Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to announce a new production for next spring in Montreal presented by Desjardins: KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities™, directed by Michel Laprise. Presented under the Big Top in Montréal’s Old Port starting April 24, the show will then go to Quebec City as of July 24 and Toronto on August 28.
THE SHOW: REALITY IS RELATIVE
What if you could alter reality at will? Delve into a world of curiosity where seeing is disbelieving: the world of KURIOS™ – Cabinet of Curiosities from Cirque du Soleil. The show immerses you in a mysterious and fascinating realm that disorients your senses and challenges your perceptions, leaving you to wonder: “Is it real, or just a figment of my imagination?”
Step into the curio cabinet of an ambitious inventor who defies the laws of time, space and dimension in order to reinvent everything around him. Suddenly, the visible becomes invisible, perspectives are transformed, and the world is literally turned upside down in a place that’s as beautiful as it is mysterious. In this realm set in the latter half of the nineteenth century, reality is quite relative indeed as our perception of it is utterly transformed. The name of the show refers to the humble and strange characters that inhabit the Seeker’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is an ingenious blend of unusual curiosity acts and stunning acrobatic prowess from Cirque du Soleil. Let KURIOS show you that anything is possible through the power of imagination.
THE DIRECTOR
Michel Laprise worked in theater for nine years as an actor, director and artistic director before joining Cirque du Soleil in 2000. At Cirque du Soleil, Michel spent five years as a talent scout before taking on, in 2006, the role of Special Events Designer. In that capacity, he directed the act with Quebec diva Diane Dufresne during the Opening Ceremonies of the Montreal 2006 Outgames; the large-scale performance event created for the launch of the Fiat Bravo in Italy (2007); the Cirque du Soleil performance event celebrating Quebec City’s 400th anniversary (2008); the launch of Microsoft’s Kinect console at the 2010 Electronic Entertainment Expo, broadcast on MTV; the opening show at the Eurovision Song Contest held in Russia in 2009; and the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 FIBA International Basketball Federation World Championships in Istanbul. In 2012, Michel collaborated with pop star Madonna, providing artistic direction for her performance at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show; he later went on to direct her MDNA tour. In 2013, he directed the musical Robin des Bois – Ne renoncez jamais, currently on tour in Europe.
CREATIVE TEAM
KURIOS – Cabinet of curiosities’ creative team comprises 17 creators under the artistic guidance of Guy Laliberté (Guide) and Jean-François Bouchard (Chief Creative Content Officer) :
Michel Laprise — Writer and Director
Chantal Tremblay — Director of Creation
Stéphane Roy — Set and Props Designer
Philippe Guillotel — Costume Designer
Raphaël Beau — Composer and Musical Director
Yaman Okur — Choreographer
Ben Potvin — Choreographer
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui — Choreographer
Susan Gaudreau — Choreographer
Jacques Boucher — Sound Designer
Jean-Michel Caron — Sound Designer
Martin Labrecque — Lighting Designer
Rob Bollinger — Acrobatic Performance Designer
Germain Guillemot — Acrobatic Performance Designer
Boris Verkhovsky — Acrobatic Performance Designer
Danny Zen — Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer
Eleni Uranis — Makeup Designer
