======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Issue #2 - October 2001 ======================================================================= Bonjour! Welcome once again to the Fascination! Newsletter. We are happy to bring you our sophomore issue and through all the tough times during the month, we're glad to be bringing it to you. Many tragic events have occurred since the newsletter was last published. In the face of such a horrific event, we have picked ourselves up and faced the challenge. The newsletter staff wishes to express our condolences to those fans who may have had families and friends involved in the attacks, and hope that we can overcome this tragedy with peace. As always, this issue features the latest news and rumors to reach the Cirque du Soleil fan community as well as our own written features. This issue also contains a special note from Cirque du Soleil in response to the attacks on September 11, 2001. So let's get started, shall we? ============ Contents: ============ * News, Rumors & Tour/Show Information * Fascination! Fan Club Updates * Special: A Message from Cirque du Soleil: The WTC * This Month in Cirque History * Birthday Wishes * Feature: Passages - A Journey of Man (By: Ricky Russo) * Feature: Taïko - the Heartbeat of Cirque (By: Ricky Russo) * JOM Fun Facts (By: Keith Johnson) * Feature: Le Passage (By: Paul Roberts) * How/Where to see "Journey of Man" * New Cirque Musique! (By: Keith Johnson) * Parting Quote * Next Issue * Subscription Information * Copyright & Disclaimers ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================= NEWS, RUMORS & TOUR INFORMATION ======================================================================= We all know that anything can happen in the world of Cirque du Soleil. This section highlights Cirque du Soleil news and rumors that have brought themselves to light over the past month. News ------ Official Cirque du Soleil Club Premiers! We had been hearing that *big* things were in store for the Cirque Website, including several rumored fan-outreach items. Things are starting to happen, as they just recently started taking sign-ups for the Club. After registering (basic information, nothing too privacy-infringing), you're able to choose the kind of information you'd like to receive. In addition to the more standard features (getting news information, special promotions, merchandise sales - with separate sections for Touring and Permanent shows), there are some interesting boxes to check. One section allows you to select specific cities and get information on when Cirque might be visiting there. Another box will let you know about upcoming chats and webcasts! And, the most interesting box lets you know about "temporary jobs available in your local area." The rest of the site will be debuting later this year. Right now the only page up and running is the sign up page, but that will soon change. We can't see any reason why ALL of you out there shouldn't sign up -- aren't we all Cirque fans? The place to go is www.cirqueclub.com. Francesca Gagnon has left Alegría: After reporting last issue that Francesca Gagnon had returned to the Asia-Pacific Tour of Alegría (still in Australia) as its primary singer, she has left again. Her tenure was only temporary as a replacement was needed once Andrée Simard left. Francesca's replacement is Nathalie Noelle. Nathalie was featured on a show on the new National Geographic Channel. Quidam in Miami!: Beginning February 2002, Quidam will journey back across the pond to visit Miami, Florida. The actual dates have not yet been set but tickets will go on sale beginning October, 2001. DVD/VHS Releases abound: Don't forget, on October 9th, "Journey of Man" makes its debut to DVD/VHS. And, on 10/30/01, DVD and VHS re-releases of "Nouvelle Expérience" "Le Cirque Réinventé" as well as "Baroque Odyssey" and "Saltimbanco" will be available. Also, a new treat for us fans, a 50-minute version of "La Magie Continue" -- their 1986 tour production. Make sure you pre-order your copies today at your favorite store! Mystère down to 8 shows a week!: Due to the drop-off in visitors to Las Vegas following the World Trade Center incident, Mystère has shortened its production schedule from its normal 10 shows a week down to 8. Normally, shows are 7:30pm and 10:30pm Wednesday through Sunday (with Monday and Tuesday "Dark"). Until further notice, on Friday and Sunday there will only be 7:30pm shows. The 10:30pm shows have been canceled. Consequently, "O" is still going strong with its normal 10 shows per week. (Thank you, Rhonda Povelko, Bellagio Ticket Office Manager). Contortionist for Alegría out with injuries!: Nomin Tsveendorj, who has been with Alegría since the beginning of the production, has recently left due to a back injury. Her replacement is none other than Chimed Ulziibayar's sister. It is unknown whether Nomin Tsveendorj will return to Alegría after she has healed, or whether her tenure with Cirque has ended. We will, of course, try to keep you updated. Jenny Jacinto Back? Jenny Jacinto who has been with Cirque du Soleil for quite some time, has returned to the troupe. Having performed as a contortionist for Cirque in Nouvelle Expérience and Saltimbanco (Europe), she has now returned not as a performer, but as an artistic counselor. Alegría to visit Singapore in 2002: By now, most of you are aware that an extra stop has been added to the Alegría tour plan, and that stop is Singapore. Scheduled to start February 28, 2002 and perform until March 24th. Sponsored by M1 , you can purchase tickets now from Cirque's web site. Trapèze Twins to Leave: Elsie and Serenity Smith will leave Saltimbanco 2000 very soon. These two twins replaced the Steben twins when they went to "O". Elsie and Serenity are to be replaced with two little blond girls who are almost