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Fascination Issue 201
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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 20, NUMBER 10 October 2020 ISSUE #201
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Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial
Cirque du Soleil Newsletter.
Once again there's little to talk about regarding the day-to-day
affairs of the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. The company and
it's new-new owners remain relatively quiet regarding the future of
the company and the direction they may take it in after the COVID-19
fiasco, with one exception so far: the relaunch and retooling of
CirqueConnect, Cirque du Soleil's online distribution portal, which
the company had been using since its shutdown to showcase 60 Minute
specials, Behind the Scenes peeks, and acrobatic Best Of videos. The
re-launch comes with a few new series - information for which you
can find within.
Will Las Vegas shows soon return?
Gov. Steve Sisolak announced on September 29 that shows could reopen,
pending state approval. Compliance mandates include capacity
restrictions and performers to stay 25 feet from the audience. MGM
released this statement from George Kliavkoff, President of
Entertainment & Sports, MGM Resorts International: "Entertainment is
in our DNA. We welcome the governor's decision allowing for the
beginning of a return for the entertainment industry in Las Vegas. We
will take some time to review the specifications of the executive
directive and plan for how to best proceed with getting shows back on
stage, employees back to work and audiences back in their seats, the
way it is supposed to be!" However, Cirque du Soleil has not announced
reopening plans, so stay tuned!
In the meantime, continue diving with me into the Cirque du Soleil
archives with the second part in a seven part series that takes a look
back at the experiences and oddities that Cirque has announced (or
were rumored to be happening) over the years but never came to
fruition. (And for those looking for more of "The Cirque Sound"...
don't worry, there's more to come soon!)
Let's get into it!
/----------------------------------------------------\
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| < www.cirquefascination.com > |
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\----------------------------------------------------/
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
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CONTENTS
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o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* La Presse -- General News & Highlights
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
* Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes
* Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
o) Fascination! Features
* "What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 2 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
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***************************************************************
LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
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Mitch Garber to step down as chairman of Cirque du Soleil
{Sep.16.2020}
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Mitch Garber announced on Monday that he will be stepping down as
chairman of the board of the Cirque du Soleil. This comes on the heels
of an ownership change at the financially troubled circus company.
Last month, a group of creditors won control of the Montreal-based
company. The creditors' group represents holders of about $760 million
in Cirque du Soleil debt. One of the main companies in the group is
Toronto-based Catalyst Capital Group.
The previous shareholders U.S. equity firm TPG, China's Fosun
International and the Caisse de dépot et du placement du Québec were
forced out by the deal. The three bought control of the Cirque in 2015
when founder Guy Laliberté sold most of his shares in the company for
$1.5 billion.
"I'm heartbroken for the employees and for the business of the Cirque
du Soleil," Garber said in a text sent to the Montreal Gazette. "COVID
has forced 100% of the business to be shut down since March and for
the foreseeable future. The lender group will take control of the
company shortly and I wish them well and hope that the business can
restart and that all of the creative and financial investment we made
will help resurrect the business. The lender group will and should
constitute a new board and I won't seek to be part of it."
The company laid off 95 per cent of its staff and cancelled all 45 of
its shows around the world when the pandemic hit hard in North America
in mid-March. It's unclear when any of these shows will resume. A
spokesperson for the Cirque said it is up to the new owners to decide
on the makeup of the board of directors. A representative from
Catalyst declined to comment.
Garber first broke the news that he is leaving on the ICI Radio-Canada
Première show Pénélope on Monday morning. Host Pénélope McQuade asked
Garber if the chair of the board has to be a Quebecer.
"I haven't spoke about this publicly and maybe this isn't the best
place to do it, but I don't see myself staying as chairman of the
board," Garber said. "And it has nothing to do with me being Québécois
or Canadian. As part of the deal, the CEO has to be a Quebecer.
"And I think you're right that the chair of the board does not have to
be a Quebecer. And, honestly, I don't think it's important (that the
chair be a Quebecer). I don't plan on staying, but I haven't yet had a
chance to talk to the new owners
it's up to the lenders to create
their own board of directors. They'll have their own strategy, and so
I think a new start is the best idea."
Garber went on to say that he has lost the $3 million he invested in
the Cirque du Soleil.
Garber was previously a senior executive at the Las Vegas casino
company Caesars Entertainment, but he left Caesars in 2017. He is a
minority shareholder and executive committee member of the new
National Hockey League team the Seattle Kraken, a team majority owned
by TPG founder David Bonderman. The team joins the NHL in 2021.
{ SOURCE: Brendan Kelly, The Montreal Gazette }
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Shutdown brings perilous turns for Cirque performers
{Sep.20.2020}
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This story first appeared in the Fall 2020 issue of rjmagazine, a
quarterly published inside the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Cirque du Soleil aerialist Caroline Lauzon still shudders over the
springtime meeting as she would a tense performance mishap, the moment
her life dangled precariously during a complicated onstage maneuver
gone awry.
On a cool mid-March morning, the 37-year-old Quebec native gathered
backstage at the Bellagio with 110 fellow cast members of "O," the
popular aquatic fantasy show. Married to fellow Cirque performer Marco
De Santi, who is a skater in the "The Beatles Love" show, and with a
young daughter to support, Lauzon was wracked with anxiety.
A highly lethal virus was on the march across the globe. Cirque's
shows in China already had been shuttered. The Las Vegas performers
knew their city would be next.
Bosses confirmed their fears: Beginning that day, March 15, the
company's six resident shows would switch off their stage lights. Not
only "O," but "Ka" at the MGM Grand, "Love" at The Mirage, "Mystere"
at Treasure Island, "Zumanity" at New York-New York and "Michael
Jackson One" at Mandalay Bay.
They were all going dark, joined eventually by the entire Strip.
The move marooned some 1,300 Cirque performers and support cast who
hail from across the world an ensemble of singers, musicians,
character actors, clowns, aerialists, trampoline and trapeze artists,
synchronized swimmers and divers, as well as a support platoon of
wardrobe consultants, carpenters and electricians.
CEO Daniel Lamarre called the company's shutdown "the most difficult
day in Cirque history." Lauzon agreed.
"It was scary," she said. "People were upset."
Yet there was also a sense of relief.
As news of the pandemic worsened, Lauzon and fellow "O" performers
came perilously close to both the audience and one another. "We knew
viewers and cast could be affected," she said. "Some scuba divers were
sharing underwater regulators."
Following that final curtain call, hundreds of Cirque performers
walked off their respective stages for what most thought would be a
weekslong hiatus. Many even left their makeup and costumes in their
dressing rooms.
They couldn't know then that the shutdown would drag on for months,
stranding countless performers far from their native countries,
prompting many to exist off savings as their resources dwindled. Many
had entered the U.S. on restricted visas and did not qualify for
unemployment. A handful sold their houses and returned to lives
abroad, foreign speakers who struggled without their company
interpreters.
