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Fascination Issue 114
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T h e U n o f f i c i a l
C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r
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http://www.CirqueFascination.com
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VOLUME 13, NUMBER 07 July 2013 ISSUE #114
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Cirque du Soleil in Mourning...
The entire Cirque du Soleil family is deeply saddened by the
accidental death of Sarah (Sassoon) Guyard, artist on the production
KÀ, that happened on Saturday, June 29th, in Las Vegas. Our thoughts
are with her family and the entire Cirque du Soleil family.
"I am heartbroken. I wish to extend my sincerest sympathies to the
family. We are all completely devastated with this news. Sassoon was
an artist with the original cast of KÀ since 2006 and has been an
integral part of our Cirque du Soleil tight family. We are reminded,
with great humility and respect, how extraordinary our artists are
each and every night. Our focus now is to support each other as a
family." said Cirque du Soleil Founder, Guy Laliberté.
We have been working with the appropriate authorities and have
offered our full cooperation. Performances of KÀ will be cancelled
until further notice. Cirque du Soleil kindly asks the media to
respect our time of mourning as a Company.
- Cirque du Soleil
We here at Fascination also offer our sincerest condolences and
deepest sympahties to Mrs. Guyard's family and friends in this
of shock and sadness. For those who wish to share their thoughts
and prayers, an online memorial has been posted in her honor,
called For Sasoon, her stage name. Visitors are invited to share
memories of the French-born acrobat and see how shes touched
countless lives. LINK: http://forsasoun.com/
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau
* Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
* Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube
o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain
* Historia -- Cirque Company History
* Odyssea -- Cirque Tour History
o) Fascination! Features
* "'THIS IS IT!' MICHAEL JACKSON ONE PREMIERES"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Materials
* "A VISIT TO THE BREAK ROOM - OVO's Artistic Tent"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* CIRQUE MUSIQUE: AN OVERVIEW
"Part Three - Specials, White Labels & Promos"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Subscription Information
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
MJ ONE ticket sales exceed expectations
{Jun.06.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Tickets for "Michael Jackson One" at Mandalay Bay are moving so
well that Cirque du Soleil execs have decided to advance the on-
sale date for the balance of the year - even before its official
gala opening June 29. Traditionally, the summer box office
slows, but not at "MJ1."
"We're pretty well sold out with the current block we put on
sale to Aug. 31. The demand is incredible. Our best-ever opening
sale, and people are here nightly from all over the world. For
the premiere, we will officially announce ticket sales through
to Dec. 31," I was reliably told. "The demand is there, and it
will help people plan their travel and hotel plans further out."
Even more extraordinary is that "MJ1" while in previews has been
just one show a night. With the spectacular premiere and $1
million-plus Mandalay Bay Beach after-party, the production will
start a two-shows-a-night schedule - 7 and 10 p.m., and the
ticket demand still exceeds the seating.
I'm also hearing that because of all the new technology used in
"MJ1" that Cirque will review all existing Strip spectaculars to
update and upgrade them. Cirque and MGM Resorts officials plan
to review "Zarkana" at Aria next week to add technologies there
first.
Read the original post here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/fk9T0 >
{SOURCE: Robin Leach, Las Vegas Sun}
Brands Eager to Partner with Cirque
{Jun.09.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Some would argue that advertising has always been essentially a
three-ring circus. And now Cirque du Soleil, home to lavish
spectacles that are today's version of the traveling big top, is
literally turning the ad business into a high-wire act, as it
expands aggressively into marketing and branding partnerships.
The Montreal-based entertainment company is being enlisted by
more and more major brands to create custom performances and
other theatrical embellishments to grab consumers' attention
while forming emotional bonds.
Cirque showed off its marketing chops last month at the second
annual Creativity + Commerce Conference (known as C2) in
Montreal. Branded programs by partners Intel and Fast Company
magazine were introduced at the event with light shows and
various stage performances.
"With our background in entertainment, we are seeking to create
artistic experiences-or content-that help brands appeal to their
key audience," said Daniel Lamarre, Cirque's CEO.
To date, the company has collaborated primarily with tech
brands. For example, this past September Cirque promoted
Google's Chrome browser by creating a game-like app,
Movi.Kanti.Revo, in which the user makes his way through a
surreal world, encountering Cirque characters along the way.
In 2010, Microsoft hired Cirque to launch the Kinect system for
Xbox with a customized performance during the Electronic
Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. There, Cirque created a
jungle-like environment including a stage where gamers battled
it out on an enormous screen. Future executions might include
live and recorded branded events on various platforms including
social media, according to Lamarre.
When Cirque's content meets just the right marketer, magic can
happen, according to marketing experts.
"Cirque du Soleil's meaningful difference comes from giving
people an authentic, amazing experience that transcends cultural
boundaries," said Nigel Hollis, chief global analyst at
marketing research agency Millward Brown. "Brands like Google,
Coca-Cola and Nike, which have strong identities that complement
Cirque du Soleil's strengths, could be great partners."
On the flip side, working with a brand lacking in that certain
wow factor could well undermine Cirque's credibility and damage
its brand, Hollis added.
"Mixing pure artistry with commercial needs requires a balance,"
said Lamarre. For Cirque, it helps that large brands are
intrigued by its story. "They know about our history and how we
started as street performers," said Lamarre, "and they want to
hear about how we do what we do."
{SOURCE: Adweek}
CDS Partners with Brand USA for Tourism
{Jun.12.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Jerry Nadal, senior vice president at Cirque du Soleil, spoke
with Cirque du Soleil performers Monday at the Las Vegas
Convention Center to promote a new partnership between Cirque du
Soleil and Brand USA during IPW, the U.S. Travel Association
trade show.
"What Cirque announcement would be complete without bringing
some bad guys with us," Jerry Nadal, senior vice president of
resident shows for Cirque du Soleil, said. Cirque has
participated in the trade show for a few years and will be
stepping up its involvement in the future, Nadal said. With
4,000 employees worldwide and a global reach, the brand already
is helping to promote travel to the U.S. through working with
domestic destination management associations. Through a new 24-
month campaign with Brand USA, Cirque will boost its efforts
even more.
"We'd like to think as a brand we have universal appeal because
the majority of our shows don't have any language barriers,"
Nadal said. Called USA Live Entertainment, the new marketing
campaign will start in the fourth quarter and include a presence
at trade shows. "Our success and our sustained success will only
be attributed to partnerships with amazing brands like Cirque du
Soleil," Chris Thompson, Brand USA's president and CEO, said.
In addition to the Cirque partnership, he also announced the USA
Discovery Program, an online learning program that is positioned
to help promote travel. In its first year, Brand USA launched ad
campaigns in Canada, U.K. and Japan. Next week, it's adding
Mexico and Brazil, and will be adding more markets, including
South Korea, Germany and China, by the end of the year. Since
the campaigns have launched, intent to travel to the U.S. rose
by 22 percent in Canada, 14 percent in the U.K., and 22 percent
in Japan.
Read the original article here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/UCesB >
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal}
Cirque Returns to Japan with OVO
{Jun.18.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to return to Japan with its
critically-acclaimed and family-friendly big top production OVO
with a 2014-2015 national tour that will include Tokyo, Osaka,
Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sendai. Since its world premiere in
Montreal, Canada in April 2009, OVO has visited more than 24
cities in Canada, United States, Mexico and Australia,
delighting over 2,5 million spectators.
Tentative Touring Schedule:
o) Tokyo - 2/12/2014
o) Sendai - 4/23/2014
o) Osaka - 7/17/2014
o) Nagoya - 11/20/2014
o) Fukuoka - 2/21/2015
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil}
Presse: "Cirque Prepares to Unveil MJ ONE"
{Jun.19.2013}
----------------------------------------------
"Michael Jackson ONE," Cirque du Soleil's tribute to the late
King of Pop that's currently in previews, will make its debut
June 29 at Mandalay Bay.
The numbers alone tell an interesting story. To wit:
o) 5,412 seat speakers, three for each of the 1,804 seats.
o) 234 moving lights
o) 28 strobe lights
o) 587 lighting fixtures
o) 295 custom-built LEDs in various set pieces
o) 2,200 Swarovski crystals lighting performers' faces
o) 26 video projectors that help fill the room with images and
the music of Jackson (who, by the way, sings every song
through the magic of audio and video).
o) 63 performers from 17 countries including the U.S., Britain,
Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Israel, Kenya, Russia and
South Korea.
o) A 26-member creative team that includes 11 dance and
acrobatic choreographers.
But does it have any soul? Based on a preview I saw, yes. It was
easy to channel my inner Jackson.
"Many of the choreographers have worked with Michael in the
past, starting with the director of the show, Jamie King, but
also Travis Payne and the Talauega brothers, Rich and Tone,"
says Welby Altidor, the show's director of creation, who
oversees the logistics of the creative process. "Much of the
choreography includes Michael's iconic moves including the
'Moonwalk,' 'Lean In' from 'Smooth Criminal,' and 'Thriller.'"
Tickets cost $69 to $180 (excluding taxes and fees). Previews
before June 28: $62.10 to $162. Performances are Saturdays-
Wednesdays.
Read the original article here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Fa8n5 >
{SOURCE: LA Times}
Sid Lee & CDS Launch Marketing Joint Venture
{Jun.20.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Entertainment meets marketing in a new joint venture that
combines the skills of Cirque du Soleil and ad agency Sid Lee.
The venture, called Sid Lee Entertainment, was announced tonight
at the Cannes Lions festival. The new company will craft live
experiential programs that are linked to a brand's attributes.
Its first clients are Absolut Vodka and Lolë, a women's apparel
company.
For Absolut, in upcoming months the venture will unveil a live
event targeted at a specific market, which will include online
content designed for that targeted audience, according to an
agency rep. Later, the campaign will be rolled out to the mass
market, he said.
"Behind Cirque du Soleil's shows lies a fantastic team of
production, logistics and touring experts who help us produce
shows in over 260 cities," said Daniel Lamarre, CEO of Cirque.
"Through Sid Lee Entertainment, we wish to use this expertise to
serve advertisers by creating new platforms specifically
developed to bring their brand DNA to life," he said.
"In a digitized society, we believe that real and magical
entertainment experiences will have the most impact on the
consumer," said Bertrand Cesvet, Sid Lee's chairman.
The new venture will be separate from the extravagant shows and
costumed characters presented by Cirque in Las Vegas and
elsewhere. Campaigns created by Sid Lee Entertainment will not
include the Cirque du Soleil brand and "there will be no
acrobats," said insiders.
Sid Lee Entertainment will be headed by executive producer
Joanne Fillion, who previously served as Cirque du Soleil's
brand director and creative director for images, events, and
lifestyle. The new company has offices in New York, Montréal,
Amsterdam, Paris and Toronto.
The relationship between Sid Lee and Cirque du Soleil has
developed over the last decade. Cirque hired Sid Lee to be its
marketing agency in 2002 and then bought a minority stake in the
agency in February 2012. The two companies, both headquartered
in Montreal, worked together on the C2-MTL business conferences,
which took place in May 2012 and 2013. The splashy conferences
were designed as a platform to promote the city of Montréal as
an international creative hub.
Sid Lee surprised the advertising industry when it snagged
Absolut's global advertising and content account in Dec. 2012,
beating out incumbent TBWA, the Omnicom-owned agency that
debuted Absolut's iconic "bottle shape" campaign back in the
early 1980s. At the time of the win, Sid Lee executives said
they were tasked by Absolut with "recruiting new global
consumers through real and virtual marketing experiences."
From its digital roots as Diesel in 1993, Sid Lee (an anagram of
"Diesel") has grown to 650 employees and has expanded into
advertising, architecture and retail design, branded content,
social media and experiential marketing.
Read the original article here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/73YPS >
{SOURCE: ADWeek}
AssignmentX Reviews MJ One
{Jun.24.2013}
----------------------------------------------
They finally got it right! I finally decided to go back to Las
Vegas to give a Michael Jackson Cirque Du Soleil show a try and
boy am I glad I did as MICHAEL JACKSON ONE is a winner.
About a year and a half ago, The Mandalay Bay showcased the
traveling MICHAEL JACKSON: IMMORTAL show presented by Cirque Du
Soleil. My niece and I couldn't wait to go. I was a huge MJ
follower as a teenager and needed the nostalgic tour to fitfully
mourn his passing. Plus, now my teenage niece is a devoted MJ
fan so who better to go with to see this" all about MJ" show
than her.
Unfortunately, it was all glory no guts. More frills than
filling. Fanciful colors, a flying Bubbles the chimp, and a tap
dancer no one even knows took up ten minutes of our time.