done with their studio training. They will join the show sometime late 2001 or early 2002. Official Alegría Wallpaper: Catch your official Alegría Australian Tour wallpaper at the Official Cirque site! It is available in standard 800x600 and 1024x728 resolutions. Karl to Fritz to... Target?: Most of us know that Matthew Baker, who performed the character "Fritz" in the European Tour of Quidam has left the show. Matthew Baker was a replacement himself for the original character, Karl, played by Karl Baumann - an ex-Mystère dancer - during the original North American Tour. Matthew Baker's replacement is also an ex-Mystère dancer named Andrea Ziegler. Her character, named Target, has changed the sex of the character from Male to Female. But, consequently, the character remains male. Rumors -------- Touring Shows to Return to North America?: It has been rumored that all of Cirque du Soleil's touring shows (Quidam, Saltimbanco and Alegría) not currently seen inside of the North American continent will return next Spring. As mentioned above, Quidam is set to return to the USA, will the other two follow? Only time will tell... Acts list for Cirque 2002: Martin, who posts regularly to Seisouso.net's news page reported a couple of the acts that may be seen in the new Cirque show set to debut in April 2002. One of those is a Duo Trapeze act featuring the Steben twins (Karyne and Sarah - of Saltimbanco and "O" fame). Fans had heard the twins left "O" to pursue Cirque 2002 previously. Two other acts that have been rumored are a Korean plank/Banquine type act and a group Aerial Hoops act. New Hoops for Alegría?: It has been reported that Elena Lev is currently still performing with the production. She is sporting a new costume and is only performing temporarily. Her replacement, Maria Silaeva (who performed a manipulation act previously) is currently out with injuries. There is to be a new personage coming in with an entirely new hoop act! More details as they emerge. THANKS TO: Blair, Ricky and Martin for this months news/rumors! Tour/Show Information ----------------------- [Touring Shows] Alegría: * Ended its run in Brisbane on 9/23/01 * Next stop: Adelaide on October 10th Dralion: * Currently in Philadelphia (Began 9/27/01) * Tickets on-sale now for the Dallas run that begins on November 16th! Quidam: * Currently in Zurich (as of 9/14/01) * Next stop: London on November 22nd! * Miami, Florida: February 2002! Saltimbanco: * Still in Japan -- Yokohama until 11/25/01! * Next Stop: Europe -- Amsterdam 2/14/02 [Resident Shows] La Nouba: * La Nouba is scheduled for a "dark" period between October 1st through the 4th. There are no other "dark" periods other than normal "off" times for the remainder of the month. Mystère: * Mystère is also scheduled to be dark other than its normal off nights, from October 7th through October 10th. NOTE: Mystère has gone to an 8 show-per-week schedule until further notice. The normal 10:30pm shows on Friday and Sunday have been canceled. The 7:30pm shows on those days will run as scheduled. "O": * Besides from its normal off nights, "O" is scheduled to be dark from October 15th through October 18th. ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FAN CLUB UPDATES ======================================================================= New Fascination! Message Board: The Fascination! Fan Club has prepared an online message board for our fans to chat about the newsletter, the fan club and Cirque du Soleil in general. You can find the message board from the fan club main page: < http://www.seisouso.net >. Click on "The Fascination Message board" to take part. There is no registration required! Subscribers: As of this issue, we have 95 subscribers to the newsletter. The newsletter staff welcomes you all and thanks you for your interest and continued interest in our newsletter and in Cirque du Soleil in general. Thank you! Results of First Polls: As the first issue was released, four different polls were set up to gather your opinions. The results of those polls are below. Question 1: Do you think the newsletter was informative? - Yes, 10 votes, 100.00% - No, 0 votes, 0.00% - Kinda, 0 votes, 0.00% Question 2: Would you recommend the Newsletter to friends? - Yes, 8 votes, 100.00% - No, 0 votes, 0.00% - I dunno, 0 votes, 0.00% Question 3: Is the newsletter.... - To Long?, 2 votes, 25.00% - To Short?, 0 votes, 0.00% - Just Right?, 6 votes, 75.00% Question 4: How do you rate the premier issue of the "Fascination! Newsletter"? - 10 - Best, 2 votes, 22.22% - 9, 2 votes, 22.22% - 8, 4 votes, 44.44% - 7, 1 votes, 11.11% - 6, 0 votes, 0.00% - 5, 0 votes, 0.00% - 4, 0 votes, 0.00% - 3, 0 votes, 0.00% - 2, 0 votes, 0.00% - 1 - Worst, 0 votes, 0.00% Thank you to all who participated in the polls. New polls will be set up from time to time to gather your opinions and input from you, our readers, to make sure we are providing the best and most informative newsletter we can! ======================================================================= A MESSAGE FROM CIRQUE DU SOLEIL -- THE WORLD TRADE CENTER ======================================================================= By now, everyone around the world is familiar with the events that occurred on September 11, 2001 in New York City. Those tragic events spawned an outpouring of emotion that is felt by all. Cirque du Soleil responded to the events eloquently and the newsletter staff wanted to make sure everyone had a chance to read their release, which was first released to the fans on September 13, 2001 and later appeared on their web site: Cirque du Soleil is deeply saddened by the recent events that took place this week. Our thoughts have been constantly with our fans and friends all over the United States. Cirque du Soleil has a substantial number of performers and staff in the US. After Tuesday's