======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ E X P A N D E D I S S U E ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 9, NUMBER 5 AUGUST 2009 ISSUE #67e ======================================================================= =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * Touring Shows -- Productions under the Big Top * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre * Venue Shows -- Arena & Seasonal Productions o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub * Networking -- Cirque on Twitter, Facebook & MySpace * Gatherings -- CirqueCon, Celebri & More! .) NOTE: Special CirqueCon 2009 Event Updates, as of July 18, 2009! o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain * Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque * Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History o) Fascination! Features *) "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ALAIN VINET Musical Director, Cirque du Soleil" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) {Issue Exclusive} *) "From Olympian to Drummer" [EXPANDED] By: Aaron Guidry, Mystère Percussionist {Special Reprint} o) Next Issue o) Parting Quote o) Subscription Information o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= Where is he now?: John Gilkey [EXPANDED] {Jul.06.2009} ----------------------------------------------- We know John Gilkey as the lovable if a bit misguided personality "John" from Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam, a role he developed and performed for a number of years under the big top, and as the Skywatcher, another role he developed and performed for Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai. Since leaving Cirque du Soleil he has dropped off our radar of sorts and we’ve wondered... where is he now? Chad Jones of The San Francsico Chronicle found him in the Climate Theater there on 9th Street, where he is performing as part of the comedy trio WE ARE NUDES in "Show No Show". * * * "There's no better teacher than the audience," he says from his Berkeley home. "That will always be true." The skills an aspiring clown needs to hone, according to Gilkey, include acting, which is something Gilkey learned from another great clown he has worked with, Bill Irwin. And that leads directly to the next piece of advice: "Work with seasoned performers, directors and choreographers. Learn from them," Gilkey says. It's advantageous for a clown-in-training to develop a strong base skill such as acrobatics, juggling, dance or music. "It's important to have a skill to support whatever character and comedy work you're doing," Gilkey says. For Gilkey, being funny isn't always of paramount importance. "I'm not the funniest clown around," he says. "I have other qualities that provide a broader spectrum of emotion that I can draw from the crowd." If you saw Gilkey as the enigmatic central character in Cirque du Soleil's "Quidam," you saw a master clown working the mysterious angle, drawing the curious audience to him, slowly but surely. "The best clowns, to me, have all the masks and veils removed," Gilkey says. "All of us go through life, day to day, with some kind of mask. The most effective clown is naked onstage - emotionally. I think the audience appreciates that, on a conscious or subconscious level. That kind of authenticity, once you're fully exposed, can leave you in a very funny and dramatic position." Speaking from a purely practical standpoint, Gilkey advises serious clown students to check out programs at the Clown Conservatory, part of the Circus Center of San Francisco ( www.clownconservatory.org), and Dell'Arte ( www.dellarte.com) in Blue Lake (Humboldt County), a haven for honing all kinds of performance skills, including clowning and other circus arts. "Again," Gilkey says, "the main thing about learning to be a clown is to get onstage as much as possible." For information on the performance, visit the theater website here: < http://www.climatetheater.com/ > Where is he now?: Karl Baumann {Jul.07.2009} ----------------------------------------------- You know the character as "Target" or "Fritz", but it was Karl Baumann who originated the character of "Karl" for Cirque du Soleil’s original North American Tour of Quidam. Although he has returned to the role off and on over the years, Baumann has largely been absent from the Cirque scene. We, like many, have wondered... where is he now? Come to find out he’s going to be portraying the character of Puck in the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a role he played at Theatre Charlotte and NCSF in the past. Catch Karl as Puck at A Midsummer Night’s Dream, previewing on September 19-20 and opening on September 24th. The show runs through October 4th, so don’t miss it! Find