While they endure quarantine, the remaining Cirque cast has continued
to train in living rooms, backyards and home gyms, even swimming in
Lake Mead knowing that any lapse in their skill sets would be
dangerous once they returned to the stage.
"For many performers, Cirque represents their second or third career
after the Olympics or the National Ballet," said R.J. Owens, a
comedian who portrays Bebe Francois in Cirque's "Mystere." "They have
a built-in training ethic. They're not going to let their bodies go to
waste."
But amid the personal trauma, a sense of community has been forged.
Cirque performers such as Lauzon raised money for needy colleagues.
Many Las Vegas residents also realized that these acrobatic wizards
were their neighbors who had become part of the community's fabric,
and reached out in their own ways.
As summer turned to fall, furloughed performers needed every lifeline
thrown their way. In June, the Strip's pre-eminent production company
filed for bankruptcy, in part because of losses from coronavirus-
related shutdowns, a move that left its future in question.
For Cirque veterans, a trusted financial buoy was suddenly in danger
of sinking. The questions were endless: How would they survive? Should
they pursue alternative careers? Even if Cirque returned, would a
reorganized company kill off less-popular shows, ending the artistic
dreams of countless artists?
"In the beginning, we were all asking, So, what happens now?' said
Lauzon, a former Canadian national team diver and junior champion on
the 10-meter platform. "Nobody knew then. And nobody still knows."
In a holding pattern'
Cirque du Soleil, or "Circus of the Sun," is a live performance
phenomenon started in 1984 in the provincial Quebec city of Baie-
Saint-Paul with the antics of two quirky street performers. Over four
decades, the spectacle has evolved into the world's largest
contemporary circus, which has visited 300 cities on every continent
but Antarctica, before a collective audience of 180 million eager
viewers.
Each production features lavish costumes and stage props, live music
and a synthesis of circus styles from around the world. It's as if
Pablo Picasso and Tim Burton teamed up to start their own modern
fantasy show, inspiring avid fan clubs worldwide.
In Las Vegas, Cirque's six shows played to 9,500 people a day,
becoming one of the Strip's biggest performance draws.
Then came the COVID-19 shutdown.
Some 750 artists working directly for Cirque immediately lost their
income. Many of the 600 show technicians including riggers and
carpenters employed by MGM Resorts International were provided an
extra two weeks' pay. Cirque performers are paid at least $125 per
show, but veterans make more.
The closure left performers confused about their status: Had they been
fired? Furloughed? Or mothballed? "The term we use in Canada is
temporary layoff,' " Cirque du Soleil Vice President Matt Nickel
said. "That means you maintain your link of employment and benefits,
but without the salary."
He said the company offered a one-time payment of $2,000 to 70
foreign-born artists without legal status who did not immediately
qualify for unemployment insurance. Many eventually got help through
the federal government's temporary Pandemic Unemployment Assistance
program.
Still, many Cirque performers felt abandoned. With little contact or
guidance from bosses, they'd been set adrift, forced to rely on
colleagues for encouragement and information.
"Once we were let go, we got no communication from the company," said
Bill May, a 41-year-old synchronized swimmer for "O," who as a
competitive swimmer won 14 U.S. national titles and nearly 20
international titles. "We've devoted so many years of our lives to
Cirque. We love this company. I guess we expected to get that same
love back."
Nickel empathizes. "I understand how people can feel adrift," he said.
"We're all in a holding pattern."
I'm going to need help soon'
Perhaps no one felt more isolated than Lucas Altemeyer, a 31-year-old
Brazilian who was among 40 performers hired last year when Cirque
expanded "O" to seven days a week. He arrived in the U.S. in October
2019, an aerial hoops artist whose act requires him to spin like a
top, high above the stage.
"It's a challenge in the beginning to spin that fast," he said. "You
feel nauseous, you want to puke at practice, but then you get less
sick."
Altemeyer's P-1 visa status is just as unsettling: Already living
paycheck to paycheck before the shutdown, he's not entitled to
unemployment and can't work for anyone other than Cirque. Once his
contract ends, he has 30 days to leave the U.S.
"This is the most uncertain time in my life," he said. He and his
wife, Monize, exist on their meager savings. Holed up in their
Summerlin apartment, they have cut their food costs and use air
conditioning sparingly. They close doors in unused rooms, turn off
lights and unplug nonessential appliances.
They also drink less alcohol and reduced the limits on their auto
insurance, while looking for more ways to save. Before March, the
couple was thinking of buying a house, a dream now dashed. "I can't
last longer than a few months," Altemeyer said. "I'm going to need
help soon."
"O" aerialist Lauzon and her acrobat husband have it easier. Both are
U.S. citizens and longtime Cirque performers. Lauzon has a real estate
license to fall back on. De Santi's family runs a local Brazilian
restaurant, Boca do Brasil.
At first, Lauzon kept in touch with colleagues via a private chat
room. They gave advice, passed on news of employment prospects and
showed off pictures of children, including snapshots of Lauzon's 3-
year-old daughter, Maia.
"We all joked we were gaining so much weight," she said. "Doing 480
shows a year is a lot of activity. Then to be stuck at home where all
those calories aren't being spent."
As the weeks passed, Lauzon watched as a dozen struggling colleagues
returned to their home nations.
In May, she started a Go Fund Me site called "Artists in Need," which
quickly raised more than $20,000 for struggling performers and their
families.
"Most of us here at Cirque are lucky enough to have access to
government help during this difficult time," the site reads.
"Unfortunately some members of our circus family are left here with NO
unemployment rights, NO rights to work and mostly NO idea when they
will get a single dollar to feed themselves, pay the rent, car
insurance, or phone bill. The list is long."
Checks were soon sent to 21 artists from Canada, Brazil, Ethiopia,
France, Ukraine, Russia and Mongolia. Some interactions, she said,
broke her heart.
Early on, she contacted Altemeyer, who first passed on financial help,
insisting that others were in more dire need. "I saw how some friends
counted coins just to survive, and I told Caroline, Give the money to
them,' " Altemeyer recalled.
Weeks later, when Lauzon called back, the situation had changed. "I
was really beginning to struggle," Altemeyer said. So, he accepted a
check for $1,000: "That was a lot of money, man."
One performer who received aid was a former Polish Olympic diver who
was scrambling to earn his U.S. green card during the layoff.
Brazilian Marcos Silva also got help. The 40-year-old acrobat joined
"O" last year on a restricted P-1 visa, hired to catch flying trapeze
artists like Lauzon.
Lauzon offered a room for the family. Instead, he accepted the
donation check as he continues to struggle, at one point falling three
months behind on his rent.
"I worked 10 years for this chance," Silva said. "This is my dream.
I'm not going to risk going home to Brazil. When the Cirque shows
restart, I'm going to be there. I'm ready."