events our priority was to make sure that all of them were safe and sound. This was made additionally difficult given the complete shutdown of our email and internet service. To date our email service has not been fully restored. Nonetheless, Cirque du Soleil, it's artists and staff wanted to pay their respect to the families and friends of the victims in the best way they knew how - by performing and trying to bring a little hope and joy during this terrible time. That is why all Cirque du Soleil performances this week are dedicated to the victims, rescue workers and families touched by the September 11th catastrophe. I want to assure you that the lack of an official posting on the website does not reflect passivity or lack of compassion. Everybody at Cirque has been touched by this tragedy. Our hearts go out to everyone in the US. Rikke Wivel Marketing Manager - Internet Cirque du Soleil ======================================================================= THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE HISTORY ======================================================================= * October 09, 1992 -- The Saltimbanco CD was Released * October 09, 2001 -- Journey of Man Released on DVD/VHS * October 10, 2001 -- Alegría opened in Adelaide, Australia * October 11, 1994 -- The Alegría CD was Released * October 11, 2000 -- Dralion opened in McLean, Virginia * October 12, 2000 -- Saltimbanco 2000 opened in Tokyo, Japan * October 14, 1993 -- Saltimbanco opened in Washington DC * October 19, 1998 -- "O" Premiered at Bellagio, Las Vegas * October 30, 2001 -- "Magie Continues" Released on DVD/VHS * October 30, 2001 -- "Saltimbanco" Released on DVD * October 30, 2001 -- "Nouvelle Experience" Released on DVD * October 30, 2001 -- "Cirque Réinventé" Released on DVD * October 30, 2001 -- "Baroque Odyssey" Released on DVD ======================================================================= BIRTHDAY WISHES! ======================================================================= * September 07, 1959 -- Francine Poitras (Singer/Saltimbanco) * September 10, 1965 -- Steven Ragatz (Manipulation/Quidam) * September 19, 1955 -- Michael Deschamps (Clown/La Nouba) * September 27, 1955 -- Vasily Dementchoukov (Chairs/La Nouba) * September 30, 1975 -- Sébastien Coin (Character/Mystère) * October 03, 1969 -- Ebon Grayman (Fleur/Biloxi Alegría) * October 10, 1960 -- Serguei Chachelev (Clown/La Nouba) * October 10, 1970 -- Viktor Kee (Juggling/Dralion) * October 12, 1965 -- Marie-Laure Mesnage (Statue/Quidam) * October 13, 1967 -- Paul Bowler (Cube Man/Mystère) * October 18, 1961 -- Soizick Hébert (Les Voilà/Dralion) * October 19, 1964 -- Guennadi Tchijou (Sleeper/Saltimbanco) * October 30, 1958 -- Nathalie Gauvin (Singer/Mystère) * October 31, 1941 -- Yuri Medvedev (Clown) * October 31, 1957 -- Johnny Filion (Les Voilà/Dralion) ======================================================================= FEATURE: PASSAGES -- A JOURNEY OF MAN (By: Ricky Russo) ======================================================================= The story of "Journey of Man" is larger than life. The canvas used to paint the tale is humongous -- an IMAX screen. Using 70mm film, this 38 minute Three-Dimensional adventure enlightens our senses with an imaginative allegory about the passage of life -- from birth to maturity. Set in various unique settings throughout the world, Cirque du Soleil has provided a marvelous example of their creativity. Our adventure begins in the vast void of space; A cold place but a fresh canvas. And even though space is cold, we are not alone. Everything to create and sustain life is upon us... and then, an explosion permeates that vastness, sending a flash of brilliance rippling throughout the universe. Creation! The Birth of the Universe -- Yes! The stars, the planets, everything is created before our eyes... and man. From the vastness of the universe to the confines of a cavern, inhabited by primitive creatures. They are a tribe of prehistoric humans confined to their animalistic ways. But then, something special occurs -- a child robed in white (symbolizing an embryonic human) appears and the tribe begins to beat on their drums. More and more powerful beats come representing the first beats of a new heart. A new life. The Child, pure and innocent, is the Universal Child -- seen in Saltimbanco. He is surrounded in a womb-like cave, which consequently is the only man-made set in the entire film. His companions are the Tribe - the Taïko drummers from Mystère, under the direction of Pierre Dubé. Together, they set the scene for the first stage in development: the breath of life. Next, an elegant display of aquatic synchronization dazzles us. Water, the universal element, provides nourishment for our child and sets the scene for his birth. The second stage of life begins in a forest outside of Boulder Creek, California. Among the giant redwood trees fly the birds of this narration: the Bungees. It is also where our child explores his inner self and comes in contact with his instincts for the first time. These instincts, represented by two clowns - a male and female - are as complimentary to one another as they are not. Known only as Flounes, they provide consciousness to our child. The male is the confident risk-taker. He has an enormous cache of energy and is willing to try just about anything, no matter how dangerous it may be. The female, the intelligent and thoughtful one, is as cautious as she is considerate. She weighs all the consequences of a choice carefully before deciding to act. The two of them were previously seen in Nouvelle Expérience. Wondrous creatures, too, inhabit the forest. From Mystère: The Palmiers (big orange creatures that look like giant Pumpkins), a Giant Stork and the double-face of the Asticots, a creature who slithers the lengths of the