out more information on the North Carolina Shakespeare Festival here: < http://www.ncshakes.org/ > {SOURCE: Creative Loafing Blog, Charlotte} Cirque 3rd, 5th, 9th and 10th in Vegas {Jul.08.2009} ----------------------------------------------- According to TicketNews.com, which is reporting on its Top Combined Events rankings for the week ending July 5th, Cirque du Soleil retains four of the top 10 slots in ticket sales for the week: Bette Midler made it look easy this week, dominating the Top Vegas Events rankings with a power score of 56.91. She and Cher (20.48) maintained their first and second places of last week, with Jay Leno making a return to the list at number six (2.39). The rest of the list is mostly owned by Cirque du Soleil productions, as The Beatles: Love took third place (6.38), O was in at five (3.02), Mystere nine (1.24) and Zumanity ten (1.16). {SOURCE: TicketNews.com} July 12th is Montreal Day... in Hiroshima? {Jul.08.2009} ----------------------------------------------- Montréal will be honoured in Hiroshima, Japan, on Sunday, July 12, as part of Montréal Day, which is hosted by Hiroshima City, in partnership with the Hiroshima-Canada Association. Every year since 2001, Hiroshima has dedicated one day to six twin cities of the world with which it enjoys ties of friendship. Residents of those cities are invited to take part in events that will bring them closer. Montréal has been Hiroshima's twin city since 1998. "I am pleased to be part of the Montréal Day celebration, because it is an opportunity for residents of Hiroshima to learn about the many attractions Montréal has to offer as well as the creativity of our community. I hope that these special events will raise awareness of our city among Hiroshima residents and that they will come and visit our beautiful city," said the Mayor of Montréal, Gérald Tremblay. "As per tradition, Hiroshima also will be honoured in Montréal as part of the Peace Ceremony, which is held every year on August 6 at the Japanese Garden of the Montréal Botanical Garden, in solemn memory of the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945," added Mayor Tremblay. As part of this 9th edition of Montréal Day, citizens of Hiroshima will have the opportunity to discover our city by attending a concert at Mazda Stadium featuring Montréal-based music group Les Doux Cactus, which will sing traditional Japanese songs, as well as original "rock" in French, English and Japanese. Also featured will be a public showing of a film produced last year by Hiroshima Home TV on the topic of Montréal, UNESCO City of Design. Also, visitors will be invited to attend the Corteo exhibition, which will highlight the talent and creativity of world-famous Cirque du Soleil. Also featured will be an exhibition of travel posters on Montréal, as well as a sampling-demonstration of some of our world renowned fine foods, including maple products. {SOURCE: CNW Telbec} What Guy Has to Do to Prep for Space {Jul.10.2009} ----------------------------------------------- China Central Television (CCTV) has published a series of five photographs of Guy Laliberte preparing for his autumn space launch by having his capsule seat created. Check it out! # # # Guy Laliberte, the Canadian billionaire owner of Cirque du Soleil, lies in a special capsule filled with gypsum to create a seat moulding in Star City outside Moscow July 8, 2009. The former fire-eater is on the countdown to become the world’s seventh, and Canada’s first, space tourist, slated to travel on a Russian Soyuz space craft to the International Space Station (ISS) in September. # # # See the slide show here: < http://english.cctv.com/20090710/101697.shtml > {SOURCE: China Central TV} ZED album to be released in Canada August 25 {Jul.13.2009} ----------------------------------------------- Coming in the August issue of Fascination! is our exclusive interview with Alain Vinet, famous house DJ, Cirque’s Musical Director and creator of the "25? 2-CD retrospective. From that interview we tease with this neat piece of new news, straight from the mouth of somebody who knows.. "In the US I don’t know exactly when the release date is... but in Canada both ZAIA and ZED will come out on August 25. ZAIA is already out in the US; it came out there first." Read the rest in August! (UPDATE: It seems one tent didn’t know what the other was doing. We’ve just been informed by a source at CDS Musique that both ZED and ZAIA will not make their August date for Canada. Instead they will now be released in September or some time soon afterward.) Cirque du Soleil: ELVIS {Jul.15.2009} ----------------------------------------------- While ELVIS is just the working title for this mega production slated to debut later this year at Aria, in the heart of