======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.CirqueFascination.com ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 24, NUMBER 3 May/June ISSUE #226 ======================================================================= VOLUME 24, NUMBER 4 July/August ISSUE #227 ======================================================================= There is nothing wrong with your computer. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling transmission. For now we will control all that you see and read. You are about to experience the awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to the outer limits! For you are about to experience a very special issue of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter - a rare double issue! *Zzzzzzt!* Okay, enough with the Outer Limits introduction, am I right? What you have here is only the second double issue in our publication history. We've had quarterly and bimonthly issues in the past, of course, but this issue is truly a daily double - with news and features articles we intended for a May/June issue (#126) and those for the more current time frame - July/August (#127). But something always seemed to come up to keep us publishing - SONGBLAZERS announcement, LOVE's closing, a new STUDIO - you name it, it just kept coming! Plus, we had to take a brief time to head out to Las Vegas to give LOVE one final look-see. So, while it's been a while since we've last gotten together and talked about our favorite circus, let me stop yappin' and welcome you to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter, and let's go get caught up! * * * THE BEATLES LOVE TAKES FINAL BOW AFTER 18 YEARS * * * The Beatles™ LOVE™, the groundbreaking collaboration between Cirque du Soleil and Apple Corps Ltd., concluded its historic run at The Mirage Hotel & Casino. The gravity-defying acrobatics, high-energy choreography and vibrant visuals set to the hits of The Beatles dazzled two sold-out crowds of fans on Saturday, July 6, and an invited audience of VIPs, team members and longtime supporters on Sunday, July 7. To kick off the honorary Sunday evening, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group CEO Stéphane Lefebvre and the performer who portrays Mr. Piggy took the stage, thanking the audience for their unwavering support over the years and sharing in the bittersweet goodbye to one of the world’s most beloved productions. The spectacular artists left the audience in awe before returning to the 360-degree stage with the show’s incredible crew to take their final bow as they received a standing ovation from the full house, which included Cirque du Soleil co-founder Gilles Ste-Croix, LOVE Music Director Giles Martin, Apple Corps CEO Jeff Jones along with Jonathan Clyde and other Apple Corps representatives, Cirque du Soleil Executive Vice Chairman of the Board Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO Stéphane Lefebvre, Resident Show Division President Mike Newquist, show director Dominic Champagne as well as other creative team members and former LOVE artists. The only licensed Beatles production in the world, The Beatles LOVE fused together the iconic and extensive catalog of the legendary rock band with the breathtaking artistry of Cirque du Soleil to create the first show of its kind. The Beatles LOVE soundtrack, produced and mixed by The Beatles’ original producer George Martin and his son Giles Martin, is Cirque du Soleil’s first and only GRAMMY®-winning soundtrack and features a mix of over 130 songs on its 26 tracks. During its 18 historic years at The Mirage, The Beatles LOVE welcomed over 11.8 million guests to the one-of-a-kind theater, including more than 500 musicians and celebrities. The iconic production previously brought Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison together for its inaugural and milestone performances, and in the past month, Ringo Starr and Olivia Harrison have both returned to bid their farewells and thank the cast and crew for their dedication. Goodbye, LOVE. You will be missed. * * * KÀ TO CONTINUE AT MGM GRAND * * * Cirque du Soleil has announced that its beloved resident production KÀ will continue performances at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino through November 2026. A staple on The Strip since 2005, the cinematic masterpiece redefines storytelling with its heroic journey of love and conflict, taking adventure to an all-new level as world-class performers enthrall audiences with gravity-defying battle scenes and combat acrobatics punctuated by immersive technology. “KÀ is truly one of a kind and has amassed an incredible fan base around the world,” said Mike Newquist, President of the Resident Shows Division for Cirque du Soleil. “We’re thrilled that, alongside our amazing partners at MGM Resorts International, we can offer Las Vegas visitors the chance to experience the epic adventure that is KÀ for at least two more years.” The company says “KÀ” will head into a new schedule for this summer, offering shows at 4:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Performances will continue at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. The summer schedule began June 29 and runs through Sept. 1. * * * CDS LAUNCHES CIRQUE DU SOLEIL STUDIO * * * On June 27, 2024, Cirque du Soleil announced the creation of its new Cirque du Soleil STUDIO. This new division will produce long-form content with programming that harnesses Cirque du Soleil’s DNA, to drive revenue, serve the company’s existing fanbase and to draw new fans to the brand. Under the direction of Susan Levison, all genres of programming will be produced within this division, including unscripted and scripted television, film, animation and documentaries. Read the press release about the STUDIO within. * * * "WITHOUT A NET" COMING TO AMAZON PRIME * * * When Cirque du Soleil moved to reboot its flagship production, O, more than a year after an abrupt global shutdown, both performers and crew members faced uncertainty as they worked to return to their world- class standards in time for the (re)opening night curtain in Las Vegas. With unprecedented access, filmmaker Dawn Porter (John Lewis: Good Trouble, Trapped) captured the dramatic personal highs and lows of the world’s most famous circus act on its journey back from the existential brink. And you can finally see this documentary from the comfort of your own couch, as it will stream globally on Prime Video beginning July 25, 2024. It runs 1 hour and 38 minutes and is rated PG-13. * * * CIRQUE AND BMG FORM A NEW ALLIANCE * * * BMG and Cirque du Soleil have formed a partnership to handle the live entertainment company’s musical catalog, as well as explore a number of music-oriented initiatives. The agreement calls for BMG to be the label home for Cirque’s catalog of original scores and soundtracks, administer its music publishing and jointly create new music. The first release under the pact is the country-themed Songblazers, out now. Songblazers is Cirque’s newest production, presented in conjunction with Universal Music Group Nashville, about two characters who go on a journey to find their own path to country music stardom. The soundtrack was produced by Grammy-winning producer Daniel Tashian. The partnership will be led by Cirque du Soleil’s new music division, Cirque du Soleil Studio, which is tasked with expanding the brand’s fan base. Fans might recall that Cirque du Soleil's music interests were previously published through BMG-RCA/VICTOR in the past, so this is more of a homecoming than anything too shocking. And there’s so much more. So, let’s get into it! /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.com > | | | | Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): | | < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > | | | \----------------------------------------------------/ - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * 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) CirqueConnect -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Life is a Circus (Posts from the Official Blog) * Other Outreach (Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds) o) Fascination! Features * "How I Did That: Relighting Mystère" By: Luc LaFortune, as Published in Live Design * "Forced Labour in Supply Chains – CDS 2023 Report" A Cirque du Soleil Press Release * CDS Blog: “Getting KURIOS with Michel Laprise” By: Maxim Potvin, Cirque du Soleil Blog Editor * “I Don’t Know Why You Say ‘Goodbye’” A Special Collection of Article about LOVE’s Closing * "SONGBLAZERS: Cirque du Soleil Goes Country" Texts from the Press Kit * "Back From Las Vegas... With Some Thoughts!" By: Richard Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= *************************************************************** LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights *************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil and OUTRIGGER Debut ‘Auana {May.16.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- After much anticipation, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is proud to unveil its first resident production in Hawai‘i entitled, “‘Auana”. Coming to the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel in late 2024, this unique curation of artistry, acrobatics and heritage brings a new dawn of live entertainment with this Hawai‘i-inspired production. The title, ‘Auana, stems from the loose translation to wander, veer off the beaten path or to embark on a journey. After careful consideration and in collaboration with community voices, Cultural Creative Producer Dr. Aaron J. Sala, Director Neil Dorward, Costume Designer Manaola Yap and Choreographer Kumu Hula Hiwa Vaughan, ‘Auana was selected to foreshadow the? thrilling adventure that audience members will take part in, traversing through Hawai‘i’s? unique mo‘olelo (stories) and stylized depictions of historic milestone events. Still under development, ‘Auana promises to meld the poetic and nuanced Hawaiian worldview with Cirque du Soleil’s signature style of breathtaking acrobatics, dramatic storytelling, and flair. “Our vision for ‘Auana faithfully connects us all to the islands of Hawai‘i through innovative and engaging storytelling, using hula dance, music, comedy and incredible acrobatic performances,” said Dorward. “It is my hope that our audiences will be transported into a world where stories can live unconstrained by reality, honoring the land and the people of this place.” The fabric of the show is woven through the Native Hawaiian inspiration of the natural beauty of the islands. These components will be personified through color, texture, projections and sound, culminating in a spectacular celebration of the rich Hawaiian culture through the lens of an internationally and locally acclaimed ensemble. The unprecedented debut adds to the legendary genealogy of Waikiki entertainment, bringing revelry back to the heart of this world-famous neighborhood at the OUTRIGGER Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel. The home for ‘Auana will be a custom-designed, intimate theater space, seating 784 guests. SEE THE TEASER VIDEO HERE: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=822803169176256 Tickets for ‘Auana are now available at www.cirquedusoleil.com/auana for performances starting December 15, 2024. Ticket prices start at $69 plus taxes and fees with a special 30% kama‘aina discount available. ‘Auana will perform Wednesday through Sunday at 5:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. with no performances Monday and Tuesday. Show schedules are subject to change. For more information about this joint venture led by OUTRIGGER Hospitality Group and Cirque du Soleil, follow us on Instagram and on Facebook. ABOUT OUTRIGGER HOSPITALITY GROUP For more than 75 years, OUTRIGGER has charted a journey of discovery – expanding from Hawai‘i to premier resort destinations including Fiji, Mauritius, Thailand and the Maldives. The privately held hospitality company invites guests to ‘Come Be Here’ with authentic Signature Experiences and the Outrigger DISCOVERY loyalty program – a member of the award-winning Global Hotel Alliance (GHA). OUTRIGGER’s multi- branded portfolio includes OUTRIGGER® Resorts, OHANA Hotels by OUTRIGGER®, Hawaii Vacation Condos by Outrigger®, Kapalua Villas Maui and Honua Kai Resort & Spa Maui while also managing select properties from top international hotel brands including Embassy Suites by Hilton®. Find out more at OUTRIGGER.com or visit @OUTRIGGERResorts on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ---------------------------------------------------------- ‘Auana Creative Team {May.16.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- After careful consideration and in collaboration with community voices, Cultural Creative Producer Dr. Aaron J. Sala, Director Neil Dorward, Costume Designer Manaola Yap and Choreographer Kumu Hula Hiwa Vaughan, ‘Auana was selected to foreshadow the? thrilling adventure that audience members will take part in, traversing through Hawai‘i’s? unique mo‘olelo (stories) and stylized depictions of historic milestone events. Still under development, ‘Auana promises to meld the poetic and nuanced Hawaiian worldview with Cirque du Soleil’s signature style of breathtaking acrobatics, dramatic storytelling, and flair. Neil Dorward | Co-Creator / Director Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group One of the most up-and-coming commercial theatre and television directors in the world today, Neil has directed and choreographed a number of critically acclaimed touring theatre shows across Europe, China, Japan, America, Canada, the Middle East and Australia including Solid Gold Motown (Monaco Sporting Club), All Night Long (Tropicana Hotel Las Vegas and European tour,) Rock around the Clock (European Tour), Spirit of Christmas, which opened in the world-famous Kodak Theatre in Hollywood and Man in the Mirror (European Tour). In early 2011, Neil directed Le Grand Cirque Adrenaline, a high-octane Cirque spectacular that premiered at The Sydney Opera House and toured internationally, marking the beginning of his collaboration with Simon Painter and Tim Lawson. Neil went on to direct Le Noir-The Dark Side of Cirque, Cirque Paris, and Cirque Stratosphere. Perhaps most notably, Neil directed The Illusionists franchise from its debut at The Sydney Opera House, all the way to London’s Hammersmith Apollo (broadcast on ITV) and Broadway. Neil was the director and creative force behind Circus 1903, a turn-of-the-century spectacular featuring marvelous circus talent and magnificent elephant puppetry. In addition to creative producing America’s Got Talent Las Vegas Live at the Luxor Hotel & Casino, Neil is the co-creator and director of Mad Apple, Cirque du Soleil’s jaw-dropping and show-stopping new residency at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Aaron J. Sala, PhD | Cultural Creative Producer University of Hawai‘i at M?noa Aaron J. Sala is Founder and CEO of Gravitas Pasifika, a boutique firm intent on harnessing the power of creative story living to advance Native Hawaiian, local Hawai’i, and Pasifika worldview through the creative industries. Sal? is also the founder of The Native Imaginative, a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation committed to the engagement with, education about, and elevation of Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities through curriculum development and cultural consultancy, arts advocacy, and professional development. With a PhD in ethnomusicology from the University of Hawai’i, his academic research in Hawaiian and Pasifika music, language, and culture has informed a robust portfolio inclusive of work especially focused on cultural consulting, creative direction, and media production. In service to the community, he participates on several non-profit boards including those for the Hawai’i Opera Theatre, Hawai’i Youth Symphony, Awai’ulu, and the Hawai’i Visitors and Conventions Bureau. He has also served on the boards for the Hawai’i Tourism Authority (2011-2015, Chair 2014-2015), PBS Hawai’i (2012- 2023), and the Hawai’i Arts Alliance. Recent professional work includes: o) Creative Cultural Director, Cirque du Soleil-Hawai’i o) Executive Director and Festival Provider, 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture (Jun 2024) o) Producer, Yo-yo Ma at the Waikiki Shell (Dec 2022) o) Creative Director and Producer, ANA Honolulu Music Week o) Music and Dialogue Director, Disney’s Moana ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi o) Producer and Writer, IUCN World Conservation Congress opening ceremonies and plenary session (Sept 2016) o) Director and Writer, Cultural Programs and Engagements, World Indigenous Peoples’ Conference on Education (May 2014) Carrington Manaola Yap | Costume Designer Manaola Carrington Manaola Yap, widely known for his eponymous luxury lifestyle label, MANAOLA, is a native Hawaiian designer and cultural practitioner from Kohala, Hawai’i. His lineage and cultural upbringing serve as pillars to the indigenous frameworks embodied in his work. In 2016, Yap founded MANAOLA Group, a design group of contemporary storytellers driven to protect, cultivate, and sustain indigenous culture through purpose driven practices. Yap later established his philanthropic extension, Hale Kua, in 2018 as a 501c3 organization aimed to empower humanity through Hawaiian culture and innovative entrepreneurism. Through his adept understanding of Hawaiian ideologies and aptitude for cultural protocol, Yap has created models for indigenous innovation that have influenced mainstream cultures and impacted modern industries far and beyond his home of Hawai’i. Internationally solicited for his cultural expertise, Yap has served communities from Canada and Japan to the United Kingdom. Yap has showcased culture conscious designs in runways from Hawai’i to San Francisco and New York City, including a momentous New York Fashion Week debut in 2017. Yap has been recognized in Hawai’i as one of Hawaii Business Magazine’s “20 for the Next 20” honorees, Honolulu Magazine’s fashion “Islander of the Year,” and Hawaii Venture Capital Association’s “Entrepreneur of the Year.” Recent professional work includes: o) Costume Designer, Cirque 2024 o) Cultural Director, B+HARI Brain Health Applied Research Institute 2024 o) Creative Director and Producer, Traditions Hawaii 2018 o) Cultural Designer, Koa Ridge Development 2021 o) Textile Designer, REDValentino 2021 o) Cultural Designer, Nespresso Kona Coffee 2020 o) Cultural Designer, Four Seasons Hotel and Resorts 2019 Kumu Hula Hiwa Vaughan | Choreographer H?lau Ka Lehua Tuahine Kumu Hula Ka’ilihiwa Vaughan-Darval is one of five women to win two of the most coveted titles of hula: 1985 Miss Keiki Hula and 1995 Miss Aloha Hula. As Kumu of H?lau Hula Ka Lehua Tuahine, Kumu Hiwa establishes a firm foundation in footwork and adherence to traditions given to her by the masters under which she has been fortunate to study. Kumu Hiwa hails from a family who upheld Hawaiian traditions. Her late father, Palani Vaughan, was a beloved musician and historian and her mother, Ipolani Vaughan, a much-revered Hawaiian Language teacher, master lauhala weaver and Kumu Hula. ---------------------------------------------------------- Offbeat Antics and Artistic Talents Abound at “Mad Apple” {May.21.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- If you know the definition of “double entendre,” you meet the criteria for being an audience member at next-level variety show Mad Apple. Risqué comedy is the thread that ties the variety show’s dynamic acts together within a theater that has the only stage-side bar on the Strip. Ticket holders are encouraged to arrive early to order drinks and mingle with an assortment of cast members who clown around or perform sleight of hand before showtime. This is the world Cirque du Soleil has created inside New York-New York. It’s an urban cabaret that brings together acrobatics, live music, singing, dancing, comedy, shadow puppetry and magic in an environment geared toward a more adult demographic than most Vegas productions. Emceed by “The GM” and given voice by singing music director Xharlie Black, Mad Apple makes an indelible floor-to-ceiling impression on all witnesses. The show has 16 acts in its stable, with up to 13 starring in every performance. The common factor among them all is electricity. With a large mirrored Forbidden Apple as the set design centerpiece, the talent train usually begins with juggler Adam Kuchler before Taxi Tumblers Tomas Alemu and Tamrat Ayalew flip out the crowd with their variation on Icarian Games, a time-honored acrobatic tradition. Erin Blaire’s high-altitude En Vogue act descends into view from above. Spinning in mid-air while a healthy head of human hair enables her to be suspended above the stage is an unforgettable sight to behold without feeling some sort of empathetic tingling in the scalp. It’s hard enough for limber people to do a split, let alone execute one while supported by one’s own long locks. Blaire makes it look absolutely effortless. Gravity defying continues with the City of Dreams segment of the show featuring duo straps daredevils Stephen Brine and Sara Knauer, and single cradle specialists Dima Liubashenko and Lena Tereshchenko. Both acts are aerial and depend on strength, muscle memory and, above all, trust between partners. Teamwork trust is the common denominator that creates synergy between the hoop diving and acro dunking teams during The Game, a segment of the show that’s also about split-second timing but more fantastic than gymnastic. The participants are blurs of motion as they dive through small circles or take basketballs places the sport’s inventors never imagined. Gymnastics enthusiasts may recognize world champion bronze medalist Valentin Chetverkin demonstrating hand balancing skills, while rotating contraption Wheel of Death may be familiar to habitues of neo-circus productions. High-energy musical interludes and dynamic dance choreography keep the show moving at a brisk pace. Black, a nephew of Nat King Cole and cousin to Natalie Cole, sings with Mad Apple’s troupe of vocalists as well as leading the musicians. Trombonist/keytarist Tracyan Martin, trumpeter Isaac Tubb, sax player JF Blais and drummer Bruce Briggz are the original cast members among the ensemble, a testament to the fact that they have some of the most coveted gigs on the Strip in a show that has achieved must-see status among audiences seeking the adult side of Vegas entertainment. { SOURCE: Las Vegas Magazine } ---------------------------------------------------------- Inside Macallan’s £200 Anniversary Experience {May.21.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- The Macallan Distillery has collaborated with Cirque du Soleil for an incredible, immersive show to celebrate their 200th anniversary. We went along to check it out… “Do you think this red is more like an apple or a tomato?” one of the lab technicians asked me, holding up a piece of felt. Together, we decided on apple. Never before have I been invited to climb parts of a show’s set to mix paints with performers, or walked beneath them as they flipped along the walls, or been handed a cocktail by a man who then mounted a tightrope. It was my first time at The Macallan Estate but I immediately understood why people referenced the Teletubbies when describing it. But it wasn’t the distillery itself I was there for. I asked Macallan’s experiential lead, Ruth Wyllie, a question on a lot of people’s minds: How on earth did Macallan come to be working with Cirque du Soleil? MACALLAN AND CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ----------------------------- “In initial discussions with Cirque a few years ago, we instantly connected on this belief that nature gives you an immersive experience,” said Ruth. “We are completely different and do completely different things, but craftsmanship and creativity are so integral to both our worlds. Creating a story with purpose was key to both of us, it wasn’t just about Cirque doing a nice performance here. We wanted to connect with people. They needed to walk away understanding the message.” Spirit tells the story of Ayla, a colour scientist who has become disconnected from the natural world. She strives to find the perfect red to match the colour in a tartan her father left her. The call of the Highlands pulls her to them and various characters come together to show her the beauty she is missing in nature. Led by performers dressed as lab technicians, we headed for one of the large warehouses on the estate. Expecting to walk in and see a stage, I was taken aback. More lab technicians busied about on huge tables, conducting experiments we could walk right up to. What I thought was an area to hold us in soon became the setting for the first part of Spirit. Without ruining the surprises, it is an immersive experience. AN INCREDIBLE SPECTACLE ----------------------- I headed on through with Ayla and 150 other guests to the stage. Though, to call it a stage would be an insult. A river with running water flows around a central space, with a huge round light at its centre and mossy boulders dotted around. As I waited for the next part of the show to start, I thought back to my conversation with Cirque du Soleil’s creative director, Marie-Hélène Delage, earlier in the day. “This is about celebrating the 200 years of Macallan, but also looking forward to the 200 years to come,” she said. “We were going with the message of protecting nature, using the values of craftsmanship, expertise and excellence but also saying that we all have a responsibility moving forward. That gave us the freedom to use elements inspired by Scottish culture and the history of the distillery, weaving them together in the storyline. It brings different worlds together to create something quite whimsical.” Spirit contains hair suspension, aerial silk, contortion, cyr wheel, juggling, hoop diving and more. The small, intimate space meant you saw the expressions on every performer’s face, felt the whoosh of them flying through the air and heard them breathing. But how do you find someone who can hang from the roof by their hair? After the show, Laurence Chalifour, from the Cirque team, told me they hold open auditions for anyone from anywhere to come and do, essentially, anything. As you might expect with Ayla’s journey taking her to the Highlands, there is a fair amount of Scottish flare throughout Spirit. The lilting song of the tin whistle and bagpipes were woven throughout and three cheeky Highland dancing thistles punctuate each performance. Eve Mackenzie from Falkirk is one of them – the only Scot in the 20-strong international cast. If my senses weren’t already being treated enough, the costumes were like works of art. Costume designer James Lavoie said Spirit was a new challenge with audiences closer to the performers than in huge arena shows. Each piece of fabric was dyed by hand, and tiny details like embossed buttons were essential. Spirit flows from the past to the future, like Macallan. It draws from and celebrates nature, like Macallan. It brings people together, like Macallan. It is something truly special and that, surely, is the point of it all. For Spirit’s closing act, the audience themselves first take to the stage to pluck a dram from the branches of a great golden tree. What happens next is almost enough to take your mind off the glass in your hand. Almost… { SOURCE: The Press and Journal } ---------------------------------------------------------- LiveDesign: Luc Lafortune Relights Mystère {May.23.