giant trees. But it is the Bungees that capture the child's attention. For the first time, fear, wonder and courage appear within him as the flamboyantly costumed birds appear from the heavens. They take hold of him and propel him to another plane... another stage of development: into adolescence! It is during Adolescence that our protagonist, no longer a child, but not quite a man, comes upon the Cube Man (performed by Mikhail Matorin from Mystère). Hidden in the Valley of Fire state park in Nevada, the youth learns strength and stamina as the man wields his metallic cube from atop a rocky precipice. After learning this, he next finds himself in the confines of a garden. (San Mateo, California). Here he witnesses a spectacular act of love and grace. The male-female pair, looking like statues, perform their act upon a lone lily pad, in the center of a pond. It is here the man learns harmony, balance and the strength of union. The pair, Yves Décoste and Marie-Laurie Mesnage from Quidam. But there's trouble here. Mephisto, a demon from the dark recesses of the mind tries to tempt our Everyman... He represents greed and everything dark in society. Thankfully, Everyman is not easily deterred and finds himself in an elegant hall where an amazing display of acrobatics is taking place. Filmed in Severance Hall in Cleveland, USA, the Banquine artists from Quidam wield their fanciful talents to remind our Everyman, who has matured, that there are more important things to life than to acquire wealth. And so, he recaptures his youthful joy and the Journey of Man begins again. Our story ends at the Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin, Germany. However, this does not end the Journey of Man -- how it was created, and the pains that the producers, directors and performers had to go through to bring us this magnificent film. The rest of our newsletter will explore a little bit of that... from the music to the more technical aspects of the film's creation. And if you're ready for more... logon to Cirque du Soleil's informative site for "Journey of Man" at the following address: < http://www.cirquedusoleiljourney.com/ >. ======================================================================= FEATURE: TAIKO -- THE HEARTBEAT OF CIRQUE (By: Ricky Russo) ======================================================================= When you hear the beat of the Japanese drum what do you hear? Do you hear centuries-old harmonies calling out to those who will listen? Or, do you hear the beating of just another drum? What do you feel? Anything? A longing perhaps? Wonder? Do you even know? Listen... hear it? No? If not, you're missing out on something very special. Once your attention has been captured by the Taïko drum, it is hard to turn away. For that brief moment you will be transported to and from a realm that is both ancient and modern. You have been given a sense of order and of chaos. And, you have born witness to an age-old tradition hundreds of years old. Listen now... feel the rhythm? Feel the power? Cirque du Soleil harnessed that power and featured it in three of their productions. It is an instrument hundreds of years old. An instrument that lies within the religion of a culture just as old. But did you know that the instrument is not entirely of Japanese descent? Believed to have been brought to the Japanese islands by the Chinese, the Japanese people adapted and made the drum more ornate. It was first used, possibly, on the battlefield and later put in practice to wake the god of rain in time for the rice planting ceremonies. It has been used to mark the boundaries of a new village and to keep the traditional stories of those villages alive. The word Taïko literally translates into "big or fat drum" in the Japanese language and it has served its traditional role well. Today, the drum and its varieties can be heard all across the Japanese Islands and many places from Australia to Europe, and from North America to the Middle East. Taïko drums come in all shapes and sizes. They are typically made from a single hollowed-out piece of wood (a large tree trunk for example), but can be made from sections of any number of trees. The ends of the drums are then covered with cow skin - usually from one cow, which is stretched over the ends of the drum. Once that is complete the drum is finely tuned -- a painstaking process -- you have a completed drum. Sizes for these drums range from a tiny six-inch diameter striking end to a gigantic six-feet surface! One can play these drums in many positions - sitting down, standing up, or at an angle. To strike the drum, one uses one or two sticks of various sizes (even large ones resembling baseball bats! And each size drum as its own name. For instance, the O-daiko is the largest drum, the Chu-daiko is a middle-sized drum and the Hirado- daiko is a flat-barrel drum. But there are many other different names to choose from. The Taïko discipline has a vast and rich history. And in that history lays an ocean of great information. Unfortunately, there is no way to cover it all, and so I must stop here and turn the focus to Cirque du Soleil's use of this wonderful instrument. Featured in three productions, Cirque's use of the Taïko drum has been limited throughout the years. The drum made its first appearance in the 1992 production of "Saltimbanco". "Saltimbanco" is a show that celebrates life. Originally created as an antidote to the violent world around us, this production shows us a new vision of the world, full of optimism and happiness. For this show, the Taïko drum was used more traditionally - a single piece, sparingly used and played by drummer Alain Bergé. You can hear the drum in the song "Kazé". While its role was limited, one can not mistake the beat the drum makes. It adds a simple, yet basic tone to the music... a lone