MGM/Mirage’s CityCenter Project, Cirque du Soleil already has a splash page up with some information about the show, a few videos and a lot of tease: Check out the new page here!: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/elvis/show.aspx > # # # VIDEOS: Meet the Team Vincent Paterson, Director, and Armand Thomas, Director of Creation, tell us about their background and their role in the creation of this major production. They give us a summary of the show’s story, and Vincent tells us about his first encounter with Elvis’s work. Video 1: Vincent Paterson’s Presentation: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/elvis/videos/gallery- creators/video-gallery/video1.aspx > Video 2: Armand Thomas’ Presentation: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/elvis/videos/gallery- creators/video-gallery/Video2.aspx > Video 3: A Peek at the Shows Content: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/elvis/videos/gallery- creators/video-gallery/Video3.aspx > {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil} Koozå's Clarence Ford Judges Miss Teen Canada {Jul.21.2009} ----------------------------------------------- TORONTO, July 20 /CNW/ - Michelle Weswaldi, Executive Director of Miss Teen Canada-World, today announced the celebrity judges for the Miss Teen Canada-World 2009 Competition being held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s John Bassett Theatre on Saturday, July 25 at 8:00 p.m. The categories being judged are Swimwear/Fitness, Photogenic, Talent, Ad Sales, Congeniality, Supermodel with Style, Official MTC-W Inc. Fundraising, Community Service, Volunteer, People’s Choice and Public Speaking. [One of] the judges [is]: Clarence Ford is one of Canada’s top performers and most respected choreographers. His choreography has been showcased in Stars on Ice, So You Think You Can Dance Canada, and Robbie William’s top rated music video, "Radio", which can be seen worldwide on MTV, VH1, and MuchMusic. His latest work includes choreographing the newest Cirque Du Soleil creation, KOOZA. As a director, choreographer, producer and teacher, Clarence has lent his talents to the film and television industry. His film credits include The Tuxedo, Billy Madison, and Undercover Brother and his talent is evident in over 60 television commercials. The Search for Miss Teen Canada-World (MTC-W) will be happening in Toronto on July 25, 2009 at the John Bassett Theatre, Metro Toronto Convention Centre at 8 p.m. Girls aged 13 - 19 from across Canada will compete for the coveted title and the largest prize package awarded in a Canadian teen competition. Over $25,000 in cash, prizes, and scholarships will be awarded to talented aspiring teens. {SOURCE: CNW} Alegría: Fights of Wonder [EXPANDED] {Jul.23.2009} ----------------------------------------------- With six hours to go before more than 3,000 eyes would be gazed upon them, performers in Cirque du Soleil’s “Alegria” stretched, flipped and bent in ways that would make pretzels jealous. In a practice area behind the stage, performers loosened up. Russians, Mongolians, Aussies and Americans shared the mats. Conversations were taking place in several languages and some cast and crew members spoke with an excitement and enthusiasm as if they were about to take the stage for the first time. “It’s like working at the United Nations,” joked artistic director Brooke Webb, who said the 56 performers hail from 22 countries. Many have gymnastic backgrounds and some are past world champions. Their skills allow them to draw “oohs and ahhs” from crowds in cities around the world. On Wednesday night, their touring troupe took to the township of Wilkes-Barre. “You come and perform and get paid. You travel the world. It’s pretty much the best job in the world,” said Trudy McIntosh, who made the 2000 Australian Olympic gymnastics team. The 24-year- old trampoline artist portrays a nymph, which serve as guardians in the hall of Alegria. Though the characters have roles, there isn’t as much of a storyline as there is “a concept,” according to Webb. She said the show’s name “Alegria” is the Spanish word for happiness, joy and jubilation, and that’s what she expects show- goers will feel, not only as they watch they show, but afterwards, too. “The energy and the action, people really do leave with the weight or the world off their shoulders,” Webb said. McIntosh said the concept of the show is a battle between old and young; new ideas rising up to nudge out the old ways. It can be interpreted in many ways, from generational views on technology, politics, religion, power and more. But don’t let those deep ideas get in the way of what’s really deep down a good visual show. The gymnastics, pomp and circumstance portray the battle as a band plays