Cirque & The Beatles at the Mirage

In the words of Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté: “We want to bring the magic of Cirque du Soleil together with the spirit and passion behind the most beloved rock band of all time to create a single, simple statement of delight.”

Cirque du Soleil, Apple Corps Ltd. and The Mirage announce a partnership in which they will celebrate the musical legacy and extraordinary experience of The Beatles in an unprecedented live theatre production opening in 2006. This joint artistic venture marks the first time that The Beatles’ company, Apple Corps, has agreed to a major theatrical partnership.

The production will be Cirque du Soleil’s fifth resident show in Las Vegas and will be presented at The Mirage, the resort that changed the face of Las Vegas when it opened in 1989.

The project was born out of a personal friendship and professional admiration between the late George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. “This show is about living The Beatles experience,” said Guy Laliberté. “We want to bring the magic of Cirque du Soleil together with the spirit and passion behind the most beloved rock band of all time to create a single, simple statement of delight.”

Neil Aspinall, Managing Director of Apple Corps, said, “In the past The Beatles have been approached with theatrical proposals which never promised much beyond a traditional presentation. However, in Cirque du Soleil, Apple is fortunate to have found a creative partner with the same passion for innovation and excellence.”

Robert H. Baldwin, President and CEO of Mirage Resorts, said, “This partnership builds on the solid relationship that already exists between MGM MIRAGE and Cirque du Soleil. We too are
thrilled that the union between two premier entertainment icons, The Beatles and Cirque, will come together at The Mirage.”

Gilles Ste-Croix, Vice President of Creation and New Project Development at Cirque du Soleil, revealed key members of the artistic team will include Cirque du Soleil writer-director Dominic Champagne and The Beatles producer Sir George Martin.

Sir George, who will oversee the music element of the show, said today, “After spending more than 40 years of my life working with The Beatles and their wonderful music, I am thrilled to be working with them once again, on this exciting project with Cirque du Soleil. The show will be a unique and magical experience.”

While the project has the approval of Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, Paul and Ringo will not appear in the production. “It is a fantastic project for us and
I personally am excited to collaborate with such a great creative team,” Paul McCartney said.

“How excited can I get — The Beatles, Cirque du Soleil, an incredible venue in Las Vegas – what could be better,” said Ringo. “I’m looking forward to the first show ’cause I’m going to be there and I hope you are too.”

“The Beatles and Cirque. I think it’s a great combination: The Beatles’ agile mind and Cirque’s agile body,” said Yoko Ono. “George and Guy shared the same vision. They planned to utilize
the extraordinary creativity of the Beatles and Cirque du Soleil to produce an uplifting moment in time. We are all very happy to see this project come to fruition,” said Olivia Harrison.

Additional details of the content of the show, which aims to revisit the excitement of the remarkable era when Beatlemania ignited the world, are in creative incubation.

[Source: Cirque du Soleil Press Release Reprint]