We're just as valuable'
As March turned to April, the circus ensemble continued to wait,
keeping up the daily workouts with a Marine Corps regimen. Mostly,
though, they were just bored.
They missed the adrenaline of the lighted stage, the adulation of the
crowd. By late May, many could stand it no longer.
Loukas Kosmidis, a dancer on the Michael Jackson Tour, was talking
with friends when he landed on a novel idea. He called Cirque
performer friends Angelina Puzanova and her husband, William Hulett,
who ran Show Talent Productions.
On their oversize home lot west of Interstate 15 they kept several
pieces of heavy machinery, including a towering crane, the perfect
base for a high-wire act.
Puzanova is a third-generation member of a famous Russian circus
family who won a Gold Clown at the International Circus Festival of
Monte Carlo. Now co-owner of a company called Show Talent Productions,
she expected a handful of acrobats, but once word spread, everyone
wanted in. On a weekday morning in May, 30 performers showed up,
including dancers, aerialists, tightrope walkers, contortionists,
skaters and hand-to-hand gymnasts.
The three-minute video starts with two men arriving at an industrial
site. They knock on a door and are asked the password. "Nonessential,"
one says.
Hulett, 38, a Montana native who plays a James Bond character in
"Zumanity," called the dialogue an inside joke. "I have buddies who
run large equipment and they all laugh at me," he said. "My job was
the first to go down, while they're still working. I felt like wasted
space."
In the daylong shoot, artists played cameo roles spinning, jumping,
dancing, just having fun to music that featured the adapted lyrics
of the 2016 song "Work From Home" by the R&B group Fifth Harmony.
The video was included on a Go Fund Me page that helped raise money
for struggling colleagues, but that wasn't all.
"We just wanted to be heard, said Luba Kazantseva, an aerialist in
"Mystere" and a graduate of Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet School. "Las Vegas
is the capital of entertainment, but the first thing cut in a crisis
were the artists. We're just as valuable as other professions and we
deserve to go back to work."
A human production'
So long away from the stage, the Cirque cast misses the camaraderie of
people they have come to consider family.
Jonelle DeBlanc, 41, joined "O" in December as a wardrobe supervisor
handling the show's elaborate costumes: "The outfits are luscious,
layered and mind-blowing in their beautiful richness. And because O'
is an aquatic show, they all get wet."
But it's her eclectic colleagues she misses most.
"All 30 people in our department got separated," she said. "I'd just
gotten the hang of the seven-day-a-week schedule. It was all going
well, and then poof! it's gone. Even though you could see it
coming, it's still a shock. I miss those people."
One evening in late June, Hungarian-born veteran circus performer
Jozsef Tokar arrived at a private practice at a gym called Trapeze Las
Vegas, his right arm and shoulder wrapped in a sling from a show
mishap. But the floor-catcher in "O," wasn't going to stay away. "I
came to see these guys," he said, pointing to two aerialists
practicing a spinning high-wire act, standing near a sign that read,
"Unattended children will be sold to the circus."
"I spend more time with these guys than I do my own family," he added.
"We're performers. This is our identity."
Many Cirque artists are private people with little time for
socializing with outsiders. Still, many fans in Las Vegas and
elsewhere don't consider them strangers. And they're doing what they
can to help.
Trapeze Las Vegas owners Stephen and Lisa Cote donated their studio so
"O" aerialists could practice. "These people spend their money here,
they live here, raise their children here," Stephen said. "They're Las
Vegans."
Gray McCarty, 30, a member of the Hardcore Cirque Fans social media
site, contributed to fundraising efforts and emailed company officials
imploring them to do more for struggling artists. An employee for a
Bay Area tech company, McCarty has seen 85 Cirque shows.
"At my very first show, I felt like I was colorblind, suddenly
emerging in this world of Technicolor, like Dorothy landing in Oz," he
said. "This crazy circus is a human production, based on real people
parents and spouses struggling to feed their families. That's easy to
forget."
Looking on the bright side'
For now, the question remains: When will Cirque du Soleil return and
who will operate the circus extravaganza in a new post-COVID-19 world?
"Your guess is as good as mine," Nickel said. "Right now, sanctions
are still in place. And we're not sure if there will be a new owner,
or when."
That doesn't stop Cirque artists from guessing.
One night, Holland Lohse and a few performers worked out in the
backyard of his Summerlin home. The 31-year-old acrobat who performed
in "Love" says the virus has affected his industry "in a seismic way."
He's ready for the ground to stop shaking.
Lohse and fellow "Love" acrobat Tristan Jih have a bet over when
they'll be back. The loser pays for a movie "with all the fixings,"
including admission and snacks.
"I say 2021," Lohse said.
Jih, 38, hanging upside down from a practice contraption, disagreed.
"Earlier," he said.
Still, there are little silver linings to this dark coronavirus cloud.
Many artists now practice under the stars, not the stage lights. They
enjoy the extra time with family, trying new routines that have
nothing to do with Cirque.
Luba Kazantseva and Loukas Kosmidis are doting on their infant son
Theodoros, who at less than a year old already can balance on his
father's outstretched hand.
"We're seeing little changes, facial expressions and how he's
discovering his voice, Kosmidis said. "We're looking on the bright
side instead of stressing ourselves out."
For synchronized swimmer Bill May, the gift came in early summer when
he did morning laps in a still-closed Lake Mead National Recreation
Area. "For just a bit, we had the entire lake to ourselves," he
recalled. We'd swim to islands and along the coast. The water was just
so pristine and no one else was there.
"It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it came from a
disaster."
Adapting to a new spin
But in late June, as Cirque du Soleil filed for bankruptcy protection,
the tense tightrope walked by many new hires finally snapped.
The 40 artists hired last year to augment the new seven-day schedule
at "O," many living in the U.S. on highly restrictive visas, were
among 250 Las Vegas business and sales-side employees who lost their
jobs. Also included in the local job cuts was the 50-member Blue Man
Group. Companywide, 3,500 people lost their jobs.
Those P1 visa-holders were told they had 30 days to leave the country.
Performer Lucas Altemeyer, who struggled for months to keep a
financial toehold in the U.S., faced his firing first with sadness,
then a steely resolve.
He heard the news early one morning and sat alone in his living room,
absorbing the blow while his wife, Monize, slept in the other room. "I
didn't wake her," he said. "I wanted her to have her dream of living
in the U.S. for just a few more hours."
Days later, as he packed to return to Brazil, he already was planning
his next move. Maybe he'd become a performance coach.
After all, he's an aerial hoops artist, used to the nauseating spin of
life.
He would adapt.