on a stage that’s partially an elongated trampoline. While other Cirque shows use technology and other mechanical aids, “Alegria” sticks to old-fashioned “Big Top Circus” routines. “There’s something to be said for the old traditional circus acts,” said Webb, who like McIntosh, is a native of Australia. “The simplicity makes it strong.” Webb has been a part of four different Cirque du Soleil shows, including “Saltimbanco,” which made a stop at the Wachovia Arena two years ago. She said “Alegria” is her favorite. Originally conceived and rolled out as an actual under-the-Big Top-show in 1994, the show was reinvented for arenas for this summer’s tour. Webb said the new look gets viewers and performers much closer and the electricity and vibe is more obvious on this tour. Even though the crowds are about half the size as those the Big Top tours drew, McIntosh said these arena performances are “a bit more personal” and the performers can be energized by the close proximity. Other than the clowns – it wouldn’t be a Cirque du Soleil show without them – this manifestation bears little resemblance to your father’s circus. The pageantry and exhibited skills are typical Cirque du Soleil from elaborate masks and costumes to hand balancing and synchronized trapeze displays. The show is, quite literally, a sight to see. { SOURCE: Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader } Cirque LV Featuers ‘Meyer Sound’ [EXPANDED] {Jul.23.2009} ----------------------------------------------- This morning we’ve come across a wonderful piece by Examiner.com’s AV System’s examiner - Linda Seid Frembes - which delves into the world of Cirque du Soleil and Meyer Sound: # # # In March 2009, Cirque du Soleil® officially opened the doors of its new training center based at the company’s Resident Show Division (RSD) in Las Vegas where technical staff can advance their skills in the use of the high-end lighting, audio, rigging, and automation equipment behind Cirque’s extravagant, multisensory theatrical spectacles. Meyer Sound, whose audio technology supports all of Cirque’s resident productions, has expanded the company’s worldwide education program to include regular Matrix3 audio show control and CueConsole training sessions at RSD. The RSD facility is the brainchild of Kim Scott, technical show support training manager, with Sylvain Brisebois, head of audio of Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity, coordinating the program logistics with Jerry Placken of Meyer Sound. Other Cirque audio department leads are also involved, including Mark Dennis of KÀ, Bill Mansfield of "O", and Jason Pritchard of The Beatles® LOVE. “Having Meyer Sound seminars here in Las Vegas is valuable for LCS beginners and power users alike,” says Brisebois. “For newcomers, it is an intense introduction to the foundations of LCS straight from the manufacturers. And power users greatly benefit from the dynamic exchange of ideas and programming styles.” Cirque Du Soleil now has a well-equipped creative laboratory for its audio operators to fine-tune their level of knowledge, an education platform for cross-training technical staff interested in entering audio, and a facility for co-hosting courses in related fields with universities across the US. “Meyer Sound has made it possible for me to achieve my mandate of developing a strong hands-on technical training program,” says Scott. “Without Meyer’s generous support of equipment, instructors, and resources, the program would not have the efficiency and quality that it does today.” “For over 15 years, Meyer Sound has enjoyed a close relationship with Cirque du Soleil, working closely to push the envelope of entertainment technology,” says Helen Meyer, co-founder and executive vice president of Meyer Sound, “With education being one of our core values and with our large user base in Las Vegas, we are pleased to support RSD’s efforts." The CueConsole and Matrix3 training at RSD is an addition to Meyer Sound’s education program, which roots date back to the 1980s. Led by Education Program Manager Gavin Canaan, the international program offers a range of audio education initiatives for all skill levels. In addition to private group sessions customized for Meyer Sound users like Cirque technicians, Meyer Sound’s education efforts include a broad range of audio seminars with topics including sound system design and optimization, acoustical prediction with MAPP Online Pro, audio show control with Matrix3, as well as the popular Mixing Workshop by veteran audio engineer Buford Jones. Meyer Sound’s education program frequently partners with universities and industry organizations to provide seminars and trainings, as well as scholarship opportunities. {SOURCE: Examiner.com} CDS off to LAX {Jul.27.2009} ----------------------------------------------- Variety reports this afternoon that Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas will make its way to Los Angeles this coming Sunday (August 2nd) to celebrate its 25th anniversary with free performances at the Grove: Acts from all six shows currently playing in Las Vegas, including the Beatles’ "Love" and Criss Angel’s "Believe," will perform starting at 12:30 p.m. The event will be family friendly, featuring a circus play area set up for kids with face painting, jugglers and other activities. Prize giveaways, specially priced tickets for the shows in Vegas, and a chance to meet Cirque du Soleil castmembers will round out the festivities. {SOURCE: Variety} Loan Approved to Bring Cirque to Kodak Theatre {Jul.29.2009} ----------------------------------------------- From the LA Times: A five-member committee of the Los Angeles City Council voted this morning to move ahead with a $30- million loan that would bring a decade of Cirque du Soleil performances to the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The council’s Housing, Community and Economic Development Committee unanimously forwarded the loan proposal to the full council for a vote, saying the deal would boost the economy by drawing tourists to the Hollywood & Highland shopping mall, where the theater is located. Under the proposed loan agreement, TheatreDreams LA/CHI would promise to create no fewer than 858 jobs and stage the acrobatic show 368 times per year. {SOURCE: LA Times Blogs} Child Labor and Laws at LOVE [EXPANDED] {Jul.30.2009} ----------------------------------------------- Corey Levitan of the Las Vegas Review-Journal takes a peek into the world of Child labor on the Strip this morning by focusing on the child performers in LOVE. * * * Mason Roberts, 9, and Dakotah Rhoades, 10, check the coast outside their cave. There are important matters to discuss, matters adults shouldn't overhear. "You can't come in," Mason announces to this reporter. Mason and Dakotah are among the six minors employed in "Love," the Beatles-inspired show by Cirque du Soleil at The Mirage (11 child performers work on the Strip in total). Their "cave" consists of a jacket draped over an open drawer beneath a backstage makeup table. The "Love" kids appear to be living normal childhoods in competent hands. But that’s little thanks to Nevada law, which is vague and could leave children vulnerable. "There's just not a lot of guidelines for employment of minors in Nevada," says Mary Spees, human resources director for Cirque, which fills in many of the law's blanks to provide its kids with normalcy. At 1 p.m. each weekday during the school year, Mason, Dakotah and the other "Kids From Liverpool" (Santino Cardinale, 10; Seth Wright, 11; Michael Artiga, 10; and Wally Zernich, 10) are taught the Clark County School District curriculum for three hours by a county-certified teacher in a classroom at Cirque's southwest headquarters. This is not required by the school district, which is charged with ensuring that kids are educated but not required by law to monitor the quality of that education. "We asked them to collaborate with us on the setup, because we wanted to make sure we did it all properly," says "Love" company manager Kathy Merachnik. "But they didn't seem interested." According to Orval Nutting, private school consultant for the Nevada Department of Education, legal home schooling requires only that a parent or guardian file a notice of intent with the school district. For 15 years, this notice is good, and no tests are administered, no progress tracked, to challenge it. "And they can't reject the notice," Nutting added. "If anyone said, 'What are you doing running around here skateboarding? -- they're good to go." "The Lion King," which did not allow the Review-Journal to observe or question anyone involved in the performance for this article, provides no schooling to thespians Ruby E. Crawford, 12; Jade Milan, 11; D. Asante Ervin, 13; and Elijah Johnson, 11, explaining that education of the children is left to the discretion of their parents. "Disney has the highest standards for education and encourages all of its juvenile actors to continue their schooling in a supportive environment," said "The Lion King" spokesman Dave Kirvin. "Disney takes every precaution to ensure that their learning is never disrupted, providing an incredible opportunity for both their future careers and personal growth." A child actor also appears in "Steve Wyrick: Real Magic," but in a trick that its representatives thought would be compromised if they cooperated with the newspaper. It's 6:30 p.m., airbrushing time at "Love." Santino and Dakotah must give up their grudge match of Sorry! and head into an adjacent