Acrobatics performed while lesser known songs splayed throughout
the arena. Needless to say, it was a big disappointment, not
horrible, just not what MJ would have wanted. His true fans knew
that. As the spectacle ended there was no clamorous reaction,
simply polite applauding and then a quick exit.
So, when the official and semi-permanent show MICHAEL JACKSON
ONE presented by Cirque Du Soleil came to Vegas in May we had to
go back in hopes of a tributary redemption. And indeed we were
granted just that! The show was spectacular, done in the vein of
Jackson as opposed to a tabloid like parody exhibition set up to
suggest it was in fact a tribute. It was as if the old show was
done by people whose knowledge of MJ did not exceed all the
rubbish said about him while this time it was done by true fans
of the King of Pop.
Dancers lit up the stage while lights flashed on and off as
though they were moving across the stage. A hologram of Jackson
during a montage including the hit "Black or White" was a
phenomenally creative way to bring him back if only through
illusion. When his famous shoes and socks floated down from the
ceiling and then preceded to moon walk I nudged my niece in
disbelief.
Moonwalking on the walls, three large screens showing a
beautiful collage of past MJ videos redone, dancers popping MJ's
moves, the gloves, the fedora, the shoes, the legend, MJ was
there in full spirit. The true test of the show's success was
the fact that we all knew after the triumphant finale that this
show would be something MJ himself would have been proud to be a
part of. The thundering standing ovation the entertainers
received confirmed my rejoice. And though we will never again
see him on stage performing for us, in a way through the Michael
Jackson: One Cirque Du Soleil show we can get the next best
thing. Bravo!
Read the original post here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/wFTpV >
{SOURCE: Assignment X}
Cirque Week 2013: November 9 - 16!
{Jun.24.2013}
----------------------------------------------
SAVE THE DATE FOR CIRQUE WEEK 2013 -
NOVEMBER 9 TO 16, 2013 IN LAS VEGAS!
Mark your calendar! Don't miss Cirque Week from November 9 to
16, 2013 in Las Vegas. Exclusive ticket packages and behind-the-
scenes events are being planned at all of your favorite Cirque
du Soleil shows and will be announced in the upcoming months.
Plus, experience the newest show to join the Cirque du Soleil
family, Michael Jackson ONE!
Michael Jackson ONE exclusively at Mandalay Bay is a sonic,
tonic fusion of acrobatics, dance and visuals that provides the
audience with an immersive experience into Michael's music.
Driven by Michael's powerful, multi-layered music - heard like
never before in a riveting, state-of-the-art surround-sound
environment - ONE takes the audience through a series of
seamless visual and musical tableaux, at the heart of a world
that is in turn majestic, playful, magical and heart-warming. In
Michael Jackson ONE, Michael's artistry and spirit are expressed
through the vibrant energy of the cast of 63 dancers and
performers, underscored by aerial performance, driving
acrobatics, and vivid choreographies that use the urban/hip hop
idiom as a springboard for exploration. ONE is a heartfelt
tribute to the work, innovative spirit, and legacy of Michael
Jackson - the King of Pop, the genius, the visionary, the One.
Check for updates at: cirquedusoleil.com/cirqueweek
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil}
Criss Angel's New TV Show Has a Name...
{Jun.27.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Spike TV today finally revealed the title of Criss Angel's new
magic series. It premieres Oct. 15 and features many of the
illusions he's filmed here in Las Vegas as we have reported at
Vegas DeLuxe.
The program will be named after his Cirque du Soleil show at
Luxor: "Believe."
Read the original article here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/mFmOG >
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun}
Cirque Truck Involved in Accident
{Jun.27.2013}
----------------------------------------------
A semi truck owned by Canadian circus company Cirque du Soleil
was involved in a fatal crash on I-25 near Douglas Thursday
afternoon. One person died in the accident and two others were
injured.
According to Wyoming Highway Patrol, the semi collided head-on
with another commercial vehicle in a construction zone about
1.5 miles northwest of Douglas. The crash closed the southbound
lanes around milepost 141 and traffic was being diverted to the
old Glenrock highway.
The two injured people were hospitalized at Converse County
Memorial Hospital in Douglas.
Cirque du Soleil spokeswoman Debbie Fitzgerald confirmed that
the company did in fact own the semi. Following the crash, the
company released a statement saying "We have very few details
about this accident. We will await the police investigation
and report. We were very saddened to learn there was a loss of
life in this accident and our thoughts are for the family of
the deceased."
Read the original article here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/wD96m >
{SOURCE: K2TV Wyoming}
MJ ONE' artist injured after fall to stage
{Jun.27.2013}
----------------------------------------------
The cast members in Cirque du Soleil shows perform such
otherworldly, superhuman feats of artistry, you sometime
forget that these people are, well, people.
Audience members were reminded of the real, human risk in
these unreal shows Wednesday night when a performer in
"Michael Jackson One" at Mandalay Bay fell to the stage and
was taken away in a wheelchair.
Cirque is declining to release the name of the performer,
saying they are "not allowed by law" to identify artists
injured while on the job. But officials did confirm reports
from audience members that an aerial artist in the "Stranger
in Moscow" number slipped free of the "slack rope" he uses in
the acrobatic act high above his fellow performers and dropped
to the stage.
He missed the spongy mat placed below the number and hit
headfirst on the hardened stage.
The house lights came up immediately as the performer was prone
on the stage, not moving, for several minutes. To allay
confusion from the audience, an announcement was made that
there would be a delay in the production while the artist was
evaluated.
Stagehands surrounded the performer, a gurney and a wheelchair
were brought to the stage, and the artist was taken away in the
wheelchair. He was conscious, and the show resumed after the
incident.
Friday, a Cirque spokeswoman said the performer is expected to
return to the performance, and the act is still in the show.
In an email response regarding he incident, she said: "All the
safety procedures were taken in support of the artist to
ensure that he was quickly evaluated and taken care of. He was
conscious and wheel-chaired off-stage. He was assessed by our
medical personnel and was sent to a hospital for evaluation.
He is now back home and resting and is suffering from a mild
concussion. We are all relieved."
Read the original article here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/jdYp1 >
{SOURCE: John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Sun}
Cirque Artist Killed in Fall from Stage
{Jun.30.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Sarah Guyard-Guillot, an artist in "Ka" at MGM Grand and a
mother of two children ages 8 and 5, was killed Saturday night
after a fall from the show's stage at MGM Grand. The Clark
County Coroner's Office said this afternoon that Guyard-Guillot,
31, was pronounced dead at 11:43 p.m. Saturday at University
Medical Center.
No formal cause of death has been determined pending further
examination of Guyard-Guillot's body. She was born in Paris and
had spent more than 22 years as an acrobatic performer. She was
a graduate of Annie Fratellini Art & Circus Academy, named for
the famed French circus clown and actress. The official website
for Cirqeufit acrobatics school in Las Vegas, where Guyard-
Guillot served as a coach, said she was an acrobatic and
aerialist specialist. She was hired by "Ka" as the production
opened at MGM Grand in 2004.
This afternoon, MGM Resorts International, Cirque's artistic and
business partner in Las Vegas, issued a statement about the
tragedy:
"Our company is deeply saddened by the loss of one of the
talented Ka' artists Saturday night. The thoughts and prayers
of our employees are with the performer's family, the cast of
Ka' and the entire Cirque family during this difficult time."
It is the first reported death from an accident onstage in
Cirque's 30-year history.
According to reports from audience members, the incident
occurred Saturday night during the latter stages of the
production at MGM Grand. Guyard-Guillot was one of the artists
suspended by a wire from the show's vertical stage in the show-
closing Final Battle scene. As she ascended to the top of the
stage, she slipped free of her safety wire and dropped to the
open, unseen pit below the performers.
After the incident, one eyewitness seated in the middle of the
audience and just a few rows from the lip of the stage said
Guyard-Guillot dropped from the left side of the set (or on the
right side, as audience members face the production) over a
distance of at least 50 feet. In the act, performers wear
harnesses that are clipped to cables, and that apparatus is
designed to keep them in position onstage. Guyard-Guillot was
reportedly still in her harness when she fell from the stage.
The show momentarily continued, but then the music halted, and
the performer's screams and groans could be heard from below the
stage.
"(The artist) was being hoisted up the side of the stage and
then just plummeted down," said Dan Mosqueda, visiting with his
wife and 10-year-old son from Colorado Springs, Colo.
"Initially, a lot of people in the audience thought it was part
of the choreographed fight. But you could hear screaming, then
groaning, and we could hear a female artist crying from the
stage." Mosqueda's wife, Annie, has a background in theater and
tweeted about the incident soon after it occurred.
Minutes after the artist's fall, a recorded announcement was
played on the theater's sound system informing ticket-buyers
that refunds or vouchers to future shows would be offered to
those in the audience, and the crowd was dismissed.
It was the second time in less than a week that a Cirque show on
the Strip was halted for an accident involving one of its
artists.
On Wednesday night, a performer in one of the final preview
performances of "Michael Jackson One" at Mandalay Bay suffered a
mild concussion after slipping through the slack rope in the
show's "Stranger in Moscow" scene, missing the protective pad
below the act and landing hard upon the stage. That performer is
expected to return to the show.
Two artists in "Zumanity" at New York-New York were seriously
injured in an onstage fall in November 2007. The tragic "Ka"
incident coincided with the celebration of the celebrity-laden
world premiere of "Michael Jackson One" at Mandalay Bay, which
drew top officials from Cirque .
During the red-carpet walk before the 7 p.m. premiere
performance of "Michael Jackson One," Cirque President Daniel
Lamarre was asked about the danger the company's artists face.
He also said the reason Cirque does not release names of artists
injured onstage is so officials can first notify their families
when such an incident occurs.
"The one thing that people maybe don't realize is how hurt we
are when something like that happens," Lamarre said, standing
just a few off the red carpet. "It's almost like a family
member. We are protective of the artist, first and foremost, and
keep focus on the artist."
Guyard-Guillot's passion for her craft was in step with those of
the city's most imaginative and successful artistic company. One
of her posts on her Facebook page is a quote shared on
International Working Women's Day. It reads: "Dream the dreams
that have never been dreamt."
Read the original article here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/yYmUN >
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Sun}
Zarkana CD Coming July 23rd
{Jul.01.2013}
----------------------------------------------
Fans will recognize Paul Bisson (formerly of Corteo) on lead
vocals with Cassiopée and Briana Shaw Rossi also featured as
lead vocalists on the album. This is the first Cirque du Soleil
soundtrack written and produced by Nick Littlemore. Littlemore
is well-known as the front man of the acclaimed Sydneybased
electronic act PNAU, and as one half of the electro-pop duo
Empire of the Sun. As a producer Littlemore has worked with Sir
Elton John, Groove Armada, Ellie Goulding, Robbie Williams, and
many others. He won his first Australian Record Industry
Association Award (ARIA) in 1999 for Best Dance Release with PNAU,
and four more ARIAs in 2009 for Empire of the Suns album Walking
on a Dream. After touring, New York, Madrid and Moscow, the live
show Zarkana is now in Las Vegas at the Aria Hotel and Casino,
its new permanent location. Zarkana marks the first album release
from a Cirque du Soleil permanent show in Las Vegas since the
best-selling soundtrack of KÀ.
01. ANTLIA (2:34)
02. ZAWRAQ (3:41)
03. ERIDANUS (4:43)
04. CAPH (4:58)
05. CRYSOCOCCA (3:35)
06. KUMA (3:16)
07. TARIENTAR / THE ARCHER (4:22)
08. GIENAH (4:48)
09. RAE (4:56)
10. TOURAGO / GUIRAM (4:25)
11. JARSEATE (4:35)
12. ASTERAW (4:11)
Get your copy today!
$18.50 USD via Cirque du Soleils Online Boutique
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/yYRtt >
OR
$15.38 USD via Amazon.com.
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/JixfC >
{ SOURCE: Amazon, Cirque du Soleil }
CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST!
{Jul.01.2013}
----------------------------------------------
We have ONE copy of the Amaluna Soundtrack to give away! And
for that we have a Cirque trivia question.
-- Which artist (other than Cirque du Soleil itself), was
signed to Cirque du Soleil Musique, and what was the name of
the CD that resulted?
Correct spelling is important!
Send your entry to: < contest@cirquefascination.com >.
Deadline is August 1, 2013. If multiple entries get the
answer right, there will be a random drawing. We will
contact the winner for their mailing address after August 1.
Good Luck!
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Amaluna, Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem & Varekai}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{Alegría, Quidam, Dralion & MJ Immortal}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
Believe, Zarkana & Michael Jackson ONE}
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.