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal }
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After localite's Cirque du Soleil world tour, a new book
{Sep.25.2020}
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Germantown resident Thom Wall learned to juggle three objects when he
was 10 years old, growing up in St. Louis, Missouri. A classmate
showed him how to juggle rocks during recess! "He made it seem like
magic," said Thom last week. "Even though he told me it was easy, it
took me weeks to figure out. I really had no aptitude at all. I
eventually checked a book out from the library, Dave Finnigan's The
Complete Juggler,' and I went through it cover to cover. I started
attending a weekly juggling meetup. That's where I first learned about
the juggling community, and I was hooked, all of it thanks to a little
luck and a book."
In the next week or two, Wall's own book, "Juggling: What it is and
How to Do it," will be released. This is the first textbook on modern
juggling technique, largely written backstage at Cirque du Soleil when
Wall was performing for the company on a world tour. Six years in the
making, the project has finally been completed. Wall left Cirque du
Soleil in January of 2019.
The past year, after leaving Cirque du Soleil, Wall worked mostly on
cruise ships. He would fly out and meet the ship somewhere, do a show
in the theater and fly home at the next port. "Lots of travel, but the
audiences are always so wonderful." He had ended five years with
Cirque du Soleil with a run of shows at Royal Albert Hall in London.
"That was such an incredible note to end on!" This year was supposed
to be 100% cruise ships and university/school shows, but they were
knocked out by the pandemic.
Advance readers have called his book "The first fully comprehensive
manual on juggling" (Midwest Book Review) and "a must-read for anyone"
(Denis Paumier, Les Objects Volants). Long-time professional jugglers
(and America's Got Talent finalists) The Passing Zone remarked that
"There are techniques in this book that I was able to adopt the day I
read it
This book will change the face of this 4,000-year-old human
activity."
Wall, 33, went to Washington University in St Louis, where he studied
modern languages, and he also holds a Master's degree in non-profit
arts administration from Drexel University. "I graduated from
Washington University directly into the recession," he said. "After
sending out hundreds of resumes and cover letters, I didn't get a
single call back. It was a tough time for everyone! I eventually found
a part-time position as a counselor for the YMCA, which was incredibly
rewarding work, but when I was invited to go on tour with a small
circus company, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Juggling had
always been a hobby for me, but I wanted to see what it would be like
performing on a regular schedule instead of at the occasional party or
special event.
"Turns out, I really loved it and seemed to have a bit of a knack for
it. It was a really crazy time, and I owe that experience a lot. It
taught me a ton about performance as well as about the business side
of a career in entertainment. I'm incredibly grateful that I've had
the opportunity to share my work as a circus performer, both by doing
shows but also as an instructor, with audiences all over the world.
The juggling community is very supportive one, and I owe most of my
success to my friends.
"On a different note, I've always felt split between being a circus
artist and being a researcher, and that's one of the reasons I founded
Modern Vaudeville Press. Though the two careers might seem an unlikely
pair, they complement one another nicely. As a performer, it's
important to understand the history of your craft
Other performance
arts have incredible documentation. Look at dance, theater, magic.
Juggling, sideshow and other more esoteric variety arts' (as we call
them) haven't been recognized in the same way, despite having long and
rich traditions in cultures around the world. I like to think I'm
helping address that problem in some small way."
The Philadelphia School of Circus Arts on the border between
Germantown and Mt. Airy was a major factor in Wall's decision to move
to Philadelphia. He coaches some of the jugglers at Circadium, its
sister school at 6452 Greene St., and some of the circus history and
professional development classes there.
For more information about Wall's new book, "Juggling: What It Is and
How to Do It," visit jugglingbook.com
{ SOURCE: Chestnut Hill Local }
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Cirque Launches All-New CirqueConnect Digital Experience
{Oct.14.2020}
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Cirque du Soleil is proud to unveil its exciting fall programming
along with a brand-new look for its CirqueConnect content hub.
Featuring an enhanced library of titles, the newly revamped
CirqueConnect platform will provide fans with inspiring freshly-
produced never-before-seen series and exclusive content. Starting
today, fans of all ages can enjoy a new lineup of original content on
an updated, mobile-responsive, user-friendly platform that includes
the first episode of CirqueClass, with the truly inspirational Cirque
du Soleil show director and writer Michel Laprise (whose amazing
credits include writing and directing the upcoming Cirque du Soleil
show Drawn to Life, in collaboration with Disney, the KURIOS - Cabinet
of Curiosities touring show, and Madonna's acclaimed MDNA World Tour
and Super Bowl XLVI halftime show).
"While our fans are eagerly waiting for us to get back on stage, we
want to keep providing original, unique and exciting content for them,
all in one place," said Sebastien Ouimet, Director of global content
and strategic partnerships at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.
"Cirque du Soleil's mission is to invoke the imagination, provoke the
senses and evoke the emotions, and CirqueConnect's programming
embraces this in a genuine way as it aims to bring a bit of the
extraordinary to the life of our fans all over the world".
INTRODUCING A ROBUST SLATE OF ORIGINAL CONTENT READY TO BE DISCOVERED
CirqueClass
In this original series, fans will explore the creative process from
inside the minds of the creators and artists. Featuring renowned
Cirque du Soleil talent, each episode will be an exploration of ideas
and motivations, lessons and experiences through in-depth intimate
masterclasses. Addressing a wide range of subjects such as art,
creation, inspiration, imagination, performance and more, the
CirqueClass series will be presented every three weeks, starting today
with the incomparable writer & show director Michel Laprise, hosting
the first episode. Viewers can go home with plenty of food for thought
about creativity and how it can help you take your life from ordinary
to extraordinary. Tune in at cirquedusoleil.com/cirqueconnect to learn
more about what the famous director with the boyish, childlike glee
can teach you about unleashing creativity and how to make things
happen in an extraordinary way.
Upcoming CirqueClass hosts include show director and choreographer
Lydia Bouchard, whose credits include DIVA (2018) and REBEL (2019) by
Cirque du Soleil in Andorra, and the upcoming Vive nos Divas! by
Cirque du Soleil at the Amphitheatre Cogeco, and costume designer for
RuPaul and Cirque du Soleil Zaldy Goco, whose work was seen in recent
years in the shows Michael Jackson ONE, and Volta by Cirque du
Soleil.
Cirque Up!
Kids love to clown around, so why not channel their silliness through
circus arts? Cirque du Soleil offers them a chance to learn the tricks
of the trade with Cirque Up! They want to learn how to juggle? How
about learning a few tricks from a Cirque du Soleil performer? They
wish they knew how to do Cirque make-up for Halloween? Why not learn
from a Cirque du Soleil makeup artist? They dream of life under the
Big Top? Cirque du Soleil designers can show them how to transform
their bedroom into a circus. Hosted by various Cirque du Soleil
professionals, this tutorial series made just for kids brings Cirque
du Soleil's unique universeto children around the world. Starting
October 25th, kids of all ages can experience the excitement of doing
something completely unique, the #CirqueWay.
