On November 4, 2016, Cirque du Soleil was thrilled to announce a new production – VOLTA, written and directed by Bastien Alexandre and with Jean Guibert as the director of creation. The show will be presented under the Big Top in Montreal’s Old Port starting April 20th, 2017. The name VOLTA refers to a sudden about-face, a change in emotion or idea often used in poetry. It also speaks to the jolt of energy delivered through the show.
THE SHOW
WAZ, a popular gameshow host, has lost touch with his inner self in the pursuit of fame, pulling others in the trap of instant glory. But as doubt sets in, WAZ is enlightened by childhood memories as he encounters ‘free spirits’ who open doors to his inner soul he has long kept shut. On his high-voltage search for meaning, will WAZ find the courage to relinquish his fame, reconnect with his true self, and shine bright? VOLTA tells a spellbinding story about the freedom to choose and the thrill of blazing your own trail. Inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of action sports, the show weaves the adrenaline rush of acrobatics into a visually striking world driven by a stirring melodic score. VOLTA is a story of trans- formation. It is about being true to oneself, fulfilling one’s true potential, and the power of the group to make that possible. It cele- brates freedom as a movement.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
VOLTA’s creative team comprises 13 creators under the artistic guidance of Jean-François Bouchard:
• Bastien Alexandre — Writer and Director
• Jean Guibert — Director of Creation
• Bruce Rodgers — Set Designer
• Zaldy Goco — Costume Designer
• Julie Perron — Choreographer
• Martin Labrecque — Lighting Designer
• Thibaut Duverneix — Video Content Designer
• Jean-Michel Caron — Sound Designer
• Anne Séguin Poirier — Props Designer
• Philippe Aubertin — Acrobatic Performance Designer
• Rob Bollinger — Acrobatic Performance Designer
• Jaque Paquin — Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer
• Eleni Uranis — Make up Designer
• Manon Beaudoin — Character’s guide
THE PRESS CONFERENCE
On Tuesday, April 4, 2017, Cirque du Soleil unveiled a bit of VOLTA to the press, holding the show’s press conference in the new big top on the quays of the Old Port of Montreal, but doing so in an interesting way: via Instagram. Much of their initial presentation is no longer available, but a number of enterprising attendees put up videos and pictures from the event on their Instagram pages. A few even put together montage videos on YouTube, like the one below from Cirque Vault.
Here’s some other videos from Instagram:
• https://www.instagram.com/p/BSd8yVoBAaC/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/BSd927fFM8c/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/BSd-HwflWF5/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/BSd-WC_B86h/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/BSd_ADnl_GD/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/BSd_I28FY5e/
• https://www.instagram.com/p/BSd9D85FatU/
And here are some pictures that have surfaced so far…
TICKETS
VOLTA will be presented under the Big Top in Montreal’s Old Port starting April 20th, 2017. Cirque Club members can purchase tickets for these performances online starting today at www.cirquedusoleil.com/volta.
Facebook: facebook.com/VOLTA
Twitter: @Cirque #VOLTA
Instagram: cirquedusoleil #VOLTA