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- “Mystère, which opened in December of 1993, may have been Cirque’s first permanent show in Las Vegas, although not the first Cirque show,” explains lighting designer Luc Lafortune, who recently re-lit the show. “That was Nouvelle Experience. It played for about 12 months or so, out at the Mirage which was then owned by Steve Wynn. I guess it was both Wynn and Cirque’s way of testing the market. The Big Top was out in the Mirage’s backlot. You couldn’t even see it from the strip, “ the LD adds. “The Dunes, The Sands, The Stardust, all of the old casinos were still around back then. The Mirage had opened just a few years back, and Treasure Island was little more than a whole in the ground.” As Lafortune notes, “Mystère was not only Cirque’s first permanent show but also, for a lot of us, including Franco Dragone, it was our first show in a theatre of this magnitude. I had never lit a show in a theatre before, let alone one as unique. The theatre, not unlike the show, was custom built, to our specifications; lifts, rigging, thrust, catwalks, seats, carpeting, all of it. Back then, we even had a light bridge, just upstage of the proscenium, but that’s long gone,” he points out. “The stage is a mélange of both proscenium and thrust. The thrust was an homage to the Big Top. We also had lifts, four of them, including the entire thrust.” “I don’t quite remember exactly, but I think that rehearsals lasted about two and a half months. Actually, it wasn’t rehearsals. It was “Creation.” Until then, we knew very little about the show. The scenery was for the most part complete, and we knew what the acts were going to be but that was about it. Costumes hadn’t been designed, music hadn’t been written, same thing for choreography, scenic moves hadn’t been plotted, and no one knew in what order the acts would proceed. We knew none of that, nor did we know how the show was going to open or what the Finale might look like,” says Lafortune. “It had always been like that at Cirque, particularly with Franco. It offered us great latitude but by the same token, it could be exceedingly unsettling. And still, despite all of this, I was expected to produce a light plot, which I did, although I kept it to a minimum…. I’d be curious to know how many of those initial fixtures made it past the 30 year mark. My guess, not many. Mind you, the show changed so much over the years, new acts, new clowns, new music and on and on.” “One of the great advantages of working with Franco Dragone was that he never told me what to do. Most of what I got from him was either “yes,” or “I don’t like it. Find something else.” Guy Laliberté was very much the same. They never told us what to do but we had to be original. Typically, in the afternoon, rather than rehearse, we’d stage or as Franco put it, “Shake the stage”. Full crew. And in the evening, when everyone had gone home, I’d stay and we’d hang lights and try and come up with something. Again, a lot of latitude, tons of it but the process was exhausting, for everyone,” comments the LD. “Over time, it became a lot easier and I looked forward to that time alone in the theatre. I’d play whatever music I liked, until all hours, and just create. But that wouldn’t happen for a few more years. Mystère was early in my career and I hadn’t done that many shows really. So for the most part, I was still winging it, designing it seems out of desperation more than anything else.” “ScenoPlus I think was the original consultant. I remember I kept on asking for tons on lighting positions, not even knowing whether I was actually going to be hanging a fixture there. I think it was mostly insecurity. Then again, ScenoPlus weren’t accustomed to lighting circus acts. I was. The original design didn’t even have box booms, or a rail cove. We had to fight for those,” explains Lafortune. “Scenic designer Michel Crete was a purist and the idea of a box boom didn’t really appeal to him. Most of us didn’t even know what a box boom was. That was all Jeanette Farmer. I couldn’t have done it without her. The two of us were like a bull in a china shop. We were never careless, however we were relentless”. Not too long ago, someone asked Lafortune what was his motivation for lighting Mystère: Where did the ideas come from and what was it that inspired you? “I think it may have been apprehension. I was just trying to make it thru the day, from one day to the next. When I designed Mystère, it was mostly by the skin of my teeth, and yet I think that sense of urgency somehow found its way to the stage. The lighting is vibrant, somewhat tense, at other times poetic, perhaps even surreal, almost reckless, whether it be the colors or the moving light effects,” he concludes. Check out the following plot maps: o) Light Plot: https://s3.amazonaws.com/publiceditorial.qtxasset.com/ live-design/2024Lightingplots/Mystere_Light_Plot_2024-04-29.pdf o) Floor Plot: https://s3.amazonaws.com/publiceditorial.qtxasset.com/ live-design/2024Lightingplots/Mystere_Floor_Plot_2024-04-29.pdf o) Basement Plot: https://s3.amazonaws.com/publiceditorial.qtxasset.com/ live-design/2024Lightingplots/Mystere_Basement_Plot_2024-04-29.pdf Gear List: o) 180 ETC Fresnel V o) 153 ETC Spot V o) 43 Chauvet ColoRado 1 Solo o) 80 Chauvet ColoRado 2 Solo o) 24 Chauvet ColoRado 3 Solo o) 27 Robe Esprite o) 53 Robe Forte o) 2 MA Lighting grandMA 3 CRV consoles o) 3 MA Lighting grandMA3 NPU’s o) 1 MA Lighting grandMA2 on PC for relay control o) 10 Original ETC Sensor racks upgraded to Sensor 3 & 400 R20 relays o) All new fiber network infrastructure with three new network racks and network ports and DMX output boxes in all new locations o) ETC smart panel relay breaker panel o) ETC Paradigm control for house lights and facility work lights o) 4 Robert Juliat OZ LED follow spots and 2 Alice models { SOURCE: Live Design } ---------------------------------------------------------- The Beatles’ ‘Love’ closes July 6. Why Ringo Starr says ‘it’s worth seeing’ while you can {May.29.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- For 18 years, all Cirque du Soleil needed was “Love.” But in a few weeks, the kaleidoscopic fever dream known as “The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil” will go dark on the Las Vegas Strip. No more skate ramps and curlicue airborne tricks to imbue “Help!” with the joviality to match the music (if not the lyrics). No more graceful trapeze routines to the heart-fluttering “Something.” No more venue-size bedsheet to appear out of nowhere, flap over the heads of the audience and get sucked into the vortex of the stage while the mashup of “Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows” envelops your eardrums, inviting striking sensory overload. The end of Cirque’s groundbreaking production – it was the first to feature all prerecorded music and fixate on a singular music act – is July 6. A private performance will take place July 7, and considering the opening of “Love” on June 30, 2006, attracted Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Julian Lennon, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison and Dhani Harrison among other VIPs, odds for prestigious sightings are high. Endings are emotionally turbulent, and for the cast, crew, creative team and fans of “Love,” this finale triggers an ache. “To this day when I hear a Beatles song, my heart goes directly to the show,” said Kati Renaud, senior artistic director at Cirque du Soleil who has worked with “Love” for the majority of its nearly two-decade run. “I see the scenes and the dancers and the choreography. (Original director and “Love” writer) Dominic (Champagne) would say, this is a rock ‘n’ roll poem and it’s this beautiful marriage of rock and poetry.” Why is The Beatles’ ‘Love’ closing in Las Vegas? Rumblings of the shuttering of “Love” started two summers ago when MGM Resorts International offloaded The Mirage – home to the show and its $100 million custom-built, sonically superior 2,013-seat theater – to Hard Rock International. Changes typically accompany acquisitions and “Love,” never the top ticket seller among Cirque’s Las Vegas ecosystem of six shows despite its devoted base, was ripe for axing. “The Hard Rock, you would think would keep the show (because of the music connection). But no,” said Beatles icon Ringo Starr in a recent interview with USA TODAY. “Honestly, we’ve had a good run.” The transformation from The Mirage to Hard Rock will begin July 17, when the casino-resort closes. No reservations are being accepted after July 14. The Hard Rock Las Vegas, including a 700-foot guitar- shaped hotel tower, is expected to open in spring 2027. Officials at the Hard Rock declined to comment on the closure of “Love” or future entertainment plans when contacted by USA TODAY. THE LEGACY OF THE BEATLES’ “LOVE” --------------------------------- A Grammy Award-winning soundtrack of Beatles songs intricately knitted by Giles Martin is the spine of the colorfully chaotic production. Not only was “Love” the first Cirque show to utilize prerecorded music but it spawned other music-based Cirque productions. “Viva Elvis” closed in 2012 at Aria Resort & Casino after a disappointing two-year run, but “Michael Jackson ONE,” with its spiffy choreography and another heady catalog, continues to thrive at Mandalay Bay after 11 years. “Learning to produce a show with no live music was a new world for the artistic team of Cirque,” said Renaud. “This was definitely new territory for us and Giles played such an integral part in finding solutions and being such an advocate.” Martin told USA TODAY in 2022 that when he first began work on the soundtrack to “Love” at Abbey Road Studios in the mid-2000s, “I was vilified by people there. They’re going ‘What is George Martin’s son doing, chopping up Beatles songs?’ The whole idea sounds ridiculous, especially if you’re a purist.” But even the most devout Beatles fanatic had to acknowledge the magic of hearing some of the band’s most familiar pieces dissected and reconstructed for “Love,” starting with the chilling harmonizing on the opening “Because” to the snippets of “In My Life” and “Penny Lane” embedded in the psychedelic bubble-isciousness during “Strawberry Fields Forever” to the jaw-dropping mashup of “Drive My Car,” “The Word” and “What You’re Doing.” In all, the show and soundtrack contain elements from 130 Beatles recordings. Tweaks were continual throughout the show’s existence. A facelift took place in 2016 for its decade anniversary and the nearly 17-month pandemic-related shutdown allowed for some other modifications before “Love” reopened in August 2021. The conclusion of the Cirque show also ends the only live production anywhere in the world licensed by The Beatles’ parent company, Apple Corps. IS THERE A FUTURE FOR THE BEATLES’ “LOVE”? ------------------------------------------ A modified “Love,” perhaps as a touring production or at another permanent location, has been vaguely discussed, but nothing is imminent. “To recreate something as it was created isn’t realistic, but to be inspired by it is definitely something Cirque thrives on,” Renaud said. “Because of The Beatles’ music aspect of it, there is something quite popular and inviting in any discussions (about the show’s future).” Starr also hopes that “Love” might live on in another form, but he isn’t bullish. “It may happen again. But I’m making this up – there are no rumors going on. But it’s worth seeing,” he said. “We did keep the business open all this time.” The “Love” cast of 60 includes longtimers Jimmie Cervera (as the distinctively dome-topped Dr. Robert) and Eugen Brim (as the wild- haired Father McKenzie), who left the production in 2016 but returned in February to reprise his role until the show is buried along with its name, as Eleanor Rigby would appreciate. They and other “Love” employees have been meeting with Cirque brass to try to find other places in the company to fit their unique talents, including auditions for the “Love” dancers to potentially slide into the “Michael Jackson ONE” team, said Renaud. As for those who might still be uncertain about whether or not to catch the show as its final dates tick down, Renaud has some motivating words. “Someone who knows a little about Cirque who doesn’t care for Beatles music will come and see it because it’s a classic Cirque experience,” she said. “For those who are maybe avid Beatles fans, they will be thrilled because of how Giles has remastered the music and will appreciate the tongue-in-cheek moments only Beatles fans will recognize. Either group will be touched emotionally.” { SOURCE: USA Today } ---------------------------------------------------------- Stags’ Leap Winery Named an Official Partner of CDS {May.30.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Stags’ Leap Winery, one of the oldest and most storied wineries in Napa Valley , and Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group (” Cirque du Soleil ” or ” the company “), a world leader in artistic entertainment, announce an exclusive partnership that will see Stags’ Leap Winery featured at Cirque du Soleil’s United States Big Top Shows for one year beginning next month. As the Official Wine of Cirque du Soleil Touring Shows in the United States, Stags’ Leap Winery brings more than 130 years of winemaking tradition to the circus stage. “Stags’ Leap Winery is named after a mythical stag who eluded capture by leaping into the Palisades mountains located behind our storied winery in the Stags’ Leap District of Napa Valley “, says Brand Director Megan O’Connor. “Our stag is a symbol of courage and freedom, emboldening everyone to explore all that life has to offer in the pursuit of pleasure. I cannot think of a more perfect partner than Cirque du Soleil, whose performances have transformed live entertainment by encouraging all of us to dream the unimaginable.” In addition to concessions serving Stags’ Leap Napa Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, an elevated Stags’ Leap Winery lounge waits for fans in select cities. As part of the partnership, audience members can also expect to see Stags’ Leap Winery on multimedia branding throughout each venue, as well as in collaborative social content promoted across both brands’ social media channels. “We are excited to welcome Stags’ Leap Winery as a partner with Cirque du Soleil Touring Shows and look forward to our United States Big Top fans experiencing the premium wine offerings on-site”, says Lauren Hart , Head of Partnership Strategy at Cirque du Soleil. Consumers will discover Stags’ Leap Winery wines beginning June 8, when Cirque du Soleil opens in Laguna Hills, California with KOOZA. Until July of 2025, Cirque du Soleil and Stags’ Leap Winery will visit 10 markets with shows debuting in the United States for the first time, including ECHO, a story of connection, intention, and the bond between humans and the animal kingdom. For the official list of show dates and locations, please visit cirquedusoleil.com. To purchase Stags’ Leap Napa Valley Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, book a reservation at the winery, or to learn more about its history visit stagsleap.com. About Stags’ Leap Winery Dating back to its first vintage in 1893, Stags’ Leap Winery inspired the creation of the Napa Valley appellation that bears its name. Named for mythical stag who eluded capture, the winery’s rich and colorful history including tales of mummies, mischievous monkeys, and legendary high society parties. Its reputation for excellence in winemaking has endured for more than a century. Today, the winery continues to use traditional techniques to create estate wines from a 240-acre property situated on dark, well-drained volcanic soils. While best known for its classic Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, Stags’ Leap Winery is also admired for its expressions of Sauvignon Blanc, Petite Sirah, and Viognier. For more information, please visit stagsleap.com. { SOURCE: PRNewsWire } ---------------------------------------------------------- CDS Teams up with Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada for the 2024 Pre-Race Ceremony {Jun.04.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group will collaborate with Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada for its much-anticipated yearly race weekend at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve in Montreal. The Montreal-based Global Artistic Entertainment company has created a bespoke 3-minute piece to be performed on the starting grid as part of the Pre-race ceremonies prior to the 2 PM start on June 9th. “We are thrilled to collaborate with Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada to celebrate the dynamic and creative spirit for which our city is renowned. We are very much looking forward to being part of this emblematic Montreal event, showcasing our city’s vibrant energy to F1 fans worldwide at this year’s pre-race ceremony”, added Céline Payelle, Vice-President and General Manager, Events & Experiences at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “We are delighted to announce this partnership between two world- renowned organizations. Together, we will elevate the pre-race status while offering fans from around the world an unforgettable experience where adrenaline meets the extraordinary?”, added Francois Dumontier, President and CEO at Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada. This performance marks the second collaboration of Cirque du Soleil with Grand Prix. In October 2023, Blue Man Group and Cirque du Soleil performed in the spectacular opening ceremony of Formula 1’s inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, featuring stars from the world of music. For those eager to enjoy more from Cirque du Soleil, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities will continue throughout the summer. This unique and mesmerizing show features uplifting acrobatic choreography, awe- inspiring performances and a moving, vibrant musical score highlighting the warmth of human relations. About Formula 1 Grand Prix du Canada: A Montreal-based Canadian company, Octane Racing Group is the promoter of FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DU CANADA through an agreement made with Formula One Administration Limited and Formula 1 World Championship Limited (which, together, hold the commercial rights to F1). ---------------------------------------------------------- Guy Laliberté fined $24,000 in Tahiti over Cannabis use {Jun.06.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- A representative for Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté says the Canadian entrepreneur has been fined about $24,000 for cannabis possession in French Polynesia. Anne Dongois says a court in Papeete, on Tahiti’s northwestern coast, found Laliberté guilty on Tuesday of possessing and using cannabis. She says he was cleared of any other infractions. Laliberté was originally taken into custody by authorities in Tahiti in 2019 over claims of cannabis cultivation. Lune Rouge, a Montreal-based entrepreneurial organization headed by Laliberté, said at the time that he was being questioned about cannabis grown for personal use on his private island in the French collectivity of islands in the South Pacific. The organization added that Laliberté was a medical cannabis user but he denied any involvement in selling or trafficking of controlled substances. { SOURCE: The Montreal Gazette } ---------------------------------------------------------- The Yorkshire tumbler who ran away to join the circus {Jun.07.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- As I am led into the backstage area of the Cirque du Soleil Big Top, I step into a dreamlike world of costumes, masks and circus people pivoting, back-flipping and getting themselves into seemingly impossible contortions – I suppose for them it’s just another day in the office. I’m here to meet Zara McLean, one of two British performers (the other is Lucie Colebeck) in Alegría – In a New Light, which is on until the end of June in Malaga. Zara bounces off the mat after a training session and we are introduced. The interview starts and I try to act as naturally as possible and not look too awestruck as the performers leap and twirl around us and technicians, costume and makeup people scurry past, getting everything ready for the opening night. Zara, 33, explains that she has been with the French-Canadian company for 11 years, forming part of the Acro Pole and Powertrack teams. She says that she joined ‘Cirque’ – as it’s affectionately called by the artists – after being scouted at the Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships in 2013. She had been competing with the Great Britain National Tumbling Team since 2002, collecting an impressive number of awards including Junior World Champion in 2007. The Cirque du Soleil casting department is based in Montreal, Canada but they have around 26 people who scout around the world. Budding cast members can send videos of their performances, but in Zara’s case some of the scouts specialising in different disciplines had contacts with the Wakefield Gymnastics Club where the young gymnast had discovered the passion that would literally see her running away with the circus. A DREAM ------- Zara’s first appearance was in Les Chemins Invisibles – a summer special event in Quebec City. She was then hired as a tumbler for the Powertrack act in the original production of Alegría for its 2012-2013 European arena tour. Zara describes her Acro Poles discipline as “combining acrobatics with long poles that the performers use to bounce off and do tricks” before landing horizontally into the arms of powerful catchers. As for Powertrack, a discipline created especially for Alegría, Zara says it involves “tumbling and crossing under and over each other”. Asked if she ever imagined being part of such a huge, international organisation as a child growing up in Barnsley, Yorkshire, she said, “It was always a dream to do it but I never really knew it would happen, so obviously I am so happy that I ended up living that dream.” The performer admits that she has lost count of the number of countries and cities she’s visited in the 11 years she’s been with the circus but she spent four years in Macau and has also toured the USA and Canada, Japan, South Korea and now Europe with Cirque. “So a lot of travelling, a lot of different cities, I don’t know how many exactly but that’s one of the great things about this job,” Zara smiles. As far as working with such a big, international team – there are 54 artists from 17 different nationalities involved in Alegría, as well as all of the costume designers, chefs, security, physios, Pilates teachers… the list goes on – Zara says that you get the opportunity to “interact with everyone”. She adds that while she knows the people in her “department” best, she points out, “I think we all know each other really well. We have to trust each other and we all spend so much time together.” BRINGING JOY TO PEOPLE ---------------------- Despite Cirque du Soleil being a French-Canadian company, Zara says that the predominant language is English. As the Acro Pole team is all Russian except for Zara and one other girl she says, “I know enough Russian to get by in training but I’m not fluent.” Doing shows six days a week and having a gruelling training schedule too, the performers don’t get much time off between shows, but they do get just over a week between cities while the big top is taken down and put up again and the technical side of this enormous, complex operation gets under way. Zara says it’s all worth it when she’s on stage with her team: “Being on stage for me just feels so good. When you step out on the stage in all the makeup and the costume and the audience is there to watch you and you know you’re bringing joy to so many people, it’s a really fulfilling and a really nice feeling.” Like all the performers, Zara had to learn to do her own makeup, a process they are taught to do step by step as part of their training in Canada. As members of the team point out, “With 54 performers, we can’t have that many makeup artists.” Each of the costumes is specially made in Montreal too and they and the wigs all get washed after every show – there’s even a travelling ‘launderette’ with eight washing machines backstage. Zara has three different changes of costume in the show, which she says is quite easy as none of the performers are on stage all of the time so there’s “enough time” to change. This is her first time in Malaga where she says she’s “really looking forward to looking around the city and going to the beach”. She adds, “I’ve heard it’s really nice and the weather is perfect at the moment.” And with that she bounces off to prepare for the show. { SOURCE: Jennie Rhodes, SUR in English } ---------------------------------------------------------- Hanging on by a Hair {Jun.10.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- For as long as she can remember, acrobat Charlotte O’Sullivan knew she would be a performer — she just wasn’t sure in what capacity. “Maybe I didn’t imagine circus, because I didn’t know that was a route right away, but it was very clear growing up that I was going to be on stage,” she said. “Everybody knew it, we just didn’t know what yet.” O’Sullivan joined the cast of Cirque du Soleil’s newest Big Top show, Echo in January 2023. And this summer she brings her performance to the GTA. The performance combines poetry, stagecraft, and daring acrobatics into a story about evolution and the vital balance between humans, animals, and our shared world. O’Sullivan started gymnastics at the age of seven at East York Gymnastic Club in Toronto, where she grew up. In the years that followed, she honed her skills, not only as a gymnast but also as a performer. “My coach said I put a lot of thought into things but, regardless of that, my gymnastic level didn’t rise to super elite. I wasn’t winning the technical medals but I was getting all the special awards, like most dynamic routine, which is expression,” she explained. “Then it just started to really click. I knew I wasn’t going to the Olympics with it, but I definitely love doing it. So, I was in search of this creative fusion of things where there’s not really any rules and that’s what circus is.” By the time she was 15-years-old, O’Sullivan left home to attend the renowned National Circus School in Montreal. After graduating high school there, she then completed the college program as a hand-to-hand flyer and started her professional career as an acrobat. Looking for new ways to push her limits and explore new movements, O’Sullivan started practicing hair suspension, an aerial act where performers are suspended by their hair. She developed a routine with her best friend and fellow acrobat, Penelope Scheidler, and the duo started performing the act for audiences. Soon after, the circus came calling — as in Cirque du Soleil. Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar, the author and director of ECHO, the 20th Big Top creation from Cirque du Soleil, wanted the hair suspension act in his show, which he says is “about connecting everybody together, and working together to create the world we want to live in.” O’Sullivan says it was a natural fit. “It was so cool to see what he was seeking and what he saw in our piece, which is this sensitive, human connection and also female empowerment and the sign of hope and ethereal beauty. I think that defines what we made,” she said. “We are truly honoured to have our original piece in the show. Performing it every day now is just so fulfilling because it truthfully came from that place — it’s not only the message that we’re portraying through the performance, but it’s also something that genuinely came from connection.” On top of featuring the first ever duo hair suspension act in Cirque du Soleil history, aesthetically, ECHO also brings bold new visuals and an innovative approach to the Big Top, weaving together high-level acrobatics in a modern and contemporary universe. It’s also the first ever Cirque show to feature six live vocalists, with most of the musicians also singing in the show. { SOURCE: The Toronto Star } ---------------------------------------------------------- Flying high: Discover what it takes to be a CDS Performer {Jun.10.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Ahead of Cirque du Soleil’s arrival in Adelaide, three performers share their unique journeys from athlete to acrobat Q. How did your acrobatic career begin? Helena Merten: I began my professional acrobatic career at 18 years old when I got into a world-renowned resident show in Macau. I was very fortunate to have been accepted with such little experience but I grew immensely over those years. How grateful I was for that opportunity – it allowed me to be a sponge for learning and to take every opportunity I had to learn and grow. Krzysztof Holowenko: I started training Acro Sport as a kid at my local club in Warsaw, Poland. After finishing my career as an athlete, I decided to move further into the performing world, beginning with corporate gigs, theatre and film extra/stunt and then I moved on to circus. Melvin Diggs: I was a youth in St Louis (USA), I wasn’t heading down the right path so my school recommended I get a big brother/big sister, which is the program used for youth to have some sort of guidance. My big brother they assigned me recommended I get a summer job because in St Louis that’s the worst time to find yourself doing bad things or falling in with the wrong group of people. The summer job I chose was to work at a news station but it cancelled the date I was supposed to begin so I thought it was over and I wouldn’t get a summer job at all but my big brother called me back and told me he had found me a back-up job working for a local circus inside a museum in St Louis. That circus was called Circus Harmony and the museum was City Museum. My job was to work with the summer camp kids and I would take them to and from the bathroom, to put their shoes on to meet their parents at the end of the day, give them water and snacks etc. One day I was walking past the ring and there was one of my close friends named Sidney. I saw him do a backflip and I was like, “Wow, I’ve never really seen that, I’ve always wanted to learn one.” I asked the director if I could learn to do a backflip and that’s how it all started. Q. What attracted you to join the circus? HM: I began with a circus class where I was competing Acrobatic Gymnastics at the time. I loved the way I could do all of the tricks that I loved, but not be judged so specifically on them. KH: The freedom of expression it gives you, over the strict rules sport imposes. The effect it has on the audiences. The brief moments of emotions, laughter and happiness it gives to spectators. MD: Initially it was because I found a great group of people at Circus Harmony, I found some of my best friends who are now family members to me. There’s never a ceiling to hit because you never stop learning. Q. What training do you need to perform and hone your skills? HM: The show itself certainly keeps us in shape as we do it often, but personally I love to still learn and train new skills. We have a few mandatory trainings a week, then I will do one to three hours on top of that each day for body maintenance/injury prevention and my own disciplines that I enjoy exploring on the side. KH: Apart from my background and the years I have spent training sport, as an athlete, performing in Luzia requires daily maintenance and conditioning trainings. Also, group training sessions, to perfect the acts’ specific skills, build trust, understanding and connection with my stage partners. MD: There’s a lot of training required, especially with the level of performance required of us on stage at Cirque du Soleil level. I train probably four times a day in different areas to ensure I can maintain the levels I need and stay healthy for as long as I possibly can. Q. What’s the best thing about your job? HM: The best thing about my job is being a part of a production that literally changes people’s lives. KH: The ability to travel the world, experience different cultures, and entertain people, while having fun myself. MD: There are multiple things, it’s honestly hard to pick one, but one that comes to mind immediately is the people you meet all over the world – different cultures and languages and ways of looking at the world that you get to interact with on a day-to-day basis is one of my favourite things. Q. And what’s the biggest challenge? HM: Not being in one place so that I can adopt a dog but I love travelling so it will have to wait. KH: Staying away from home, being constantly on the move, not being able to “grow roots” anywhere. MD: The travelling, but not because it’s a bad thing. It’s one of the things I love but it’s also difficult because you’re away from the people you love the most and you miss a lot of first and beautiful moments in your family because of our demanding schedule. But for me it has been 100 per cent worth it because this is what I chose to do with my life and I’m enjoying it. Q. What scares you most about performing? HM: What scares me most about performing acrobatically is that I may not be able to do it forever. KH: That one day I’ll have to give it up. MD: I’m an artist who likes to work within a group so stepping in front of a crowd of thousands of people or doing a trick I’ve never performed before scare me the least because of how long I’ve been doing this. Q. What has been your biggest career highlight? HM: My biggest career highlight would be joining Luzia. It was a dream since I saw my first Cirque du Soleil show at seven years old. KH: Performing my Luzia act in the Royal Albert Hall during the BAFTA awards ceremony. MD: Performing some of the top skills I’ve ever done in my career with the biggest company on the planet for what I love to do, while performing alongside some of the most talented people who I respect and appreciate, all in one bubble which is like me having a smoothie with the best ingredients in the world and getting to have that as often as I possibly could. Q. What do you enjoy most about Luzia? HM: What I love the most about Luzia is the people. There are so many incredible people from all kinds of backgrounds and specialties that I have been able to meet and learn from. KH: That it’s a universal show, touching and moving people all over the world. No matter the country, culture, language spoken. MD: The people. I really love the show, it’s absolutely beautiful. Q. How does the audience help to spur you on during a performance? HM: The audience is why we do what we do. Their reaction certainly puts the fire in our belly during a performance and touches us too. KH: Performing in the Big Top gives an artist the chance to be very close to the audience members. The energy in the crowd is very contagious. MD: The interaction between artist and audience is incredibly important. We present a show eight to 10 times a week that can get awfully repetitive but the people who come to see us are the difference. So to be able to interact with them and see the smiles on their faces and the feedback they give us inspires us to keep it fresh and fun, to keep us excited and inspired to perform to the best of our abilities. There’s no us without them. Q. How are you enjoying performing to Australian audiences? HM: After 11 years performing all around the world, it is my first time performing for a large Australian audience. So far Australian audiences are engaged as well as open and true to their emotions. I can see that they are absorbed and respectful of what we are doing. I love how they are letting themselves be taken into our world of Luzia. KH: I feel like the Australian audience knows how to have fun and enjoy the spectacle. It’s always nice to feel, that what you do on stage is appreciated. MD: I love Australia so far, I’ve always wanted to come here and enjoy the cities. I have a lot of friends at circus school who are from Australia and they are some of the most honest and straightforward people I have ever met. Australia has a 10 out of 10 for me so far. Also no scary animals or insects so far but I know that’s to come very soon. But I’ve seen a kangaroo! I’ve wanted to see one for a very long time. { SOURCE: The Advertiser } ---------------------------------------------------------- CDS Partners with KidSuper for 2025 Fashion Show {Jun.13.