Cirque du Soleil is coming to the Zibi site in Gatineau next August, and if the shows are a hit and construction allows it could be the start of a six-year series of Cirque shows.
The coming of Cirque du Soleil to Gatineau, which was the subject of discussion for several months, was confirmed Wednesday in an announcement involving politicians, business people, and representatives of the regional tourism scene.
The Cirque’s new show is called VOLTA, and CEO president Daniel Lamarre promises it will be full of youth and dynamism. It’s still under development. Artists, he said, “are sweating right now in our Montreal studio.”
The Zibi site is “probably the best in the world,” Lamarre said.
“We are always influenced by our sites,” he said. “For one rare time we will have access close to the water, and we will have visibility all around — not only in Gatineau but also in Ottawa. So for us it could not be a better site.”
He said VOLTA “will be extremely different from all our previous shows.” Publicity materials say it “tells a spellbinding story about the freedom to choose.”
The 31 performances will run from Aug. 3 to 27 in a single tent that will seat 2,500. Tickets, as reporters were reminded five times at Wednesday’s announcement, are on sale now for Cirque Club members, and Dec. 10 for everyone else.
The Cirque played just across the river on LeBreton Flats back in the 1990s, and crowds packed the seats. This will be the first Gatineau visit.
“We always start our tour with us to Montreal because it’s close to our studios, but the first city [we’ll] visit later is Gatineau”, said President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Daniel Lamarre. “This is a historic opportunity for us, because usually we visit the world – we are ambassadors for Canada – and this time around, we’ll celebrate the 150th anniversary of our country in Gatineau.”
The site will be vacant in the medium term, and Jeff Westeinde, executive chairman of Windmill Development Group, said this will bring a string of shows to the area looking downstream over the Ottawa River.
“Place des festivals has a lease with us for six years, to attract not only Cirque du Soleil but also other major events to the site. There are very few sites in the region that can host such a large show. So depending on our construction schedule we will make the site available to the for up to six years.”
Place des festivals is a not-for-profit group that works with Gatineau to bring in large shows.
He said the Cirque itself “is looking to come back regularly over the next six years, not just the VOLTA show but with future show as well.”
Windmill is investing $400,000 and the city of Gatineau $300,000 to make the site suitable.
{ SOURCE: Ottawa Sun, La Presse | https://goo.gl/dlL5FQ, https://goo.gl/CUhKl1 }