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
------------------------------------
Amaluna:
Denver, CO -- Jul 18, 2013 to Aug 25, 2013
Minneapolis, MN -- Sep 26, 2013 to Oct 20, 2013
San Francisco, CA -- Nov 15, 2013 to Dec 29, 2913
San Jose, CA -- Jan 22, 2014 to Feb 9, 2014
Corteo:
Sao Paulo, BR -- Mar 30, 2013 to Jul 14, 2013
Brasilia, BR -- Aug 1, 2013 to Sep 8, 2013
Belo Horizonte, BR -- Sep 19, 2013 to Oct 27, 2013
Curitiba, BR -- Nov 8, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013
Rio de Janeiro -- Dec 27, 2013 to Feb 23, 2014
Porto Alegre, BR -- Mar 7, 2014 to Apr 13, 2014
Koozå:
Knokke, BE -- Jul 18, 2013 to Aug 18, 2013
Moscow, RU -- Sep 7, 2013 to TBA
Paris, FR -- Nov 23, 2013 to Dec 23, 2013
Ovo:
Taipei, TW -- Nov 19, 2013 to Jan 5, 2014
Tokyo, JP -- Feb 12, 2014 to TBA
Sendai, JP -- Apr 23, 2014 to TBA
Osaka, JP -- Jul, 17, 2014 to TBA
Nagoya, JP -- Nov 20, 2014 to TBA
Fukuoka, JP -- Feb 21, 2015 to TBA
Totem:
Ottawa, ON -- Jul 11, 2013 to Aug 4, 2013
Columbus, OH -- Aug 22, 2013 to Sep 15, 2013
Long Beach, CA -- Oct 11, 2013 to Nov 10, 2013
Irvine, CA -- Nov 21, 2013 to Dec 29, 2013
Santa Monica, CA -- Jan 17, 2014 to Feb 9, 2014
Varekai:
Guadalajara, MX -- Aug 14, 2013 to Aug 28, 2013
Mexico City, mX -- Sep 19, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013
(Going Arena: December 2013)
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
Alegría:
London, UK -- Jul 18, 2013 to Jul 28, 2013
Gdansk, PO -- Jul 31, 2013 to Aug 04, 2013
Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 22, 2013 to Aug 30, 2013
Bucharest, RO -- Sep 5, 2013 to Sep 8, 2013
Bratislava, SK -- Sep 11, 2013 to Sep 15, 2013
Sofia, BG -- Sep 20, 2013 to Sep 22, 2013
Minsk, BY -- Sep 26, 2013 to Sep 28, 2013
Newcastle, UK -- Oct 17, 2013 to Oct 20, 2013
Leeds, UK -- Oct 23, 2013 to Oct 27, 2013
Liverpool, UK -- Oct 30, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013
Nottingham, UK -- Nov 6, 2013 to Nov 10, 2013
Lille, FR -- Nov 13, 2013 to Nov 17, 2013
Bordeaux, FR -- Nov 20, 2013 to Nov 24, 2013
Valencia, ES -- Nov 28, 2013 to Dec 1, 2013
Gijon, ES -- Dec 4, 2013 to Dec 8, 2013
Santander, ES -- Dec 11, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013
Madrid, ES -- Dec 18, 2013 to Dec 22, 2013
(Closing in Madrid, Dec 22, 2013)
Quidam:
Charlotte, NC -- Jul 3, 2013 to Jul 7, 2013
Raleigh, NC -- Jul 10, 2013 to Jul 14, 2013
Fairfax, VA -- Jul 17, 2013 to Jul 21, 2013
Brooklyn, NY -- Jul 24, 2013 to JUl 28, 2013
Sunrise, FL -- Jul 31, 2013 to Aug 4, 2013
Estero, FL -- Aug 7, 2013 to Aug 11, 2013
Graz, AT -- Sep 5, 2013 to Sep 8, 2013
Vienna, AT -- Sep 11, 2013 to Sep 15, 2013
Leipzig, DE -- Sep 18, 2013 to Sep 22, 2013
Stuttgart, DE -- Sep 25, 2013 to Sep 29, 2013
Innsbruck, AT -- Oct 2, 2013 to Oct 6, 2013
Salzburg, AT -- Oct 9, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013
Munich, DE -- Oct 16, 2013 to Oct 20, 2013
Cologne, DE -- Oct 23, 2013 to Oct 27, 2013
Frankfurt, DE -- Oct 30, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013
Dortmund, DE -- Nov 6, 2013 to Nov 10, 2013
Mannheim, DE -- Nov 13, 2013 to Nov 17, 2013
Malaga, ES -- Dec 5, 2013 to Dec 8, 2013
Zaragoza, ES -- Dec 11, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013
Sevilla, ES -- Dec 18, 2013 to Dec 22, 2013
A Coruña, ES -- Dec 25, 2013 to Dec 29, 2013
London, UK -- Jan 4, 2014 to Feb 2, 2014
Toulouse, FR -- Mar 5, 2014 to Mar 9, 2014
Strasbourg, FR -- Mar 12, 2014 to Mar 16, 2014
Toulon, FR -- Mar 19, 2014 to Mar 23, 2014
Lyon, FR -- Apr 2, 2014 to Apr 6, 2014
Dralion:
Amneville, FR -- Jul 9, 2013 to Jul 13, 2013
Nice, FR -- Jul 18, 2013 to Jul 28, 2013
Nantes, FR -- Jul 31, 2013 to Aug 4, 2013
Doha, QA -- Sep 19, 2013 to Sep 21, 2013
Beirut, LB -- Oct 10, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013
Athens, GR -- Oct 29, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013
Rome, IT -- Nov 8, 2013 to Nov 17, 2013
Turin, IT -- Nov 21, 2013 to Nov 24, 2013
Milan, IT -- Nov 28, 2013 to Dec 1, 2013
Geneva, CH -- Dec 4, 2013 to Dec 8, 2013
Basel, CH -- Dec 11, 2013 to Dec 15, 2013
Barcelona, ES -- Dec 18, 2013 to Dec 29, 2013
Lisbon, PT -- Jan 1, 2014 to Jan 12, 2014
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour:
Seoul, KR -- Jul 10, 2013 to Jul 14, 2013
Daegu, KR -- Jul 17, 2013 to Jul 21, 2013
Beijing, CN -- Aug 8, 2013 to Aug 11, 2013
Shanghai, CN -- Aug 15, 2013 to Aug 18, 2013
Hong Kong, CN -- Aug 22, 2013 to Aug 25, 2013
Perth, AU -- Sep 18, 2013 to Sep 22, 2013
Sydney, AU -- Sep 26, 2013 to Sep 29, 2013
Brisbane, AU -- Oct 2, 2013 to Oct 6, 2013
Melbourne, AU -- Oct 10, 2013 to Oct 13, 2013
Auclkand, NZ -- Oct 30, 2013 to Nov 3, 2013 (*)
Varekai:
Montreal, QC -- Dec 20, 2013 to Dec 30, 2013
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o July 10
o September 5 - 13
o November 6
2013 Added Performances:
o December 27
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o August 7 - 11
o October 6
o December 3 - 17
2013 Added Performances:
o December 24
o December 31
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o July 23
o September 17-21
o November 5-6
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o TBA
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o July 20
o September 22 -30
2013 Added Performances:
o December 30
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o August 21-7
o October 10
o December 11-26
2013 Added Performances:
o December 10
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.
2013 Dark Dates:
o September 3 - 7
o November 26 - 30
o December 17 - 24
2013 Added Performances:
o July 10 & 11
o July 17 & 18
o July 24 & 25
o July 31
o August 1
o August 7 & 8
o August 14 & 15
o August 21 & 22
o December 25 & 26
ZARKANA:
Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o July 9
o August 21 - September 5
o November 5
2013 Added Performances:
o December 26
MICHAEL JACKSON ONE:
Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two Shows Nightly: 7:00pm and 10:00pm
2013 Dark Dates:
o August 22 - 30
o October 9
o December 5 20
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub
o) Networking -- Posts on Facebook, G+, & YouTube
---------------------------------------
CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub
---------------------------------------
"Welcome to LIGHT"
{Jun.10.2013}
----------------------------------------------
May 25, the LIGHT, first nightclub turned on by Cirque du
Soleil, opened its door for the very first time to the Las Vegas
crowd. The 38,000 square feet club was ready to host the hottest
nights of the strip! Video displays completely cover the huge
wall and are even on the ceiling.
The Cirque du Soleil factor comes from aerialists and dancers
behind the screens on the wall. They can also fly in over the
top of the crowd.
Catch a glimpse of this exciting evening over at CirqueClub:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/cFWq7 >
{SOURCE: CirqueClub}
"Artists in Training" New Webseries!
{Jun.28.2013}
----------------------------------------------
In this first Episode, meet Barry Lowin as he is getting ready
to walk in the shoes of the KOOZA Trickster. Experience with
him the necessary steps to delve into this mysterious character
and witness some of the new challenges he has to face.
As a Cirque Club member, you'll get a priority access to this
content before everyone else sign up today!
See the video here:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/s4Kge >
{SOURCE: CirqueClub}
---------------------------------------------------
NETWORKING: Cirque on Facebook, YouTube & Twitter
---------------------------------------------------
{Compiled by Keith Johnson}
---[ ALEGRIA ]---
{Jun.01}
The Botanical Gardens in Kiev is anxiously awaiting Alegria's
arrival! So much so, they dedicated this beautiful floral
sculpture of the White Singer to us! We will be visiting them in
advance of our official arrival on Tuesday, June 4th. Stayed
tuned for some photos!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/aPte5 >
{Jun.04}
One of our White Singers, Mariana Sobol returns home to Ukraine
to give listeners on Europa Plus a taste of the beauty of
Alegria's music!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/efUk4 >
{Jun.06}
VOGUE Ukraine (6 photos) - Check out the final results of the
photo shoot we did with VOGUE Ukraine! To see the results in
print, pick up the June issue!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/zHZCu >
{Jun.10}
Check out yesterday's finale of The Voice Ukraine! Alegria
performed a sneak preview of hand-balancing accompanied with
live vocals by our White Singer (this is The Voice after all!!)
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/DHvwJ >
{Jun.16}
The Voice Ukraine (3 photos) - Check out some photos from our
visit to The Voice Ukraine last week! Our artists had a lot of
fun and was pretty special for the 3 Ukrainians (out of the 4)!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/uekG8 >
{Jun.25}
Hello Ukraine! Watch this interview with Mariana Sobol, our
Ukrainian White Singer and find out in how many languages she
sings in! Do you have your tickets to come watch her and the
cast of Alegria perform live in Kiev?
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/OqazR >
---[ AMALUNA ]---
{Jun.04}
Our performers hit the Sir Winston Churchill Square in Edmonton
for some animation and interaction with the crowds!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/aG9X6 >
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ZFgzF >
{Jun.12}
The entire cast and crew of Amaluna want to send their
congratulations to our Director Diane Paulus on winning her
first Tony for Best Director of a Musical! Well Deserved Diane,
we cant wait to see you soon!
LINK /// < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OM3tJh51pE >
{Jun.15}
This morning our Artistic Director, Mark Pawsey and our Balance
Goddess, Lara Jacobs showed TEDx Edmonton how to be inspired by
Cirque du Soleil. Thank you to James Murgtatroyd for snapping
this photo and sharing it on twitter.
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ILQNa >
---[ CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ]---
{Jun.04}
Were excited to be a part of Life is Beautiful Festival Oct. 26
& 27 with The Killers, Kings of Leon, and more!
LINK /// < http://cirk.me/14sGhIe >
{Jun.13}
International Pow Wow Las Vegas (16 photos)
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/PD9N9 >
{Jun.14}
Keep an eye out for us in Hudson Booksellers across the U.S. &
Canada for the next month and a half!
LINK /// < http://cirk.me/11lq0nZ >
{Jun.16}
Today, we celebrate! 29 years ago, a group of 20 street
performers with big dreams sparked the beginning of this great
adventure. Since then, we have been travelling the globe,
bringing joy, inspiration and amazement to people of all ages.
...Let us all continue to step beyond our wildest dreams! Happy
birthday Cirque du Soleil!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/LY6rd >
{Jun.20}
DC week at The Light Vegas starts today with residents Nicky
Romero, Alesso, Zedd, and Baauer!
LINK /// < http://thelightvegas.com/edc/ >
{Jun.21}
Shop sales now! Save up to 70% OFF on selected Cirque du Soleil
items for womens, mens and kids !