Cirque Me Out
Idolized all over the world, Cirque du Soleil artists are famous for
their extraordinary performances. Ever wondered what type of training
these athletes have to go through to be in such amazing shape? Wonder
no more! Cirque du Soleil has created a series of work-out classes
that fans from around the world can join to train and exercise with
real Cirque du Soleil artists. Starting October 15th, everyone is
invited to join Vitor Silva Dos Santos from KÀ alongside professional
dancer Luis Cabanzo and groove to the beats of Ritmos, to connect with
their breath and move their body mindfully with Mélodie Lamoureux from
BAZZAR in her Yoga classes, and to burn a ton of calories with Lauren
J. Herley from BAZZAR in her full body workouts.
GOING BEYOND LIVE
Originally launched in March 2020, the CirqueConnect content hub
provides a source of high-quality entertainment for fans to enjoy from
the comfort of their homes. To date, CirqueConnect has garnered 60M
views from across the globe and offers more than 50 original programs.
CirqueConnect offers fans of all ages a new way to experience the
unparalleled content from Cirque's iconic vault, as well as a chance
to discover newly-produced series that go beyond the big top and the
company's various live entertainment creations.
Check it all out on cirquedusoleil.com/cirqueconnect .
{ SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Alegria, Bazzar, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem, Under the
Same Sky, and Volta}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{OVO, Crystal, Corteo, AXEL, Messi10}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA, Paramour
X: The Land of Fantasy, Drawn to Life, and NYSA }
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/ >,
or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire
section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Alegría-In a New Light:
Portland, OR -- Jun 4, 2021 to Jul 18, 2021
Denver, CO -- Aug 6, 2021 to Sep 12, 2021
Bazzar:
Not Currently Scheduled
Koozå:
Zurich, CH -- TBA
Washington, DC -- Jul 21, 2021 to Sep 19, 2021
Kurios:
Melbourne, AU -- TBA
Adelaide, AU -- TBA
Luzia:
Madrid, ES -- Rescheduled
Barcelona, ES -- Jan 21, 2021 to Feb 21, 2021
Messi10:
Not Currently Scheduled
Totem:
Rome, IT -- Mar 17 2021 to Apr 25, 2021
Milan, IT -- May 5, 2021 to Jun 20, 2021
Under the Same Sky:
Montreal, QC -- Apr 22, 2021 to Aug 15, 2021
VOLTA:
Not Currently Scheduled
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
OVO:
Not Currently Scheduled
CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE:
Hanover, DE -- Sep 22, 2021 - Sep 26, 2021
Leipzip, DE -- Sep 29, 2021 - Oct 3, 2021
Nuremberg, DE -- Oct 6, 2021 - Oct 10, 2021
Cologne, DE -- Oct 13, 2021 - Oct 17, 2021
Oberhausen, DE -- Oct 27, 2021 - Oct 31, 2021
Munich, DE -- Nov 4, 2021 - Nov 7, 2021
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 10, 2021 - Nov 14, 2021
Stuttgart, DE -- Dec 1, 2021 - Dec 5, 2021
CORTEO:
Vilnius, LT -- Nov 26, 2020 to Nov 29, 2020
Moscow, RU -- Mar 26, 2021 to Apr 25, 2021
Saint Petersburg, RU -- May 19, 2021 to May 23, 2021
Lille, FR -- Jun 10, 2021 to Jun 13, 2021
Antwerp, BE -- Jun 17, 2021 to Jun 27, 2021
London, UK -- Jun 30, 2021 to Jul 11, 2021
Dublin, IE -- Jul 14, 2021 to Jul 25, 2021
Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 6, 2021 to Aug 15, 2021
Nice, FR -- Aug 19, 2021 to Aug 22, 2021
Vienna, AU -- Sep 1, 2021 to Sep 5, 2021
Aix-en-Provence, FR -- Oct 27, 2021 to Oct 31, 2021
Monpellier, FR -- Nov 4, 2021 to Nov 7, 2021
Leeds, UK -- Oct 27 to Oct 30, 2022
AXEL:
Not Currently Scheduled
Messi10:
Buenos Aires -- Being Rescheduled
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
JOYÀ:
Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Shows restarted on July 3, 2020
X: THE LAND OF FANTASY
Location: Hangzhou, China
Performances of "X: The Land of Fantasy" staged on
Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays starting June 3, 2020
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) CIRQUECONNECT SPECIALS
Enjoy a front-row seat to awe-inspiring moments of the larger-
than-life shows, with never-before seen angles that can only be
experienced on your screen.
- SPECIAL #26: OVO, BAZZAR, ALEGRIA {Sep.18}
https://youtu.be/ybpCiIahZbI
- SPECIAL #27: BEST OF HOOP {Sep.25}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TydWUguPRU
- SPECIAL #28: BEHIND THE CURTAIN: OVO {Oct.02}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yPsmDSpmRE
- SPECIAL #29: BEHIND THE CURTAIN: MYSTERE {Oct.09}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K8Zh1mshGo
o) CIRQUECLASS
- EPISODE 1: MICHEL LAPRISE {Oct.14}
Creativity isn't an outcome, it's a process. Step inside
Michel Laprise's creative universe and discover his passion
for creation and for constantly challenging the creative
status quo. Covering a wide range of themes such as
creativity, artistry and leadership, this original series
showcases Cirque du Soleil creators and artists as they open
up and share their passion, experiences and learnings. Take a
step behind the curtain into a world where creativity
flourishes freely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3tn3R_9e1E
o) CIRQUE ME OUT
- EPISODE 1: RITMOS
Workout alongside our Cirque du Soleil artists in this
3-part series. First, Ritmos! Join Vitor Silva Dos Santos
from KÀ and professional dancer Luis Cabanzo and groove to
the beats of Ritmos.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aezvv7J4QSM
o) OTHER VIDEOS
- PLANET B612 EPISODE 13: JULIE MCINNES
In this episode, I speak with singer, musician and artist,
Julie McInnes. Born in Australia, Julie has always been a
musical artist. From Circus OZ to Cirque du Soleil, and now,
as an independent artist, Julie has a lot of info and wisdom
to share about the art and craft of bringing music to life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGVgII08K_E
- Journeys With Laura Minar - Cirque du Soleil: Behind the Masks
An extraordinary documentary film behind the scenes at Cirque
du Soleil when it all began in Montreal! 1994. First look at
Saltimbanco & Alegria (to become Cirque's longest running show!)
My documentary team was the 1st to film a 'behind the scenes'
doc about Cirque - the design & building of secret sets, the
costumes, the rehearsing & choreography, the extraordinary
athleticism, creativity & ingenuity - all a mulitlingual
collaboration. Soon after our film (nominated for a Canadian
Screen Award) Cirque du Soleil formed its own production
company and did its own promotional documentaries/videos,
closing access to external crews. It was only years later
that external crews began to film in the inner sanctum.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_HC8zxaQJs
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 2 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
"What Ifs and If Onlys, Part 2 of 7"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
"I wouldn't be surprised if we had four or five shows in Macau within
five to seven years."
