple of weeks, it seemed to
me as if Id created a monster. Then there was a point where the show
actually started to click and pull together. I also had to realize the
difference there would be from recording the music on a sound stage
and then getting it to sound right in the Kodak. Im used to mixing in
five-channel stereo for film. The Cirques sound system has something
like 21 channels. Its not like anything Id do for a movie
soundtrack. That really meant a lot of work to design the sound in the
room -- a solid month of figuring it out every single night. I was
also mixing every single show for the first month. Then, after that
performance would wrap, wed continue working from 10:00 p.m. to 2:00
in the morning. It was an incredible effort to figure out how to
incorporate the live musicians. Nobody could help me with it. I had to
really wing it. Fortunately, the Cirque has good sound people. They
were patient and did whatever it took to it make it right, even if we
had to stay there until sunrise. It was a fantastic level of
commitment from them to get it working by the end.
Q. How do you think the music of the show embodies your own score
repertoire?
I dont know how Iris relates to my other work, because it was all
just improvisational, where Id be grabbing from this and that style.
But there are a few moments where I was referencing a specific
cinematic moment, especially in the rooftop scene where I wanted to
reference the Latin elements of West Side Story. It worked for a
scene that looked like a gang fight between cops and robbers, so it
made sense there.
Q. A particular highlight of Iris for me is where dancers recreate the
optical illusion of film itself, where they embody moving frames.
It was difficult, at first, to musically achieve that. What Id
written was too short for that segment, and the performers had to loop
the music over and over to get the right length. I felt so bad for
these people who had to spend months and months with this single piece
of music, over and over again -- seven and a half minutes looped from
about a minute and a half! It must have made them insane. So I got
back to the drawing board and started taking what they had,
elaborating on to create a whole new piece of music. And it turned out
that was one of the scenes in the show that was significantly cut down
during rehearsals.
Q. Do you have a favorite act, musically or visually?
Not really. There are certain acts where I hold my breath every time
I see them, particularly the Atherton twins. What theyre doing always
makes me grip the sides of my chair in horror, because theyre holding
on to each other with just one hand each, with no safety harness or
strap, 30 feet in the air. Its always fun watching the Chinese
acrobats and the contortionist, who are just so precise and amazing.
They nail it every night, listening and replicating what the music is
doing. And its never the same two nights in a row. The simplicity of
the trapeze artists is absolutely pure. But the West Side Story
trampoline sequence is one of the most insane acts, which is something
people dont realize. Theres a tremendous amount of intricacy in how
theyre all going off of these rooftops onto the trampoline, and then
back up on the rooftops while not killing each other. They make it
look a lot easier than it is. Ten of them are going on and off at
different moments, and at any moment, the slightest bit of timing
being off could make them collide.
Q. Iris definitely has it all over Spider-Man the Musical, but
thankfully without the accidents. In that respect, what is it for
your music to have the power of life and death?
Its a whole different thing. When I saw, in the first dress
rehearsal, one of the performers in the hand to hand act almost get
killed... In fact, I thought she did get killed. The accident happened
because of a miscommunication. It was a simple thing of somebody
leaping off somebody elses shoulders and grabbing her feet. But she
went into one routine, and he went into another, and she slammed her
head into the stage. The thing is you dont need to be suspended 40
feet up for this type of thing to happen. Every moment is dangerous.
It requires absolute perfection in communication. I had never seen
anything like that before. It was like sitting in a theater and
watching an actual car accident or train wreck happen in front of your
eyes. They stopped the show and carried her off unconscious on a
stretcher. The owner came out and sent us all home. He just said,
This is our life. This is the circus. Well meet tomorrow and start
again. It was that reminder that this is the real shit. This is not
the movies. Every single night, the performers put their asses on the
line. Theyre absolutely extraordinary. This show, more than any
Cirque show Ive ever seen, is absolutely reliant on humans. Very
little of it relies on the set. KÅ and O are these incredible pieces
of engineering, but you also get the feeling that, if anybody did
twist their ankle or get hurt, there would be somebody else to fill
their place the next day. In this show, I would say its 95% humans
doing their thing very, very carefully. Almost all of them are
irreplaceable. In that sense, I think this is the most old school
circus show that Soleil has ever done.
Q. Iris is going to be at the Kodak for a very long time. How do you
see the music and the show developing through the years?
I really have no way of anticipating that. Im told, in the normal
Cirque world, that its when things settle after the opening that they
start to develop one or two alternating acts. That means, if somebody
gets injured, they have to have some act to put in that persons
place. Iris has no alternates right now. Already in the last two
months, thereve been acts that have been down for three or four days
at a time. But as they come up with replacements, I imagine Ill have
to score them. So I see Iris as a constantly moving thing -- an entire
show that depends on the fragility of human tendons and ligaments. I
have no doubt Ill be called in again and again to make adjustments,
changes, or to write new music for some new piece that will be going
in.
Q. Even though its not a movie, Iris is very much about the images in
movies that we instantly recall through music. In that respect,
what do you think Iris has to say about the importance of music in
the movies?
I dont know if Iris is saying anything important about music in film.
I think the shows music just speaks for itself. While it has nods to
movies like West Side Story and King Kong, there are also moments that
are just from my own imagination -- one thats filled with film music.
So I figured that, without even trying, Iriss music would sound
cinematic, whether I want it to or not. Thats just because its the
way Im wired.
Q. Now that youve conquered the big top under the Kodak, whats
your next musical Mount Everest outside of the movie screen?
Next on my wish-list would be chamber music. It was my desire this
year, before it got too busy, to be able to compose a small chamber
piece for piano and percussion. Its something I hope to do soon.
Q. Whats one of the things that stands out for you about the whole
experience of Iris?
I didnt think it would take me this long to say that one of my
greatest moments was rushing into a rehearsal one night, I was late,
and Im driving down to the parking lot where they had special areas
for the Iris customers. The guard was saying Are you here for the
circus? I flashed my badge and said, Im in the circus! As I was
running upstairs, I asked myself if I really just said that. And wow,
I did. I screamed, Im in the circus! furiously to some parking lot
attendant. It took me this long to be able to say that, and I didnt
expect that to happen at this point in my life.
=======================================================================
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=======================================================================
Fascination! is a monthly publication, available through subscription
via the World Wide Web in text format at the newsletter's website:
< http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. To subscribe, please visit
our website and enter your name and email address in the "About
Fascination" box and press Subscribe. You,ll receive an email to
confirm your selection. Once confirmed you,ll be added to our mailing
list. To Subscribe via Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News)
use the following: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >.
To view back issues, or other online Newsletter content, please visit
us at: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >.
Join us on the web at:
< www.cirquefascination.com >
Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only):
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 11, Number 10 (Issue #93) - October 2011
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2011 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.
{ Oct.05.2011 }
=======================================================================