LINK /// < http://cirk.me/16KXWib >
{Jun.27}
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Mark Fisher, the
brilliant set designer for Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World
Tour by Cirque du Soleil and KÀ by Cirque du Soleil. We are
forever grateful for the contributions he gave to the
entertainment industry and of course the phenomenal work he did
on our shows.
---[ CORTEO ]---
{Jun.08}
Hoje tivemos a presença de Camila Comin, Fabio Luis Santos e
Marcelo Perna no SPTV.
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/3q0Ey >
{Jun.19}
Venham conferir os incríveis figurinos de #corteo no Shopping
Vila Olímpia em São Paulo!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/T9IzL >
---[ DRALION ]---
{Jun.17}
Meet the Characters: KALA - Kala is the heart of the wheel that
represents time and the infinite cycle. He is the internal
propulsion of the wheel that makes time evolve. It is the
ongoing circle of life.
---[ KOOZA ]---
{Jun.03}
Last week in Bilbao, we took part at the Sherpa Summit
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/5JOXx >
{Jun.07}
Kooza artists were in Belgium earlier this week for a live TV
performance...here they are with Jan Vermeulen, the Mayor of
Deinze.
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/pCenr >
{Jun.10}
Creativity is always in the air at Cirque du Soleil...even our
box office staff shows us how amazingly creative they can be!
With Valerie Giguere and Van Pixel. (Thank you Shag for the
inspiration.)
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/6tuQT >
{Jun.11}
Take a look at this behind the scene video, featuring our band
leader Jim Lutz and singer Vedra Chandler, about the amazing
music of Kooza!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1_2WUKHZRI >
{Jun.28}
Want to know more about the magnificent costumes of KOOZA? Just
take a look at this great behind the scenes video!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDsuVvlZFG8 >
---[ MJ IMMORTAL ]---
{Jun.06}
What a treat to have IMMORTAL Choreographers, Rich and Tone
Talauega, join some of the dancers on a recent promotional trip
to China!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/jeMlU >
{Jun.09}
Meet the Band: Bassist Don Boyette has previously performed with
Lionel Richie, Tina Turner, Cher, Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Joe
Walsh, and many more. Not to mention, he toured with Michael
Jackson during his BAD and DANGEROUS Tours. Don is one of five
IMMORTAL musicians who previously played with Michael Jackson!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/fgWjp >
{Jun.16}
Just wrapped our final show in Japan! THANK YOU to the over
290,000 fans who came out to see the show - you were amazing!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/vs2QT >
---[ MJ ONE ]---
{Jun.07}
Get a look at how the playful side of Michael Jackson is
reflected and celebrated in Michael Jackson ONE, now at Mandalay
Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHTKrmz0E9Q >
{Jun.11}
If you missed Jamie King on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon or
just want to see it again! check out the video below!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bnk3RJia9k >
{Jun.13}
The cast and crew of Michael Jackson ONE is made up of talent
from all around the world. Get a look at Aleksandr Wade who's
returned to his hometown in Las Vegas to be a part of the show.
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqA2wgy18kY >
{Jun.17}
Have you seen the interview with Jamie King on Fox News Travel?
Watch the clip to learn more about Michael Jackson ONE!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/9efTC >
{Jun.19}
The creators and artists behind Michael Jackson ONE strive to
exhibit courage as they are inspired by Michael Jackson and to
make Michael proud as they continue on the road to the grand
opening of the show!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOaV-rC7gzU >
{Jun.21}
Jamie King stopped by Access Hollywood yesterday! Check out what
he had to say about Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil in
the video below!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/vOdZd >
{Jun.26}
Get a sneak peek behind the scenes of our show with this video
over at Entertainment Weekly!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Xghje >
---[ MYSTERE ]---
{Jun.25}
Here's a behind-the-scenes look at a photo shoot we did on
Sunday!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/b5jY8 >
---[ OVO ]---
{Jun.14}
Hello everybody! Today, OVO celebrated its 1500th show! Can
you guess how many artists were part of every single show?
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Vzk9S >
{Jun.15}
GOODBYE AUSTRALIA!!!! Having been seen by over 700,000
Australians during the past twelve months, OVO is saying au
revoir Australia!!! Thank you to everybody who came to see the
show. We will keep wonderful memories from down under! See you
again soon!!!
{Jun.19}
Konichiwa! Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to return to Japan with
its critically-acclaimed and family-friendly big top production
OVO with a 2014-2015 national tour that will include Tokyo,
Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sendai.
---[ QUIDAM ]---
{Jun.26}
Push-up-bench-press @cirque #quidam style - we're pumped for
opening night at Bridgestone Arena. How many could you do???
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shOaqYCwtro >
---[ TOTEM ]---
{Jun.04}
We are live with Jenn from FOX 29 this morning in Philly! Coming
up Jenn tries the Rings!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/TvxGh >
{Jun.04}
FOX 29 reporter Jenn will try the Rings!!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/kmtfZ >
{Jun.04}
Jenn from Channel 17 in Philly visited us this morning to learn
about our costumes with Amanda Balius, Head of Wardrobe, and
hear about the secrets of the Native American Hoop Dance with
Eric Hernandez!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/WPSIF >
{Jun.10}
To celebrate the return of Cirque du Soleil in the Philadelphia
area, Valentino and the Beach Boys from TOTEM engaged in a race
at one of Philadelphia's landmark location!
LINK /// < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIq1uLnJgQ4 >
{Jun.12}
After 2 days of exploration in the Philadelphia area, Valentino
and the Beach Boys are back under the big top tonight to kick-
off our 3rd week of performances at the Camden Waterfront!!
Photo credit: Yann Arnaud
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/psBFU >
{Jun.13}
We visited the Cooper hospital in Camden, NJ yesterday to meet
the staff members and patients of the Pediatric unit! An
inspiring moment for all of us!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/qAk5t >
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ZGPWy >
{Jun.15}
Our beautiful Front of House team organized a BBQ today for
their local employees! Did you know we hire close to 150 people
in each city we go?
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/OYeUw >
{Jun.16}
Happy Father's Day!! Our aerialist Yann Arnaud took this shot of
our hand balancer, Pavel Saprykin, during his warm-up before the
show! An exclusive perspective! Photo credit: Yann Arnaud
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/0wGo8 >
{Jun.17}
Did you know? The Russian Bars in the Cosmonaut scene of TOTEM
are only 6 inches in width! Flyers jump more than 20 feet in the
air to land safely on the bars.
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/gtLAt >
{Jun.18}
We are now at the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts to meet the
students!!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/joRpg >
{Jun.19}
Jenn from FOX Morning Show in Philadelphia is back at the Big
Top! Coming up at 7:45am, she learns to drive one of our
canoes!!!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/lt2LQ >
{Jun.19}
Eric Hernandez teaching Jenn from FOX the Hoop Dance! Coming up,
Unicycles perform live!!!!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/GSqCi >
{Jun.21}
Did you know? Our 100 pairs of shoes are painted either on a
weekly or daily basis depending of their use in the show! We
have a mix of shoes that we buy on the market and pairs that are
entirely built from scratch at our Head Office in Montreal!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/ZaQyV >
---[ ZARKANA ]---
{Jun.05}
We're very proud to announce that last month Zarkana won both
an EFFIE award in Russia for our marketing efforts, and NAUMD's
(North-American Association of Uniform Manufacturers and
Distributors) Image of the Year Award for our usher, box office,
retail and bartender uniforms! (Uniforms created by Red The
Uniform Tailor)
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/v4iLH >
{Jun.14}
Next time you're in town, check out the tram between Bellagio
Las Vegas, The Shops at Crystals, and Monte Carlo Resort &
Casino- Las Vegas for a Zarkana-themed trip!
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/0U2WL >
{Jun.26}
Here's a sneak peek at a *sweet* new Zarkana sculpture coming
soon to ARIA Resort & Casino! What do you think it's made of?
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/Y8PpL >
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
o) HISTORIA - Cirque Company History
o) ODYSSEA - Cirque Tour History
------------------------------------
HISTORIA: Cirque Company History
------------------------------------
* Jul.01.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé (Vol 2) CD Released (Nâga)
* Jul.02.2002 - La Nouba Boutique pepper spray incident forces evacuation
* Jul.04.2007 - Cirque named top Canadian Brand by Brand Finance Canada.
* Jul.06.2008 - René Dupéré named "Chevalier" in the Order de la Pléiade
* Jul.10.2009 - La Nouba celebrated 5,000th performance [9:00pm]
* Jul.11.2008 - LOVE celebrated 1000th performance [Friday]
* Jul.11.2009 - La Nouba celebrated 5000th performance
* Jul.13.2003 - Cirque nominated for 1 Emmy 55th Emmy Awards
Outstanding Nonfiction Program Alternate Fire Within
* Jul.18.2002 - Cirque nominated for 2 Emmys in 54th Emmy Awards
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special Alegría
Outstanding Choreography for 74th Academy Awards Debra Brown
* Jul.20.2004 -- Varekai CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Jul.20.2004 -- Alegría CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Jul.20.2007 - Corteo Nominated for Emmys
o) Category 6: Art Direction for a Variety,
Music Program or Special
o) Category 28: Picture Editing for a Special
(Single of Multi-Camera)
* Jul.23.2006 - Varekai NAT 1 Ends (2002-2006)
* Jul.27.2004 -- Varekai CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Jul.27.2009 - LOVE celebrated 1,500th performance [7:00pm]
* Jul.29.2010 - La Nouba celebrated 5500th performance [9:00pm]
* Jul.31.2003 -- Zumanity Begins Preview Performances
* Jul.31.2004 - Quidam celebrated 3000th performance [Sat, 1:00pm/Calgary]
------------------------------------
ODYSSEA: Cirque Tour History
------------------------------------
* Jul.01.2005 -- Quidam opened Perth, WA
* Jul.02.1992 -- Saltimbanco opened San Francisco, CA
* Jul.02.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Chicago, IL
* Jul.02.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Berlin, DE
* Jul.02.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Angers, FR
* Jul.02.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Providence, RI
* Jul.02.2010 -- Totem opened Quebec City, QC
* Jul.03.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Adelaide, AU
* Jul.03.2000 -- Saltimbanco opened Seattle, WA
* Jul.03.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Vienna, AT
* Jul.03.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Oostenade, BE
* Jul.03.2009 -- Koozå opened Minneapolis/St.Paul
* Jul.04.1996 -- Quidam opened Ste-Foy, QC
* Jul.04.2007 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened London, ON
* Jul.04.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Regina, SK
* Jul.05.1985 -- Grand Tour 1985 opened Québec, QC
* Jul.05.1986 -- Magie Continue opened Québec, QC
* Jul.05.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Seattle
* Jul.05.2007 -- Koozå opened Quebec City
* Jul.05.2007 -- Varekai opened Adelaide
* Jul.05.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Kansas City,MO
* Jul.05.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Winnipeg, MB
* Jul.05.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Cypress, TX
* Jul.05.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Estero, FL
* Jul.06.2006 -- Quidam opened Philadelphia, PA
* Jul.06.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Houston, TX
* Jul.06.2009 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Phoenix, AZ
* Jul.06.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Dublin, IE
* Jul.06.2010 --Saltimbanco Arena opened Nottingham, UK
* Jul.06.2011 -- Alegría Arena opened Raleigh, NC
* Jul.06.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Edmonton, AB
* Jul.06.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened St. John's, NL
* Jul.07.1987 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Québec, QC
* Jul.07.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened London, UK
* Jul.07.2011 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Brisbane, AU
* Jul.07.2011 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Newcastle, AU