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Colm Dillane and Cirque du Soleil partner together for the upcoming Spring/Summer 2025 Fashion Show at Paris Fashion week. The artist, designer, and founder of KidSuper once again demonstrates his unbounded creativity and fearless approach to fashion. KidSuper, Dillane’s brand renowned for its imaginative designs and boundary- pushing concepts, is set to unveil a collaboration with Cirque du Soleil at the historic Trianon theater, at 6pm on June 22nd, 2024, during Paris Fashion Week Men’s. Colm Dillane has always thrived on taking risks and defying conventions. His visionary leadership has propelled KidSuper into the spotlight, and his infectious energy and unwavering commitment to his artistic vision have fueled the rise of KidSuper in the fashion industry. “I never got good advice from someone who didn’t take risks”, added Dillane. By continually pushing creative boundaries and integrating elements from various industries, Colm’s shows serve as innovative proof of concepts, expanding KidSuper’s reach and growth into new sectors and making it a compelling business strategy. For the KidSuper Spring/Summer 2025 show, Colm Dillane continues to integrate performing arts into fashion. Collaborating with Cirque du Soleil, the event will meld a runway show with performances by Cirque du Soleil artists and build on the String Theory concept from last season. This theme explores interconnectedness and the unseen forces shaping our world, using strings and puppetry to delve into who controls the strings in our lives, both literally and metaphorically. This powerful metaphor challenges the audience to reflect on autonomy and interconnectedness, inviting viewers to question who or what controls the strings in their lives and how these influences shape their personal narratives. Performative arts and fashion share a fundamental purpose to evoke emotion, tell stories, and create immersive experiences. Fashion shows, much like theatrical performances, rely on visual spectacle and narrative to captivate audiences. By merging their worlds, Dillane and Cirque du Soleil amplify the impact of their creative expressions. This recurring theme in Dillane’s work symbolizes the complex web of relationships defining our existence. The show emphasizes how great art is rarely created in isolation but results from diverse talents and perspectives forming a cohesive whole. Dillane celebrates the collective creativity driving innovation in both fashion and performing arts. The narrative will be woven into the collection, highlighting the intricate relationships between fashion, circus, and Cirque du Soleil’s unique visual identity. The KidSuper Spring/Summer 2025 collection stays true to the brand’s signature style, featuring vibrant art, bold colors, and eclectic prints, while venturing into more intricate designs and elaborate silhouettes. The overarching theme of the circus runs through the collection, which includes a special capsule of co-branded KidSuper and Cirque du Soleil products. Dillane has also created one exclusive costume in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. Each piece in the collection reflects the multi-dimensional nature of the KidSuper universe, where fashion, art, and performance converge to create an unforgettable experience. “We are incredibly excited to be partnering with Colm and Kidsuper on this innovative collaboration. Colm’s ability to push creativity and expression is in perfect synergy with the Cirque du Soleil brand”, adds Melanie Summers, Head of Licensing for Cirque du Soleil. # # # About KidSuper KidSuper was created by Colm Dillane. Although KidSuper is best known as artist and designer, Colm Dillane’s clothing label, he prefers to brand all of his creative ventures under this moniker. KidSuper is a creative collective that designs and makes clothes; paints and does art shows; records music; and makes films and music videos, all out of KidSuper’s Brooklyn space. KidSuper is a platform for Colm’s abounding creativity, and its success has made the artist and designer an unexpected reference in American fashion. Dillane firmly believes that enthusiasm is contagious, and that whatever you do, giving it the utmost enthusiasm will capture people’s heart. “When you are little, you believe you can do anything and that everything is possible – you’re young and you’re free. KidSuper lives by that philosophy.” Colm Dillane/KidSuper won the 2021 special Karl Lagerfeld Prize at the prestigious LVMH Prize and the 2022 CDFA /Vogue Fashion Fund, was nominated for the 2022 CFDA American Emerging Designer of the Year Award, then the following year nominated for the 2023 CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year Award. He was invited to guest design the Louis Vuitton Homme Fall/Winter 2023 Collection and entered the BoF500 list in 2023. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ---------------------------------------------------------- Joey Arrigo Is Raising Temps This Summer {Jun.25.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Joey Arrigo discovered his love of dance at four-years-old when his sister was enrolled in ballet. “I stood at the door of the class with fire in my eyes, desperate to be in it myself,” he recalls. At five- years-old, he discovered a VHS recording of Cirque du Soleil’s 1989 show Nouvelle Experience and was so captivated by it, he taught himself the contortionist act – or rather, a simulation of it – that he reenacted for his family in his living room. Twenty years later he would find himself in the real Cirque du Soleil, featured in their Kooza show and playing the principal character in Volta. He has since appeared in Disney’s Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure and Canada’s So You Think You Can Dance. This summer, Arrigo is combining his love of dance with a newfound passion in music. He’s out with “Get Down,” a track inspired by his love of 80s synth pop and early 2000s pop, about learning to succumb to movement and pleasure. Q. We love your new look, Joey! It is a very honest look at who and where I am in my life at 32 years old. I wanted to take this opportunity to show myself and everyone around me that bald is sexy. Sure, I don’t have the full hair I once had, but I’ve learned that I have a great shaped skull, this pretty face, brows shaped to the gods, a full beard and a body that continues to serve me in so many ways. Q. It’s a delicious mix of masculine and feminine. That I get to define! As long as I am able to feel good about the way I look and connect to my appearance, it only makes sense that this is who I am supposed to be in the moment. Q. You are best known for your work in Cirque du Soleil. Being a part of two Cirque du Soleil shows, traveling on tour with the company for six years, was a huge achievement for me as a dancer because it was something I had wanted since I could remember. It was the driving force behind my motivation as a young artist and it felt like reward to be able to perform on those stages. Q. Did you make any mistakes in the beginning of your choreography career? My brain always resorts to doing more to try and please audiences. It took me a good while in my artistic existence to honor stillness, breath, and simplicity. I was able to bring this learned aspect of dance into my choreography. The majority of audiences won’t understand the complexities and high-level skills it takes to perform advanced technical skills. They will be impressed by it, for sure. But choreography that is jam packed with stuff, inevitably, falls flat. Q. What inspired you to step up to the mic and sing? I joined the cast of Rock of Ages in Toronto and sang with artists from the music industry. Through discussions on techniques and skills, I began to embrace my identity as a singer. Q. How did you choose the sound for your own music? My latest track, “Get Down,” was produced by Velvet Code with So Fierce Music Productions. The sound came from the energy we wanted the song to exude. We wanted this electric pop, rock sound that brought sexual energy that made people want to dance. Q. It’s a very catchy song! I wanted to create something that people would hear just once and instantly feel connected to. Anytime I play the first few beats of the song for anyone, I watch as they find fire in their eyes as that dark sexy energy takes over them. It is exactly what we wanted! Q. The remixes are fire too. I wanted “Get Down” to exist and thrive on all types of dance floors. We collaborated with some of the most amazing DJs working today including DJ Dan Slater, Ray Rhodes, Shimmy G and Virasco, Erick Ibiza and GSP. Q. What is it about high energy dance music that makes people forget their problems? We feel good when we have a rush of energy through our body. Escaping to the dancefloor gives our bodies that treat of pleasure to rebalance ourselves and embrace energy that allows us to live lighter and happier. Q. If you could change one thing about yourself, Joey, what would it be? Nothing! Me is pretty fucking awesome. Q. On what occasion do you lie? I’ll lie to save someone from getting hurt. Q. If you could live anywhere on the planet, where would you live? I always have the fantasy of learning Japanese and moving to Japan. Q. Can you tell us a little about your work with CANFAR and why it’s so important to you? I recently become a national ambassador for The Canadian Foundation for Aids Research and I am planning to use my platform to share how art played a huge part in helping me process my diagnoses. I had a safe space to talk through my journey and to use my skills and passions to help me learn about what my mind, body and spirit are going through, while at the same time, I get to share with others and relate to their experiences as well. Q. What is your message to someone who has been newly diagnosed? HIV/AIDS is not a death sentence; it is a chronic condition. You get to keep being your sexy, charming self while spreading love, acceptance and awareness of HIV for everyone in your community. Everybody has moments that make them reevaluate their life. Most people don’t think about those things until later. It is a blessing to gain a beautiful perspective on the world around you. Life is full of opportunity that can all be yours. Q. What’s next for you? I want “Get Down” to be spinning at every club all summer and for the next twenty years. I want to create more music with 10x the budget and I don’t want to have to pay for it myself! Where are the rich sugar daddies who like art and sexy gay boys? Q. Are you looking for someone to Get Down with this summer? I recently separated from my partner. It was difficult because I love him more than anything or anyone in the world, but we are at different stages in life and want different things. While I welcome as much romance, love, passion and connection into my life as I can, the only person I’m going to get down with this summer… is Joey. Joey Arrigo’s “Get Down” and its remixes are available on Spotify, Apple Music and streaming platforms via So Fierce Music/The Orchard/Sony Music Entertainment. Visit GetDownwithJoey.com. Follow Joey Arrigo on Instagram @getdownwithjoey. { SOURCE: In Magazine } ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil Launches Cirque du Soleil STUDIO {Jun.27.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group (“Cirque du Soleil” or “the Company”) announces the creation of its new Cirque du Soleil STUDIO. This new division will produce long-form content with programming that harnesses Cirque du Soleil’s DNA, to drive revenue, serve the company’s existing fanbase and to draw new fans to the brand. Under the direction of Susan Levison, all genres of programming will be produced within this division, including unscripted and scripted television, film, animation and documentaries. “I am delighted to welcome Susan to our team. Her extensive expertise in content, strategy, and operations will be instrumental in realizing our vision and ambitious growth plans. Under her leadership, we are poised for success as we announce the opening of our new studios in Los Angeles. This expansion, a significant milestone under my direction, underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence. It enables us to fully leverage our remarkable intellectual properties, delivering a diverse and dynamic array of content to global audiences. Our LA studios signify not merely an expansion of space but a profound evolution in our creative capabilities, establishing a new benchmark for engaging entertainment across multiple platforms,” stated Anne Belliveau, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “Among the many projects in active development, Cirque du Soleil STUDIO has teamed with Ridley Scott and Scott Free Productions to develop and go to market with a groundbreaking concept for a feature film based on “O”. “We are delighted to be partnering with such a visionary and iconic brand that is Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group,” said Michael Pruss, President of Film Production at Scott Free. “We cannot wait to come together and bring the incredible world of “O” to the big screen for audiences around the world.” Based in Los Angeles, Levison brings more than 20 years of experience in developing and producing premium content across all genres. She most recently served as Head of Studios, WWE, where she oversaw the creative and operational relaunch of the company’s global content studio and sold multiple projects to Netflix, A&E and Peacock, among others. Previously, she was Senior Vice President, Alternative Programming at CBS Television Studios, where she was responsible for all unscripted development and production across cable, streaming and digital platforms. Prior to CBS, Levison served as Executive Vice President, Original Programming & Production at VH1, overseeing more than 350 hours of original programming and development each year. She began her career at Fox Broadcasting Company in the Alternative Development where she worked on shows such as American Idol, Temptation Island and The Simple Life. She also worked in both the Drama Development and Comedy Development departments, where she worked on such series as Bones, House, and Bob’s Burgers. “I’m thrilled to be joining the vibrant and talented team at Cirque du Soleil during such an exciting time of growth and transformation. We intend to leverage our extensive IP library to create TV and Film projects that surprise and delight our audience,” said Levison. # # # About Scott Free Productions Scott Free Productions was formed in 1995 and is the film and television production vehicle of acclaimed film directors, brothers Ridley and Tony Scott. The company is responsible for some of the most successful films ever made – including Top Gun, Gladiator, Blade Runner, Alien, American Gangster, Thelma and Louise and Black Hawk Down. Scott Free films have received over 80 Academy Award® nominations. Recent releases include Napoleon, A Haunting in Venice, House of Gucci, The Last Duel, Blade Runner 2049, Death on the Nile, Alien: Covenant, and All the Money in the World. Upcoming films include the sequel to Gladiator; Alien: Romulus; and A Sacrifice. Scott Free also recently wrapped production on Trap House for Amazon Studios and Signature Entertainment, directed by Michael Dowse and starring Dave Bautista; is in post-production on Echo Valley for Apple, directed by Michael Pearce and starring Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney; and is in pre-production on The Chronology of Water, Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut starring Imogen Poots. Scott Free is soon to start production on Bee Gees, to be directed by Ridley Scott for Paramount Pictures and GK Films this Fall. Scott Free has offices in Los Angeles and London in conjunction with RSA Films, one of the world’s largest and most successful commercial production houses. ---------------------------------------------------------- Conrad Askland: From a Love of Music to Cirque Du Soleil {Jul.18.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- In a world where the status quo reigns supreme, the standout figures who take the path less traveled to find mesmerizing journeys and fulfillment in their lives are always intriguing to hear about, and today, we’ve had the privilege of sitting down with one of those standout figures. Conrad Askland is a musician who has spent his life learning the ins and outs of the music world and climbing all the way to the top as a bandleader in Cirque Du Soleil. Here are, in his own words, the highlights of his life, accomplishments, and goals. Q. Can you tell us about your early life and what initially sparked your passion for music? As a young boy I started classical training as a choirboy with the Northwest Boychoir in Seattle, WA (USA). This led to many opera performances with the Seattle Opera. My early training was very strict and solely Opera, Early Music and Baroque Music. I really wanted to study piano, but my father said I had to study French Horn for a year before piano. So, I started on French Horn, then added piano lessons, vocal lessons and eventually bass guitar lessons. For many years I was taking private lessons on all those instruments and then private music composition lessons at the Cornish Institute in Seattle, WA. Looking back, this was an immense amount of different music styles to take in as a young boy. I was very lucky that my parents supported all of those studies. Q. Before joining Cirque du Soleil, what were some of the projects you worked on, and how did they shape your career? For 16 years I managed a recording studio in Southern California. During that time, I worked on an immense variety of music from corporate soundtracks, punk bands, heavy metal, country and a lot of hip hop music. It gave me a background not just in audio engineering, but in creating charts and working with studio musicians on all the albums. Often, I would also add keyboard, orchestration and sweetener tracks – effectively also building my chops as a studio musician. While running the studio, I also gave piano lessons on the side and usually played with bar bands in the evenings and always for churches on Sunday morning. I think for about 10 years I kept this pace up working around the clock and I don’t regret any of it. Q. How did you become involved with Cirque du Soleil, and what was that process like? I’ve worked as bandleader on 3 shows for Cirque du Soleil so far. After doing auditions in Las Vegas they hired me to work on their show in Macau, China called “Zaia”. After that I worked on the arena tour of “Varekai” and now I’m on the world tour of their ice-skating show “Crystal”. We’ve performed on 5 continents with Crystal and we’re currently doing shows in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Q. In your recent YouTube video, “Cirque du Soleil Musicians Play ‘Steampunk Telegram’ from the Show KURIOS,” you collaborated with the Crystal Cirque du Soleil band to perform a piece from a different Cirque show. What was the experience like recording this music video while on tour in Christchurch, and how did playing a song from another Cirque show influence your creative process? Cirque du Soleil casting asked the Cirque bands if they would like to cover a song from a different CDS show and we said “heck yeah, that sounds like fun”. We were given Steampunk Telegram from the show Kurios to record. There was no restriction on what the final sound needed to be so we adjusted to our small band to create a similar arrangement that has our own unique style. It was a really fun project and also very challenging to film and record while moving around on tour. Q. How do you approach innovation in music production, and what are some techniques you use to keep your work fresh and exciting? Every music project or show that I work on usually requires me to learn a new software, music style and/or skill set. Since I’m always working on new projects, it’s kind of built-in that I am always learning new techniques and software. I work with musicians from all over the world and they each have something unique to teach about their particular music specialty. Music software is always changing and updating from music notation to music recording and mastering. Q. How have you seen the landscape of music releases and publishing change over the years? Back in the 1990’s I was producing music for artists outside Los Angeles that all wanted to “get signed”. The goal was to get picked up by a major label. Then in the late 1990’s the game started to change with a lot of artists selling their own CD’s at concerts and online sales started to gain momentum around 2001. This was starting to be a great time for indie artists and I also was starting to sell a lot of CD’s online. The 2003 launch of the Apple iTunes store took a little bit to take off but many of us were doing very well with downloads by 2006 onwards. Around 2015 I noticed big drops in downloads and a slow trend toward streaming. Currently in 2024 streaming is where it’s at. All these changes over 30 years from indie CD’s, downloads and streaming – they force us as musicians to change our business strategies if we want to be successful. I’m very interested to see what the next major music industry shift will be. Q. Can you tell us about any upcoming projects you are excited about? My current Cirque du Soleil tour will finish in June of 2025. I’m excited to see what my next show will be. It’s always an adventure when you work as a music director and touring musician. I have dozens of new videos planned over the next year, at least 10 album releases and I just found out that one of my original musical theater shows will have another run in Washington State (USA) in 2025. Every year is something new for me in the world of music and entertainment. Q. Who are some of the artists or producers that you admire and draw inspiration from? J.S Bach, Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and David Foster. JS Bach is an unlimited source of keyboard inspiration for me. I have spent a lot of time reading about the “rules” and aesthetics of Sondheim and Bernstein. I can never match their genius but I do apply their guidelines to the theater works that I create. Q. Looking back on your career, what do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? For many years it felt like I was racking up items for my resume; trying to do bigger and better. Now, I work on the projects that I enjoy, and I find that my greatest treasure is the close friendships that have developed from working in theater and music. Those friendships have been forged in the flame of bringing shows to the stage. Q. Do musicians need to have college degrees? No, not for performing musicians. Every gig I’ve ever done was by audition and no one has ever asked about my education. But I do have a Bachelor’s Degree from Berklee College of Music and a Master’s Degree in Arts Leadership from Colorado State University. I also have professional certification in Pro Tools and Ableton Live software. * * * Throughout this interview, we’re not just graced with valuable insight into the life and world of a successful, globe-trotting musician at the top of his field. We receive the gift of first-hand knowledge being passed down to all the aspiring musicians who are just starting off on their journeys and still nerve wracked with all the possibilities and complexities that arise. Conrad’s an inspiration to not just follow our own dreams and pursue our goals, but to ultimately evolve in an ever-changing world and embrace the journey along the way. From singing in a boy-choir to seeing the entire industry change with the advent of iTunes, all the way to exploring the globe with the most renowned musical theater groups around, Conrad’s journey is one that provides a lifetime of experience and entertainment. { SOURCE: The Daily Scanner } ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil and BMG Form New Alliance {Jul.18.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- BMG and Cirque du Soleil have formed a partnership to handle the live entertainment company’s musical catalog, as well as explore a number of music-oriented initiatives. The agreement calls for BMG to be the label home for Cirque’s catalog of original scores and soundtracks, administer its music publishing and jointly create new music. The first release under the pact is the country-themed Songblazers, out today. Songblazers is Cirque’s newest production, presented in conjunction with Universal Music Group Nashville, about two characters who go on a journey to find their own path to country music stardom. The soundtrack was produced by Grammy-winning producer Daniel Tashian. The partnership will be led by Cirque du Soleil’s new music division, Cirque du Soleil Studio, which is tasked with expanding the brand’s fan base. “The power of music has long been a force uniting cultures and peoples in Cirque du Soleil productions around the world. As music plays an integral part in our productions, we’re proud to finally dive into the music industry and explore this new avenue,” said Anne Belliveau, chief customer experience officer for Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “Over the last few years, BMG has brought a fresh vision to the music business, and we look forward to partnering with BMG on a variety of music-related opportunities.” Marian Wolf, senior vp of music publishing, North America, for BMG added, “Cirque du Soleil is one of the most innovative and creative entertainment companies in the world. We are thrilled to be the new publishing and recorded music home for Cirque du Soleil and to collaborate on upcoming new releases. This will provide unparalleled opportunities for BMG’s diverse roster of artists, songwriters, and catalogs. Together we aim to celebrate and elevate global culture by showcasing diverse music releases and transforming the way global audiences discover new music.” Cirque’s catalog includes more than 30 titles including the recordings to such popular Cirque du Soleil productions as Ka, O, Alegria, Mystere, La Nouba, Dralion, Saltimbanco, Zumanity and Quidam. (The deal does not include Love, the Cirque production based on the Beatles catalog; that title remains on Apple/Capitol. Separately, BMG has publishing and recording relationships with Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and the late George Harrison). Cirque’s catalog has earned more than 250 million career streams in the U.S .and more than 500,000 album equivalents sold in the US alone, according to the company. { SOURCE: Billboard } ---------------------------------------------------------- NYT: ‘Without a Net’ Review: How the Magic Happens {Jul.18.