Remember this quote? It's been quite a number of years since Daniel
Lamarre made that statement in regards to Macau and Cirque's prospects
there. At the time ZAIA had just been unleashed to the community at
large and it looked as if the company would have another success on
its hands. Little did he know just how wrong he would be. ZAIA would
close after performing just three and a half years of a ten-year
contract. What went wrong? While there were many other factors
involved, most tend to agree that Macau was just not ready to be an
international destination for arts and entertainment; most who visit
were there strictly to gamble. So, the other four to five show
concepts on the table? Shelved. Laliberté said the company believed it
could still make a return. "It doesn't mean we are writing off Macau.
It was a special adventure because we were the first to set up a
resident show down there. That's life!" he said.
It was a risk that Cirque and its partners in Macau were willing to
take. Unlike the following idea that the Montreal Gazette eluded to on
September 29, 2003 - a Cirque-themed Casino:
MGM Mirage vice-president of public affairs Alan Feldman says his
casino company is anxious to build new properties just so they
can launch more Cirque shows. But the next deal - which Laliberté
hastens to say is only in the talking, as opposed to signing
stage - could top everything that has gone before. The proposed
4,000-room hotel/casino would be co-owned by the Cirque and MGM
Mirage. It would be located on 55 empty acres already owned by
MGM Mirage situated between the Monte Carlo and Bellagio resorts.
According to Feldman, one idea being discussed is making this a
completely Cirque-themed resort. At present, the Cirque shows
just have their own specially designed theatres and boutiques
within casinos designed according to other themes. This one could
be all Cirque, all over, all the time. Think Cirque du Soleil
wallpaper (it already exists), Cirque sheets, Cirque clowns
handing out free Cirque drinks (Zumanity already has its own
martini) at Cirque slot machines, Cirque Muzak everywhere. The
mind boggles. The most optimistic opening date would be 2007,
Feldman says.
Ultimately this became the CityCenter project, but couldn't you just
imagine? Or, how about...
BERLINER RESIDENZ
-----------------
When Cirque du Soleil announced NYSA, a brand-new resident show for
Berlin to be staged at the Potsdamer Platz, all I could think about it
was finally. Finally, after a couple of decades of trying and failing
for one reason or another, Cirque du Soleil would have its first
resident show in Europe. Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group
President and CEO, Daniel Lamarre, said of the announcement, "For
Cirque du Soleil, this is a beautiful way of celebrating a 25-year
relationship with the city. This new and exciting production is most
certainly the best way to highlight the privileged bond we have with
Berlin." Sure, Saltimbanco had first played Berlin in 1995, and Cirque
followed that up with fourteen more of its shows over time. But many
fans don't realize just how special the relationship with Berlin
really is. Did you know that Cirque du Soleil attempted to reside in
Berlin twenty years prior?
On March 26, 1996, Cirque du Soleil published via its new website that
it was pleased to announce it would be presenting a permanent show in
Berlin:
An agreement in principle with developer Dr. Peter and Isolde
Kottmair will provide a theatre for Cirque du Soleil in a large
real estate complex that will be constructed on Leipziger Platz,
in the heart of Berlin. The hall will seat an audience of 1,600
and will be built in consultation with Cirque du Soleil at a cost
of DM70 million. The architect will be Aldo Rossi, winner of the
1990 Pritzker prize. The show is scheduled to premiere in the
year 2000, and this project will enable Cirque to ensure its
Berlin activities until the year 2015.
Although London might have been the first choice for a second resident
show (it was, but let's not get ahead of ourselves), Cirque du Soleil
looked to Berlin in 1996. Why Berlin? Easy: they were approached and
Cirque du Soleil liked what they were pitched. There are just two
mentions of the potential Berlin outpost in Cirque du Soleil materials
of the period first, in the Alegría in Hong Kong Programme Book and
in the aforementioned announcement on its website. Neither
declarations suggested what the show might be about or who might be
part of production's creative coven (although at that time there was
just one creative team), only that the opportunity was on the horizon.
Alas the project never happened, and it's just one of a number of
these types that have been announced over the years that never came to
fruition for one reason or another. So, what happened to Berlin 2000?
On July 18, 1997, just a little over a year after the initial blurb
hit the press, The Globe and Mail published a piece that shed some
light on the issue. It said the project was in peril because of a
nasty dispute over a century-old subway tunnel in at the development
site.
The Montreal-based entertainment concern announced in March,
1996, that it would be the anchor tenant of a 1.2- billion-mark
($917-million) development in the heart of eastern Berlin that is
to include a 1,600-seat theatre for the circus along with a
hotel, offices, shops, restaurants and apartments. But the start
of construction has been delayed because of a clash involving the
developers, a German government agency and Berlin's transit
authority over who should pay the costs of rebuilding a subway
tunnel that bisects the site.
The dispute has tried the patience of the Cirque's European
managing director, Danny Pelchat, who says the deal, which calls
for the Cirque to present exclusive productions at the Berlin
venue until 2015, may be dead if construction doesn't start soon.
"I have to have a date by the end of the year," Mr. Pelchat said
in an interview. "Originally, [the Berlin venue] was supposed to
be ready by the end of 2000. We agreed to postpone [our show]
until the spring of 2001 and now they're saying [the site] may be
[ready by] the end of 2001," he said, adding that the Cirque has
offers from several other European cities interested in providing
a permanent site.
Mr. Pelchat said the company was attracted to Berlin because of its
artistic traditions. Cirque also felt the city would become a world
center when the German capital was moved there in 1999. And that the
site for the theater was a prime location on Leipziger Platz, a
stone's throw from where the Berlin Wall used to cut the city in two.
The developers were Isolde and Peter Kottmair, a husband and wife team
from Munich. Ms. Kottmair said she and her husband first saw the
Cirque's Mystère show in Las Vegas when they were scouting for
entertainment ideas to bring back to Munich. "It was so fascinating.
There was such an excitement in the audience," Ms. Kottmair recalled.
"It was amazing. This was in my eyes the best show we saw." After, the
Kottmairs met the Cirque's co-founder, Guy Laliberté, and discussed
the possibility of building a venue for the circus in Germany. The
Kottmairs then bid on the 27,000-square-metre site in central Berlin,
which was being sold by the Treuhand, the German government agency
tasked with selling off state-owned property of the former East
Germany. The government insisted on an entertainment aspect to the
project, so the Cirque fit in perfectly. Mr. Rossi was asked to design
the development and in late 1995, the Kottmairs' bid of 320 million
marks for the land was accepted.