* Jul.08.2004 -- Alegría opened Philadelphia
* Jul.08.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Manchester, NH
* Jul.08.2011 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Sydney, AU
* Jul.08.2012 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Doha, QA
* Jul.09.1984 -- Grand Tour 1984 opened Baie-Comeau, QC
* Jul.09.1984 -- Grand Tour 1984 opened Rimouski, QC
* Jul.09.2009 -- Quidam opened Olinda / Recife, BR
* Jul.09.2009 -- Varekai opened Gijon, ES
* Jul.09.2012 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Hing Kong, CN
* Jul.09.2012 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Singapore, SG
* Jul.10.2003 -- Alegría opened Vancouver
* Jul.10.2009 -- Dralion opened Auckland, NZ
* Jul.10.2010 -- Quidam opened Santiago, CL
* Jul.11.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Montréal, QC
* Jul.11.1997 -- Alegría opened Berlin, DE
* Jul.11.2009 -- Quidam opened Fortaleza, BR
* Jul.11.2012 -- Varekai opened Porto Alegre, BR
* Jul.12.1984 -- Grand Tour 1984 opened Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, QC
* Jul.12.1994 -- Alegría opened San Francisco, CA
* Jul.12.2000 -- Quidam opened Rotterdam, NL
* Jul.13.2011 -- Alegría Arena opened Florence, SC
* Jul.13.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Saskatoon, SK
* Jul.13.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened St. John, NB
* Jul.14.1992 -- Fascination opened Osaka, JP
* Jul.14.2006 -- Alegría opened Amsterdam
* Jul.14.2006 -- Corteo opened Chicago, IL
* Jul.14.2012 -- Ovo opened Brisbane, AU
* Jul.15.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Newark, NJ
* Jul.17.2003 -- Varekai opened Chicago, IL
* Jul.17.2008 -- Dralion opened Sydney, AU
* Jul.18.2012 -- Alegría Arena opened Nice, FR
* Jul.19.1984 -- Grand Tour 1984 opened Baie-Saint-Paul, QC
* Jul.19.2003 -- Quidam opened Osaka, JP
* Jul.19.2012 -- Dralion Arena opened Sunrise, FL
* Jul.19.2012 -- Quidam Arena opened Winnipeg, MB
* Jul.20.2011 -- Alegría Arena opened Sunrise, FL
* Jul.20.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Winnipeg, MB
* Jul.20.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened Halifax, NS
* Jul.21.2005 -- Dralion opened Oostende
* Jul.22.1998 -- Quidam opened Chicago, IL
* Jul.22.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Wilkes-Barre, PA
* Jul.22.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Winnipeg, MB
* Jul.22.2010 -- Koozå opened Vancouver, BC
* Jul.23.1988 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Toronto, ON
* Jul.23.1997 -- Quidam opened San Jose, CA
* Jul.23.1998 -- Alegría opened Antwerp, BE
* Jul.24.1992 -- Fascination opened Sapporo, JP
* Jul.24.2003 -- Dralion opened Columbus, OH
* Jul.24.2008 -- Quidam opened Alicante, ES
* Jul.25.2002 -- Quidam opened Boston, MA
* Jul.25.2007 -- Dralion opened Osaka, JP
* Jul.25.2012 -- Quidam Arena opened Regina, SK
* Jul.26.1984 -- Grand Tour 1984 opened Québec, QC
* Jul.26.1985 -- Grand Tour 1985 opened Toronto, ON
* Jul.26.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Toronto, ON
* Jul.26.1995 -- Alegría opened Chicago, IL
* Jul.26.2001 -- Quidam opened Copenhagen, DK
* Jul.26.2012 -- Koozå opened Houston, TX
* Jul.27.2004 -- Varekai opened Boston
* Jul.27.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Regina, SK
* Jul.27.2011 -- Dralion Arena opened Frisco, TX
* Jul.27.2011 -- Quidam Arena opened Providence, RI
* Jul.28.2007 -- Alegría opened Gijon
* Jul.28.2011 -- Corteo opened Alicante, ES
* Jul.29.1999 -- Dralion opened Toronto, ON
* Jul.29.2009 -- Alegría Arena opened Hamilton, OH
* Jul.29.2009 -- Corteo opened Osaka
* Jul.29.2010 -- Varekai opened Oostenede, BE
* Jul.30.2009 -- Ovo opened Quebec City, QC
* Jul.31.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened London, UK
* Jul.31.2008 -- Corteo opened Calgary
* Jul.31.2008 -- Varekai opened Oberhausen, DE
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "'THIS IS IT!' MICHAEL JACKSON ONE PREMIERES"
Cirque du Soleil Press Materials
o) "A VISIT TO THE BREAK ROOM - OVO's Artistic Tent"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
o) CIRQUE MUSIQUE: AN OVERVIEW
"Part Three - Specials, White Labels & Promos"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------
"'THIS IS IT!' MICHAEL JACKSON ONE PREMIERES"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Materials
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil and the Estate of Michael Jackson present
MICHAEL JACKSON ONE
Story and directed by Jamie King
EXCLUSIVELY AT MANDALAY BAY IN LAS VEGAS
WORLD PREMIERE JUNE 29, 2013
Las Vegas, June 29, 2013 - Cirque du Soleil and the Estate of Michael
Jackson present tonight the world premiere of Michael Jackson ONE in
Las Vegas, a new creation taking residency exclusively at Mandalay Bay
Resort and Casino. Directed by Jamie King, this entirely new show is
the second creative project to be developed between Cirque du Soleil
and The Estate of Michael Jackson after the top grossing Michael
Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour, currently playing arenas in Asia as
it travels the world.
THE SHOW
--------
Michael Jackson ONE is a sonic, tonic fusion of acrobatics, dance and
visuals that takes the audience on an immersive journey through the
music and spirit of Michael Jackson.
Driven by Michael's powerful, multi-layered music - heard like never
before in a riveting, state-of-the-art surround-sound environment -
ONE takes the audience through a series of seamless visual and musical
tableaux, at the heart of a world that is in turn majestic, playful,
magical and heart-warming.
In Michael Jackson ONE, Michael's artistry and spirit are expressed
through the vibrant energy of the cast of 63 dancers and performers,
underscored by aerial performance, driving acrobatics, and vivid
choreographies that use the urban/hip hop idiom as a springboard for
exploration.
ONE is a heartfelt tribute to the work, innovative spirit, and legacy
of Michael Jackson - the King of Pop, the genius, the visionary, the
One.
THE NAME
--------
Michael Jackson believed that all people are unique and equal,
regardless of race or culture. His message was one of unity, harmony
and hope for a better world. At once evocative and enigmatic, the name
Michael Jackson ONE also presents a paradox: Michael was a
multifaceted artist who strove to fuse together various musical styles
and art forms. It is a fitting title for a unifying journey into the
world of the King of Pop, the genius, the visionary, the One.
THE CREATORS
------------
Along with Jamie King-who started his career as a dancer on Michael's
Dangerous World Tour and also directed the arena touring show Michael
Jackson The Immortal World Tour by Cirque du Soleil-, Michael Jackson
ONE will bring together the creative minds behind the Michael Jackson
Estate, John Branca and John McClain, and the diverse talents of the
following creators):
o) Guy Laliberté - Creative Guide
o) Jean-François Bouchard - Chief Creative Content
o) Jamie King - Writer and Director
o) Welby Altidor - Director of Creation
o) Carla Kama - Associate Director
o) Kevin Antunes - Musical Director
o) François Séguin - Set and Props Designer
o) Zaldy Goco - Costume Designer
o) Michel Lemieux - Man in the Mirror scene creator
o) Victor Pilon - Man in the Mirror scene creator
o) Travis Payne - Choreographer
o) Rich and Tone Talauega - Choreographers
o) Parris Goebel - Choreographer
o) Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui - Choreographer
o) Ivan " Flipz " Velez - Choreographer
o) Olivier Simola - Choreographer
o) Rob Bollinger - Acrobatic Performance Designer
o) Germain Guillemot - Acrobatic Performance Designer
o) Ben Potvin - Acrobatic Choreographer
o) Andrea Ziegler - Acrobatic Choreographer
o) Raymond St-Jean - Projections Designer
o) Jimmy Lakatos - Projections Designer
o) David Finn - Lighting Designer
o) Jonathan Deans - Sound Designer
o) Pierre Masse - Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer
o) Nathalie Gagné - Makeup Designer
o) Brian Drader - Dramaturge
o) Manon Beaudoin - Characters' Guide
o) Henry Fong - Illustrator
Creators' bios and images are available Cirque's press room:
LINK /// < http://goo.gl/pWPX7 >
THE TABLEAUX
------------
The Main Character: Michael Jackson - A living presence in the show
through video, whispers, laughter, urging, spoken and projected
narrative, screaming, silhouettes, elemental forces, etc. Michael's
spirit is guiding the performers and the audience on the journey,
culminating with the release from the grip of Mephisto, which leads
everyone to reconnect with Michael's spirit and his child-like heart.
Michael is also represented through certain of his visual iconography
- his iconic glove, hat, shoes and glasses - which are transformed
into talismans meant to represent certain qualities possessed by
Michael. He is the primary protagonist, our Guide. And through his
music, lyrics and words, he is also our narrator.
/// The Vortex - Inspired by the first four verses of Beat It
The four misfits who are referred to as the Heroes - Clumsy
(slackliner), Shy (martial artist), Smarty Pants (juggler), and Sneaky
(manipulation specialist) - get sucked into a Vortex after sneaking
into the show.
/// Time Tripping - Beat It
Time goes crazy as we cross the metaphoric threshold into a magical
world inspired by Michael's imagination. High above the audience,
rotating bungees churn to the funk-infused, drum and guitar-driven
rhythms of Beat It.
/// Hide & Seek - Leave Me Alone/Tabloid Junkie/Too Bad
Mephisto, a malevolent machine made of radios, microphones, tungsten
bulbs, televisions, cameras, and surveillance equipment, makes his
first appearance along with the Tabloid Junkies, his dance corps and
guards.
/// Lost and Alone - Stranger in Moscow
This scene is the Spanish web lament to loneliness of the Beggar Boy,
a character in the song "Stranger in Moscow", while Ngame, the Mother
Moon character, watches over.
/// Clumsy and the Shoes - Bad
The sweet but awkward Clumsy learns how to live in his body with the
help of Michael's magical shoes. Living up to his nickname at first,
his bumbling routine eventually turns into a masterful double
slackline act.
/// The Smooth Criminals - Smooth Criminal
Mephisto sends in his elite force, the Smooth Criminals (rhythmic
gymnasts), to do battle with the MJ Warriors, Michael's dance corps.
The Warriors get down to business - the yin to the Criminals' yang.
/// Human Nature/Michael's Magic Trunk - I'll Be There/Human
Nature/Never Can Say Goodbye
Memories of Michael surface as the Heroes discover why they're there -
the love they share for Michael - as a magical song is set free in
physical form through the performance of a fleet-footed, free-styling
dancer and contortionist named Wink who literally glides on the stage.
/// Shy and the Glasses - 2000 Watts/Jam
As she senses Michael's spirit around her, Shy, an introverted young
lady, dons Michael's sunglasses, and finds her inner courage. Shy
battles Mephisto in a fearless display of martial arts prowess.
/// The Warriors of Peace - They Don't Care About Us
The MJ Warriors perform a striking choreography in unison in a tableau
that conveys one of the messages dear to Michael. In the face of war,
violence, poverty and strife, we must dare to hope, comfort, dream and
believe.
/// Ngame Gives Birth - Planet Earth/Earth Song
Ngame, the Mother Moon Goddess, ushers in a new beginning. During a
stunning shadow play act, Michael's poignant vocal performance
delivers a raging lament against what the world stands to lose.
/// Our Heroes Regroup - Smile
The self-appointed leader of the ragtag group of Heroes, Smarty Pants
finds the magical hat and rediscovers her childlike heart.
/// Smarty Pants & The Hat - Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'
One of Michael's qualities, gracefulness, is learned by Smarty Pants
as she joins in a towering hat juggling act as images of giant hats
float and bob everywhere on the screen and on the stage.
/// MJ's Girls - The Way You Make Me Feel
The MJ Girls' homage to Michael, and the MJ Boys' homage to the Girls...
The dancers all knock each other off their feet in a swagger-meets-
sass rivalry that is a nod to the iconic The Way You Make Me Feel
short film.
/// Dirty Diana - Dirty Diana
Dirty Diana - Mephisto's Siren - and the Muse - a conduit for
Michael's music - go head to head, leading to a staggering, one-of-a-
kind pole dancing act.
/// Sneaky & The Glove - This Place Hotel/Working Day & Night
Sneaky, the little troublemaker, has his glove go rogue in a dazzling
display of "hand in glove" manipulation.
/// The Billie Jeans - Billie Jean
Michael's virtuoso moves, and his Warriors dressed in stunning,
glowing LED costumes to the driving, electrifying beat of the iconic
song.
/// Mephisto's Trap - Scream
Mephisto's primary force and dance corps, the Tabloid Junkies, shape
shift into the Werewolf Dogs while the Heroes and the talismans are
captured.
/// Mephisto Triumphant - Thriller
Evil forces in the underbelly of Mephisto's world, the Thrillers
(dance corps) and the Ghouls (trampoline artists and rhythmic
gymnasts) celebrate Mephisto's victory. They are in full thrall,
leaping and flipping in a gravity-defying performance that uniquely
combines inverted trampoline and trampo-wall.
/// Sneaky & Mephisto Transform - Speechless
The Talismans are reclaimed, and Sneaky lets love into his heart.
Mephisto is vanquished at last.