heartbeat if you will... A heartbeat that is fully explored in the second and most prominent use of the drum in any of Cirque du Soleil's productions -- "Mystère". By all accounts, "Mystère" is a mega-production, melded from the creative minds of Cirque du Soleil president Guy Laliberté and Steve Wynn -- Mirage Resorts Chairman and CEO at the time. What they gave birth to is a powerful image of the journey of man. A reflection back... an age-old tale. A tale of a mountain and a bird. And two babies crying at two separate points of the universe. The creativity of these two men, amongst many others, turned a traditional Japanese instrument -- the Taïko drum -- into a prominently featured apparatus from which to begin their narrative. During the prologue and epilogue of each show the Taïko invades the very essence of "Mystère"... It is of Mystère's drums we'll examine further. Percussionist Pierre Dubé has the distinction and honor of playing the Taïko for "Mystère". In preparation for his own journey, Pierre traveled to Japan to learn the art. His teachers? None other than Kodo, a magnificent group of forty-two members from Sado Island, Japan. And they taught him well; so well that he is responsible for teaching the other artists of the troupe to play. Which, from what I have been told, isn't always an easy task. First off, the person must have what is referred to as "the touch". This is the delicate balance between force and grace. Hit the drum too softly, and nothing good comes out of it... hit the drum too hard... and your entire arm can go right through the outer cow-skin covering. And that is a very costly mistake! (upwards of $10,000 or more!) If an artist does not take care in how they play the drums, that artist can find themselves in a bad situation during the middle of a performance. (And yes, that has happened!) For the show, we see a flawless routine by Pierre and his students. The drum we most associate with Mystère is his O-daiko piece. Laying on its side, the drum is 6 feet long and 8 feet wide and was put together by Pierre himself along with a friend he found in Japan. As mentioned earlier, the drums are usually manufactured out of one tree -- in this case a Japanese Cypress tree. But, the drum was so large that the one seen in the show was actually constructed out of more than one tree. When not in use, the O-daiko rests within the theater ceiling, 75 feet in the air. It is accessed by a catwalk structure (in place from the very beginning -- which, in fact, the catwalk is an interesting story into Mystère's beginnings, and its possible failure the first year). While Mystère is the show that features the Taïko drum the most, the third and final place it is used is in the IMAX 3-D movie "Journey of Man." Its use in the film presented an interesting challenge. The drums themselves are delicate as they are very finely tuned and are susceptible to the elements. The sun can damage them and moisture can cause problems to their striking surfaces. So, the drums used for "Journey of Man" were made especially for the production. The scene used for filming the sequence was shot on a set -- the only scene in the film to do so! Pierre hand-selected his team of acrobats and performers to be part of his Kumi-daiko, or grouped drums, team. Many of them are dancers, acrobats or otherwise non-musicians... but only the best that have taken to his teachings were able to perform on the big, big screen. Most of them play the Shime-daiko drums, which is a general term a rope-tensioned drum. These drums usually have very thin heads and are relatively small compared to other Taïko drums. The next step up is the Chu-daiko, which are "Medium Sized Drums", played by two talented artists. Two other drums, called Hirado-daiko for "Flat Drum", were manned by Natasha Hallett, a former Olympian from Canada and Greg Wise, a stunt man who went on to become one of the Grinch's stunt doubles in the Jim Carrey production of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Other drummers in the cast are Maria Akhlatkina, Nathalie Bollinger, Annick Moreau, Ursula Trpin, Mark Ward and Michelle Wise. The final drum used on the Journey of Man set is the O-daiko. Pierre Dubé once again wields his Bachi ("drum sticks") and provides us a beat for the beginning of our Universal Child's journey. The cavern itself symbolizes the womb of a mother and the beating of the the drums creates the heartbeat. But, I bet you didn't know the drum itself is actually... a fake drum! That's right, the O-daiko featured on screen is actually not an O-daiko at all! The drum had only one side (O-daiko's, of course, have two) to allow a camera to be placed behind it... interesting, eh? Unfortunately, the rich history and world of the Taïko drum cannot be discussed within the confines of this article -- there's just too much to tell. However, if you are interested in the history and culture surrounding this great instrument, you find a great online resource called "Rolling Thunder: The Taïko Resource" . It comes complete with a dictionary, a drum resource catalog and even a lesson or two on learning how to play. If you are interested in hearing what Taïko sounds like outside of Cirque du Soleil, the Sado Island group "Kodo" is recommended. You can reach them at this address: < http://www.kodo.or.jp/ >. I wish to thank the generosity and time of Mr. and Mrs. Dubé for their help with the creation of this article. They've been excellent friends and my guides. Thank you so much. ======================================================================= IMAX FILM FUN FACTS (By: Keith Johnson) ======================================================================= Some fun quick facts about IMAX and the filmmaking process for large- format films... * IMAX images are ten times larger than a standard 35mm image (most