Mrs. Kottmair said that the price was reduced by 10 million marks
because of the old subway tunnel that, but she maintains that the
full extent of the problem only became evident later. Now it will
cost between 40 million and 50 million marks to rebuild the
tunnel so that it is strong enough to withstand the weight of the
structure to be built above. "They didn't tell anybody about this
fact," Mrs. Kottmair said. "We are not the owners of the tube
[subway] and we are not responsible for the tube," she insisted.
At the Treuhand, a spokeswoman said Mr. Kottmair had ordered an
expert report on the land before he agreed to buy it. "He knew in
advance that it would be hard to build on the part above the
tunnel." Duben Kropp, a member of the board of directors of the
BVG, Berlin's transit authority, said that the Kottmairs knew
about the situation and that the agency won't pay a cent to
rebuild the tunnel, which he insists can last at least another 30
years.
The press suggested that Cirque didn't appear to be all that worried
as negotiations dragged on. Its investment in the Berlin project had
so far been minimal, involving some work by lawyers and such
("agreement in principle"), but there were other possibilities afoot
that Mr. Pelchat was keen to explore and he - and Cirque du Soleil at
large - would only wait so long. It would only take another year for
Cirque to lose its patience. Via the Globe and Mail on April 28, 1998,
the Cirque said it wouldn't do any more somersaults to get its first
permanent venue in Europe built now that the project's developer had
run into financial problems.
Twenty-four months after the Berlin announcement, the site is
still nothing more than a 27,000-square-metre sand pit. Now, the
Treuhand, the German government agency responsible for selling
off the assets of the former Communist state, wants the land
back. The agency says the Kottmairs have failed to make the
initial payment of 35 million marks on a total purchase price of
a whopping 310 million marks, apparently after being unable to
come with the needed financing. Both sides agree that because of
sinking real estate values, the land isn't worth as much as it
was when the deal was originally done in 1995. The Treuhand says
the Kottmairs are welcome to walk away from the deal provided
they pony up the 100-million mark difference between today's
market value for the land and the original deal. The Kottmairs
says there's no way they'll pay and complain that they've already
spent 33 million marks in planning and other expenses.
Pelchat was sick of the whole business, and he was not shy in sharing
those opinions: "We've been discussing this project for so long, with
so many delays and postponements, that we're not getting excited
anymore." With no contract signed, the Cirque isn't committed to the
Berlin site and is involved in discussions for a site at the disused
Battersea power plant in central London. Back in Berlin, a local real
estate analyst believes the Cirque project still has a good chance of
going ahead but in the hands of another developer. "The question is
who will finance it."
Turns out LIVE NATION would... just 20 years later.
LABYRINTHS AND HORSES
---------------------
Here's another interesting one... In an interview with Billboard
Magazine, Argentine singer-songwriter Gustavo Santaolalla discussed
releasing a revamped version of his 1982 hit "Compañeros del Sendero."
He then went on to tell the magazine about the current state of his
projects: "The Arrabal show spent a month playing in Boston, always
packed and to great reviews, so we've been working to take it to New
York in 2018. I've finished working on the music of the Cirque du
Soleil show based on Pan's Labyrinth, and we are currently searching
for a director." UM... WHAT?! Now I liked Pan's Labyrinth as much as
the next person, but a Cirque du Soleil show based on the movie? No,
not the right creative mix. Naturally we never heard anything more
about this, but would it surprise you to learn that Guillermo del Toro
has been trying to develop the title into a Broadway musical since
2012? And it appears that they're still trying! In February 2018, when
this blub was released, it was indeed true that Gustavo Santaolalla
had finished working on the music for the musical, and they were
looking for a director for the show... but the only connection to
Cirque du Soleil was made in that one-and-only Billboard article,
so... yeah.
And then two months later, in April 2018, we published a little blurb
that we found in the Grimsby Telegraph, a newspaper for a large
coastal English seaport and administrative centre in North East
Lincolnshire, on the South Bank of the Humber Estuary, close to where
it reaches the North Sea. It read "Darren Michael Charles has been
named creative artistic director and choreographer for a breathtaking
new Cirque du Soleil spectacular that will being touring in six
months' time." Now, nothing about that statement seems off until you
get to the follow up: "Darren's vast experience will stand in good
stead as he will be directing large acrobatic and gymnastic acts,
contortionists, clowns, aerial flying acts, dancing and juggling,
and... horses!"
HORSES?! IN A CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SHOW?! That's what was being reported,
and at the time I said we'd have to wait and see how things panned
out. The article went on to say that Darren was gifted with horses,
having gained experience with many other prestigious dance and touring
companies, going on to direct and choreograph the hugely successful
Cavalia's Odysseo North American Tour. That being said, we couldn't
believe Cirque du Soleil might go back on decades of precedent to
create a show that included animals... but news was news. So what
happened? Well... Cirque du Soleil didn't produce a show with horses.
Obviously. While I can't say for certain that horses were never
considered for a new show concept, Darren Michael Charles did go on to
announce that he had joined the creative team of BAZZAR, which did
indeed go on to tour six to eight months after the article was
published.
PAY PER VIEW!
-------------
In May 1997, as Cirque du Soleil was gearing up to make "Alegria: The
Film" (under Les Films Lampo Di Vita Inc.), Peter Wagg ("Max
Headroom") is brought on board to re-launch Télémagik as Cirque du
Soleil Images (or CDSi for short) -- the company's new film division.
It's mandate: to create original and innovative television, video,
film, and music products reflecting the image and spirit of Cirque du
Soleil shows. And they hit the ground running. In addition to
producing the IMAX film "Journey of Man" for the big screen, Cirque du
Soleil Images was about to break the drought of filmed productions for
the small screen; Quidam was filmed live - in Amsterdam - for a new
television special. On May 26, 1999, TVN Entertainment Corporation, a
leading digital programming and distribution network at the time,
announced that, on August 1, 1999, the network would premiere "Cirque
du Soleil: Quidam", the first pay-per-view telecast of a Cirque du
Soleil show.
This premiere airing will be preceded by a half-hour pre-show
featuring behind-the-scenes footage, a countdown to the "Quidam"
PPV debut airing, and interviews with Cirque du Soleil
performers, choreographer Debra Brown, and artistic director
Franco Dragone. The 90-minute PPV special will replay several
additional times during the month of August. This "Cirque du
Soleil: Quidam" PPV special is being produced specifically for
television, utilizing state-of-the-art digital technology, under
the direction of David Mallet.
The special was later re-broadcast on BRAVO, an arts and film channel
available in the United States, where it became an instant hit.