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Conventional wisdom once held, snootily, that circus folk were quirky, superstitious, given to idiosyncratic behavior. Whether that was ever really true or not, the members of the rather unconventional Cirque du Soleil, as portrayed in the new documentary “Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net,” happen to be rather remarkably levelheaded. In scenes of conception, rehearsal and more, nobody raises a voice, storms off, indulges in Machiavellian scheming or displays anything vaguely resembling diva or divo behavior. One acrobat expresses a hope to bring a new trick to a revived show. When she can’t make it work, she reverts to her rehearsed routine and resolves to come up with something some other time. No drama. The movie is not boring or dry, though, as “Without a Net,” directed by Dawn Porter, chronicles a critical period in the organization’s history: the remounting of a show after the pandemic shutdowns. (It had dozens of shows playing around the world before the pandemic. The virus shut them down within 48 hours in March 2020, and 95 percent of the company’s staff was laid off.) Over a year later, the company began remounting “O,” its popular Las Vegas show. The title is a pun: This spectacle features acrobats performing without a net above an ingeniously engineered pool of water — as in “eau,” the French word for water. Porter’s inquisitive camera gives the viewer enticing detail on how everything comes together — for instance, unbeknown to the audience, the pool is constantly monitored by rescue divers in scuba gear who also serve as prop people — while holding in suitable awe the actual magic all this work eventually yields. { SOURCE: The New York Times } ---------------------------------------------------------- First Shared Reality Production of “O” Premiers at COSM Los Angeles {Jul.26.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Cosm, a leading immersive, media, and technology company, last night presented the first-ever Shared Reality production of Cirque du Soleil’s iconic show “O” at Cosm Los Angeles, the company’s first experiential venue which features an 87-foot diameter 12K+ LED dome, located at Hollywood Park. Bridging the virtual and physical worlds, Cosm’s Shared Reality experience merges state-of-the-art visuals with the energy of the crowd and elevated food and beverage service to make fans feel like they have the best seat in the house at the most sought-after events from around the globe. After 25 years on stage and with over 19 million guests entertained, “O” is solidified as the most successful production in Cirque du Soleil history. Now, for the first time, Cosm is delivering a completely new way to experience “O” outside of the live, in-person showing at Bellagio in Las Vegas. At Cosm Los Angeles, guests are transported to never-before-seen vantage points, surrounded by acrobatics, artistry, and the dreamlike vignettes of the aquatic masterpiece. Every sight, sound, and stunning detail of “O” will envelop the senses as guests experience the awe and wonder of Cirque du Soleil’s first fully digital and immersive experience in Shared Reality. “As trailblazers in the realm of creativity, Cirque du Soleil thrives on continuously pushing the boundaries of creativity,” stated Melanie Summers, Head of Global Licensing and Location Based Entertainment at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “Cosm’s LED canvas is an entirely new and exciting avenue to amplify unforgettable performances and unlock a new level of immersion that will transport audiences at scale to realms beyond imagination. This collaboration with Cosm demonstrates our desire to diversify our offerings beyond the live stage while leveraging our intellectual property and engaging fans through various platforms.” “Our collaboration with Cirque du Soleil will unleash a new level of access and immersion for the iconic ‘O’ for both longtime fans and for those who want to experience it in an entirely new way,” added Neil Carty, VP, Head of Cosm Studios at Cosm. “Both Cirque du Soleil and Cosm have been at the forefront of genre-defining entertainment experiences for decades, and we are thrilled to blend our collective innovation, creativity, and technology to deliver a one-of-a-kind theatrical production that will forever change the way fans experience the awe and wonder of performance art.” Tickets for “O” at Cosm Los Angeles start at $45 USD and can be purchased immediately on Cosm.com or via Cosm’s fully integrated app, which is available in the App Store and on the Google Play Store. Cirque du Soleil will continue to present “O” live and in-person at Bellagio in Las Vegas from Wednesday to Sunday, 7pm and 9:30pm PT. Tickets are available at www.cirquedusoleil.com/o About Cosm Cosm is the leading experiential media and immersive technology company redefining the way the world experiences content. With a storied history of building some of the most innovative experience technology in the world, Cosm provides sensorial experiences for every type of fan, from sports and entertainment to immersive art and education. Its immersive venues bridge the virtual and physical worlds through pioneered technology that expands the realm of what’s possible, connecting people and bringing them together in Shared Reality. As the company continues to expand to new cities and countries, Cosm is sparking shared passions and providing guests across the globe with experiences they need to feel to believe. To learn more about Cosm, visit www.cosm.com and follow on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok. { SOURCE: PR Newswire } ---------------------------------------------------------- Meet Helena Merten, LUZIA Butterfly {Jul.31.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Helena Merten ran away to join the circus. Now the talented Queenslander is returning home … with the circus. The 29-year-old Gold Coaster, one of the stars of Cirque du Soleil – LUZIA, is revelling in the 2024-25 Australian tour and especially happy to be heading to Brisbane where the show opens on September 25. That will mean she is close to home and friends and family, all of whom she expects to see in the Big Top when it sets up next to the Royal Queensland Golf Club on the northern banks of the Brisbane River. The former student of A.B. Paterson College is now an internationally renowned performer. In LUZIA, as the spectacular Running Woman (a character that is essentially a giant butterfly), she does hoop diving, Chinese pole work and swing-to-swing acrobatics, which keeps her busy. “I share the role of Running Woman in this amazing butterfly costume,” Merten says. “I also do hoop diving and other acts and I guess I’m on for about 20 minutes.” That’s a lot of time considering what she gets up to. The Running Woman act is particularly poetic and spectacular and features one of the most notable costumes. “I wear a monarch butterfly-inspired costume and I have these huge wings that are six metres long each,” Merten says. “My favourite part in the show is how that character is introducing the imagined world of Mexico to the audience.” Because Mexico is the inspiration for LUZIA, which premiered in 2016 and has been touring the world since with Merten one of its star performers. Drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of Mexico’s cultural heritage, the production unfolds as a breath-taking kaleidoscope of colour, sound and gravity-defying feats. It features 1000 costumes. Merten joined the show in 2017 and has travelled to Mexico with LUZIA. “Visiting Mexico really helped us understand things better about the culture,” she says. “We were relieved that they loved it there.” Director Daniela Finza Pasca also wrote the show and researched it thoroughly. LUZIA invites people to an imaginary Mexico, like in a waking dream where light (“luz” in Spanish) quenches the spirit and rain (“Iluvia” ) soothes the soul in a series of grand visual surprises and breath-taking acrobatic performances. LUZIA takes audiences on a surrealistic journey through a vibrant world filled with wonders, playfulness and striking artistry. As it smoothly passes from an old movie set to the ocean, to a smoky dance hall in an arid desert, it brings to the stage multiple places, faces and sounds of Mexico, both traditional and contemporary. Rain is incorporated into acrobatic and artistic scenes, which is a first for a Cirque du Soleil touring production. For Merten, coming home in this show is just part of the dream she has been living since she left the Gold Coast to make her way in the world. She trained in gymnastics as a youngster, became a national champion in tumbling and finished second at the Sports Acrobatics Nationals as a flyer in women’s pairs. At 18 she left home to join the cast of The House of Dancing Water in Macau and at age 21 went on to become the youngest athlete to compete in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. In 2017 she sent a video to Cirque du Soleil and was snapped up quicker than she expected when she was offered the chance to join LUZIA as a hoop diver and Chinese pole specialist, two disciplines she had never specialised in. But after a few weeks training at the Cirque du Soleil headquarters in Montreal it was clear she was a star in the making and she has toured the world with them ever since. “It’s a dream come true,” Merten says. “I’ve been very fortunate because I have dreamt of this since I was seven years old when I saw my first Cirque du Soleil show, QUIDAM, in Brisbane. Now I’m returning home to Queensland, where it all began, and I am beyond excited to perform in front of my home-town crowd.” LUZIA senior tour director Yannick Spierkel says the company always feels welcome in Brisbane. “Queensland has always been a huge fanbase for Cirque du Soleil, ever since our first show in Australia, Saltimbanco, opened here in 1999,” Spierkel says. “In 2024, our 25th anniversary year in Australia – the love affair continues.” { SOURCE: InReview } ---------------------------------------------------------- Without a Net: Stream It or Skip It? {Aug.01.2024} ---------------------------------------------------------- Without a Net, now streaming on Prime Video, takes us behind the scenes of O, Cirque du Soleil’s permanent show at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. In 2020, the pandemic shut the production down completely, and Cirque du Soleil itself went into bankruptcy. But 400 days later, it was time for the COVID “intermission” to end, and Without a Net follows O’s performers and technical staff as they prepare for the rebooted show’s return on a tight eight-week schedule. A company of nearly 100 strong – dancers, divers, swimmers, acrobats, clowns – and hundreds of staffers – 2000 costumes to clean – perfecting their craft in a purpose-built theater featuring a one-million gallon water tank. Oh, and lots of people flying around on wires. What could possibly go wrong? The Gist: Everybody bought crazy stuff during the pandemic, but for Cirque du Soleil trapeze artist Emma Garrovillo, purchasing a lollipop lyra and installing the device for aerial practice in her living room was the only way to stay sane. Without A Net profiles Cirque artists like Garrovillo, acrobat Amber Basgall, artistic swimmer Bill May, and dancer Rob Knowles as O ramps back up in 2021, from a full stop to full dress rehearsals in a matter of weeks. Their skill sets need to warm up, in practice their coaches urge them to lock back into the required mindset, and there is always the sense of inherent risk. “Sometimes I have to stop myself and realize, ‘OK, what you’re doing is actually really dangerous,’” Basgall says as she trains for an elaborate, high-flying acrobatic routine involving a boat seesawing in the space above O’s massive water stage. “But I love it. It’s zen for me.” There’s no narration here, no sidelines into talking heads or experts in modern circus performance. Without a Net moves along steadily as it presents backstories for its profiled artists, many of whom were competitive athletes recruited into the ranks of Cirque du Soleil, and features them both at home in their personal lives and down at the theater, where practice sessions are often as rewarding as they are tense. (The company’s senior artistic director emerges as doc’s villain of sorts, always unhappy with the clarity of the company’s highly precise movements. Check out how he dresses down a clown for improvising a new sequence.) In workout clothes instead of their colorful stage makeup and elaborate costumes, the kind of – very – insane things these people do for a living – flying through the air to be caught by a partner, or holding their breath underwater while lifting another swimmer out of the big tank, all to specifically timed cues – becomes clear. “Places please for clowns, human comets, musicians, and fluid effects. Emma is on the trapeze.” On the night of the show’s big return, there are nerves galore and determined faces underneath carefully-applied makeup. Will the pick point for Garrovillo’s personally-designed trapeze trick be effective? Will the bateau team work its representation of a sailing ship with the exact amount of momentum Basgall requires to execute her inverted leap from one set of hands to another? “Aquatics, send the divers to their places.” Everyone practiced enough or they didn’t. Either way, it’s go time at the circus. What Movies Will It Remind You Of? Prime Video actually has an entire suite of Cirque du Soleil programming. Without a Net joins Flow, a 2023 documentary tribute to the artists of O, and there are also entire Cirque shows available to stream, like Worlds Away from 2012. Performance Worth Watching: “Holy crap, I didn’t think I had it in me!” The artists profiled in Without a Net tend to be humble about their craft, just quietly dedicated to always getting better. And then you watch acrobat Amber Basgall – from a sitting position – ascend a rope in like three seconds, her legs remaining at ninety degrees the entire time. The strength levels and technical skill sets on display throughout the doc are regularly astonishing. Memorable Dialogue: With only one week to go before the show’s return, senior artistic director Pierre Parisien still isn’t happy with cast rehearsals. “Now we are at the phase where we need to run it. Is it at the level it should be? No, not yet. Because for me, it’s not organic yet. And for that, they need to do it.” Sex and Skin: Not really. Artistic swimmers in their suits, acrobats in form-fitting costumes, fire dancers not wearing shirts – Without a Net frames the artists at work with an appreciation of the human form. Our Take: It’s Summer Olympics season, so individuals competing at a world-class level is once again a topic of conversation. And elite performance is also on display in Without a Net, a doc that’s at its best when it spends quality time with the artists of Cirque du Soleil as they push themselves to achieve ever higher levels of precision, power, and grace. In one interview, a diver explains how his discipline comes relatively easy to him after having done it thousands upon thousands of times. But that doesn’t diminish how crazy it is to see him drop like a bullet from high up in the rafters of the Bellagio’s O Theatre and pierce the surface of the million-gallon tank below. It might as well be an Olympic event, and he’s doing it twice a night in front of thousands. But because our anticipation isn’t wrapped up with whether or not the performer will medal, we’re able to enjoy such feats in Without a Net from a more personal perspective. We aren’t just watching the moment of competition. We saw all the sweat and toil it took to mount the performance. We’re invested in how a Cirque acrobat will stick the landing, because she already showed us the X-rays from her eight surgeries. “Injuries from my craft.” In the end, Without a Net is inspiring, because who among us doesn’t worry about sticking a landing every single day? Our Call: STREAM IT. Cirque du Soleil: Without a Net is a post- pandemic story with a lot of benefit to come out of what was a tough time for everyone. And with its level of access to the work these artists and performers put in, it sometimes feels like we’re the ones about to grab that trapeze or fly unfettered through the air. { SOURCE: Decider } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Alegría INAL, Kooza, Kurios, Luzia, Bazzar, ECHO, and 'TWAS THE NIGHT} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Crystal, Corteo, Messi10, OVO} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA, Drawn to Life, and Mad Apple} 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 ------------------------------------ Alegría-In a New Light: Alicante, ES -- July 16, 2024 to September 1, 2024 Seville, ES -- September 28, 2024 to November 10, 2024 Madrid, ES -- December 4, 2024 to January 6, 2025 Rome, IT -- March 1, 2025 to April 13, 2025 Milan, IT -- April 25, 2025 to June 2, 2025 Trieste, IT -- June 13, 2025 to July 13, 2025 Kooza: Laguna Hills, CA -- June 8, 2024 to August 4, 2024 Portland, OR -- August 21, 2024 to October 6, 2024 Santa Monica, CA -- October 19, 2024 to December 1, 2024 Seattle, WA -- January 19, 2025 to March 2, 2025 Kurios: Montreal, QC -- May 23, 2024 to August 25, 2024 Guadalajara, MX -- September 19, 2024 to October 20, 2024 Luzia: Perth, AU -- July 25, 2024 to September 1, 2024 Brisbane, AU -- September 25, 2024 to November 10, 2024 Sydney, AU -- November 24, 2024 to January 27, 2025 Bazzar: Gran Canaria -- September 29, 2024 to January 6, 2025 ECHO: Toronto, ON -- May 8, 2024 to August 4, 2024 Gatineau, QC -- August 16, 2024 to September 22, 2024 Vancouver, BC -- October 9, 2024 to December 15, 2024 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE: Sao Paulo, BR -- Jul 5, 2024 to Oct 6, 2024 Santiago, CL -- Oct 24, 2025 to Nov 3, 2024 Quebec, QC -- Dec 26, 2024 to Dec 29, 2024 Saint John, NB -- Jan 2, 2025 to Jan 5, 2025 Cincinnati, OH -- Jan 9, 2025 to Jan 12, 2025 Toledo, OH -- Jan 16, 2025 to Jan 19, 2025 Rockford, IL -- Feb 6, 2025 to Feb 9, 2025 Moline, IL -- Feb 13, 2025 to Feb 16, 2025 Winnipeg, MB -- Feb 20, 2025 to Feb 23, 2025 Edmonton, AB -- Feb 26, 2025 to Mar 2, 2025 Prince George, BC -- Mar 6, 2025 to Mar 9, 2025 CORTEO: Charlotte, NC -- Aug 1, 2024 to Aug 4, 2024 Raleigh, NC -- Aug 8, 2024 to Aug 11, 2024 Duluth, GA -- Aug 15, 2024 to Aug 18, 2024 Bordeaux, FR -- Sep 19, 2024 to Sep 22, 2024 Prague, CZ -- Sep 25, 2024 to Sep 29, 2024 Leipzig, DE -- Oct 2, 2024 to Oct 6, 2024 Mannheim, DE -- Oct 10, 2024 to Oct 13, 2024 Zurich, CH -- Oct 17, 2024 to Oct 20, 2024 Hamburg, DE -- Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 27, 2024 Stuttgart, DE -- Oct 30, 2024 to Nov 3, 2024 Paris, FR -- Nov 6, 2024 to Nov 10, 2024 Rotterdam, NL -- Nov 15, 2024 to Nov 17, 2024 Bremen, DE -- Nov 21, 2024 to Nov 24, 2024 Ljubljana, SK -- Dec 12, 2024 to Dec 15, 2024 Munich, DE -- Dec 18, 2024 to Dec 22, 2024 Lyon, FR -- Dec 26, 2024 to Dec 29, 2024 London, UK -- Jan 9, 2025 to Mar 2, 2025 Oberhausen, DE -- Mar 20, 2025 to Mar 23, 2025 Lisbon, PT -- Apr 10, 2025 to Apr 20, 2025 Cologne, DE -- May 21, 2025 to May 25, 2025 MESSI10: Lima, PE -- Aug 7, 2024 to Aug 11, 2024 OVO: Providence, RI -- Aug 1, 2024 to Aug 4, 2024 Manchester, NH -- Aug 8, 2024 to Aug 11, 2024 Elmont, NY -- Aug 15, 2024 to Aug 18, 2024 Indianapolis, IN -- Aug 22, 2024 to Aug 25, 2024 Lexington, KY -- Aug 29, 2024 to Sep 1, 2024 Louisville, KY -- Sep 5, 2024 to Sep 8, 2024 Washington, DC -- Sep 11 2024 to Sep 15, 2024 Cleveland, OH -- Sep 19, 2024 to Sep 22, 2024 Columbia, SC -- Sep 26, 2024 to Sep 29, 2024 Chattanooga, TN -- Oct 3, 2024 to Oct 6, 2024 St. Catharines, ON -- Dec 21, 2024 to Dec 22, 2024 Montreal, QC -- Dec 27, 2024 to Jan 5, 2025 Worcester, MA -- Jan 9, 2025 to Jan 12, 2025 Wichita, KS -- Feb 7, 2025 to Feb 9, 2025 Hoffman Estates, IL -- Feb 13, 2025 to Feb 16, 2025 St. Catharines, ON -- Feb 20, 2025 to Feb 23, 2025 SONGBLAZERS: Sugar Land, TX -- Aug 1, 2024 to Aug 11, 2024 Austin, TX -- Aug 14, 2024 to Aug 18, 2024 San Antonio, TX -- Aug 21, 2024 to Aug 25, 2024 Birmingham, AL -- Sep 12, 2024 to Sep 15, 2024 New Orleans, LA -- Sep 18, 2024 to Sep 22, 2024 Dallas, TX -- Sep 25, 2024 to Oct 20, 2024 St. Louis, MO -- Oct 23, 2024 to Oct 27, 2024 Tulsa, OK -- Nov 22, 2024 to Nov 24, 2024 Fayetteville, AR -- Nov 27, 2024 to Dec 1, 2024 Green Bay, WI -- Dec 5, 2024 to Dec 8, 2024 Columbus, OH -- Dec 11, 2024 to Dec 15, 2024 Baltimore, MD -- Dec 20, 2024 to Dec 29, 2024 --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- Mystere: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Variable Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2024 Dark Days: o) July 19, 2024 o) Sept. 13 thru 17, 2024 o) Nov. 8, 2024 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm KA: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2024 Dark Days: o) August 13 - 14, 2024 o) October 19 - 23, 2024 o) November 23, 2024 MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday - Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2024 Dark Days: o) August 11 - 24, 2024 o) October 24, 2024 o) November 21 - 23, 2024 JOYA: Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday DRAWN TO LIFE: Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando, Florida (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly: 5:30pm and 8:00pm (Tues-Sat); 1:30pm and 4:00pm (Sun) MAD APPLE: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm Age Requirements: - Children under 16 not permitted. - Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult ======================================================================= CIRQUECONNECT - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= --------------------------------------------------- LIFE IS A CIRCUS: Posts from the Official Blog --------------------------------------------------- o) BIDDING FAREWELL TO THE BEATLES LOVE By: Maxim Potvin | July 6, 2024 It’s true, after 18 amazing years, The Beatles LOVE is taking its final bow on July 6th, 2024. As the adventure comes to a close for the cast and crew of LOVE, we wanted to take a lookback at all the joy the show brought to the audiences ever since it premiered, all those years ago. Not without shedding a tear, we’re saying goodbye to this spectacular journey and celebrating the legacy and impact of The Beatles LOVE. As with any Cirque du Soleil show, when it’s finally time to hang up the costumes and set down our props , there’s so much positivity and joy that can be felt during such an emotional journey. The Beatles songs that more than 11 million guests sang their hearts out to will echo for years to come as we reminisce on the wonderful times we had at the LOVE Theater at The Mirage. As Director Dominic Champagne puts it, LOVE was intended as “a rock ‘n’ roll poem”. Rather than retelling The Beatles’ story outright, LOVE was conceived as a journey through the emotions of The Beatles' music, experiences, and history in an utterly original way. LEGACY OF CHARACTERS A true LOVE story is only as good as its protagonists! With a wide cast of 80 artists, actors, acrobats and dancers bringing their own flavor to the show, it’s a dazzling tapestry of talent and passion that left audiences breathless and enchanted! This tribute paid homage to the beloved characters we got introduced to in the 60’s and 70’s in The Beatles’ legendary songs, such as Sgt. Pepper and Eleanor Rigby. The show is a whirlwind of color and energy, with each character representing a different era of The Beatles' history. We meet the whimsical Doctor Robert, a quirky, larger-than-life figure acting as the audience’s guide through their psychedelic musical journey. Eleanor Rigby, a poignant symbol of loneliness, beautifully portrayed to the haunting melody of her namesake song. The playful Lucy (in the Sky), with her ethereal presence, dazzled the audience in a dreamlike sequence as she performed aerial contortions above the stage. Sgt. Pepper, dressed in his brightly colored military uniform, embodies the spirit of the 1960s counterculture, bringing a sense of celebration and unity to the show. The Fool, with his eccentric charm, was the much-needed touch of humor and mischief to bring the show to a whole other level. These characters, along with many other cast members, dance, fly, and perform breathtaking acrobatics, alongside revisited classics from The Beatles' timeless discography. The show is not just a tribute to the band but a whimsical explosion of creativity, capturing the essence of love, peace, and imagination that The Beatles brought to the public during their unprecedented careers. SIGNATURE PERFORMANCES REMEMBERED As any Cirque du Soleil show, LOVE was a feast for those who appreciate the circus arts. The large cast consisting of 80 artists, actors, acrobats and dancers allowed for a varied range of memorable acts. The LOVE Theater being a bespoke construction was also a key element in imagining out-of-the box acts and new innovative ways to perform them on stage. HIGHLIGHTS On LOVE, the acts were chosen because they were all tied to something fans would easily recognize from The Beatles’ history. The acts were imagined and choreographed to fit with both the songs and their hidden meanings, playing during the performances. Every detail was thought out carefully to make the experience as perfect as it could be for the audience. Notable acts from the show include, amongst many other great performances, a sensual dance set to "Come Together," which embodies free love and rebellion. Another highlight is "Get Back," featuring a dynamic drum solo, modern dance styles and a daring bungee tête-à- tête. Lots of other acts have dazzled the audiences, old and young alike, such as the captivating aerial contortion of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". "Octopus’s Garden", a fan-favorite act, brought the spectators to a whimsical underwater ballet. Additionally, the trampoline act in "Revolution" and the roller coaster medley of "Twist and Shout" both brought high-energy acrobatics and the spirit of Beatlemania to the stage. This wide range of disciplines were all made possible thanks to a bespoke theater, designed solely for the show, allowing for incredible feats like never before. The numbers presented on stage piece out the history of The Beatles, one era after the other, to recreate the full timeline of the band’s lively road to stardom. THE EVOLUTION OF PERFORMANCES AND THEIR IMPACT ON AUDIENCES Acts, besides serving the purpose of dazzling the audience, help move the show along and introduce characters in a context that will make sense to the viewers. If you’re familiar with the inner workings of live entertainment, you already know that a show is alive and is always growing and evolving during its lifespan. A Cirque show is no stranger to an act swap after a few years. Events like a cast change that requires a new number to be created, new technologies allowing for new tricks or simply the introduction of a rotation act. The show you’ll see on opening day, no matter how great it is, will most likely be different when you see it again, even as soon as a few months later! This is a sure-fire way to keep things fresh and dynamic, and for the audience to experience something new, even on a production that’s been on The Strip for so long! ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENTS The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil has reached multiple remarkable milestones. As a reimagining of the Beatles' music through innovative choreography and spectacular acrobatics, the show blended nostalgic tunes with contemporary circus artistry. LOVE’s groundbreaking visual and audio techniques offered an immersive experience that paid tribute to The Beatles' legacy. Recognized for its artistic excellence, LOVE has won several awards and continues to be celebrated for its unique fusion of music, performance, and theatrical creativity. As it is with every Cirque du Soleil production, taking the least-frequented path was the clear trajectory for this, at the time, new creation. Costumes were a core component of creating the world of The Beatles LOVE. Intricate creations by Cirque du Soleil’s ateliers made the characters larger-than-life on stage and made them all shine individually in the sea of performers on stage. With 360º seating, LOVE was able to tell a unique story from every angle, while an iconic soundtrack sets the backdrop for thrilling aerial acrobatics. The LOVE Theater was built specifically for the show, outfitted with the latest technical innovations. This allowed for a very precise stage design that accounted for the ideas the creative team behind the show were hoping to include. Tailoring the space to the needs of the cast, crew and creative team proved to be the key to an excellent acoustic journey and a stunningly visual masterpiece. BEHIND THE MUSIC While most Cirque du Soleil shows feature live musicians, LOVE show creators decided that using The Beatles’ songs master recordings was the only option. The Beatles LOVE represents one of the most unique moments in music theater history, uniting Sir George Martin and Giles Martin to push the creative boundaries of LOVE’s soundtrack. Over two years, the father/son duo worked through hundreds of snippets of songs: slicing, dicing, and deconstructing, taking off layers and finding the brightness underneath to create an immersive soundscape. All this hard and meticulous work amounted to a triumphant musical transformation: The Beatles LOVE soundtrack has been honored with two GRAMMY Awards. Music Director Giles Martin has heightened LOVE’s listening experience with a completely remixed musical arrangements, noting “the show is the closest anyone can get to being in the studio with the band.” AUDIENCE AND CRITICAL RECEPTION OVER THE YEARS LOVE was an homage to The Beatles’ cultural impact. Creating a show around such beloved icons of popular music did set the bar high, even for us, but we are always up for a challenge! The Beatles’ ever- growing fan base’s love for the band was a driving force behind the initial project. To meet their expectations was the goal. As history proves, the audience’s reaction was overwhelmingly positive, and so were the critical reviews, promising LOVE a lengthy run on The Strip. KEEPING THE LEGACY ALIVE As we bid farewell to The Beatles LOVE, we reflect on its extraordinary 18-year journey at The Mirage, a testament to The Beatles' enduring influence. The show captured hearts with its innovative choreography and spectacular acrobatics, blending nostalgic tunes with contemporary circus artistry. Though the curtain falls, LOVE lives on, a symbol of artistic excellence that marked Las Vegas’ history. Fans can continue to engage with The Beatles LOVE' legacy through social media, preserving the heritage online for the foreseeable future and celebrating The Beatles' timeless musical and cultural impact. This enduring connection ensures The Beatles' legacy remains vibrant for generations to come. --------------------------------------------------- OTHER OUTREACH: Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds --------------------------------------------------- o) CIRQUE REDUX 40TH Step back in time with us as Cirque du Soleil unfolds the captivating early years of Cirque du Soleil: from the lively streets of Quebec to the birth of "Le Grand Tour" to the latest spectacles the Cirque has to offer! 