conventional films are made and shown in 35mm). For example, the area of a 35mm film frame is about 1/2 a square inch. An IMAX film frame has an area of 5 1/2 square inches! * IMAX originally premiered at the Fuji Pavilion during EXPO '70 in Osaka, Japan. IMAX Solido (the 3-d version of IMAX in which "Journey of Man" was filmed) debuted in the Sanwa Midori-Kai Pavilion during EXPO '90 in Osaka, Japan. * An average IMAX film costs $125,000.00 USD per print. That cost must be doubled for 3-D films such as "Journey" since two prints (left-eye and right-eye) are required. Each print weighs about 200 pounds, and is about 3 miles long. It takes 15 thousand watts of light per print in the projector to light up the screen. * IMAX Solido cameras (two IMAX cameras filming side-by-side to get the 3-D effect) only hold 3 minutes of film. This caused long turnaround times during the "Birth" section, shot underwater in the Bahamas. It was one hour between takes! The average number of "takes" was also reduced, from 25 or so per day on a conventional film, to 6 or 7 with "Journey". * Director Keith Melton has worked on several large-format and specialty-films in his career, but this is the first time he's directed an IMAX 3-D film. A graduate of USC Film School, he also directed the "James Bond-License to Thrill" ride film for the Magic Mountain parks, and "Pirates 4-D" for the Sea World parks. He says he loves "the unique experience" of IMAX 3-D, saying it gives an "immersive film experience which cannot be recreated in any other medium." * The film took one year from development to finished product including four months to shoot, and cost "around the 12 million range - less than some, more than others," according to Melton. * Adapting Cirque to the huge IMAX screen presented its' own challenges. For example, costumes had to be altered as the huge frame captures everything, and the sometimes scanty, form-fitting Cirque costumes would have been "too revealing for a family film." * IMAX filmmaking is known for a more leisurely pace, which gives the viewer more time to take in all the information the huge screen presents. Director Melton also adds, "All the performances you see are real, there's no special effects, and that's the magic of Cirque. That's why so many of the takes are so long, to emphasize that this is happening in real time and this is not a trick." * "Journey of Man" has won two awards! The Giant Screen Theater Association (a group of IMAX and similar theater owners) presented awards at their 2000 Conference in Frankfurt, Germany. "Journey" won for Best Cinematography by Reed Smoot, and for Best Film! The only other award, for Best Sound, was won by "Fantasia 2000." * Since being released, "Journey" has racked up receipts of $12,464,000.00 so far in the US. Not bad for an IMAX film! (Thanks to, 1570films.com, cirquedusoleiljourney.com, boxoff.com, bigmoviezone.com, imdb.com, scienceplace.com, rossanthony.com, and fears.com.) ======================================================================= FEATURE: LE PASSAGE (By: Paul Roberts) ======================================================================= Starting in January, 2001, and nearly every day afterward, I checked the Chicago Navy Pier's IMAX web site in hopes that "Journey of Man" would still be playing in July. My family had made plans to see "Dralion" in Chicago-the closest stop to my home in Ohio-and I wanted to surprise my daughter, Tara, with a little Cirque du Soleil bonus. My hopes were realized. When my parents, daughter, and I approached the IMAX ticket window, Tara looked up on a marquee and saw a picture of a Cirque du Soleil bungee performer and screamed, "Dad, 'Journey of Man' is playing." "That's why we're here," I said and she hugged me so hard that I felt three ribs nearly splinter. We decided to see the film again two days later prior to leaving for home. The day the soundtrack CD hit the stores in 2000 I purchased it in anticipation of enjoying composer Benoît Jutras' possible swansong for Cirque du Soleil. I surely hope not, as with his predecessor, René Dupéré, I find myself listening to their Cirque du Soleil-composed music more than anything else. The CD opens with the theme song: "Journey of Man," that features a memorable melody line sung by "O" vocalist, Roxane Potvin. It surprises me that there has never been a Cirque du Soleil song to receive commercial air play. "Journey of Man" is equal to, or even better than, a lot of film soundtrack songs that have enjoyed hit status. Another surprise to me is that this version of the song appears nowhere in the IMAX film. The IMAX film starts out with "Overture" (second song on the CD). The orchestrated piece leads into one of Cirque du Soleil's signature performances: "Taïko" featuring the drumming troupe from the Las Vegas show "Mystère." Representing the birth of man, the troupe powers the ancient Japanese polyrhythmic art that includes an abbreviated solo from "Mystère" lead percussionist, Pierre Dubé. The next scene features a group of synchronized swimmers choreographed to the song "Birth." A harp provides the background layering for a floating viola melody line that has become a trademark of Benoît's more recent orchestrated pieces. Various stringed instruments then join in and interweave the peaceful tones that are followed by a full orchestra build-up. The piece ends with cascading strings and soft bird noises as Youth meets his two guides: a female and male Floune. As the trio enters into a vast forest, I found myself disappointed to discover that another one of my favorite CD songs was basically eliminated from the film. "The Forest" is sung by "O" male vocalist, Toumany Kouyaté, who also plays a Kora-a multi-stringed instrument that originates from Africa. The CD version includes a few time signature changes and a bridge