Shortly thereafter, Cirque du Soleil put Dralion under the lens whilst
staked in San Francisco (engaged 2/3/2000 3/26/2000), prompting even
greater success. "Cirque du Soleil Presents Dralion" was nominated for
and won three Daytime Emmy awards: Outstanding Variety, Music or
Comedy Special; Outstanding Directing for a Variety Series or Musical;
and Outstanding Costumes for a Variety or Music Program. This
achievement prompted the filming of Alegría in Sydney (engaged
5/29/2001 8/5/2001); "Fire Within", the company's first "reality TV"
series about the creation of Varekai; and Varekai in Toronto (engaged
8/1/2002 9/8/2002). And with the successes of "Alegria", "Fire
Within", "Varekai", and a few documentaries thereof, Cirque du Soleil,
in association with BRAVO, announced that, as the official network of
Cirque du Soleil and the owner of the broadcast rights to the Cirque's
repertoire of shows (in the United States), it would film - for future
airing - the troupe's oldest currently touring show...
Saltimbanco.
The filming was rumored to take place at the formidable Royal Albert
Hall in London, where Saltimbanco was scheduled to be engaged from
January 10th through February 9th, 2003. And, it was suggested, the
filming might cover Saltimbanco's final moments, as London was rumored
to be the final stop of Saltimbanco's second big top tour (the "final"
curtain previously fell there in 1997 before the show was resurrected
for an Asia-Pacific tour that began in 1998). Although the filming of
Quidam, Dralion, Alegria, and Varekai were not perfect, those that
were filmed during the Télémagik era had often been criticized as
being badly cut, missing plenty of the action.
None was criticized more so than Saltimbanco for completely removing
the beginning of the show. But one has to realize that the television
specials, as they were known then, were not originally meant to be
full representations of the shows, rather they were seen more as
advertisements - teasers if you will - of the product you'd see live.
Therefore, for Saltimbanco to get a more modern treatment certainly
appealed to every fan.
The euphoria was short lived, however.
"In our July 2002 issue we reported that in conjunction with Bravo
Cirque would re-film Saltimbanco during its January 2003 run at the
Royal Albert Hall in London", I wrote at the time. "Fascination has
heard that contrary to previous rumors, Saltimbanco is not slated to
be re-filmed after all. This is certainly disappointing news for fans
of Saltimbanco who dislike the current filmed version. However, with
Saltimbanco currently scheduled to continue its European tour with a
possible return to U.S. soil, the show may yet find itself under the
camera."
And with a statement like that you'd think the story would've ended
there. However, in the month that followed, BRAVO changed its
announcement from filming Saltimbanco for later re-airing to actually
broadcasting it live!
"In past issues we've discussed rumors that Saltimbanco was going
to be re-filmed, either in London or elsewhere, on its second
European Tour. Last issue we shot down those rumors, suggesting
that Saltimbanco was not to be re-filmed. But as the nature of
rumors go, word now comes from Bravo that Saltimbanco WILL indeed
be re-filmed. WHAT? Sometime in 2003, Bravo will present a
special version of Saltimbanco to US audiences through its first-
ever live broadcast. Bravo will present Cirque's other-worldly
feats of aero-athleticism' on tape delay. A location, time and
date have not yet been released."
For a brief moment our elation was restored, but little more was heard
after that announcement and the project quietly disappeared.
Saltimbanco, of course, did not fold again in London. It went on to
tour Europe throughout the next two years before transferring to
Mexico (in 2005) and later South America (in 2006), where the big top
version of the show did have its final curtain call, but as we know
that wasn't the end of Saltimbanco's story. Either way, Cirque du
Soleil Images would go on to film La Nouba in Orlando (2003), Corteo
in Toronto (engaged from 8/4/2005 9/11/2005) and Koozå in Toronto
(engaged 8/9/2007 10/21/2007) before the division ceased filming
full shows again for a time (but that's a topic for another time.)
CIRQUE IN... VIETNAM?
---------------------
Communist Vietnam is not a location oft mentioned as being ripe for a
Cirque du Soleil resident show, but on May 23, 2008, the Globe and
Mail in Toronto reported that a Canadian developer was actually
planning a $4.5 billion USD Las Vegas-style casino-resort there. And
who would fill the entertainment bill? Why Cirque du Soleil, of
course!
The project, called Ho Tram, will be the biggest foreign
investment to date in Vietnam, said Michael Aymong, chairman of
Toronto-based Asian Coast Development Ltd., the project's lead
investor, with a 30-per-cent stake. Its main partner in the
project is New York hedge fund Harbinger Capital LLC, which has a
25-per-cent share.
The initial phase will cost $1.3-billion and consist of two five-
star hotels with a combined 2,300 rooms and a casino with
approximately 90 gambling tables, 500 slot machines and an area
for VIP customers. When completed in 2015, the resort will
comprise five hotels with 9,000 rooms and a second casino, Mr.
Aymong said. Ho Tram also will target vacationing families, with
features including an 18-hole golf course designed by Greg
Norman, a Cirque du Soleil theatre, and a site for guests to swim
with dolphins. "It's a needed project in Vietnam" that, in spite
of the country's poor infrastructure, will be able to
"effectively compete" with integrated resorts in neighboring
China, Malaysia and Singapore, Mr. Aymong said.
Vietnam's ruling Communist Party has historically been suspicious of
U.S.-style casinos, and many Vietnamese consider gambling a social
evil on par with drug abuse. Although a few small, tightly controlled
casinos have operated in the country for several years, Ho Tram would
be several times larger and represent a big, symbolic step for Vietnam
into the capitalist mainstream. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan
Dung said his government "will create favorable conditions" for
Canadian investors, but Ho Tram's casinos would be off-limits to
Vietnamese, as were the country's existing casinos, even though
Vietnam hoped that a luxurious mega-resort offering high-stakes
gambling would boost tourism and create jobs.
The casino business was booming in Asia at the time, led by China's
glitzy enclave of Macau. Singapore was building its own casino-resort
complex, and industry players expected Japan and Thailand to follow.
But we know how that ended... a down-turn in the global economy put
the kybosh on a lot of these types of projects. Even so, Ho Tram went
forward, occupying more than 200 hectares on a three kilometer stretch
of beach in Xuyen Moc Commune in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, a 90-minute
drive southeast of Ho Chi Minh City. Alas, without Cirque du Soleil...
We should mention that in 1998, Cirque du Soleil was quite happy with
its partner Mirage Resorts, later MGM Mirage, and finally MGM
International. To partner with another casino operator during this era
would be unthinkable. It would also probably be untenable, considering
the contract Cirque had with Mirage/MGM at the time.
To be continued...
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 20, Number 10 (Issue #201) October 2020
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C)
2001-2020 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a
subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter
can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or
translated without the consent of the "Fascination! Newsletter." By
sending us correspondence, you give us permission (unless otherwise
noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without remuneration. All
submissions become the property of the "Fascination! Newsletter."
"Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way with Cirque du
Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are Copyright (C) and
are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil, Inc., All Rights
Reserved. No copyright infringement intended.
{ Oct.19.2020 }
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