01: Le Grand Tour -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isYf19N9BYo 02: La Magie Continue -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPCbPO5eLcA 03: Cirque Réinventé -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcyGjotCdeo 04: Nouvelle Expèrience -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=601o9yeC73w 05: Saltimbanco -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIF_SXuwuNM 06: Mystère -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVYg3nThBOo 07: Alegría -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAHvqRe181w 08: Quidam -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKe_Iez_R6w 09: "O" -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpwOkNIs04k 10: La Nouba -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eoor93_v7oQ 11: Dralion -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i21XLrM9sqA 12: Varekai -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TC7_-rCPTBU o) SONGBLAZERS ALBUM 01: Copperhead Road -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OkJTHCBQoU 02: Traveller -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dbwUKs5hvQ 03: Blue Moon of Kentucky -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GpeY0XrfJ8 04: Working Man Blues -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MfENewoPk0 05: Will the Circle Be Unbroken -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISPQvOyAEN0 06: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeAZqrdmqZs 07: Carnival Heart -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnfAWivnS6g 08: Will the Circle Be Unbroken (Intro) -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwhL4iTUjA0 09: Cowboy Take Me Away -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZC_o90nyeqQ 10: Where Shall I Be -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK-obm75pCo 11: Cattle Call -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhCBoxFY4oE 12: Cattle Call II -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guLaASId4AE 13: I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPgFx3RQLos 14: Muleskinner Blues -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpmALyWt4B0 15: Down to the River to Pray -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLA6WbCSUzk 16: Orange Blossom Special -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slGBN4HV4fI 17: Achy Breaky Heart -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX6rPMOWI9Q Stream the Songblazers album here: https://cirquedusoleilsongblazers.lnk.to/RecordingID ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) How I Did That: Relighting Mystère By: Luc LaFortune, as Published in Live Design o) Forced Labour in Supply Chains – CDS 2023 Report A Cirque du Soleil Press Release o) CDS Blog: “Getting KURIOS with Michel Laprise” By: Maxim Potvin, Blog Editor o) "I Don’t Know Why You Say ‘Goodbye’" A Special Collection of Article about LOVE’s Closing o) "SONGBLAZERS: Cirque du Soleil Goes Country" Texts from the Press Kit o) "Back from Las Vegas... With Some Thoughts" By: Richard Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ---------------------------------------------------------- “How I Did That: Relighting Mystère” By: Luc LaFortune, as Published in Live Design ---------------------------------------------------------- When Matt Nickel and Michel Laprise [of Cirque Du Soleil] first approached me about relighting Mystère, one of the primary concerns was, by the time we were done, was it still going to look like Mystère, which is now a classic, and of course, we had to be mindful of that. It was important that we retain the aesthetics that were unique to Mystère and not have it look dated or passé, perhaps even stale. The cast is young and very dynamic. When Sean Jensen [head of lighting, SFX and projection at Cirque du Soleil Mystère] and I started looking at fixtures, we kept a very open mind. Mind you, by the time I got involved, Sean and Patrick Teich, lighting manager for Resident Show Division, had already done a lot of the leg work. Sean Jensen is the head of department for lighting. He’s one of the very few who’s been there since day one. In early 2023, I traveled to Las Vegas to look at fixtures. Sean and Patrick had organized a demo, in the theatre, and we were able to see exactly how the various fixtures behaved. We looked at color, saturation, evenness, dimming, movement, strobing, all of it. We looked at a number of different manufacturers and we knew that we were going to have to mix and match. The elliposidals and Fresnels were from ETC, the movers from Robe, and the specialty fixtures from Chauvet Professional. These were chosen among other things because of their size. Some fixtures of course didn’t make the cut, not that they were bad. They just wouldn’t have worked in the context of Mystère. After we narrowed it down, and given that we were mixing and matching manufacturers, we then had to see how the various fixtures might coexist. Sometimes, something as simple as color temperature can throw the whole thing off. We also looked at a bunch of movers. Effects have always been part of Mystère’s DNA and we knew that we had to be able to reproduce most if not all of them. When I specified the gear back in ‘92, I chose mirrors rather than moving heads. I wanted speed, and the mirrors gave me that. Now, given that we were trying to reduce our footprint, I needed a more versatile fixture. So this time, we went with moving heads from Robe. Mystère was one of the first times I worked with gobos. All of my earlier shows were lit mainly with Par 64s. The work I did back in ‘93 was not uninteresting but it was somewhat timid. A few gobos here and there, some of it may even have looked a bit awkward. The relighting of Mystère offered a unique opportunity, one where I could expand on, and refine, what I had started 30 years ago. I didn’t see the need to rethink everything. I just wanted to make it better, but I also wanted to retain that Mystère vibe. There is no other show like it, and it needed to look and feel like Mystère. I didn’t want it to look “new and Improved.” Back in ‘93, I did a lot of effects. I used them profusely. I think I did that because more often than not, they helped get me out of a jam. However, as with most things, it’s all about nuance, and as much as I like effects, in the end, it’s still about performance and acrobatics. Effects are there to either enhance the performance, by highlighting specific moments and help tell a story, or, by maintaining and accenting rhythm. To the same extent that there’s rhythm in music, there is also rhythm in lighting. The opening act, for example, is more intimate, and yet the performance and the characters are powerful. When I first saw the act, before we re-lit the show, I was struck by how much I struggled to see the artists. It’s not that it was dark. It wasn’t about intensity but rather visibility. Mystère is not a dark show, au contraire. If anything, there may just have been too much going on. It’s a bit like a recipe with too many ingredients. In the end, it tastes like nothing. Consequently, one of the things I did was to pull back. Every lighting gesture had to be bold, singular and intentional. It had to have purpose. Singular meant there had to be one, maybe two things going on at any given moment. There was a lot of empty space onstage and I saw no need to fill it or light it, let alone embellish things. If it was pretty, it was out. If there was no need for it, it was gone. What an incredible opportunity though, to relight a show, 30 some odd years after the show opened. More than once, I caught myself thinking I wish I knew then what I know now. As far as effects go, our biggest concern was whether we were going to able to reproduce all of that flashing and trashing now that we had moving heads rather than mirrors. For the most part yes. There were of course a few effects that we could only mimic, however, with a clever use of prisms and rotation, we came pretty darn close, despite the slower and heavier fixture. It may have looked a bit different but it felt the same, and that’s what mattered. It wasn’t just effects. At times, there were just too many colors. Mystère is a colorful show. The palette is large and the colors are bold and assertive; greens, blues, yellows, magentas, deep ambers and reds. Over time however, the palette may have gotten a bit too large. Too many pinks and lavenders. Pink is quaint, it’s a compromise, and it looked terribly out of place. Too pretty. So when the time came to specify fixtures, color was also a determining factor. If anything, the colors now are even more saturated. With the older technology, our starting point was always “white light,” which we then affected with a gel or a filter. In that respect, LEDs are different. Everything now was more intense. When Sean and I started looking at fixtures, we considered the possibility of doing only moving lights, no conventionals. However I felt that if we did, we might alter the lighting in a way where Mystère would no longer be Mystère. There were also certain images that we were simply not going to able to reproduce had we gone full movers. So Sean and I broke down the rig, bit by bit, went through the entire plot, one section at a time and determined which fixtures could be replaced by a mover and which needed to be conventionals. We needed to cover all of our bases and it needed to be seamless. The movers were going to cost us more than the conventionals and I feared that if we went with only movers, we’d have to black out every now and again and reset the fixtures, and I didn’t want that. We also had to take into consideration the fact that the bulk of the work was going to happen over the two week dark, after which we needed to be up and running, no matter what. There wasn’t a whole lot of time. The crew was going to strike a whole bunch of older fixtures, hang some new ones, assign them and then we’d program like mad. Had we gone with movers and only movers, I don’t think we would have made it. Realizing we’d be needing a top notch programmer, Sean and Patrick reached out to Benny Kirkham. He and I had met years ago, on The Dixie Chicks, so he was accustomed to my way of doing things. Benny was also familiar with the show. He had done some work for us before so of course, that made things a whole lot easier. Matt Frketich, Sean’s assistant was there as well. Matt has got one of those photographic memories. He remembered everything, which actor stands where and how long they’re onstage for and where they exit and on and on. We were also going to have to rehearse with the artists and make sure everyone was ok with their new lighting. The artists had been told that things would be different when they got back. Julie Maury, the general stage manager, with some help from the coaches, had worked out a schedule where every act was going to be able to train and rehearse before going out onstage. It’s called validation. It’s not as simple as “Hey, here’s your new lighting.” I knew it was a lot to take in, all at once, however over the years, I had made a habit of always sitting with the artists and explaining not only what I had done and what to expect but also how I thought the new lighting might enhance their performance and emphasize their presence. Sharing and listening go a long way. I hadn’t been to Mystère for some time and few of the artists knew me. So admittedly, I was a bit apprehensive but Sean felt confident. He had developed a good rapport with them. For the most part, it went well. There were, of course, a few adjustments but nothing unexpected. PART TWO Entertainment on The Strip morphed into something new and exciting in 1993 when Cirque du Soleil opened Mystère at Treasure Island, as their first resident show in Las Vegas. The show has been relit and LD Luc Lafortune shares his experience with Live Design… In all, I spent a little more than a month in Las Vegas — three weeks in January and another 10 days or so in April. By the time I got there, the crew had been at it for the better part of a year already. From my perspective, the three weeks in January were probably the busiest. I had gone in early, before the dark, so that I might catch a few shows. I hadn’t seen Mystère in over a year and I wanted to get reacquainted before we started making changes. Of course, there were a number of meetings, with artistic and stage management. I also met with Stephen Dietrich, the technical director, just to follow up and keep everyone informed. We knew that we were also going to be touching up some of the scenic pieces and we needed to coordinate. The first few days were spent taking out the old equipment and putting in a bunch of new gear. That was probably the most unsettling part in all of this, having to wait, and anticipating everything that could go wrong. Throughout the years, I was always haunted by that same thought. Are we going to have enough light? How could I even have thought that. It’s not a small rig, not by any means. It’s still over 560 units. I chose to approach this chronologically, starting with top of show. Of course, the first few images we looked at seemed rather barren and it was then that the enormity of the task became most apparent. I think however that the vastness and emptiness that lay before our eyes also gave me an aperçu or a glimpse of what could be. Again, it’s that recipe with too many ingredients. Of course, some would say less is more. Maybe. I think it may have had more to do with ridding myself of all of the embellishments and making room for big, bold statements. The lighting didn’t need all of those trappings in order to be poetic or evocative. The lighting for Mystère has always had a base coat of deep blue covering the entire floor. Back in ‘93, I used HMI fresnels. They were huge, clunky and they needed shutters, or rather louvers, and of course, there was all that heat. Overtime, we moved away from the fresnels and put in some movers instead. Now, in lieu of movers, I chose ETC Fresnel V fixtures. The thought was that since they’re going to be on a lot of the time, why not just put in a static fixture instead. By then however, the vacantness of those first few images had made an impression and left an indelible mark. I was fond of the black floor and that huge expanse of nothingness, that void. The emptiness and vastness were reminiscent of the desert and the scarcity only helped enhance the performers presence. I was never particularly fond of clichés but perhaps less is more. In some instances, I added rather than took away. At the top of Planche (teeterboard) for example, there use to be three ellipsoidals, all with the same pattern, G558 Grille 3, spread out across the floor. It looked a bit like a parquet floor. For one reason or another, we referred to it as the castle gobo. It worked but looking back on it now, it did look a bit awkward, like somebody tried… And yet, despite the awkwardness, I liked it. It gave the act an air of distinction. So rather than take it out, I added more, a lot more, all different sizes, different intensities and slightly different shades. At times, they’d overlap, slightly, one on top of another, at the edges. When there were just three, it looked exactly like that, three gobos, separate from one another. It looked like someone had gotten what at the time seemed like a good idea but had run out of time. Now, despite the fact that I was using as many as 11 gobos, it looked singular. It wasn’t three gobos anymore. It was one, big, bold statement, and it worked. The variation in size, color and intensity also gave the floor a lot more depth. Mystère may have been a thirty-year-old show but the artists are young, and exuberant. Their vivacity and eagerness is contagious, and I didn’t want to leave them with the same’ ol lighting, just brighter, and more efficient. There was I thought an opportunity to remake Mystère and yet still have it look and feel like Mystère. I knew we were on the clock but I also knew that this kind of opportunity doesn’t come around very often. I had some thoughts on how I could enhance the lighting but that was going to take time and I wasn’t sure if we’d have enough. Cirque and the hotel had invested large sums, not to mention resources, and if Mystère wasn’t going to look any different than before and just be more efficient, then what was the point of all of this? I knew that some of what I was doing was infinitely better however, anytime you’re dealing with acrobats, you have to be mindful of the fact that any change you make, you’re going to have to validate. So, I did something I hadn’t done before, at least not until then. I started taking pictures of the work I was doing and I sent them to Tim Smith, the senior artistic director. I wrote emails and explained what I had done and why I thought it was better. Sometimes, I just sent pictures. No explanation. It quickly became apparent that Tim and I were of the same mind. In the end, there was enough time. We then took a couple of days to validate and we opened as planned. The success of these two weeks back in January may have prompted another week of work, in early spring. There were still a few more things I wanted to work on but hadn’t gotten around to, things like the clowns and the trapeze dismount. Working with clowns can sometimes be a bit of a challenge. Clowns can be subtle. Posture and facial expression are hugely important and it’s paramount that we see them well. The difficulty is that more often than not, there’s just a few of them onstage at any given moment. Sometimes they’re alone but oftentimes, they’re all over the place, on stage, out in the house, there’s no telling. The temptation then is either to flood the stage with tons of light or to go dark and use only follow spots, in that Vaudevillian way. But darkness can be oppressive, and oppression is seldom funny. As for flooding the stage with light, by contrast, the actor then becomes small. Another thing about clowns is that they interact with the audience a lot. Often times, the audience is as much part of the act as the performers. So, rather than flood the stage with light, I decided to illuminate the audience, not by actually lighting them but rather by lighting the ceiling. The Mystère showroom has this beautiful hand- painted fresque. I always liked it and I thought that if I lit it, I’d be drawing the audience in, breaking thru that fourth wall. The color mixing that the LEDs provided allowed for that, but in a subtle way. It’s also not unusual to close with a big act. At Mystère, that would be trapeze, and one of the many highlights is what is otherwise referred to as trapeze dismount. That’s when the artists, one by one, jump into the net and then all take a bow. During the actual act, there’s not a whole lot I could do with the net. The artists absolutely need to see it, not only the net but also its edges. Falls are never part of the act, but every so often, they do happen, and as much as possible, the artists, knowing they’ve missed, try to manage their fall. Dismount is different. It’s expected. It’s a controlled descent and as such that gives me as a designer a bit of latitude. When fully extended, the net appears to look like a thin blue line, not unlike that thin layer of ozone that surrounds the planet. But when the artists land, it expands. So, by using a mix of Rosco’s 79664 Reflected Water 3 gobo on top of a glass gobo and a bit of rotation, I was able to create a morphing effect that some might say mimicked water. The really cool thing about this particular effect is that it was made even more interesting whenever the artists hit the net and the net expanded downward. Unfortunately, I never got a chance to see it live. The coaches and artists asked if they could train with it a bit longer and of course, we acquiesced. By the time I was done re-lighting Mystère, the lighting looked, I thought, better than ever. Every act was distinct, and yet it was all connected and everything flowed. I thought about the work I did back in ‘93 and wished I knew then what I know now. ---------------------------------------------------------- Forced Labour in Supply Chains – CDS 2023 Report A Cirque du Soleil Press Release ---------------------------------------------------------- Canada considers that it is essential to contribute to fighting modern slavery and has, with the enactment of the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (the “Act”), imposed reporting obligations on certain Canadian companies regarding the steps they’ve taken to prevent and reduce the risk that forced labour or child labour be included in their supply chains. The Canadian entities of the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, namely Spectacle BidCo Holdings Inc., Cirque du Soleil Inc., Cirque du Soleil Canada Inc., CDS Canadian Holdings, Inc., and CSI General Partnership, (collectively, the “Cirque Entities”), are subject to the Act and hereby present their 2023 report requested by the Act. 1. Delivery Model The Cirque Entities are members of the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group (“Cirque du Soleil”), headquartered in Montréal, Québec, Canada. Cirque du Soleil is an international circus-type live entertainment company which was founded in 1984 by a troupe of street performers, who first started their circus work in the city of Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec. The Cirque du Soleil founders distinguished themselves by offering a traveling show with a unique take on the circus arts, notably by creating a captivating environment where outrageous costumes, magical lighting, and original music were showcased, the whole without the presence of any live animal on stage. Since its debut, Cirque du Soleil has been a notable reference in the circus art industry, which resulted in an increased international presence: Cirque du Soleil now presents various touring shows who tour the world year-long, has developed relationships with various international partners for the creation of year-long resident shows, its most notable ones being located in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, and also has developed custom client event and experiences worldwide. Cirque du Soleil has over 3,900 employees worldwide. The Cirque Entities’ corporate structure is as follows: (i) Spectacle BidCo Holdings Inc. is the parent entity of the Cirque du Soleil group, and is the parent company of CDS Canadian Holdings, Inc.; (ii) CDS Canadian Holdings, Inc. is the parent company of Cirque du Soleil Canada Inc.; (iii) Cirque du Soleil Canada Inc. is the parent company of Cirque du Soleil Inc., and (iv) Cirque du Soleil Inc. acts as CSI General Partnership’s partner. Operating as a live entertainment focused business, the Cirque Entities’ supply chain model does not focus on reselling/distributing goods as part of a greater supply chain model where third parties may be involved. Rather, the Cirque Entities are involved in a supply chain where they are, more often than not, acting as the “end recipient” of the goods, whereas the goods they receive on behalf of third-party suppliers are not generally meant to be resold, subject to certain exceptions. Instead, the goods received are incorporated, whether in their original form or transformed form, in Cirque du Soleil’s greater realm of activities, namely show support-related activities (ex. set builds, costume creation, prop builds, accessories builds, merchandise, etc.). In examining the Cirque Entities’ various supply chains, two supply chains have been identified as presenting a greater risk of possible use of forced labour and/or child labour, namely: (1) the supply chain related to the textile procurement for the creation of show costumes and accessories, and (2) the supply chain related to the provision of themed merchandise items. To address these risks, Cirque du Soleil has implemented policies, protocols and interventions as further described below. The Cirque Entities’ other supply chains, such as office supply provision and set build and equipment provision, do not present a risk of forced labour and/or child labour. 2. Policies and Protocols In the early 2000s, Cirque du Soleil adopted a responsible procurement policy (the “Responsible Procurement Policy”) applicable to all of its entities, including the Cirque Entities. One of the Responsible Procurement Policy’s goals is to implement principles and measures to ensure that the products and services that Cirque du Soleil puts on the market, as well as the products and services that it purchases from suppliers, are manufactured in a manner that is respectful of the rights of workers. To this effect, the Responsible Procurement Policy includes two sections which explicitly refer to (i) the restrictions and measures to follow in the event of use of child labour in supply chains, and (ii) the total prohibition of all use of forced labour in all supply chains. The Responsible Procurement Policy is available online at the following link: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ citizenship/procurementpartnerships. 3. Risk Identification In conducting a risk assessment of the presence of forced labour and/or child labour in the Cirque Entities’ supply chains, there are two key elements which were considered: (1) in a vast majority of cases, when the Cirque Entities receive goods from third-party suppliers, these goods need to be subsequently transformed/ reworked/modified by employees located at the Cirque Entities’ headquarters in Montréal, where local labour regulations are quite strict when it comes to forced labour and/or child labour, thus minimizing the risks of inclusion of forced labour and/or child labour in the Cirque Entities’ overall supply chains; therefore, (2) to facilitate and accelerate business dealings with suppliers and clients, the Cirque Entities try to use suppliers who are located and produce goods within North America, where the standards with regards to forced labour and/or child labour are, once again, quite strict. In light of the above, there are two main supply chain sectors which carry a potential risk of exposure to forced labour and/or child labour for the Cirque Entities: (1) the Cirque Entities’ supply chain for themed merchandise items, and (2) the Cirque Entities’ supply chain related to textile procurement. The Cirque Entities are aware that both of these supply chain sectors are areas where there can be an increased risk of forced labour and/or child labour, namely when goods produced come from the Asian and African markets where labour regulations – or lack thereof – and access to supplier data can be challenging. With regards to its themed merchandise items supply chain, the Cirque Entities work with a third-party supplier who is responsible for producing the vast majority of themed merchandise items sold to the public. This third-party supplier is located in the United States of America. As of the date of this report, it is the Cirque Entities’ intention to obtain from its supplier a more detailed outlook on the risk of presence of forced labour and/or child labour in its merchandise sub-suppliers’ supply chains. With regards to the textile procurement supply chain, the vast majority of the textiles purchased by the Cirque Entities are purchased for the purpose of transforming such materials into the show costumes and accessories. Most of the transformation work is done in Montreal. Over 98% of all textiles purchased originate from suppliers located within North America and Europe. As far as the level of severity of labour regulations are involved, North America and Europe have strict legislations to cover this matter, including regulations applicable to forced labour and child labour. In ensuring that a vast majority of its textiles are purchased from such strictly regulated continents, the Cirque Entities’ risks of having forced labour and/or child labour in its textile procurement supply chains are significantly diminished. For the purposes of this report, the risk assessment performed by the Cirque Entities was done using the data it possesses with regards to its various suppliers in its systems (ex. ERP system). 4. Remediation Actions In the absence of known forced labour and/or child labour in their supply chains and in light of the very low risks identified above, the Cirque Entities have not taken any actions to remediate the potential presence of forced labour and/or child labour in their supply chains. 