/// Ngame's Tribute To Michael- I Just Can't Stop Loving You
Ngame performs her duet with the Star.
/// Michael's spirit is brought to the stage - Man In The Mirror
Michael's energy and spirit are shared with the cast and audience
through an illusion that occurs during the moving, scintillating Man
In The Mirror.
/// Electric Love Parade - Black or White
Two sides become One. In a group acrobatic and choreographic tableau,
the whole cast reunites on the stage, including the Heroes who return
in the "Leave Me Alone" rocket.
/// Walk Out - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough/Remember The Time/Medley
A final message from Michael - "We're putting love back into the
world. To remind the world that love is important. To love each other.
We are ONE."
COSTUMES
--------
The Fabric of a Legend
Michael Jackson's visual iconography is firmly entrenched in the minds
of his fans. In fact, some of these visual icons - Michael's white
glove, penny loafers, fedora hat and shades - are at the very core of
the storyline of Michael Jackson ONE and are charged with symbolism
and have the force of talismans.
"My creations are all rooted in Michael's world and his songs, and
radiate his spirit," says Zaldy Goco, who designed the wardrobe for
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour. "My goal was to find ways to
make an impression and surprise Michael's fans with my costume
designs."
Light and Dark
The storyline of Michael Jackson ONE inspired Zaldy to group the
characters' costumes into two families each with its own distinct look
and esthetic: one represents light, Michael's world, while the other
represents dark and the world of the character Mephisto, the hero's
nemesis. The former is represented by the color white, rainbow colors
and light tones, while the latter features black, navy and red. The
color red is associated with Mephisto and his minions, including the
"Smooth Criminals", the Paparazzi, the Tabloid Junkies and Dirty
Diana.
Graphic Look
Zaldy wanted the costumes to have a graphic, Manga-style illustration
look and feel. To bring his vision to life, he needed a material with
which he could create stiff shapes, yet that was stretchable and
flexible in order to free up the artists' movement. He found the
perfect material in neoprene, which he used for most of the show's
costumes. Neoprene is a synthetic rubber used for a wide range of
applications, including sportswear, wetsuits, laptop-computer sleeves,
drum practice pads and other waterproof products.
Visual effects
The costumes in Michael Jackson ONE brim with visual effects and
illusions of all kinds. For example, the shape-shifting gangster-type
characters in the "Smooth Criminal" scene remove their navy blue
trench coats, revealing their pinstriped suits underneath. The
artists' backside is all white, but when the lights go out, the black
light reveals UV drawings all over the artists' backs and faces. The
drawings represent dragon tattoos inspired by the real, full-body
tattoos traditionally worn by the yakuza, members of Japanese
organized crime.
Inflatables were used in the costumes of the characters in the
"Tabloid Junkies" scene. During their act, the artists trip a switch
in their costume that causes a CO2 (carbon dioxide) explosion in their
tiny backpacks. A hood in the shape of a dog's head pops out of the
packs and over the artists' head, instantly turning them into dog-like
characters.
The artists' costumes in the "I Can't Stop Loving You" and "Billie
Jean" scenes are equipped with hundreds of LED lights. The costumes
are designed in such a way that the performers disappear completely
and the only thing the audience sees is the movement and changing
colors of the LED lights.
Costume Close-ups
o) Michael Jackson loved gold, crystals and things that glitter
and shine. He was fond of Swarovski crystals, and the use of
this material in the show was self-evident. In itself, the
"Dirty Diana" costume contains over 7,000 Swarovski crystals.
o) The glitter on the costume of the guitarist who plays the
Muse character - a conduit for Michael's music - was created
with the same technique used for one of Michael's costumes in
the THIS IS IT show: the costume is braided with clear
pockets filled with Swarovski crystals. With the Muse's
costume, Zaldy pays tribute to the last ever costume designed
for Michael Jackson. Her guitar shoots 30-foot streams of
pyro.
o) The material of the trench coats worn by the "Smooth
Criminal" characters looks like silk. It is made of a high-
end French fabric woven from a plastic material that gives
the costume a liquid shine. When the rhythmic gymnasts do
cartwheels, their coat seem to hang in the air, emphasizing
their graceful, swirling motions.
o) The capes of the "Tabloid Junkies" characters are lined with
tabloid headlines about Michael Jackson in several languages.
o) The fedora hats used in the show come from the same maker
that made Michael Jackson's fedora hats.
o) There are approximately 1,150 costume pieces in the show.
SOUND ENVIRONMENT
-----------------
Michael Jackson's music spans many genres and has a radiating force
that emanated from his focusing power, his unique voice as well as his
charisma and energy on stage - a combination that would leave
concertgoers breathless.
A sound of epic proportions
Often described as epic in breadth and scope, Michael's dynamic,
multi-layered music lends itself perfectly to the controlled
environment of a theatre. The sound system created exclusively for the
Michael Jackson ONE Theatre immerses the audience in a concert
ambience.
Working with the multi-track master recordings alongside Musical
Director Kevin Antunes, Sound Designer Jonathan Deans explains: "When
Michael recorded albums, he actually performed in the studio, dancing,
singing with the choir. You can hear him at work. The recordings
literally explode with his high vocal and physical energy." The
audience will experience this vividly when hearing the music in the
Michael Jackson ONE Theatre; Michael's essence is right there, all
around.
Michael Jackson ONE features hits that have been rearranged yet remain
close to the album versions and are treated in a cinematic fashion.
Kevin Antunes, who was also the Musical Designer on Michael Jackson
THE IMMORTAL World Tour, took the multi-track master recordings and
ornamented them in surround sound. Some of the sound feels like it
surrounds the spectators or comes from above or behind, literally
sending chills down their necks.
Putting the spectator right on stage
Jonathan Deans took all the musical layers and literally placed them
strategically inside the volume of the theatre on separate groups of
speakers. The sound comes at the audience from different angles, and
it makes the experience very realistic, as if one were standing on
stage in the middle of an orchestra and the sounds of the instruments
were coming from different directions. And the sound systems has the
whole room covered: helicopters fly in surround sound above the
audience while Vincent Price's laugh at the end of "Thriller" begins
in the main speakers, moves around the room and ends in the speakers
in each seat. Because of the technology that went into the seat
design, the audience can in fact hear certain sounds that have never
been heard before with a unique, surround sound feel.
Antunes added layers and instruments to the music, and brought certain
unnoticed elements of the songs to the fore. He added a lot of power
to the guitar solos, including the pick slides, whammy bar and other
1980s dive sounds. Included in cast of 61 dancers and acrobats, are
one vocalist and one guitarist performing live on stage.
SCENIC ENVIRONMENT
------------------
Michael Jackson was a multi-faceted artist who like to fuse musical
styles and art forms, but he never made forays in the world of theater
per se, with the exception of the musical adventure film The Wiz.
Michael Jackson ONE is the first large-scale production developed for
the theater about the world and music of the King of pop.
A theatrical adaptation of the world of Michael Jackson
With its large moving towers, the dynamic and versatile decor created
by Set Designer François Séguin for Michael Jackson ONE is loosely
inspired by the Dangerous album cover. The TV screens and statuettes
are resolutely baroque in style, as are the rosettes painted on the
proscenium. The set design concept, which comes to life under the
lights and through the video projections, may also recall the scalable
architecture of the theater sets created by Arthur Miller and Bob
Fosse. The world of the printed press and other vehicles for tabloid
news also permeates the set concept.
Mephisto
Mephisto is both a key part of the set and a "character" in the show.
Mephisto is a malevolent machine flanked by his minions. The sprawling
mechanical monster is composed of TVs, cameras, flashes, microphones,
tungsten bulbs, surveillance equipment and various other objects.
Mephisto appears at the start of the show in a huge vortex when TV
monitors, newsreels and newspapers are sucked inside the lens of a
camera.
PROJECTIONS
-----------
In Michael Jackson ONE, the video content is an integral part of the
storyline and helps to create atmospheres and to move the story along
during each of the different tableaux. The images also have a rhythmic
function, blending seamlessly with the music and the performances.
The video images on the proscenium, the audiovisual walls, the tulle
screen and other projection surfaces help to create the show's
vibrant, immersive atmospheres, as does the video content projected
onto the four moving towers on stage and the LED screen upstage.
Thanks to a GPS tracking system equipped with sensors, video content
can be projected on the artists as they move about on stage. For
example, images are projected on a dozen shields held by dancers
during the They Don't Care About Us scene.
For the show's creators, Michael was a beacon and a guide throughout
the creation process. The audience feels his presence and his spirit
more and more during the production through projections as well as
scintillation effects (like stardust) associated with certain
characters.
Technical elements under the spotlight
o) On stage, four large towers used as projection surfaces, move
from side to side and go up and down, even turning into
platforms for the dancers and acrobats.
o) The stage has 66 winches with speeds of up to 12 ft per
second.
o) Hanging from the ceiling, two 96-ft overhead tracks have two
acrobatic trolleys each for moving artists, some of whom fly
over the audience from the back of the house.
o) The rocket in the Tabloid Junkies scene is a nod to the
Michael Jackson video Leave Me Alone.
o) Each of the theatre's 1,804 seats has three speakers - left,
right and center - for a total of 5,412 seat speakers.
o) Apart from the 587 lighting fixtures, there are 295 custom
LED fixtures built into the show's various set pieces.
o) For the projections, the stage is equipped with 1 LED track
with 8 trolleys, each trolley supporting 8 LED panels.
o) 26 projectors display video content on the stage and around
the proscenium.
o) In addition to the projectors, there are 11 TV monitors and a
40-ft-wide, 30-ft-high LED wall made up of 8 separate
columns.
HOW DO I SEE THE SHOW?
----------------------
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE: Starting July 1, performances are Saturday to
Wednesday at 7:00pm and 10:00pm. Starting September 3, performances
are Saturday to Wednesday at 7:00pm and 9:30pm. There are no
performances on Thursdays and Fridays.
TO RESERVE TICKETS: Call 877.632.7400 or 800-745-3000 Go to
www.cirquedusoleil.com/mjone or www.mandalaybay.com Visit the Michael
Jackson ONE box office, the Mandalay Bay Events Center box office, or
any of the MGM Resorts International box offices.
TICKET PRICES: $69, $99, $130, $140, $155, plus LIMITED Golden Circle
seating. Prices do not include tax or fees. Starting September 7,
Saturday performance prices $69, $99, $130, $160, plus LIMITED Golden
Circle seating. Prices do not include tax or fees. Tickets are
available 120 days in advance of the performance date.
Like Michael Jackson ONE on Facebook or Tweet us: @Cirque #MJOne.
----------------------------------------------------------
"A VISIT TO THE BREAK ROOM - OVO's Artistic Tent"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------
For that short span of time under the Grand Chapiteau we are taken to
another world of wonder and possibility. But we know this world of
bugs, this island, this city isn't real - I mean reality real. We see
artists on stage, in character, performing their amazing feats with
little evident effort. But these aren't bugs or birds or urban
dwellers. It's a show - a theatrical presentation - and we know after
this respite from reality it might be raining or cold as we leave the
womb of the tent or theater and walk back to our car. It's a
theatrical production that involves much more than what's presented on
the stage, with numerous technical activities occurring simultaneously
that help create a seamless whole. There is a life beyond the stage
performance, though, a real life of training and dressing and
rehearsal and often just - waiting. As full of wonder and possibility
as the world presented onstage.
Cirque fans know well the layout of a Cirque tent site with its box
office, concessions tents, VIP tent, and Grand Chapiteau. They are
also aware of many of the backstage functions such as the kitchen,
onsite school, artistic tent and other infrastructure. Indeed, we at
Fascination! have placed an emphasis on expanding our knowledge of
Cirque du Soleil's behind-the-scenes operations. We have cited (or
written ourselves) articles exploring some of these functions. But
very little for these pages about what happens backstage during a show
performance.
It was during OVO's stop in Portland, Oregon this past May that we
were offered a special opportunity to expand our knowledge. Thanks to
an invitation from a kind friend who has made acquaintances within the
cast, we are here to experience something offered to a select few -
the opportunity to witness the goings on inside the Artistic Tent
during a performance. For Cirque fans such as us this was an
opportunity we couldn't pass up!
In past visits to downtown Portland Cirque du Soleil has set up near
the Willamette River that bisects the city, on a lot situated at the
southern confluence of I-5 and I-405, highly visible. This time that
site was not available, having since been converted to a parking lot
for light rail users. The replacement site is in the north of the
city in the front parking lot of the Portland Expo Center
(www.expocenter.org), an expanse of large meeting halls home to craft
expos, gun shows and community garage sales at the tail end of one of
the city's light rail lines. Visible off to the right just after
crossing the Columbia River while heading south into the city, the
site is nicely compact with its entrance courtyard just steps from the
light rail station. It is here three intrepid Cirque Passionates have
gathered on a Saturday afternoon.