that features the full band playing a fast-paced unison scale that leads into the final verse. On film, unfortunately, only about a minute of the 3:41 song is used-sans Toumany's vocals-with the "Journey of Man" melody being played on flute. The shortened song leads into "In The Beginning" that accompanies a trip through the forest. This song begins with a subtle rendition of "Happy Birthday" then evolves into the main "JoM" theme as the child and the Flounes encounter strange creatures roaming through the densely wooded area. Darting about are human vegetable-like Palmiers, a Giant Stork, a Double Face creature, and Moha-Samedi's bird puppet- creatures from "Mystère." Throughout "In The Beginning," a light orchestrated piece represents a feeling of serenity and wonder as four bungee flyers perform an aerial ballet through the trees, but then as in life, evil lurks. The calm becomes ominous as a flyer swoops down and frightens the entourage. The boy's teddy bear is then stolen and he grows older. He becomes a teen and encounters a long-haired man balancing a massive spinning cube in the palm of his hand. "Youth" accompanies the cube act, performed by Mikhail Matorin of "Alegria" and "Mystère" fame. The upbeat song includes sitars and tabla drums meshing with the orchestra strings to provide an exotic Middle East ambiance. The music calms down and again re-introduces the "JoM" theme as the scene moves on to Mikhail flying with wings of red cloth. This leads into a first-person soaring voyage-an IMAX staple-over the Grand Canyon. Fittingly, the flight is complimented by the delicate orchestrated song, "Flying." Our hero ages into adulthood and discovers that his heart is empty as he encounters a scene that represents the delicate balance between man and woman. The imposing "Quidam" Statue Act is now performed by the original and returning performers, Marie-Laure Mesnage and Yves Décoste, set to the song, "Réveil." The film's rendition is closer to the live version than the CD version, which is expanded and includes massive thuds resembling footsteps like an imaginary approaching giant. The slow tempo matches the movements of the male and female bodies that contort around each other while lifting and posing in marble statue-like poses. The young man then encounters a creature called the Mephisto Demon that inspires a new lust: wealth. And then the moment I had been waiting for: the day that the soundtrack CD hit the stores, I purchased it with the excitement of owning a studio version of one of my favorite Cirque du Soleil songs: "Banquine" from the show "Quidam." I could not wait to hear the incredible song and listened to it before anything else on the CD. The Banquine is one of Cirque du Soleil's most intense performances that highlight feats of human strength, agility, and precision without the use of any supporting equipment. The performers toss and catch each other; dance and leap; and illustrate an emotional tale that can be interpreted as a love story or a tangle with everyday life. The music's crescendos and diminuendos provide a flowing score that inspires the passion. At times there is near silence with an eerie, almost-human grumbling undertone as the performers concentrate on their next moves. Then there is thunderous power in the music that parallels flips and catches. Also included is a beautiful theme featuring violin and a Koto (also known as a Japanese zither)-like keyboard sound that enhances the emotional passages of the performers as they dance and embrace. The climax of the films' act captures lead flyer, Dmitro Sidorenko, shouting commands as he prepares himself and his catching porters for a multiple somersault flight that ends with a landing atop a three man tower. The drums explode and the music triumphantly follows the successful leap that brings out the child in Man. As with the show "Quidam," the Banquine leads to the finale. The journey's hero, now in his late stages of life-played by long-time Cirque du Soleil performer, Brian Dewhurst-rediscovers his youth and what he has missed in his all-business life. The finale musical score is from the piece titled "Journey of Man (Instrumental)" that features the "JoM" theme in a conventional orchestra setting using harps, woodwinds, brass, and strings. Throughout the film, the narrator tells the story of our hero's travels through life as he rekindles his youthful spirit to share joy with others until the end of his days. Closing the CD, but once again not on film, is the spooky "Trip Hop" featuring inhuman undertone noises set to a hip hop-like drum beat. This short piece is like nothing ever heard before from Cirque du Soleil. While a distorted guitar picks the strings of a single chord, sinister synthesizer sounds provide an eerie vibe. Interspersed throughout are several highlights from the soundtrack. The choir from "Banquine" possesses a Gregorian chant-like feel, the sitar from "Youth" plays along with the guitar, and then the song fades out as the Taïko drums return with the choir providing an angelic send off. Closing the film, as the credits flow down the screen, a partial version of the theme song "Journey of Man" is beautifully sung by Ms. Potvin using the famous Cirque du Soleil imaginary language. The second time Tara and I saw the film in Chicago, I found myself in tears as I reminisced about a wonderful event that included this song. In my next article for the Fascination! Newsletter, I will share this experience... ======================================================================= HOW TO SEE "JOURNEY OF MAN" ======================================================================= Journey of Man is an IMAX 3D presentation by Cirque du Soleil. It was released December 1999 in Australia and made its way across the world. Currently,the film can be seen in many IMAX houses. To