5. Loss Mitigation In the absence of known forced labour and/or child labour in their supply chains and in light of the very low risks identified above, the Cirque Entities have not taken any measures to remediate the potential loss of income to vulnerable families resulting from actions taken to eliminate the use of forced labour and/or child labour in the Cirque Entities’ supply chains since no such actions have been taken by the Cirque Entities. 6. Training Forced labour and child labour are human rights issues and, as such, are addressed by the Cirque Entities’ broader initiatives regarding increasing awareness over diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) amongst its employees. Various DEI activities are currently being developed by internal committees. However, due to the Cirque Entities’ service-oriented line of business and due to the low level of risk of forced labour and/or child labour in its supply chains, there are no “forced labour and/or child labour” focused training initiatives currently addressed to the Cirque Entities’ employees. 7. Continuous Improvement In order to assess the effectiveness of the measures in place to ensure that forced labour and/or child labour is not being used in the Cirque Entities’ supply chains, the Cirque Entities mainly rely on two (2) factors: The information collected from suppliers with whom the Cirque Entities work with: The Cirque Entities maintain a supplier information repertory where information about each supplier with whom the Cirque Entities do business with is This repertory namely includes information about each supplier’s main place of business. Contractual provisions requiring compliance with the Responsible Procurement Policy: When the Cirque Entities enter into agreements with suppliers, the Cirque Entities request the inclusion of a clause in each contract by which the supplier undertakes to abide by the Responsible Procurement By incorporating this clause directly in its contracts, the Cirque Entities have a contractual right of action in the event it is found that any given supplier is not respecting the Responsible Procurement Policy. This right of action ensures a level of protection against use of forced labour and/or child labour in the suppliers’ supply chains in violation of the Responsible Procurement Policy. 8. Proactive Interventions In addition to the initiatives mentioned above, the Cirque Entities have embarked on the following projects aiming at ensuring greater transparency in its relations with its suppliers: Implementation of a Supplier’s Code of Conduct applicable to all suppliers. The Supplier’s Code of Conduct will act as a stronger expression of the Cirque Entities’ expectations with regards to supplier’s behavioural and strategic standards accepted by the Cirque Entities, including with respect to the minimum applicable standards for the protection of workers in its supply The intention behind this project is to ensure that all suppliers who wish to do business with the Cirque Entities must comply with the Supplier’s Code of Conduct as it will be added to contracts signed by the Cirque Entities’ procurement team with their suppliers. The Code of Conduct will namely include a provision stating that suppliers should not use forced labour and/or child labour in their supply chains. All suppliers who violate this restriction must promptly disclose this information in writing to the Cirque Entities. Developing the “ESG library” tool. The Cirque Entities’ procurement team is currently working on elaborating a comprehensive tool which will be shared with internal and external stakeholders, referred to as the “ESG library”. This tool will include a list of questions about the Cirque Entities’ stance on various ESG issues. A section of this library will also include answers to questions about forced labour and/or child labour in supply Potential suppliers will be invited to read through this tool before submitting their application for future RFP processes. Adding a forced labour and child labour section in its request for proposal (“RFP”) questionnaire to be filled out by all suppliers interested in participating in future In order to obtain a more transparent relationship between the Cirque Entities and its suppliers, suppliers interested in doing business with the Cirque Entities will need to answer the questions about the presence and risks of forced labour and/or child labour in their supply chains. This information will be kept by the Cirque Entities in its database and will serve as a tool to help mitigate the Cirque Entities’ risk of incorporating forced labour and/or child labour in its various supply chains. All projects mentioned herein are currently ongoing and will be finalized in the upcoming years. Their scope of application will target all of the Cirque Entities’ and their supply chains. In accordance with the requirements of the Act, and in particular section 11 thereof, I attest that I have reviewed the information contained in the report for the entity or entities listed above. Based on my knowledge, and having exercised reasonable diligence, I attest that the information in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects for the purposes of the Act, for the reporting year listed above. { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } ---------------------------------------------------------- CDS Blog: “Getting KURIOS with Michel Laprise” By: Maxim Potvin, Blog Editor ---------------------------------------------------------- As part of the 10th anniversary celebrations of KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities, Maxim Potvin from the Cirque du Soleil Blog, had the pleasure of meeting Writer and Show Director Michel Laprise to learn more about the secrets behind the creative process. Q. How did you feel when you learned you were directing KURIOS? I don’t want to name drop, but I was in Tel Aviv. I had just created a show with Madonna. I happened to come across friends from Montreal and we decided to party together. That’s when I got a call from Jean- François Bouchard, who told me: “Guy (Laliberté) and I had a talk and decided that the next big top event should be yours.” I was so happy! This was such a big and beautiful challenge. I was lucky, because I had about five years of experience before that. I had done events with Cirque, so I learned how to work with acrobats, and how to tell stories in the specific world of Cirque du Soleil. I met with many partners and clients as well, so this connection with the public has informed the way I worked. Yes, it was a big deal, but I had the opportunity to ease back into things, like a little fish you take home from the pet store, letting its bag soak in the aquarium for a little while. I was very happy, because that meant my first few weeks weren’t spent trying to understand what Cirque du Soleil is. We dove in immediately. I also had the opportunity to work on KURIOS with Chantal Tremblay, an extraordinary person with a lot of experience. Q. What’s your fondest memory about creating the show? The obvious answer is premiere night, because everyone was ecstatic. It was a thrilling time. Daniel Lamarre came to see me after the intermission to tell me what everyone kept saying: “Cirque is back” Cirque is back . The last couple years had been a bit rough, so I was happy because that success didn’t just belong to the show, it also belonged to Cirque Cirque. Montrealers, who really liked Cirque Cirque, were thrilled how things turned out for us, which touched me deeply. I thought: “The people love us and they want things to work out for us.” The stars were aligned and there was good energy in the creative team. With Serge Côté as Technical Director, the production team did miracles. So there are a lot of great moments. For me, it is a whole reel of beautiful memories. I spent lots of time at training sessions in the studio, because I wanted to understand the artists and write the acts’ staging based on who they were, what their dreams were. I countless hours listening to them. It’s so easy to listen to artists, because they all have exciting stories to share and are just beautiful people that are fully committed to what they do. Another great moment was when I rewrote the start of the show. I was at home and I remember putting key words in the order of various actions on little papers on the floor, and then starting all over again and trying it! Q. Where did the idea of exploring a steampunk universe with KURIOS come from? I went to see the big top that had been erected in Quebec City. I said: “Let’s get a fresh look at things and check out a big top.” I went with Chantal Tremblay, and it’s crazy—it’s still just four steel posts with a canvas. It’s like a big radio antenna channelling this invisible energy into the hearts of the artists in the ring and then into the spectators’ hearts. I felt like I was onto something. I started researching electricity, which is invisible energy. I read about the second half of the 19th century, when not only was electricity discovered, but also trains, which allowed a cart to move forward without horses. It was a big deal! People were afraid the whole thing would explode. It was a fascinating time. Then came the telegraph, which enabled voices to be heard miles away, and the gramophone, which made it possible to immortalize people’s voices for the very first time, thereby democratizing music, spreading it worldwide. That whole time was utterly fascinating, so with Set Designer Stéphane Roy, we explored this theme. We invented our own steampunk, because we have a bit of a rebellious streak at Cirque du Soleil. I always say that because we are not bound by any journalistic or documentary rigour; we make poetry and works of art, which in themselves must contain contradictions. Currently, steampunk is mostly set in the Victorian era and showcases what would have happened if electricity hadn’t been harnessed and humanity had just kept using steam. We thought: “No, our steampunk won’t be Victorian, but rather Parisian. Like the fair in 1900, when the whole world came to Paris and Parisians themselves were discovering all kinds of new things.” Instead of steam, it’s electricity. It’s really cool! It’s a beautiful universe that will never go out of style, because it’s already old! That era saw all the inventions that brought people together. A great many of these were communication technologies that ushered in the golden age of magic. People realized that if they could get around without a horse and light a room without a flame, maybe this woman on stage is really levitating or that rabbit really came out of a hat. Magic often uses everyday objects, because people know what a top hat is, and we still have them today. Magic was based on everyday life, and that’s the route we also took, harnessing fantasy from reality. They are real chairs, real suitcases, a real newspaper. Q. How did the name KURIOS come about for this show? The folks from Sid Lee were really hard at work after I presented the show to them, and ended up with no less than 30 suggestions. Either I didn’t like them or they had nothing to do with the show, so I said: “Come back tomorrow. I’ll to spend the afternoon with you to show you the project’s ins and outs.” A week later, they came back with a single name. Do you know how they present show names? They cover it with a white sheet of paper, then reveal it. That’s because, more often than not, the first time people are exposed to a show’s name, they don’t hear it; they see it. So they said: “We’re going to be bold: we only have one name to present today and we’re sure it’s the right one.” And I said: “Oh really? Why?” Because every time you say that word, Michel, your eyes sparkle.” They flipped the paper, I saw the title and said: “That’s the one!” I don’t have time to think, but I did say that I would like it to be a title, not just a name. So it became KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities. I wanted it to be like the title of a Jules Vernes novel. That’s why there’s a bust of Jules Vernes in one of the cabinets of curiosities we built. That’s the only thing that didn’t work in the show’s design. We wanted it to magically fly, but it was too complicated because we came up with this idea a little late at the technical level, and the ceiling was already full. I like that KURIOS is the show’s humblest character. Instead of being the stars, robots help everyone. There are different types of KURIOS, and many people play those characters: sometimes artists, other times technicians.KURIOS was important to me. As I told the technicians: “Your mother will be able to say that their son is on the poster.” I believe the success of KURIOS stems from the collaborative effort of both artists and technicians. This show features some of the most complex technical tracks. The riggers never stop. It was important that the name recognize the collaboration between artists and technicians. We wanted to pay tribute to their work and the fact that the characters are sometimes played by artists, sometimes by technicians. For me, that’s the real strength of KURIOS. Q. Over five million spectators worldwide have seen KURIOS. Do you have a message for them? THANK YOU! Thank you, and I hope you had a big smile on your face coming out of the tent. That’s why we created this show. Five million people is huge, especially over a 10-year period that includes a two- year hiatus. So that’s five million in eight years; it was an incredible opportunity. People who create shows know that a lot of people will see it, but that’s crazy. I thought we had hit the three million mark. I remember the first million; we were in Canada. But five times more a few years later, that’s a lot! Q. What word best describes how you felt at the world premiere of KURIOS? Well, that would be “happy”. Happy that everyone’s work has paid off and that audiences loved it. But also happy that the bold gamble we took has turned out to be a success, rather than a disaster! I was happy to see that the boldest elements, which had been the hardest to do, were also the ones that audiences loved the most. People know when something’s difficult, and then when you make the impossible possible, they notice. When people say: “Ah! Only Cirque du Soleil could pull that off,” that means we did our job well. Q. What makes KURIOS returning to Montreal so special? Well, we’ll be able to see it often! I won’t have to fly in to attend. It’s an anniversary summer, so that’s fun. I’m thrilled that the show is coming back, because there are a number of people in the troupe who have never set foot in Montreal or in the studios of the International Headquarters. I’m glad they can come visit the head office. Q. What’s the most random fun fact you can share about creating the show? The first that comes to mind is the drop of mercury, for the aerial strap number. That drop was painted silver, and Guy Laliberté said that it was maybe a little too bright and didn’t blend as well with the decor’s warmth. So Set Designer Stéphane Roy asked the suppliers to come in to redo the mercury drop’s coating. But because he had the flu, when he told them to paint it bronze, they understood “rose” (“pink”, in French). So they ended up painting the mercury drop pink when showed up at night! And it stayed like that ever since. Q. KURIOS holds the internal record for the most accessories used, a whopping 464, among all our touring shows. Which is your favourite among all this gear? First of all, I want to say that I believe props make things real. They create a direct link between the show and the audience. Gabriel Pinkstone, who was the Production Manager, once asked me: “Are you aware that this show has more props than any other Cirque show?” I said: “Yes, is that a compliment?” And then I said: “You know what? I have a second list, so let me know when you have some time to go over it with me!” But yes, 464! Ah… I love them all. I like the book whose pages turn by themselves. I like all the gramophones. I also really like the ballet of light bulbs, this sort of garden of light bulbs moving around, because it was so hard to figure it out. I really like the little puppet theatre tent. In the big top, you suddenly find a small hand puppet theatre, a little tent that’s actually an umbrella. I really like the llama, whom we called Serge in tribute to Serge Lama, and I’m sure only Quebecers will get that reference. Q. How do you plan on celebrating the show’s 10th anniversary? I’m going to celebrate with the employees, even though I have a scheduling conflict as we speak. They’ll definitely be some dancing, and I imagine we’ll set something up! About a year before KURIOS, in 2013, I sat down where the big top is erected, in the Old Port of Montreal, and meditated. Unbeknownst to me, a French friend who was visiting took a picture and gave it to me as a gift. I think I’ll go back with the picture; it’s symbolic. But the real party is going to be when the audience starts coming into the tent! ---------------------------------------------------------- “I Don’t Know Why You Say ‘Goodbye’” A Special Collection of Article about LOVE’s Closing ---------------------------------------------------------- THE BEATLES LOVE CAST AND CREW PREPARE FOR FINAL BOW KTNV Las Vegas – June 23, 2024 After nearly two decades on the Las Vegas Strip, the cast and crew from The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil are getting ready for their final bow. The show’s last public performance will be on July 6 and a final private performance is set for July 7, which is Ringo Starr’s 84th birthday. There are still tickets available, which you can find here. The show is closing due to The Mirage undergoing construction and renovations over the next three years as the property transforms into the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and Guitar Hotel Las Vegas. How did we get here? The idea for the show actually came from former Beatle George Harrison, who became friends with Cirque du Soleil co-founder Guy Lalibertè. The two met because of their love of Formula 1 racing. Serious discussions about a Cirque show featuring Beatles music began around 2000. “I was really involved in the beginning because I nurtured and developed that project with George,” Lalibertè said in All Together Now, a Cirque du Soleil documentary about the creation of the show, which was released in 2008. “For him, this project was not only doing a show. It was an opportunity to bring the Beatles members, who were alive, together to work on a creative project again.” Harrison sadly passed away in 2001 but everyone involved wanted to see the project through in his honor. Cirque du Soleil, MGM Mirage, and Apple Corps Ltd., which represents The Beatles, reached an agreement and prep work began. “I was give a lot of freedom to write and direct this show by the Beatles and I really appreciated that,” director and writer Dominic Champagne said in 2006. “Knowing that the balance between them is a very fragile one.” That being said, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Olivia Harrison, and Yoko Ono all had input in the show and shared their thoughts throughout the process. After five months of staging in Montreal, Canada, the LOVE team set up production in Las Vegas and officially raised the curtain on June 30, 2006. According to Bobby Baldwin, the former President and CEO of Mirage Resorts, the show wasn’t guaranteed to be a success. “Well, you would think that you couldn’t go wrong with Cirque du Soleil and The Beatles but risk in the entertainment business is just about as scary as risk in a poker game,” Baldwin said in 2008. “There are no sure bets.” At the time, Baldwin estimated the aggregated investment in The Beatles LOVE was about $180 million. That risk paid off and here we are 18 years later. Cast and crew, like props technician Erica Anderson, remember the early days of the show and have seen the show evolve and change over the years. “My favorite part of the show would have to be Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! because it has changed. We have gone through many formulations of that act and each time, there’s just so much going on and you’re like that’s a really cool element and then, you twisted it and you’re like that’s cooler than before,” Anderson said. “We have super fans that come back 30 to 40 times and every time they come back, they see something new and they’re like oh. I never noticed that before. It’s really fun if it’s your first time, your second time, or your 50th time to maybe see something different.” In addition to over 11 million guests seeing the show, over 500 celebrities have seen the show. According to Cirque du Soleil, just a few of those famous faces include: Eddie Murphy, Prince, Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Shania Twain, Shaquille O’Neal, and Celine Dion. Dion was one of the most recent guests and dancer Valerie Zarkowski said it was amazing getting to meet her. “Knowing that she had a show, herself, on the Strip and she’s a singer and she’s an artist and she’s a performer and she came to talk to us, she was so very moving,” Zarkowski said. “She knew what we were going through, the happy moments of just trying to take everything in, every moment, and just letting it go because it’s what we’re having to do. She’s amazing.” You might even bump into a former Beatle. Olivia Harrison saw the show this week, Starr saw the show last month, and McCartney made an unexpected visit last October. “He showed up at the theater unannounced. He was right outside our stage door and that’s where we all enter. He couldn’t get in because he hadn’t told anyone he was coming so I let him in. I was like I’ll walk you to whatever meeting you have and he said I don’t have a meeting. I’m just here to say hi,” acrobat Sasha Harrington said. “I said to who? He said nobody in particular. Just whoever is here. I was like well, it’s super early so nobody’s really here yet. He was just like I’ll walk around and say hi. We walked around and went to the stage. He was like tell everyone I said hi. I said no one’s going to believe me and he was like well, let’s take a picture ….. I emailed our company manager like Paul McCartney was here. I hope that’s cool.” Harrington grew up in Southern California and was a gymnast before going to circus school in San Francisco. In LOVE, she performs as Julia, the character that represents John Lennon’s mother. “I was a big Beatles fan, especially in high school. A Day In The Life was my favorite song and just by coincidence, that ended up being the song that I do in my act too,” Harrington said. “I think the most difficult part of my job is delivering a really connected, present performance for every single new audience that’s there to watch the show, to make sure that we’re really telling the story and telling it with as much feeling and as much authenticity as we can.” Eagle-eyed fans can spot performers pop up in different roles or multiple numbers throughout the show. “There’s a lot of acrobatic performances but even if there’s acrobats on the stage, there’s also dancers,” Zarkowski explained. “I could be doing up to five numbers a night. But in total, we have about eight to 10 numbers that we do perform in the show.” So what makes the show so special and memorable for people? The cast, crew, and creators all have the same answer: the music. “I knew of The Beatles but I didn’t know the songs and I couldn’t feel the songs the way I feel them now, after performing them for two and a half years,” Zarkowski said. “I will never hear a Beatles song again and just not be able to feel it so deeply because now, we hear it every night and we perform it so it’s physical. Once we don’t do it anymore, it’s definitely still going to bring back those feelings of feeling the actual music, almost like it’s running through our veins.” The music for the show came to life through the father-son duo of George Martin and Giles Martin, which Giles said “was terrifying.” “When I started doing it, I was full of fear and loathing and dread and thinking God, I’ve been given a Beatles tape and they want me to do something to it and people are going to hate me for this,” Giles said in 2008. “There is some Beatles fan somewhere that says they shouldn’t do that,” George said in 2008. “They should leave the masters as they know them but we’re embarking in a new direction here.” It’s something Starr agreed with and even said they should have done more. “[George] knew where the bodies were hidden in those tapes,” Starr said, explaining that George knew where to find specific pieces of songs and knew how to put them together in a new, unexpected way. “They mixed 15 minutes of music at first and we went to hear it and I was blown away and kept saying make it crazier. You can go broader, as far as I was concerned. Not just to go broad but because it was so cool.” Music from The Beatles LOVE includes elements from 130 individual, commercially-released and demo recordings of The Beatles. In 2008, the show’s album won two GRAMMY awards: Best Compilation Soundtrack Album and Best Surround Sound Album. The album was also George Martin’s final album as a producer. He passed away in 2016. What’s next? LOVE closing means the end for some performers like Zarkowski, who said she is leaving the stage, after performing in several shows over the past 17 years, in order to focus on being a mom. “I’ve had a really long career and I cannot believe that I have been a part of Cirque, The Beatles LOVE, and I feel like this is how I want it to end. It’s a bittersweet feeling but I cannot wait to just have that last performance with everybody on stage, feel all the feelings, and just see everybody move on and continue to have a great career,” Zarkowski said. “I feel like I’ve just done it all and I want to end on the biggest stage that I could and this is just the place to be.” For others, LOVE closing means a new beginning. “There’s always going to be opportunities in the future and a lot of us will go on together to the next project, the next show,” Anderson said. “I don’t look at it as losing our family but as making more opportunities in the future to continue our journey together.” # # # # # THE FINAL DAYS: REFLECTIONS ON THE SHOW THAT CHANGED CIRQUE DU SOLEIL LARRY HEATH, THE AU REVIEW – July 4, 2024 This week marks the end of a 18 year legacy, as the groundbreaking Cirque du Soleil production Love, celebrating the catalogue of The Beatles, closes this Saturday at The Mirage in Las Vegas. Debuting on 2nd June 2006, the show was Cirque’s first using existing IP, setting up a dream opportunity for publishers to engage with the internationally renowned, Montreal based circus company. Since then, they have developed touring productions like Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, Toruk – The First Flight (taken from the Avatar universe), and Songblazers, a country music jukebox show which debuted yesterday in Nashville. They’ve also had two other Las Vegas residencies, one around the music and legacy of Elvis Presley (Viva Elvis) and the other on Michael Jackson (ONE), which is still enjoying shows at the Mandalay Bay. There’s also the jukebox show Mad Apple, the newest Cirque show in Vegas, featuring iconic New York music – from Alicia Keys to Lady Gaga, who is also wrapping up her own Vegas residency Jazz & Piano this Saturday. ONE – which debuted in Vegas after a two year world tour of The Immortal World Tour, is a theatre style production, while Love sits in the round, helping truly envelop you in the music of The Beatles – something that is without question one of the reasons it’s been so successful and long lasting. The moment I often refer to is “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, with “Lucy” flying above, in a sky of “Diamonds”. It’s something of a core memory for me at this point, and is the sort of magic that has brought me back for no less than four viewings since it opened. Love was an immediate hit, and in its almost 20 year run has seen a number of changes – with the main updates happening in 2017 when Giles Martin (son of the late, great George Martin) prepared an updated mix for new speakers in the Mirage venue, slightly changing the setlist in the process (I still don’t quite know how I feel with “I am the Walrus” being taken out, but I digress…). New projection mapping technology was also used to amplify the performance. So has much changed for them, and are they doing anything special for its final week? Catching the show last night, with just eight shows left, not much has changed since 2017, and there wasn’t much to report in respect to acknowledging the show’s imminent end. However a couple of cast members seemed emotional, wiping away tears as they took their final bows. And they weren’t the only ones – I was too. This was, after all, my last chance to see the show, having first seen it 16 years ago, where I proclaimed it amongst the best performances I’d ever seen; an acrobatic spectacle and technical marvel, accompanied by one of the best soundtracks of all time. I was clearly not the only one who wanted to get in one final viewing of the incredible production, too. In recent weeks, Olivia Harrison (wife of George), Celine Dion and Ringo Starr himself have been among the guests spotted attending Love. And it’s not as though this is an unpopular show – even after 18 years of performances, the venue was close to capacity last night, and the only reason it’s closing is because The Mirage is being transformed into the new Hard Rock Hotel. There are 5 other Cirque shows that are also open on the Las Vegas Strip, including the mentioned Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay and Mad Apple at New York New York, which just celebrated its 2nd anniversary and last night enjoyed its 1000th performance. The other productions are the water spectacular O at Bellagio, Mystere at Treasure Island (which opened in 1993 and is the longest running Cirque show on the strip), and KA at MGM Grand. The author attended on 2nd July as a guest of Cirque du Soleil and stayed at Circa in Downtown Las Vegas. Photos provided by Cirque du Soleil. # # # # # REMIXING GILES MARTIN THE NATIONAL NEWS – July 7, 2024 On October 9, 1969, seven weeks and a day after The Beatles’ final recording session together at Abbey Road Studios, Giles Martin was born in London. It was John Lennon’s 29th birthday. On July 7, 2024, The Beatles: Love, the acclaimed Cirque du Soleil show that has run for 18 years, closes permanently in Las Vegas. It will be Ringo Starr’s 84th. “It’s quite sad. They’re knocking down the casino, and even the powers that be can’t change that,” Martin, 54, laments to The National. “I was with Paul McCartney last week and we were talking about how long it’s been. It was the first thing I did on this journey, and it changed my life, genuinely speaking – making that show,” he continues. “And I’m very proud of it.” The show wouldn’t have existed without Martin. In the early aughts, plans for a collaboration between the French circus and the Fab Four nearly fell apart before Martin, the son of legendary Beatles producer George Martin, had an idea of how to make it work. “The whole thing was collapsing in on itself and out of pure desperation I went to Neil Aspinall, who was the head of the Beatles at the time, and I said to him, ‘I think I can create a show just by chopping up the Beatles tapes.’ He was like, ‘well, I’ll give you three months. You have until Christmas, and we’re not going to pay you.’” Martin was undeterred. The collaboration had been George Harrison’s idea before he died in 2001, as he was friends with the circus’s founder Guy Labierte. Martin wasn’t about to let the whole thing fall apart. “They gave me a small room at Abbey Road. I didn’t even have speakers – I just had a pair of headphones. But I kept going, and before I knew it, I’d created half the show.” George Martin was 80 years old at the time, and not the picture of health. After weeks of work, Martin went to see him when he came home from hospital, anxious to play him the first remixes. His father hated it. “He thought it was a bit sacrilegious,” Martin says. “But then Paul McCartney came in, and he really liked it. So, my dad changed his mind. And the rest, as they say, is history.” Given the green light, Martin spent the next three years holed up at Abbey Road, pouring through the band’s vaulted studio sessions in their entirety and listening to recordings that no one besides the Beatles themselves and Giles’ father had had access to for decades. “No one was allowed to touch the Beatles tapes. For someone to go in and completely throw them up in the air and destroy the legacy in one go was a big deal,” Giles says with a smile. “And it was all very secret. I was allowed to play my work for The Beatles and my dad and that’s about it. Even for the director of the show, I had to distort the sound before I played him anything. And I was sure, once everyone heard it, that they would hate it.” The show, of course, with mixing credited to both Giles Martin and his father, became a huge hit, and its success did genuinely change Giles’s life. Suddenly, he was the ‘sound’ guy, and one of the music world’s most sought-after mixers, a skill he’d entirely learnt, he explains, by doing Love. His newfound trade has proven useful. Over the past 18 years, Martin has produced the acclaimed deluxe editions of most of The Beatles catalogue, collaborated with a host of legendary artists including the Rolling Stones, Kate Bush and Elvis Costello, and worked on films with directors including Martin Scorsese, Peter Jackson, Ron Howard and Matthew Vaughn – winning himself an Emmy in the process. It’s difficult to summarise his myriad accomplishments succinctly. It’s hard for even Martin himself to summarise what he does in a single day. He’s carved out an hour to speak over Zoom as he juggles his duties as head of sound for both Sonos and Universal Media Group, not to mention The Beatles or the new project happening in the next room that he’s just paused. “Yeah, I’m working on a musical with Elton John, actually,” he says. “I’m in the studio now producing the drums. It’s a musical version of The Devil Wears Prada, based on the film, and I’m overseeing the music as executive producer. I’m always bouncing around.” Martin is often dismissive and self-deprecating of his own accomplishments. On some level, he seems downright surprised by his CV to this point, feeling he basically fell backwards into a thriving career in multiple industries. “I think there’s a lot to be said for not having a clue what you’re doing,” says Martin. “I’m 54 years old, and I still feel like I’m making it up as I go along. “I think that’s the trick. I’ve made a career having a strange foundation in things, but if everyone has the same foundation, you’d all end up doing the same thing, and it ends up being boring.” Martin’s value, in his mind, is that he hears things differently from those with years of formal training and thus notices things that they don’t. He points to the recent launch of the Sonos Ace, which have received nearly universal rave reviews despite being the first headphones that the speaker-focused audio equipment manufacturer has produced, as an example. “I was really involved from the outset, but mostly I act as an annoying child in the back of the car, so to speak. I ask questions, and maybe I irritate people. But if I do that enough for a long enough period, and make the right points, we end up getting somewhere.” He was explaining to McCartney recently how all his work is linked. Whether he’s mixing a record or making a pair of headphones, his goal is the same – make the interface disappear. When you’re listening to The Beatles, you don’t want to be conscious of the work done to restore it – you want to immerse yourself in the music. The same goes with a pair of headphones. “You don’t want to taste the fork your meal is on. It’s just a conduit to what you love,” says Martin. Perhaps the reason Martin is so good at all of this is that he yearns to be closer to the music than anyone else. He grew up around music because of his father – but only catching glimpses of brilliance in passing. Even now, he still spends a lot of time wondering about the genius of his dad’s Beatles years. With each new project, he immerses himself in the magic of their collaboration all over again, mentally, physically, and spiritually, still trying to understand it – still in awe that it even happened at all. Martin says: “I asked Paul about this last week at lunch. I said, ‘did you think John was good when you met him?’ “Paul goes, ‘Yeah, he was a great singer, and he had great songs. He wasn’t a very good guitar player – I was a better guitar player when I met him, and then he became a great guitar player.’ “There was just an energy between them – a creative spark in that room, in that studio. It’s the sound of four people who just happened to meet. And so, when I do Beatles stuff, I’m just trying to capture that feeling,” Martin continues. Being good at what he does requires a lot of confidence, something he’s struggled with at times. He feels the weight of every change, particularly when he’s alone in a room remixing an old Beatles record, knowing the version he comes up with will be the version that will be definitive potentially for generations to come. “I have to make these decisions on what people really care about, and I have to be the one to make the decision. But I think you have to admit that you may be wrong. And that doubt can be helpful,” says Martin. At times, he has got it completely wrong. Martin remembers when he sat down to remix the Lennon song I Am The Walrus for last year’s edition of The Beatles 1967 – 1970, known by fans as ‘The Blue Album’. He’d worked tirelessly at it, stripping away a lot of the distortion, isolating the instruments, and at first, he thought it sounded great. “Then I listened to the original and I realised it was so much worse. The original is horrible sounding in a way that really suited the song, and mine was too clean. So I went back and redid it all.” But while the self-doubt can sometimes give him the perspective, it can also be paralysing. There’s one moment in particular he thinks back to. In 2016, he was working on the film Kingsman: The Golden Circle with director Matthew Vaughn, and the two of them were trying to interpolate Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy with the film’s key fight scene. It wasn’t going very well. “My dad was on his death bed at the time, and I was under a lot of pressure. So I went to him and I said, ‘I’ve got a question for you, Dad.’ And he said, ‘what is it?’ “I said, ‘did you ever think you were bad at music?’ And he said, ‘That’s a strange question to ask me.’ I said, ‘well, no, Dad, I’m always fighting with my demons. I’m always asking myself, why am I doing this, of all people?’ “And he said, ‘no, I think you’re amazing. I think you’re better than I was.’ I said, ‘no, I’m not, Dad. But did you feel like that?’ And he closed his eyes and went, ‘no – I always thought I was brilliant.’” It wasn’t until his father died that Martin was approached to begin remixing the Beatles albums starting with Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, a project he initially turned down. “I said no. Why would you want to remix an album that doesn’t sound bad? They said they thought it could be interesting. So I agreed to do a few songs, and The Beatles liked them, so I kept going.” Martin’s relationship with McCartney has made him a witness to a constant war with ‘good enough’. “I mean, he’s a musical genius, obviously, but it’s more than that. I’ll work with the guy on a horn arrangement, and we’ll finish, and it will be good. And then we’ll play it and Paul will say, ‘yeah, but it just sounds like a horn arrangement. What’s different about it? How about this?’ “And it’ll be really annoying, but it will be a really good idea. It’s always a challenge, that’s how it should be. It feels like most people today are scared of being challenged.” Martin is far from done with The Beatles catalogue. Next, there’s Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour, Yellow Submarine and, because of the AI techniques that he’s been using to separate individual strands of the recordings, he’s excited about the opportunity to dive back into the band’s early material in a way that was previously impossible. “There’s a few things we have planned that I think fans are really going to like that I obviously can’t tell you about,” he teases. “Sam Mendes is making these Beatles movies. I’ve met him to discuss it a couple of times and while it hasn’t been confirmed, I’d be very surprised if I wasn’t involved.” Martin alternates between sheepish and assertive. On one hand he knows he’s now the go-to person for everything Beatles outside of the surviving Beatles and their immediate family members, but he also isn’t comfortable with the assertion that he has the keys to their kingdom. “I think people like the idea because I’m father’s son. I mean, we’re both very languid, posh, tall people. I think it fits, and what I’ve found in life is that people like what fits.” Perhaps that’s because, at the end of the day, what pushes him further is knowing that their brilliance is always just out of reach. Maybe that’s why he encourages his daughter, too, to push herself out of her comfort zone. “She’s 17, and I played her Common People by Pulp the other day for the first time, and it instantly became one of her favourite songs. She’d never heard a song that gets faster and faster before. “I have to be careful, because I’m some middle-aged guy and what do I know, but I don’t think music is challenging enough any more. And I hate the fact that I’m a parent trying to make my kids more subversive. It should be the other way around. Before parents would turn their kids’ music off because it’s weird, now it’s because it’s boring.” Martin feels bad about being stuck in the past, but he just can’t leave it behind. There’s still so much brilliance to uncover – and perhaps his own potential lies in finding it. Thinking back again on his father and The Beatles, he remarks: “I aspire to be as good as they were, but I’ll never quite get there.” # # # # # HUGS, PEACE SIGNS AND A LOT OF “LOVE” USA TODAY – July 8, 2024 And in the end, the “Love” was overwhelming. On Sunday, the groundbreaking marriage between the most well-known amalgamation of art, circus and theater and one of the richest catalogs in music history came to a close after 18 years with tears, hugs and peace signs filling the stage. “The Beatles Love by Cirque du Soleil” and its 60-person multicultural cast bade farewell at a boisterous, invite-only finale in its soon-to- be-demolished home, The Mirage. The casino and hotel, purchased by Hard Rock International two years ago, closes July 17 and will reopen in spring 2027 as Hard Rock Las Vegas. But on this night of goodbyes, the $100-million custom-built 2,013- seat “Love” theater was packed with friends and family of the cast and crew as well as at least one well-respected name in The Beatles’ universe – Giles Martin. Martin, the son of the late Beatles producer and honorary fifth member George, is the architect behind the most magical aspect of “Love” – its 2008 Grammy-winning soundtrack stocked with unique reconstructions of Beatles songs. Cirque du Soliel CEO Steephane Lefebvre spoke briefly before the final performance lifted off with the chilling isolated harmonies of The Beatles’ singing “Because.” He praised Martin’s musical acumen as well as the show for all of the “peace and joy and happiness and love” it has brought the 12 million people Lefebvre said have seen “Love” in nearly two decades. While it was mostly a standard performance of the 90-minute show, the audience loudly whooped and cheered at the start of each segment, providing a vibe more akin to a concert than a Cirque production. The cast appeared to perform with extra vigor and emotion – the roller-skating leaps during “Help” seemed a little bit higher, the ever-elegant Dr. Robert (Jimmie Cervera) and original Father McKenzie (Eugen Brim, who left the production in 2016 and returned in February) shimmied and shouted with extra oomph – and a few unscripted hugs were witnessed among the hippie kids during the trampoline-heavy “Revolution.” In the only fourth-wall breaker, the Sugar Plum Fairy – aka Lady Madonna’s baby daddy – who usually speaks in tribal language before a stomping splash dance in yellow Wellingtons, said to the crowd, “I am feeling a lot of love tonight!” before asking them to clap the rhythm of “Lady Madonna.” When the usual finale of “All You Need Is Love” arrived and red confetti showered from the rafters, the cast took its typical walk around the stage brandishing peace signs and singing along with the optimistic anthem. But this time, tears among them were visible. Since its 2006 opening, the show, blessed by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr and endorsed by Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison as family surrogates for John Lennon and George Harrison, has been attended by all of those within The Beatles organization numerous times. Starr, who celebrated his 84th birthday Sunday with his annual outdoor party in Los Angeles, watched a performance while in Vegas for his own run of shows at The Venetian in May, while Harrison attended two of the final “Love” shows in late June. When “Love” debuted, it was the first Cirque show to use recorded music and the initial production centered on a legendary music act. “Viva Elvis” followed in 2010 at Aria Resort & Casino for a disappointing two-year stint, while the successful “Michael Jackson ONE” is still dazzling audiences at Mandalay Bay after a decade. Even with the curtain closed on “Love,” its legacy will endure through its timeless soundtrack. But it’s also the end of something special, as Giles Martin told USA TODAY in a 2022 interview about the show. “It’s the only place in the world you can step into The Beatles’ universe,” he said. “I always liked the idea that it was The Beatles’ room. I love that about Vegas – you’re surrounded by the dinging of slot machines and people wandering around with yards of tequila and then you walk into the hallowed grounds of ‘Love.’ I get the same thrill every time I walk in that theater. Millions of others would undoubtedly concur. # # # # # “A STATE OF SHOCK”: THE BEATLES’ ‘LOVE’ BOWS OUT AFTER 18 YEARS LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL – July 8, 2024 They thought it would last forever, like music of The Beatles. “‘Love’ was here for 18 years, and I think this show could have lasted for at least as long as ‘Mystere,’ because it is classic,” Cirque du Soleil Executive Vice Chairman Daniel Lamarre said Sunday night. “Everybody is in a state of shock because we thought that this show would last for much more longer.” “Love” opened in June 2006 and throughout its run was the only authorized live Beatles production in the world. The show played to more than 11.5 million guests in its 18-year run. Lamarre is one of the few execs still with Cirque who were around two decades ago, when the idea of pairing the French-Canadian circus company with the legendary rock band was hatched. Lamarre might speak of shock, but “Love” was destined to shut down after Hard Rock took over The Mirage and began to plan for a remodel that would take out the theater. About 220 members of the cast and crew are losing their jobs as a result of “Love” closing. The company is seeking to place as many as possible in its touring shows. “We are still in development mode,” Lamarre said prior to Sunday’s performance. “We are staying in touch with them. We still have more shows in motion.” But a new “Love” is not among them. Officials from Cirque and Apple Corps, The Beatles’ parent company, have stated there will be no reboot of “Love,” either in residency or on tour. There is no future partnership between Cirque and The Beatles being considered. Apple Corps could conceivably stage another licensed Beatles show somewhere — England, maybe? — but it would not be with Cirque artists. And despite the packed invite-only audience and energy in the room, “Love” was not doing great numbers in its final months, topping out at about 60 percent capacity until its closing was announced. The show would likely have required an extensive overhaul if it were to reopen with the Hard Rock in three years. Its custom-designed, in-the-round theater design further complicated a new “Love” concept. Best to let it be, as some wise man once said. And though Cirque du Soleil brass turned up for the show’s closing, the surviving Beatles said goodbye long before Sunday’s finale. Paul McCartney’s last visit to the theater was a random pop-in on Sept. 30, when he was in town to see U2 play the Sphere. The last time he saw a performance was in April 2017. McCartney sent a congratulatory video to the cast and crew that played Saturday during a closing Zoom meeting. Ringo Starr caught the show May 30, during his series at The Venetian Theatre. Starr, whose favorite phrase is “peace and love,” celebrated his 84th birthday on the very day “Love” bowed out. Starr celebrated with his family and fellow rockers at a party in Beverly Hills. Music designer Giles Martin was in attendance at Sunday’s last performance. The son of legendary Beatles producer George Martin has been instrumental in the show’s creative presentation since its inception. Co-director Dominic Champagne along with Cirque officials Gilles Ste-Croix, Stephane Lefebvre, Daniel Lamarre and Mike Newquist were on hand. Lefebvre, brought into the Cirque corporate roster in 2016, is the company’s CEO and ranking member in Las Vegas. He said from the stage prior to the show, “some people may feel this is a bittersweet moment tonight, but those who worked on creating this masterpiece are celebrating peace, joy, happiness and love.” The cast delivered a flawless closing-night performance, not a surprise to anyone who has seen Cirque artists rise to the moment. The show’s opening, with “Twist and Shout” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” was explosive. “Help,” performed by extreme-skateboarders on a pair of half-pipes, soared. The white drape spread over the crowd during “Within You Without You” was a unifying moment so characteristic of the Beatles’ message. The sing-along to “Hey Jude” and “All You Need is Love” at the end inspired more collective energy. Stage hands and techs hustling to the stage to share in the love. Bittersweet, indeed, sad to see it close, but so fortunate to have this uniquely appealing show play the city for so many years. Martin said in an interview leading up to show’s finale, “There’s nothing to replace ‘Love,’ because nothing can replace ‘Love.’” The Beatles’ themselves left while still on top, and so did this show. { SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal, John Katsilometes } ---------------------------------------------------------- "SONGBLAZERS: Cirque du Soleil Goes Country" Texts from the Press Kit ---------------------------------------------------------- In a groundbreaking partnership, Cirque du Soleil joins forces with Universal Music Group Nashville to celebrate the pioneering spirit of country music’s trailblazers with the troupe’s newest production, SONGBLAZERS. This unique collaboration delivers an unforgettable experience, seamlessly weaving together the awe-inspiring acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil with heartfelt melodies of beloved country legends, both past and present. Audiences are transported through the rich tapestry of country music’s history and heritage and invited to hold onto their cowboy hats as they embark on a journey unlike any other. Alongside two passionate songwriters, spectators witness the creative process unfold as they delve deep into the essence of country music, crafting the ultimate country song. From the dusty trails of classic ballads to the vibrant energy of modern hits, this electrifying production captures the essence of country music’s enduring legacy, leaving hearts singing and spirits soaring. THE CONCEPT ----------- OUR YOUNG SONGWRITER, Dusty, disheartened by a poor performance at a local carnival’s talent show, sets off on a quest to reignite his passion and find his voice. As he delves deeper into his mind, the stage transforms into a kaleidoscope of beautifully surreal scenography with breathtaking acts reflecting his inner turmoil and emerging inspiration. This odyssey through the vibrant landscape of country music sees a blossoming friendship develop with Wyatt, a future songwriting partner, where every step, note, and character encountered plays a crucial part in their journey to craft the perfect country song. Amidst campfire sing-a-longs, barn dances and bar fights, the audience is taken on an emotional train ride through the heartlands of the American West meeting a variety of unforgettable characters and muses, each embodying the spirit of country. Outlaws, ranch girls, brakemen, and conductors all guide them, offering lessons in life, love, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. Together, they navigate the highs and lows of the musical artist’s journey, sharing moments of triumph, despair, friendship, and rivalry. As stunning acrobatics and inspiration take flight, our hero forms a duo, creating a melody that captures the essence of their shared adventures — a powerful message of hope and friendship that propels them towards stardom. Their riveting final performance is a testament to their personal growth and the enduring spirit of country music. FUN FACTS --------- o) The African banjo – the ‘banjar’- and the European fiddle contributed to the birth of country music and its unique sound and flavor. Throughout the show, the audience will enjoy both instruments played by our two main characters. o) Country’s roots are deeply intertwined with African American musical traditions as early country music blended blues, gospel and spirituals. o) As well as directing shows for many of the world’s most renowned musical artists, SONGBLAZERS’ Show Director Amy Tinkham has also conceptualized numerous performances for the Country Music Awards. o) SONGBLAZERS’ Costume Designer Zerina Akers has dressed famous celebrities such as Megan Thee Stallion, Chloe, and Halle Bailey as well as collaborating with Beyonce as her personal stylist for over a decade. o) The Country Music Hall of Fame was established in 1961. One of its first inductees was Hank Williams whose song I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry features in the Songblazer’s playlist. o) SONGBLAZERS stars 29 artists and 21 crew members from 13 countries communicating in over 10 languages. o) Sam Williams, son of legendary country artist Hank Williams Jr. and grandson of Hank Williams Sr., has written an original song for the show along with fellow songwriters PJ Harding and Ned Houston. o) More musicians and vocalists appear in SONGBLAZERS than in any other Cirque du Soleil show with 13 musical artists in the cast. MAIN CHARACTERS --------------- o) SONGBLAZER, DUSTY — Inspired by the trailblazing singer-songwriters of country music, Dusty yearns to weave his own story into a heartfelt song. Every note he hums, he dreams of capturing the essence of his journey and the spirit of those who came before him, longing to craft the lyrics and melody that resonate with the soul of country music. o) SONGBLAZER, WYATT — Inspired by legendary country musicians, Wyatt embodies groove and joy. Each instrument he plays and every rhythm he embraces, he channels the timeless spirit of country music, infusing his performances with vibrant energy and infectious fun. o) MOTHER MAY — Inspired by the acclaimed women of country music, Mother May is the spiritual guide and steadfast anchor for our protagonists. Her wisdom and nurturing spirit, reflecting the resilience of country’s female icons, provide unwavering support and inspiration, grounding them throughout their journey, and honoring the legacy of the genre’s great female stars. o) RANCH GIRL, WILLOW — Guiding the mighty longhorn across the plains, Willow embodies the voice of youth and the future strength of country music. Her vibrant spirit and unwavering determination carries the genre forward, blending tradition with innovation to create a new, inspiring chapter in country music’s rich legacy. o) TRAIN BRAKEMAN — Always striving to do good despite the relentless challenges, the train brakeman’s endearing determination and charm reveal a heartfelt desire to find his place. His tenacious and comedic efforts to fit in amidst adversity underscore his spirit, making him a beloved and relatable figure who wins over hearts with his genuine spirit. Always trying to do good despite the hurdles consistently thrown at him, the train brakeman is desperately and charmingly trying to fit in. o) TRAIN CONDUCTOR — Inspired by the tireless spirit of hardworking Americans, the train conductor masks a soft heart beneath his rugged exterior. His dedication and grit, forged by the trials of the railroad, reveal a deep empathy and strength that resonate with the essence of the American dream. ACTS & SONGS ------------ OPENING ACT SONG: HELLO WALLS Following a lukewarm reception at a local talent show, Songblazer Dusty finds himself struggling with writer’s block, catapulting him into a world of creative obstacles, artistic challenges, and distant dreams of future success. SKIPPING ROPES GROUP ACT SONG: BLUE MOON OF KENTUCKY Artists emerge full of energy and inspiration to perform a roof raisin’ skipping rope act that lifts Dusty’s hopes. ACRO BAR SONG: COPPERHEAD ROAD Dusty and Wyatt’s train riding adventure comes to an abrupt halt as a group of outlaws block the track. A female outlaw appears, performing show stopping acrobatics on the railroad crossing bar. CLOWN ACT SONG: FREIGHT TRAIN The train breaks down in the remote southern fields, prompting a comedic brakeman to leap out and attempt repairs—with hilariously unexpected results. STRONGMAN ACT SONG: WORKING MAN BLUES Enter a burly conductor to save the day. With his metal-bending skills and impressive strength, he takes command of repairing the train. MUSICAL PERFORMANCE COUNTRY SING-ALONG — POPULAR HITS OLD & NEW Beneath the stars, our heroes gather the audience around a campfire for a good ol’ heart-warming sing-a-long. CYR WHEEL SONG: TRAVELLER An illuminating Cyr Wheel performance conjures a radiant moon, lighting the path for our songwriters’ inspiration. BARN DANCE SONG: APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN GIRL A stunning set transformation pays beautiful homage to the nostalgic stages of barn dance celebrations of bygone eras, inspiring joyful dance scenes that delight our toe-tapping audience. AERIAL ROPE ACT SONG: COWBOY TAKE ME AWAY In the grand finale of the barn dance, Dusty, Wyatt, and Willow deliver a mesmerizing performance that not only seals their promising partnership but also tips its cowboy hat to the boundless success awaiting them. MUSICAL PERFORMANCE SONG: MULE SKINNER BLUES Evoking the charm and nostalgia of beloved classic television shows, the set transforms into a dazzling country soundstage that allows our SONGBLAZERS to channel their new found inspiration and put them on the path to fame and fortune. HAND TO HAND SONG: CRAZY & WE’RE GONNA HOLD ON A playful Hand to Hand performance by Blaze and Pearl captivates the audience as our two SONGBLAZERS find inspiration in some of the great duets of country music. LINE DANCE SONG: ACHY BREAKY HEART Hold onto your cowboy hats as a honky-tonk line dance electrifies the entire stage, engulfing the audience in song and pure joy. JUGGLING SONG: RED SOLO CUP The finale to the line-dancing is a drinking game that evolves into an impressive red solo cup juggling act, taking the fun to the highest level. TRAPEZE DUET / DUO BODY TRAPEZE SONG: MAN! I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN! Jumping onto the bar and launching into a sensuous aerial performance, two female bartenders elevate the atmosphere with a breathtaking acrobatic display of strength, grace and women power. BAR FIGHT SONG: ORANGE BLOSSOM SPECIAL Chaos erupts