Enter the Inner Sanctum
-----------------------
At the pre-arranged time of 7:40pm (after having watched the 4pm
matinee) my wife and I and our friend arrive at the rear entrance
gate. The security person relays our arrival to someone walking the
backstage of the site, and through a series of other relays the
message makes its way inside. Soon our host, a quiet but affable,
compact, muscular gentleman, wearing his stage makeup but in street
clothes, comes back to greet us and sign us in. We slap Cirque du
Soleil "Visitor" passes onto our chests and follow him. We walk past
the kitchen and repair shop, then past artist bathrooms flanking
either side of a fabric-topped tent covering a blue padded central
area. From there we are admitted past the metal and glass entrance
door to the Artistic Tent.
Bringing guests into the Artistic Tent during a performance is not
something every tour does, we are told. On OVO artists or a crew
member can admit (and must chaperone) up to four people per show. Our
host was kind enough to offer the privilege to our mutual friend, who
has seen the show multiple times and has befriended several of the
cast members. Since he works for a candy manufacturer he always comes
bearing heavy boxes of candy of all types which is very popular with
the artists. Never underestimate the power of food to create
friendships.
The Artistic Tent is spacious, but only about half as large as the
connected Grand Chapiteau. To best visualize the layout, imagine
looking down from the top of the Artistic Tent. Assume the tunnel
connecting the Artistic Tent to the Grand Chapiteau to be "north" (in
Portland's configuration it's actually east, but work with me here).
To the northwest, the canvas walls hold props used during practice -
bits of food for foot juggling, handbalancing canes, exercise balls,
pairs of cricket leg costume pieces hung on hooks. Directly west,
behind a loose curtain, is the physiotherapy area and its massage
table. South of that is the repair area for costuming, shoes and
headwear. Racks of tightly-packed costumes clutter a thin tent
extension that juts out like an appendix to the southwest. This area
is also home to the stock of makeup and sewing supplies. Directly
south is the door that exits to the outside area and the restrooms.
In the center of the tent is an array of acrobatic and warm-
up/practice equipment; a trampoline, a slack wire. The entire center
area is covered in blue padded mats - don't walk on those with street
shoes!
Covering roughly a quarter of the tent on the east side is an area
separated from the rest of the tent by blue curtains. These curtains
separate the artists' costume and makeup area from the rest of the
tent and allow a bit of privacy to change clothes and get into
character. The only people to enter are artists and a few select show
personnel.
In the northeast section, three black well-used couches form a "U"
around a low table. Against the northeast wall of the tent sits a
road case. On top of the road case sits a flat panel monitor
displaying a live static picture of the stage, from the camera at the
back of the Grand Chapiteau that records each show. This is the
"Living Room" section of the tent. The couches will be constantly
occupied by a rotating cast of costumed bugs as the show progresses.
Given the size of the Living Room area the TV seems small, especially
considering how many people will use it to keep track of the shows
progress over the next two and a half hours. We imagine this is a
consequence of touring, since space is at a premium.
On the canvas wall to the right of the tunnel that leads to the
backstage area of the Grand Chapiteau is a large white board divided
into many sections. Down the left side is the order of the acts, with
smaller notes on who is performing. Other sections are labeled
Completely Out, Modified, Back In, Cues Only; under some of these can
be seen the first name of one or more artists. Still other sections
give the outside temperature & humidity(!), as well as the occupancy
of the tent, which for this performance (8pm on a Saturday) is 83%.
To the right of that board is the "Schedule for Sunday" board which
lists the time the site opens tomorrow, when the tent opens, and when
the shows start and end. Still further to the right is a large full-
length mirror in which artists primp, checking their look before they
go onstage. Next to it is a poster dictating the Artistic Tent Rules
& Procedures, with sections discussing Show Call, Food, Drinking and
Smoking.
In front of the main white board is a road case serving as the
Backstage Manager's table. This is headquarters for behind-the-scenes
personnel. Here the Backstage Managers stand and look out upon the
tent, listening intently for communications over the radio through
their earpieces.
There is no direct lighting. All the lights are aimed upward from the
tent support poles toward the white top of the Artistic Tent, where it
reflects back bathing the entire area in warm soft light. There is
plenty of light to see however.
We are escorted to three metal folding chairs in the Living Room.
Taped to the front of the chair is a hard plastic placard that reads,
"OVO - Guest." It hits right about our mid-back, making it
uncomfortable. We scoot the three chairs close together, right at the
90-degree void space between two of the couches. We keep them as close
as possible to the couches, trying to take the minimum amount of
space.
From our small observation area we are interlopers, not part of the
normal order. Like a termite in an ant colony, only no one pays any
attention to us or looks at us as invaders. They don't look at us
much at all from what we can tell; they naturally have other things on
their minds. It's as though we were hunkered down camouflaged in a
forest, hiding in plain sight. For our part we just observe what's
happening around us, and for fans like us there is much to observe.
A Place to Wait
---------------
Soon you realize that, as the Grand Chapiteau is the workplace - the
factory floor - the Artistic Tent is the break room. It's divided up
into several sections that mimic a residence - a living room with
couches and a television, a huge bedroom for changing into costume and
applying makeup, a workshop and an exercise room. The kitchen is
detached but close by; bathrooms are just beyond the door.
Shortly before the show begins there is much talking in multiple
tongues. A Cricket wanders by and adjusts his leg pads which are
connected to the rest of the costume with Velcro. We are later told
each costume costs approximately $18,000. We chat with a pretty
Brazilian named Angela who, when she finds out we are from Seattle
where Amaluna will soon be playing, asks us to relay a message to a
cast member named Sebastian - that he is missed.
Suddenly a buzzer rings. Everyone, now in full costume and makeup,
leaves through the connecting tunnel. The tent falls silent except
for the resonance of the music onstage and the low roar of air rushing
from the ventilation system.
The show has begun.
After the opening segment, various artists return to the tent in small
groups. They don't seem to be tired or out of breath when they come
offstage. By the time they make it through the backstage area and the
connecting tunnel many have removed their headwear. Some of them stay
in their costumes; many others vanish into the costume/makeup area and
return in various stages of dress. Sometimes they reappear in a t-
shirt or tank top while still wearing the bottom part of their
costume. Others change completely, supplementing the casual top with
shorts or sweat pants. It's surprising to us how many artists, after
their act or current cue is done, change out of their costume during
the show and how quickly they do it. While awaiting their next cue
many of them find places to sit, either on the mats or on the couches,
and spend time poking at their cell phones, or in several cases iPads.
Our friend takes a moment to open and unpack the candy he has brought
for the cast on the table in front of the couches. Artists
occasionally come by and pick through the candy, taking pieces of what
they like, acknowledging him for the favor. He knows many members of
the cast by name; they accept him as a peer. You can see why he is a
popular guy - he brings candy!
A couple of the Ant foot jugglers practice while lying on the mats in
one corner of the tent. "Food" flies into the air between their
upstretched feet. Suddenly one of the Backstage Managers yells, "Go
to Work!" They stop practicing and without a word walk toward the
tunnel.
One of the Scarabs (from the Volant act, an aerial combination of
Banquine and Russian Swing) a beefy muscular guy in full costume and
makeup, with some bits of gold flecking on his moustache, sits near us
on the couch staring straight ahead and paying us no mind. He
silently watches the monitor as the show progresses. Other members of
the act drift over to join him, occasionally conversing in Russian.
With the Scarabs sitting so near to us it's easy to see their costumes
up close; we note the distressing on the costume materials.
Occasionally one can spot tiny holes or nicks which you wouldn't see
from the stage, the result of multiple performances.
Soon enough it is time for Volant, the climax of the first act. After
the Scarabs leave other artists take over positions on the couches.
There is a constant migration of "insects" on and off the couches and
in and out of the tent, as they leave to perform their duties onstage
and return. Watching so many costumes pass by so closely (and in some
cases sitting right next to us) it's easy to notice the hard work and
detail that goes into making them. Materials you wouldn't expect,
things that look like leather or plastic or feather or hair but
aren't. The "nubs" on the helmet of the Ladybug, for example, are
wooden drawer pulls. The costumes are made for flexibility and to
make them easy to put on and take off. If a costume wanders close you
can notice paint patches or sometimes small scars or scratches in the
material. My wife asks to take a closer look at the costume of one of
the artists that has stopped to talk with our friend, and examines the
way elastic is used to gather the costume material, making it look
more layered and thicker than it actually is. Some of the techniques
used are ingenious to us, though must be commonplace in stage
costuming.
The dominant sound we hear throughout the performance is the booming
bass from the subwoofers underneath the grandstand seats. At the end
of acts the muffled sound of applause adds itself to the mix.
Otherwise, the tent is basically - and surprisingly - silent.
Suddenly a murmur rises from those assembled on the couches watching
the monitor. There has been a fall. One of the Scarabs from the
Volant act missed the arms of the catcher and fell into the net.
There was no injury, but it's a rare occurrence the artists note with
concern. The fallen Scarab waddles his way to a rope ladder and
ascends to the perch he would have held if he had been caught. He
doesn't re-try the trick and the act continues on.
"Intermission, 30 minutes!" is called from the Backstage Managers
desk. The musicians follow the other artists back into the tent.
Unexpectedly, it stays fairly quiet. We expected it would get noisier
from artists chatting about how the show is going, but there is little
of that. The loudest sounds are footsteps as Artists come into the
Artistic Tent. More cell phones and iPads appear in artist's hands.
While we're watching other goings on in the tent, most of the Scarab
Volant crew has gathered on the couches in the Living Room. The
picture on the monitor, which up to now had been a static shot of a
bare stage, suddenly changes to a closer view of the Volant act. The
video follows the performance closely, focusing on just the right area
at just the right cue to cover all the action. One of the trainers
was taping the act (from the angle it looks like from the back of the
aisle to the left of Section 200), something we're told happens a lot.
They focus on the fall, playing it at regular speed and in slow motion
several times, all watching intently. The artist who fell makes hand
gestures and comments in Russian to his comrades.
In Transition
-------------
Eventually the second act starts. One of the Backstage Managers shoos
the Flea Girls out to the Grand Chapiteau.
Midway through the second act the noise level in the Artistic Tent
starts to rise, getting the noisiest it has been. The artists are
into the home stretch of their 8-hour day, the middle of the last act
of the last show of the day. More artists are chattering to each
other and the diversity of languages, with their rolling R's and
differing consonant and vowel sounds, is intriguing to an ear versed
only in English. Some of the Crickets, meanwhile, start warming up
for their act on the trampoline at the back of the tent, bouncing high
and doing twists and somersaults.
There is a missing act in the show. Slack Wire is out - an artist
injury. He has been injured for a while but there is no extra act
(sometimes called a "swing act") to put in his place. So the second
act is just - shorter. The devoted Cirque fan (such as the readers of
Fascination!) and the artists and crew would notice this but the rest
of the audience is oblivious. We hear from our host that OVO is
currently going through a number of changes. Many new artists are
being incorporated into the show right now, mostly due to artist
injuries. "Many people are hurt," he says.
We chat with one of the artists sitting on the couches, asking about
differences in crowd reactions. She remarks the audiences in Mexico
City (they were there in November and December of 2011) were "cordial
but not friendly" to OVO. We start to talk about why that might be
when the trampoline music starts. Our conversation abruptly stops -
almost instinctively everyone, including the Scarabs who have been
taking up most of the space on the couches, gets up and leaves.
Everyone is preparing for the finale. The tent becomes very quiet,
again.
The show ends with a raucous curtain call, the white noise of applause
from the standing ovation dimmed by the layers of canvas between the
tents. The backstage technicians, dressed in all black, most of them
wearing headset radios, gather in a line at the entrance to the tent
from the connecting tunnel. They high five artists as they come off
stage in single file. Some don't acknowledge the uplifted hands, some
acknowledge with a generic slap, others high five the techs with
enthusiasm. Another day done, another two shows in the books.
Tomorrow, Sunday, is an early call with the matinee three hours
earlier than today. Partying on Saturday night is a rarity. All the
artists vanish behind the blue curtain to change clothes and remove
makeup. Some of them are speedy, only taking a few minutes to
completely transition into street clothes and normal face. They
gather their belongings and, staring intently at their cell phones
make their way out the back of the tent, past the bathrooms and the
kitchen, to the security gate at the back of the lot where a bus waits
to take them back to their housing.