check for current theater openings, please check your local listings or visit their web site at: < http://www.cirquedusoleiljourney.com/ >. Bear in mind that on October 9, 2001, Journey of Man will be released onto DVD/VHS formats for your enjoyment at home. VHS ($19.95 USD, Catalog # 05060, UPC 0-43396-05060-0) and DVD ($24.95 USD, Catalog # 07069, UPC 0-43396-07069-1). While not presented in 3D, due to the clarity of the IMAX image, the quality will still be unimaginable. ======================================================================= NEW CIRQUE MUSIQUE! (By: Keith Johnson) ======================================================================= As we know, Cirque has produced distinguished sound-tracks for almost all of their shows, to date totaling 13 disks. There have even been some interesting "variations" such as issuing the CDs in metal tins (see the Cirque Shop website). This month we have another variation to report on, as well as an interesting tangential Cirque-ish connection. Cirque's "Saltimbanco" is currently on its' Japan-Asia tour. To coincide with that, BMG/RCA Japan has re-released the "Saltimbanco" soundtrack on CD (BVCF-31076). Nothing special about that, except that this Japan-only release contains *two extra bonus tracks*! Tacked on the end of the original sound-tracks' 11 cuts are "Adagio" (5:43) and "Arlequin" (7:27). This raises the total amount of music on the CD by a whopping 13 minutes! The two songs are taken from live performances, as you can hear applause. But these are *not* just copies from the "Saltimbanco" video/DVD, they are brand new performances (and much nicer sounding, in this reporter's opinion). In the show, "Adagio" accompanies the balancing/contortion act involving a man, woman, and a very flexible child. Here the subdued arrangement and Spanish guitar/saxophone melody line provide a dreamlike atmosphere. Not so "Arlequin" (music for the juggling act) which punches through with accentuating flourishes. While these two pieces of music appeared in the video, to this point they've never been released on CD. The only criticism for these two pieces is their feeling of being "tacked on" to the CD without much care. The audience applause fade- ins and outs are rough and quick. In fact "Arlequin" ends with a final musical coda and then *cuts out*, without any following applause at all. This makes the two cuts (despite their fine sound) seem sloppy and "last minute." As with many other Japan CD releases, there is a small booklet (written in Japanese of course), where the two tracks are listed. This and the back cover are the only places they are mentioned in print, and no musicians or composer are known (though I would not doubt it would be René Dupéré, who composed the rest of the score). For those of you wishing to be "completist" and order the CD, but aren't in Asia, copies are available through www.cdjapan.co.jp. (On the main page, select "Album/Movie Titles," then enter "Saltimbanco" in the "CD Search" box on the left. When last checked, the CD cost 2548yen ($21.23 USD) plus shipping. For our tangential Cirque connection, we go... to the sea! Anheuser- Busch-owned Sea World of San Diego recently ventured into the realm of "human circus"-type entertainment, with a production called "Cirque De La Mer" ("Circus of the Sea"). Though the show had closed by the day I visited, I understand it be very Cirque-ish in nature, featuring human feats of strength and precision (it even has a picture of Chinese Pole performers on the cover!). Naturally, the show had a CD produced of its Original Soundtrack (#10171184). And herein lies the Cirque connection - one of the singers on the CD is Nathalie Gauvin, who sings on both of the "Mystère" CD's! What a small world! While the CD is not available on the website (www.seaworld.com), copies are (of course) available at the park (I found several in the main gift shop). We've also found out that copies may be ordered via email at "darlene.wasson@seaworld.com" or by calling Darlene Wasson at 1-800-237-4268, and asking for extension #3826, between 9am-5pm Pacific Time Tuesday-Saturday. Cost is $10.00 USD plus $4.00 shipping. (Thanks to Yuki for the Saltimbanco CD) ======================================================================= PARTING QUOTE ======================================================================= "The journey is about to begin..." - Journey of Man ======================================================================= NEXT ISSUE... ======================================================================= Our next installment will dive into the depths of Cirque du Soleil's aquatic show "O". Plus, a DVD review of "Journey of Man", more news, rumors and features! Thank you for reading! Have a comment, question or concern? Simply email the Fascination! Newsletter staff at either richasi@azlance.com or through the Yahoo Groups email address: CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com. We are anxious to hear any and all comments! ======================================================================= SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======================================================================= Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available only through sub- scription. If you wish to unsubscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To re-subscribe in the future, you can do that automatically by emailing us again at: < CirqueFascination-subscribe@yahoogroups.com >. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at: richasi@azlance.com. ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= "Fascination! Newsletter" Copyright (c) 2001 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., and Créations Méandres, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. {Issue 2a: August 01, 2002}