as Dusty and Wyatt face off with some tough guys, triggering a wild sequence of spectacular fight stunts, chase scenes, bottle-breaking brawls and acrobatic prowess. MUSICAL PERFORMANCE SONG: CARNIVAL HEART Dusty and Wyatt’s inspirational songwriting journey reaches a powerful and emotional climax as the whole cast perform the show’s original song a Carnival Heart. BANQUINE PYRAMID GROUP ACT SONG: WILL THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN The air is charged with celebration as all acrobats make a spectacular entrance, executing daring stunts and forming an impressive human pyramid. The entire cast joins in, creating a fitting final tribute and high-flying celebration of country music. DEVELOPMENT ----------- o) SET DESIGN — Whether it’s immersing audiences in a local, heel kickin’ county fair, inviting them onto the sets of beloved TV shows, taking them on an inspiring train adventure through the heart of the American West or grabbing them by the hand for a barn dance, SONGBLAZERS’ stunning scenography will make your senses sing and dance. Impressive set design, mesmerizing transitions, oversize props and electrifying lighting all set the stage for our two songwriters as they journey through the song books of trailblazing legends and contemporary stars. o) MUSIC — In a unique collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, Sam Williams has created an original song for the show, CARNIVAL HEART along with fellow songwriters PJ Harding and Ned Houston. Sam is one of the new generation of country stars giving the show a modern, contemporary feel. A country recording artist in his own right with 2 albums to his name, Sam is also the grandson of country pioneer Hank Williams Sr. and son of outlaw legend Hank Jr. Fusing gut-wrenching honesty, plainspoken poetics, raw vulnerability and deep empathy, CARNIVAL HEART is inspired by a personal yearning of self-discovery, friendship, and hope. o) COSTUMES & MAKEUP — Zerina Akers is a costume designer and celebrity stylist who has worked as Beyonce’s personal stylist for nearly a decade. As well as dressing famous celebrities such as Megan Thee Stallion, Chloe and Halle Bailey, Ava DuVernay and others for a number of films, music videos, world tours and TV shows, she now adds Cirque du Soleil to her inspiring portfolio as she joins us for her very first show. Inspired by country fashion, from the world’s concert stages to fashion runways, Zerina brings to SONGBLAZERS her unique interpretations on denim, fringe, luxury, iconic nudie-inspired styles and indigenous prints — all with a touch of glam! Feast your eyes on a variety of fun, playful and striking props and costumes. Fully embodying the spirit of country, from an oversize cowboy hat to the rolling hay bales, iconic country imagery fills the show — and the stage! CREATIVE TEAM ------------- AMY TINKHAM Show Director & Writer Having conceptualized performances for many of the top artists in the world, Amy is no stranger to the live music scene. Most notably, James Taylor and Aerosmith’s Las Vegas residencies, Melissa Etheridge’s Broadway show, and tours and performances for Paul McCartney, The Chicks, Martina McBride, Britney Spears, Earth, Wind & Fire, Mariah Carey, and the Backstreet Boys as well as numerous performances and the Grammy and CMA awards. She was also director for Dancing with the Stars and America’s Got Talent live as well as many Disney Touring projects. DANIEL ROSS Director of Creation After honing his skills on the Montreal theater scene, Daniel ran away with the circus to tour the world. With over 25 years of diversified experience — Stage Manager, Assistant Director and Artistic Director — Daniel has collaborated on many Cirque du Soleil international productions such as Quidam, Saltimbanco, Alegria, Corteo, Kooza, La Nouba and Alegria, In a New Light. o) Wayne Wilson — Associate Show Director & Comedic Designer o) Seth Roberts — Music Arranger & Producer o) Bruce Rodgers — Set Designer o) Nicholas Mahon — Props and Puppets Designer o) Zerina Rosette Akers — Costumes Designer o) Vanessa Ashley — Make-up Designer o) Abigail Rosen Holmes — Lighting Designer o) Gareth Owen — Sound Designer o) Germain Guillemot — Acrobatic Performance Designer o) Danny Zen — Acrobatic Equipment Designer o) Melissa Colello — Acrobatic Choreographer o) Geneviève Dorion-Coupal — Choreographer o) Holly Gleason — Music Consultant o) Colin Linden — Music Consultant o) Line Producer — Bonnie Brown o) Director of Production — Stuart Tucker o) Production Technical Director — Eric Gerard CAST CREDITS ------------ DUSTY CHARACTER, AERIAL ROPE, VOCALIST, MUSICIAN Teo Spencer (USA) WYATT CHARACTER, VOCALIST, MUSICIAN Steve Ray Ladson (USA) MOTHER MAY CHARACTER, VOCALIST, MUSICIAN Sweet Megg (USA) RANCH GIRL CHARACTER, VOCALIST, MUSICIAN Allora Leonard (USA) TRAIN BRAKEMAN CHARACTER Wayne Wilson (USA) TRAIN CONDUCTOR CHARACTER, VOCALIST, MUSICIAN Yuri Alekhin (RUSSIA) CLOGGING GIRL CHARACTER, MUSICIAN Hillary Klug (USA) JUGGLER Bruno Macaggi (SPAIN) CYR WHEEL Brittany Gee-Moore (CANADA) ACRO BAR Olga Makhausta (BELARUS), Ruslan Askerov (UKRAINE), Ihor Kozhyn (UKRAINE) HAND TO HAND Cecilia Figueiredo, Eliel Diaz (BRAZIL) AERIAL BODY TRAPEZE Bettina Bogdan, Krisztina Vellai (HUNGARY) SKIPPING ROPE & HUMAN PYRAMID Faridi Athumani, Petro Kayuyuva, Stanley Kayuyuva, Mfaume Mfaume, Kayumba Mgawe, Godfrew Mwaipungu, Halfan Saddi, Said Saleh (TANZANIA) BAND LEADER, DRUMMER Kyle Edmonston (USA) PEDAL STEEL, GUITAR, DOBRO, LAP STEEL DaShawn Hickman (USA) GUITARS Matthew Lee (USA) BASS, DOUBLE BASS, GUITAR Keenan-Keaton Payne (USA) FIDDLE, MANDOLIN, VOCALIST Ellen Melissa Story (USA) SONG CREDITS ------------ SONGBLAZERS features over 35 past and present country classics. Here’s a list of what you’ll find in the show: “Hello Walls” (Willie Nelson) © Sony/ATV Tree Publishing Performed by Faron Young Courtesy of Capitol Records Nashville under license from Universal Music Enterprises “Crazy” (Willie Nelson) © Sony/ATV Tree Publishing Performed by Patsy Cline Courtesy of MCA Nashville under license from Universal Music Enterprises “Red Solo Cup ” (Brett Beavers, James Beavers, Brad Warren, Brett Warren) © Chestnut Barn Music, EMI Blackwood Music, Reservoir Media Management (Ireland) Limited, Sony/ ATV Tree Publishing, Style Sonic Music LLC Performed by Toby Keith Ⓟ Show Dog “Rhinestone Cowboy” (Laurence Weiss) © WC Music Corp. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” (Ada R. Habershon, Charles H. Gabriel) “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry ” (Hank Williams) © Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music Performed by Hank Williams “Blue Moon of Kentucky” (Bill Monroe) © Bill Monroe Music c/o Music of Evergreen BMG Rights Management, Peer International Corp. “Fox Chase” (Traditional) Performed by DeFord Bailey “Where Shall I Be” (Traditional) Adapted by Charles Price Jones “Carnival Heart” (PJ Harding, Ned Houston, Sam Williams) © Universal Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp. Performed by Sam Williams Courtesy of Mercury Nashville under license from Universal Music Enterprises “Cattle Call” (Tex Owens) © Forster Music Publishing Inc. “Copperhead Road ” (Stephen F. Earle) © BMG Gold Songs, Duke Of Earle, Goldline Music (WB Music), Lorimar Music A Corp., Universal Music Publishing Canada I, Warner Chappell Music Canada Ltd, Warner Olive Music LLC Performed by Steve Earle Courtesy of Geffen Records under license from Universal Music Enterprises “Freight Train” (Elizabeth Cotten, Paul James, Frederick Williams) © Figs D Music “Working Man Blues” (Merle Haggard) © Sony/ATV Publishing Performed by Merle Haggard Courtesy of Capitol Records Nashville under license from Universal Music Enterprises “Tiger By The Tail” (Harlan Howard, Alvin E. Owens Jr.) © Good Ol Harlan Songs, Legacy of Harlan Perry Howard LLC, Sony/ATV Tree Publishing “Follow Your Arrow” (Lynn Brandy Clark, Shane L. MC Anally, Kacey Lee Musgraves) © 351 Music, Highway 508 Songs, House Of Sea Gayle Music, Smack Hits, Spirit Catalogue Holdings Sarl, Warner Tamerlane Publishing Co “Mary Had A Little Lamb” (Traditional) “Friends In Low Places” (Dewayne Blackwell, Earl Eugene Lee) © Sony/ATV Cross Keys Publishing, Universal Music Careers “The Gambler” (Donald Alan Schlitz) © Cross Keys Publishing Co Inc., Writer’s Night Music “All My Ex’s Live In Texas” (Lynda Hardin, Sanger Shafer) © Sony/ATV Acuff Rose Music, Sangerdee Music, Wordworks Music “Never Gonna Give You Up” (Matt Aitken, MIke Stock, Peter Alan Waterman) © All Boys Music Ltd, Mike Stock Publishing Limited, Sids Songs Limited, Universal Music Publishing Canada II, Warner CHappell Music Canada Ltd “King of the Road” (Roger Miller) © Sony/ATV Tree Publishing “Keep On The Sunny Side” (Ada Blenkhorn, J. Howard Entwisle) “Wagon Wheel” (Robert Dylan, Secor Ketch) © Universal Music Publishing, Fern Street Music “Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” (Eilleen Regina Twain, Robert John Lange) © Loon Echo Inc., Out Of Pocket Publishing CO, Universal Music Publishing Canada Performed by Shania Twain Courtesy of Mercury Nashville under license from Universal Music Enterprises “Tennessee Whiskey” (Linda Ann Hargrove, Dean Rutherford) © Universal Music Publishing, EMI Algee Music Corp. “Traveller” (Christopher Stapleton) © Ken Tucky Music, WC Music Corp. “Appalachian Mountain Girl” (Alan Eugene Jackson) © EMI April Music “Cowboy Take Me Away” (Marc Spencer Hummon, Martha Maguire) © Universal Music Careers, Universal Music Publishing Canada II, Woolly Puddin Music “Mule Skinner Blues” (Vaughn Horton, Jimmie Rodgers) © APRS c/o Peer International Ltd. “We’re Gonna Hold On” (George Jones, Earl Montgomery) © Songs of Universal Inc. “Achy Breaky Heart” (Donald Von Tress) © Universal Millhouse Music “Orange Blossom Special” (Erwin T. Rouse) © Universal Music Corporation “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” (John Thomas Crain, Charles Edward Daniels, William Joel Di Gregorio, Fred Laroy Edwards, Charles Fred Hayward, James W. Marshall) © Songs of Universal Inc. “Down The River To Pray” (Traditional) Additional Music Additional music composed by Seth Roberts Audio Archives Audio archives authorized by Grand Ole Opry ---------------------------------------------------------- "Back From Las Vegas... With Some Thoughts!" By: Richard Russo - Atlanta, GA (USA) ---------------------------------------------------------- We'll round out this special double issue with a few thoughts from yours truly. My family and I have recently returned from a trip to Las Vegas and we could not be happier with the outcome. Despite the oppressive heat and overall expense of taking three people (me, my wife, and Brendan, our son) we had a great time! Even though the Star Trek Experience (at the Hilton), the Lion Habitat (at MGM Grand), the Tiger Habitat, Dolphin Habitat, and Secret Garden (at The Mirage), and the Pirate Show (at Treasure Island) are long since gone, we still had a great time introducing Brendan to all the various hotels (and their themes) on the Strip: The Fountains at Bellagio, the Statue of Liberty at New York-New York, the Sphinx at Luxor, the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, and, of course, the Volcano at The Mirage – amongst others. The whole point of braving Las Vegas in throws of Summer wasn’t to take our eight-year-old on a sight-seeing trip of sin city – (to be honest, we would have waited a couple more years if we could) – rather, it was due to the untimely announcement of LOVE’s pending closure on July 7th that lit the fire as it were. With that we had to scramble to get ourselves – and Brendan – out there if we wanted him to have the opportunity to experience the show before it closed. Getting him out there was something that was rather important to us fans of Cirque du Soleil. While Brendan has seen shows like Kurios, Echo, and Drawn to Life live, he’s missed the opportunity to see many of Cirque’s best shows, such as: La Nouba, Quidam, Alegria, Dralion, and Varekai (which he loves the DVD of). He’s also somewhat of a Beatles fan. Strange, but true! Through me (and my wife too) he knows who they are, many of their songs, and even has a few favorites of his own. So, we knew we’d want him to see LOVE someday. We just didn’t know when that someday would be. That someday was going to come sooner rather than later. As soon as the sale to Hard Rock was announced back in 2022, I knew LOVE’s days were numbered. I breathed a sigh of relief when the extension through to the end of 2024 came in, as I wouldn’t have to make an emergency trip in the first half of the year after-all! I could arrange to go out when it was a bit cooler, and bid goodbye in the Fall. Yeah, well, we all know how that went. So, with the announcement that July 7th being the final show... we had to go! And since we were going all the way out there for LOVE, we decided we’d take in a little “O” and Mystère too. (We didn’t really have time for KÀ, but Brendan is interested in seeing that the next time we go out...) Now, I’ve not been to Las Vegas since my wife and I got engaged there in front of the Bellagio in December 2011, and in that time so much has changed – for us, for Cirque, and for Las Vegas. Obviously neither one of us had seen LOVE, “O”, Mystère... or any Cirque du Soleil show out there... in over a decade. And now that we have... I have some thoughts. I will preface the following observations by saying I have nothing but the utmost respect for the artists, technicians, and everyone else associated with putting these shows on night after night after night. I am but a humble spectator who has just seen a lot of Cirque du Soleil shows, in various places around the world, over the last 25 years. I have opinions and I am allowed to voice them. (Especially in my own newsletter.) Additionally, I went into each of the three aforementioned shows with a different set of expectations, which no doubt colored my experience therein: o) With LOVE, it was all about seeing the show one last time and saying goodbye. But I would be amiss if I wasn’t also curious about the 2016 updates and how much they affected the overall feel of the show. o) With “O”, it was more about a homecoming. I knew the show had changed the least over the years, but I was still nervous that it might have lost a bit of its luster, that it was no longer eternal, and the best-of-the-best that Cirque had to offer. o) With Mystère, well... Mystère was the one I was most nervous about. It is my favorite of all Cirque du Soleil shows and it, of the three we saw, has gone through the most changes since I last saw it. So, with that out of the way, let’s get into it... THE BEATLES LOVE ---------------- We saw The Beatles LOVE first, on Friday, June 14th at 7:00pm, from Section 200, Row N, Seats 9, 10, and 11. These were virtually the same seats we sat in when we first saw the show way back on September 22, 2006 – just a few short months after premiere. I mention the seats because, from my experience, these are just about the best seats in the house. You can sit closer, of course; I did that once and disliked that experience. And yes, you can sit further up the sides, but that too was somewhat awkward. Either way, it was nice to see the show out in the same area I saw the show in. Synergy. I like that! And even though we’re about to bid adieu to The Beatles LOVE, I still have a few observations about the performance I’d like to share. Keep in mind that since I hadn’t been to Las Vegas since 2011, I hadn’t yet seen any of the 2016 changes live. I am aware of them, of course, since I’ve spoken about them in the Fascination! Newsletter, updated my site with the information, and saw them through B-Roll footage, pictures, and other clips here and there. That being said: I’m not going to dive into any kind of comparison between the two versions here, nor am I going to review the show from top to bottom, as I assume at this point you know what LOVE is all about. Rather, I just want to impart a few comments about our performance because, well, that’s what I do: o) I did miss hearing “I am the Walrus” in the show, which originally followed the “Elenor Rigby” number (as heard on the LOVE album), as it is one of my favorite Beatles songs. However, “Twist ‘n Shout” does work better in the Rock-n-Roll Run sequence of events in this early part of the show, which also depicts the early aspects of Beatlemania in the storyline, so it was a fair trade off. o) In the original musical presentation, “Strawberry Fields” built up from an acoustic demo (Take 1, featured on “Anthology”) through various other takes before reaching the released version of the song. This was changed in the 2016 update to just the released version of the song and... it’s okay here. I’m 50/50 on this one. While it is nice that you jump right into the song you know and love, but the original build up was so unique. o) “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was another sequence I’m 50/50 on the change. Prior to the revamp, this sequence featured a couple of large paper marionettes the performer danced around with, which was an interesting take on the concept of the scene being depicted. The revamped version is just as interesting, though, with a dance/chase through a projection to help get the point across. I still lean toward the physical prop rather than the projected one, but your mileage may vary. o) “Octopus’ Garden” seemed woefully short of performers there was little life here under the sea. Now I recall the entire stage being filled with all sorts of underwater creatures, so much so that the entire theater seemed to come to life during this sequence. Now it seemed rather lifeless. I cannot say if I am mis-remembering the sequence, if there was a huge change in the scene between the last time I saw the show and now, or because we’re approaching on the last few shows, there’s just been a reduction in available cast. o) The original “gumboot” opening of “Lady Madonna” was seemingly changed up to feature less gumboot and more playing with the projections on the ground, much to the detriment of the sequence, in my opinion. o) Speaking of projections, I was expecting the projections – added in the 2016 revamp - to take over the production at times, but they were never a distraction... other than with the aforementioned opening to “Lady Madonna”. I understand a few of the updates had been removed in subsequent years since the revamp so I missed the worst of it. o) What was a distraction, however, was the volume of the music. While I understand a show of this nature should have its music be felt as much as heard, there were times the volume was really, really loud. Too loud. And it’s not about getting older either... you could actually hear the speakers struggling and overloading at more than a couple of points during the show, which got me to wonder if there was something wrong with the multi-million-dollar sound system and whether anyone cared since there were only a few dozen shows left to perform. Thank goodness we brought ear plugs along for Brendan to wear because he definitely needed them at various points in the show. And that’s it! All in all, we had a blast at LOVE! Brendan really enjoyed it and it was very heartwarming – though bittersweet – to see it one last time. I missed catching La Nouba one last time before it closed and I kick myself every day for that. I couldn’t do it again. “O” at BELLAGIO --------------- The following evening, we saw “O” from Section 103, Row C, Seats 11, 12, and 13 – front and center. I wanted to give Brendan the best possible seat for this show; the tickets were not cheap – in fact, they were the most expensive of the three shows we partook in this extended weekend vacation – but they were damn good seats. All three of us enjoyed the show immensely. Everything about “O” seemed to go off without a hitch, and I found myself reveling in it all. It was such a treat! Goosebumps. Tears. Everything. The performance was everything I’ve been wanting out of Cirque du Soleil recently, and was happy it was with “O”. Now, as I’ve spoken at length about “O” in the past, I will not bore you with yet another review of the show itself. But I do have one or two criticisms about the performance I need to get off my chest: o) First, the Comets didn’t appear to be as sassy as usual. Oh, they were in attendance and performed most adequately, but much of their vivacity from previous viewings seemed to be missing in this performance. Perhaps it’s because it’s been over a decade since either of us has seen “O” live and there’ve been some character changes, or perhaps it was just a slightly off night for them. I really could not say either way. But it was a quirk we both looked forward to in their characterization that seemed to be muted in this performance. o) The second observation – and this in itself is a travesty – Who thought it was a good idea to neuter the Zebra’s performance in the Cadre act? A storm that normally rages for 6 minutes and 30 seconds was cut woefully short to a measly three minutes long!! There was barely enough time for the Zebras to do anything on the apparatus, let alone for the storm to really temper the theater with all its fury. The song started, the thunder clapped, and just as soon as Zebras jumped on the apparatus it was all over. So disappointing! Otherwise, everything else about the show was spot on, and I was so relieved. It all at once felt familiar, heartening, comforting, and reassuring. At first, I was content with the performance, and went about the rest of the evening – and the rest of the trip and beyond – on a wonderful high. But after I returned home and sat down and began thinking about what I would write about the shows, my mind kept returning to what my wife and I said about “O” – that it was familiar (that’s good!), heartening (good again!), comforting (yes!), and reassuring (even more importantly, yes!) – but the more I thought about those words, and other similar metaphoric descriptions, the more disturbed I got. Because our performance of “O” was spectacular, it was fantastic, I absolutely thoroughly enjoyed it! But one word kept popping up as I thought more about it. Safe. “O” was exactly as I expected it to be – wanted it to be: a classic Cirque show performed in the classic way, with little change to its routine. But it was safe. Safe in the same way something is secure from threat of danger, harm, or loss; safe in the same way something is free from harm or risk. And it’s had me boggled ever since. MYSTERE ------- Anyway, the evening after that, at 7:00pm on June 16th – Father’s Day and consequently Cirque du Soleil’s birthday – we saw Mystère. As I mentioned earlier, Mystère was the show I was the most nervous about seeing. It is, as I said, my favorite show. And so, I am the touchiest about any changes to this masterpiece. Yet changes have come. In fact, the show has changed quite a bit since the last time I saw it back in 2011. In 2012... o) High Bar (and its awful “new” music) was replaced with Flying Trapeze from ZED – complete with its musical accompaniment “Fiesta”. o) The choreography of the Chinese Poles act was refreshed. o) And the show added (not replaced) a Flying Silks act into the first-half of the Bungee segment (when the song “Kalimando” plays). In 2017... o) A Duo Straps act replaced Aerial Cube at the beginning of the show. (Consequently, the act brought with it a change in music, which was not well received. “Misha” would be reintroduced in 2018.) o) Bungees returned to its original staging – as the Flying Silks act that was added in 2012 departed by mid-2017. (A similar acrobatic act would return as an act-in-reserve in 2021, eventually playing to a revamped version of “Birimbau”.) o) Music for the “Dei Ex Machina” interlude was changed (as was the choreography). Out was the short and rocking “Gambade” and in was a piece called “Rogue”. o) And the U-shaped trampoline was removed, a new more powerful power track added, and a new teeterboard routine was created for what was now the PowerTrack & Korean Plank double-act. (And with it a complete musical change; “En Ville / Frisco” was out and in is a song called “Convergence”.) And most recently, the iconic song “Kunya Sobe” from the second half of Bungees was replaced by one called “Avos” and we have an all-female version of Hand-to-Hand. * * * What I liked about Mystère when I first saw it back in 1999 was its connections to Saltimbanco and Alegría. After being introduced to Cirque du Soleil via La Nouba in early May 1999, I would cut my teeth on this new world via Cirque on BRAVO, an arts and entertainment cable tv network. Through their broadcasts, shows like Nouvelle Experience, Saltimbanco (and later Quidam) became instant favorites. But it was Saltimbanco I latched onto early on and I watched that recording over and over and over again. I fell in love with the Adagio Trio, the Chinese Poles artists, the Hand-to-Hand brothers, the Duo Trapeze girls, the Russian Swings, and the Bungees. I mean, really, most of the show. And when I realized I could see most of these acts in Las Vegas, well... I immediately made plans for a trip out! While I could see the Russian Swings and the Steben sisters in “O”, Mystère had the Chinese Poles, the Lorador Brothers (Hand-to-Hand), the Bungees, and much, much more. Mystère also had Taiko drumming, which I just become a huge fan of. Add to that Paul Bowler on Aerial Cube from Alegría and I was in heaven! Although I would see “O” first, it was Mystère I instantly fell in love with – acrobatically and musically. So, like with the other shows, I’ve spoken at length about Mystère in the past; therefore, I find no reason give you a new overview of the show. Instead, I’ll speak to what I liked about the changes since I last saw the show, and what I inevitably did not like. But I’ll give you my reasons why. First, what I liked! o) Despite missing the mysteriousness of the Aerial Cube opening, the Aerial Straps Duo were very good! It helped greatly that “Misha” accompanied their act, as it would be a travesty to not use that fantastic piece of music. o) I really enjoyed the all-female Hand-to-Hand as well! They were skilled and confident and went out and owned that stage. It helped they performed some of the routine the Lorador Brothers (and their replacements) did, but also added their own personal flair. o) And, having seen ZED twice back in 2008, it was very nice to see the Flying Trapeze act again. (Though I am on the fence as to whether its song “Fiesta” fits the Mystère vibe, but there’s other fish to fry...) Second, what was okay... o) The “new” Chinese Poles choreography was just okay. During our performance there didn’t seem to be a lot of actual movement on the poles themselves compared to the previous times I’d seen the show, so the thrill of it just wasn’t there. But it could have been an off night as well. o) The “new” Planche act’s choreography is serviceable. There’s nothing wrong with the Korean Plank part of the act, but I really miss the Butterfly Trampoline. (It was unique to Mystère.) There was just something about it and the musical piece played during it that just said Mystère to me. And that leads me to... Third, the things I did not like... I will just come out with it and say it: what I disliked the most were all the musical changes made to the show. They were completely unnecessary! “Convergence”, “AVOS”, and “Rouge” are not bad pieces in and of themselves, there’s a tonal dissonance between these new songs and the originals where they just don’t sound like Mystère at all. And some sound as if they’re from a different show all together (“Fietsa” notwithstanding because it IS from a different show all together). For example: “Convergence”, the “new” Planche song, has more in common with the soundtrack to Drawn to Life, the Cirque du Soleil show that replaced La Nouba at Walt Disney World, than it does to anything in Mystère. The replacement of “Gambade” with “Rogue” completely changes this part of the show. What used to be a dark, moody, beat-driving song, is replaced with something much lighter, with beeps and boops more befitting Volta than Mystère. Changing up the original dance choreography did not do this number any favors. This is not a slight to the dancers, as they are very talented. Rather, the original choreography and music worked so well together in a way that the new version does not. But the biggest travesty of them all is “AVOS” replacing “Kunya Sobe”. I mean, come on now. Why change from a song that you can hum on the way out of the theater to one that you can’t even remember five seconds after it finishes? Again, on its own, the song is fine; it’s serviceable. But as a replacement for an iconic piece like “Kunya Sobe”? No. Absolutely not. You replaced an iconic song, with lyrics, to one that’s simply background music? A friend said, “it’s like you told the composer ‘oh, this scene takes place in a forest’ and that’s all they had to go off of to create a song. We know we’re in a forest. We can see the lighting design [and] the costumes. We don’t need the music to shove that down our throats!” I acknowledge my bias here because not only is Mystère my favorite Cirque du Soleil show, but “Kunya Sobe” is arguably one of my favorite songs in all of Cirque du Soleil’s musical canon. I know it backwards and forwards. It’s the ring tone on my phone for crying out loud! It’s a part of the show I looked forward to hearing each and every time I saw the show. (Having the bungees spin over your head during parts of this is an added bonus.) So, yes, having the song replaced by something I feel is much less interesting is a travesty. Alas, in conclusion I’m going to ask a question that has gotten me in trouble in the past – (Alain, you know who you are) – but I still have to ask it... Cirque: WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 24, Number 3 (Issue #226) - May/June 2024 Volume 24, Number 4 (Issue #227) - July/August 2024 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2024 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. { Aug.02.2024 } =======================================================================