Living the Lifestyle
--------------------
Later, as we leave the deserted backstage area, out the way we came,
we are reminded of a quote from a Cirque artist we found in a print
interview. The artist referred to "Cirque as a lifestyle." To some
of these artists it isn't just the job - the show and their part in it
- that's important, it's the entire package. The life of training,
fitness and discipline, liking the outdoors and weather, traveling
nomadically. Seeking out and reveling in the varying cultures of
their workmates. Working with many different types of people from
numerous countries and cultures is integral to the circus tradition,
but one most fans have had little experience with. Nor, we surmise,
have many of the artists on tour, since so many are recruited and
trained by Cirque from non-circus backgrounds such as gymnastics and
athletics.
As we slowly walk back around the rear of the site toward our vehicle,
after profusely thanking our host, we discuss the part of the
"lifestyle" we have witnessed. There is lots of waiting for moments
of performance. But there are many who crave it, especially when it
is an opportunity to tour with Cirque du Soleil.
By now, late at night and some time after the show has finished, ours
is the only car in the lot; it gleams under the yellow lights.
Lighted also are the Cirque tents and grounds. It is quiet, peaceful,
deserted. But activities continue behind the shuttered canvas. The
concessions machines are cleaned, tills are counted, floors are swept,
lost belongings are retrieved from under the Chapiteau seats. Even
though the artists have left, supervisors will stay until late in the
night, prepping the site.
Tomorrow is another show day.
----------------------------------------------------------
CIRQUE MUSIQUE: AN OVERVIEW
"Part Three - Specials, White Labels & Promos"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
----------------------------------------------------------
Music, like staging, lighting, acrobatics and choreography, is just
one part of a larger artistic wheel that turns the creative juices of
Cirque du Soleil. It is one of the most important aspects of a show,
especially to fans. Over the years Cirque du Soleil has released the
music to its creations to an appreciative audience across various
physical and digital forms. But like most companies, however, some of
those releases have fallen into obscurity, been re-released multiple
times, or re-cataloged as divisions within morph and change with the
times.
In this series we've attempted to make order out of the chaos that is
the Cirque du Soleil Musique Catalog, first by giving you its history,
showing how to recognize a CD from the catalog, and what currently
makes up that catalog. We continued in Part 2 with a brief discussion
on what we left out of that list (and why), and pushed into the realm
of other interesting releases such as Singles and Remixes. We now
conclude with even more interesting items: Employee Pressings, White
Labels and Other Special Promotional Material.
/// EMPLOYEE PRESSINGS
Employees of Cirque du Soleil are treated with the utmost respect and
care, and over the years have been treated to gifts beyond the items
awarded once the 1-year, 5-year, 10-year or even 25-year mark is met.
One such item in the Cirque du Soleil repertoire is "Alegría Live in
Fairfax". The album is an employee issue CD, recorded live under the
big top in Fairfax, Virginia and released as a Christmas stocking-
stuffer in 1995.
Disc 01:
01: "Milonga".................. (3:13)
02: "Ouverture"................ (1:16)
03: "Mirko".................... (2:47)
04: "Prelude to Vai Vedrai".... (0:28)
05: "Vai Vedrai"............... (5:37)
06: "Jeux d'Enfants 1"......... (1:31)
07: "Jeux d"Enfants 2"......... (1:40)
08: "Fast Track 1"............. (2:04)
09: "Fast Track 2"............. (2:04)
10: "Fast Track 3"............. (1:18)
11: "Fast Track 4"............. (0:48)
12: "Oiseaux Sur La Corde"..... (3:30)
13: "La Perche 1".............. (4:51)
14: "La Perche 2".............. (0:21)
15: "Homme Fort"............... (11:56)
16: "Cerceaux"................. (6:30)
17: "La Tempte"................ (1:13)
18: "Le Feu"................... (6:10)
Disc 02:
01: "Le Bal"................... (3:28)
02: "The Letter"............... (1:12)
03: "Prelude to Le Cube"....... (0:51)
04: "Le Cube (Ibis)"........... (6:47)
05: "Barres Russes"............ (5:39)
06: "Bardak 1"................. (1:49)
07: "Bardak 2"................. (0:46)
08: "Prelude to Contortion".... (2:17)
09: "Contortion"............... (7:23)
10: "Montage du Filet"......... (2:50)
11: "Grands Volants Prelude"... (1:22)
12: "Grands Volants"........... (6:00)
13: "Alegria".................. (3:21)
The second is another CD issued to employees - "Saltimbanco Live in
Amsterdam" - recorded live under the big top in Amsterdam 1996 (though
released in December 1997) through the sound board.
Disc 01:
01: "Cloche et Présentation".. (0:58)
02: "Rideau".................. (2:47)
03: "Kumbalawé"............... (3:27)
04: "Adagio".................. (5:42)
05: "Saltimbanco"............. (5:26)
06: "Clown"................... (0:13)
07: "Kazè/Norweg"............. (9:16)
08: "Rêve".................... (1:09)
09: "Arlequin"................ (7:26)
10: "Rave Out"................ (7:51)
Disc 02:
01: "Tap Dance"............... (1:56)
02: "Barock".................. (7:21)
03: "Cantus/Mélopeé".......... (8:39)
04: "Amazonia"................ (9:05)
05: "Démontage Trapèze"....... (0:34)
06: "La Mort"................. (1:44)
07: "Urgence"................. (8:25)
08: "Il Sogno Di Volaire"..... (7:48)
09: "Transfert"............... (1:44)
10: "Horéré Ukundé"........... (1:53)
Since neither were ever commercially available, these two titles are
not considered "canon" albums in the Cirque du Soleil music catalog
(listed in part one), but they are interesting never-the-less. Each
represents full-show audio and captures a snapshot of each show
relatively early in their existences. And though both are not
available for purchase in regular stores one can find them from time
to time on auction sites, although both generally go for a tidy sum of
money.
/// WHITE LABELS
The term "White Label" is defined as a musical product release, such
as a "test" or "promotional" pressing, produced in small quantities
with the intent to distribute them as demonstration discs or
promotional materials to music distributors, radio stations, and other
companies in order to assess consumer opinion and/or generate buzz
about a pending or upcoming product release.
Today the term is applied to all "promotional" materials devoid of
album text and logo/artwork that would normally accompany a commercial
release. However, the term is generally derived from a practice
competing DJ's would often do - tear the labels off their records so
that others would not be able to discover their most special, rare
and/or "secret weapon" tracks - but evolved into special pressings of
vinyl records with adhesive plain white labels affixed, and into
demonstration materials.
Cirque du Soleil and its affiliated distributors have put out a small
number of these "white label" feelers over the years, which are
researched and displayed here. This is by no means all of the "white
label" records or CDs that have been released, so others may be out
there.
o) "Journey of Man"
Label: Sony Classical
Catalog #: SK 89097
Tracks:
1. "Journey of Man" (3:39)
2. "Overture" (1:03)
3. "Taiko" (1:40)
4. "Birth" (4:18)
5. "The Forest" (3:41)
6. "In the Beginning" (5:03)
7. "Youth" (4:50)
8. "Flying" (1:41)
9. "Reveil" (7:19)
10. "Banquine" (5:06)
11. "Journey of Man" (5:02)
12. "Trip Hop" (2:59)
o) Delirium
Label: Cirque du Soleil Musique, Inc.
Catalog #: None; UPC #: None
Tracks:
1. "Emballa" (Louie Vega featuring Jaffa)
2. "Querer" (Julien Jabre)
3. "Kumbalawé" (Roger Sangrez)
4. "Aborigenes Jam" (Francois K/Eric Kupper)
5. "Pokinoï" (Sasha)
6. "Africa" (Quicksound/Alain Vinet)
7. "Terre Aride" (Jori Hulkkonen)
8. "Spiritual Spiral" (Carmen Rizzo)
9. "Mer Noire" (Tiësto)
o) "The Beatles LOVE"
Label: Sony/ATV - EMI/Apple
Catalog #: SK 89097
Tracks:
1. "Strawberry Fields Forever"
2. "Octopus's Garden"
3. "Lady Madonna"
4. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
This promo CD was sent out with a press release containing quotes from
Sir George Martin (Album Producer) and his son, Giles Martin (Co-
Producer), discussing the four tracks released through this promo, how
they were selected, the production background, and talked about the
techniques employed in mixing and remixing The Beatles for this
project.
o) "Pokinoi"
Label: CDS Musique
Catalog #: CPSR001
Tracks:
1. "Pokinoi - Sasha Remix (6:43)"
This is an unreleased "white label" 12" vinyl.
/// OTHER PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL
And last, but certainly not least, this section details some of the
more unique, semi-official music releases by Cirque du Soleil Musique
and its affiliated distributors over the course of Cirque's history.
Some of the items below were officially commissioned by Cirque du
Soleil - such as the Pre Programme Sampler CDs for Varekai and
Zumanity - and some were put together as promotional materials by
Cirque's at-the-time music distributor: RCA/Victor-BMG Classics (as is
the case with Tapis Rouge Brazil and the Taiwan Promo CD). Either way,
these items represent yet another interesting perspective into Cirque
du Soleil's musical compositions.
o) Varekai - "Pre Programme Sampler"
Release: April 24, 2002
Label: BMG Canada
Catalog #: CSVAREKAI 20411Y31
UPC #: none; it was included in copies of the Varekai "Pre-
Program" sold during the early part of Varekai's run.
Video:
1. Visual Identity
2. Act Preview - Aerial Straps (0:40)
3. Act Preview - Icarian Games (0:40)
4. Violaine Corradi Interview (1:13)
5. Andrew Watson Interview (1:02)
6. Dominic Champagne Interview (1:00)
7. Guy Laliberte Interview (1:52)
Audio:
1. "Gitans" (1:59)
2. "Icariens" (5:54)
The Exclusive Excerpts Selected by Violaine Corradi (Composer)
that accompany this release are not accessible from a standard
CD player, as they have been encoded as QuickTime files. You can
only click to start them; no pause, no volume controls. In order
to manipulate them further, you'd have to do it in another
player. Both clips are in stereo.
- "Gitans" (1:59) - This is the music that starts Varekai,
a slow march featuring violin, tuba sounds, and
tambourine. It's much more "filled out" here than in
performance.
- "Icariens" (5:54) - This is played during the Icarian
Games body- flipping act and, as with "Gitans", is fully
orchestrated. It is heavy with drums, percussion and
chanting. A nice, long piece, it ends very suddenly.
NOTE: We learned in our interview with composer Violaine Corradi
(which can be found HERE: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?
p=1595) that she played all the instruments on these pieces
herself.
o) Zumanity - "Foreplay"
Release: July 31, 2003
Label: BMG/CDS Musique
Catalog #: SM5020300E
Tracks:
1. "The Opener" (1:36)
2. "Major-Minor" (2:16)
3. "The Rose Boy" (2:09)
4. "My Erotic Lounge" (1:59)
Foreplay contains exclusive work-in-progress excerpts selected
by Simon Carpentier, composer of Zumanity. It was included in
copies of the Zumanity "Pre-Program" sold in the boutique during
the early part of Zumanity's run.
o) Taiwan - "Alegría Promo CD"
Release: n/a
Label: RCA/Victor-BMG
Catalog #: none
Tracks:
1. "Alegría" (5:47)
2. "Kumbalawe" (5:34)
3. "Trapeze" (5:58)
4. "Egypte" (4:25)
5. "Pokinoi" (5:08)
6. "Querer" (4:34)
7. "Sanza" (4:50)
o) Brazil - "Tapis Rouge Promo"
Release: n/a
Label: Universal Music (Brazil)
Catalog #: 2809 904
Tracks:
1. Kumbalawe (4:39)
2. Amazonia (7:29)
3. Saltimbanco (4:30)
4. Pokinoi (4:45)
5. Egypte (3:13)
6. Alegria (Adam's Magical Mix) (6:08)
# # #
And there you have it!
What we've listed in this overview series are just those items we know
of. There certainly could be other singles, employee pressings,
specials and promos we aren't aware of. And with Cirque du Soleil
creating new and interesting creations each and every year, this list
and its accompanying anomalies will only continue to grow.
Should you have an item we didn't list here please don't hesitate to
let us know - fascination@richasi.com
And if you're just starting to branch out into the realm of Cirque du
Soleil music - good luck and welcome - we hope this series has helped
you discover that there's even more wonderful music out there to
listen to!
=======================================================================
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 13, Number 07 (Issue #114) - July 2013
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2013 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a
subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter
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{ Jul.03.2013 }
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