hallway to have fake wounds sprayed onto their elbows and knees. "Good," Santino says. "I won the last game, and now he's kicking my butt." Before they enter the hallway, Susannah Denney checks the face makeup they applied themselves. Then she looks both ways for creepily attired acrobats on potential collision courses. Denney is the "responsible person" required by Nevada -- known in theater circles as a child wrangler -- to supervise pint-sized actors from 30 minutes before call time until their legal guardians pick them up (which, at "Love," is from 5:30 to 11:15 p.m.) "All clear," Denney says. A juvenile workday at "Love" is less than six hours, a week typically less than 24. (Each of the six kids rotates into four spots, working three or four nights per week.) Yet, according to Nevada law, actors younger than 16 can work as long as eight hours per day, 48 per week. While this is similar to the stricter California law, minors younger than 12 in the Golden State can work only between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on school days during the academic year, or 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on summer break. (If "Love" were based in Los Angeles, its 9:30 p.m. show would be kidless.) The Actors' Equity Collective Bargaining agreement -- followed by "The Lion King" but not "Love" -- forbids understudying or brush-up work more than once a week, and prohibits any that intrudes upon school. Kirvin said "The Lion King" also limits each of its juveniles to no more than four performances per week. To employ someone younger than 14 in Nevada, special permission is required from a district judge. However, this is typically a formality in which a short document obtained at the self-help center of the Eighth Judicial District Court is filled out without any investigation. The child is not required to appear. "It's very, very basic stuff," says Mark Harter, law clerk for Clark County District Judge William Voy. "It's usually no question the judge would even second guess signing something off." Merachnik says her kids are in zero danger. They're strapped into harnesses at all times "and we have emergency procedures we go through with everybody." What constitutes danger, however, is another area where Nevada law is limited and enforcement lax. Investigations as to dangerous work and other hardships are made primarily on a complaint basis. "Unless it falls under one of the specific exemptions, it would be most likely based on some sort of complaint," says Nevada Deputy Labor Commissioner Keith Sakelhide. "Then we would investigate to determine whether that is a dangerous occupation or not." "OK, ready guys?" Denney asks. It's 6:40 p.m., time for the green room, where the Kids From Liverpool usually watch "SpongeBob SquarePants" and perform acting exercises before their first cues eight minutes into the show. Dakotah gets an early lead on his colleagues by skipping down the hall. "He knows he's not allowed to run," Denney explains. {SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal} ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) TOURING - Under the Big Top {Corteo, Dralion, Koozå, OVO, Quidam & Varekai} o) RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, ZAIA, ZED & Believe} o) VENUE - Arena & Seasonal Productions {Saltimbanco, Alegría | Wintuk, Vaudeville2009} 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. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. NOTE (*): Dates so marked are not official until released by Cirque du Soleil. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit our website < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. --------------------------------- TOURING - Under the Big Top --------------------------------- Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=39 > Corteo: Osaka, Japan -- Jul 29, 2009 to Oct 18, 2009 Tokyo, Japan -- Nov 4, 2009 to Dec 20, 2009 Fukuoka, Japan -- Feb 11, 2010 to Apr 4, 2010 (*) Sendai, Japan -- Apr 21, 2010 to Jun 6, 2010 (*) Dralion: Auckland, New Zealand -- Jul 10, 2009 to Aug 23, 2009 Monterrey, Mexico -- Sep 17, 2009 to Oct 11, 2009 Guadalajara, Mexico -- Oct 22, 2009 to Nov 15, 2009 (*) Mexico City, Mexico -- Nov 26, 2009 to Dec 31, 2009 (*) Koozå: Minneapolis/St-Paul, Minnesota -- Jul 3, 2009 to Aug 9, 2009 Denver, Colorado -- Aug 20, 2009 to Oct 4, 2009 Santa Monica, California -- Oct 16, 2009 to Dec 20, 2009 Irvine, California -- Jan 8, 2010 to Jan 31, 2010 OVO: Quebec, QC -- Jul 30, 2009 to Aug 23, 2009 Toronto, ON -- Sep 3, 2009 to Nov 01, 2009 San Francisco -- Nov 27, 2009 to Jan 24, 2010 San Jose, CA -- Feb 5, 2010 to Mar 21, 2010 Quidam: Recife, Brazil -- Jul 09, 2009 to Aug 02, 2009 Salvador, Brazil -- Aug 13, 2009 to Sep 6, 2009 Brasília, Brazil -- Sep 18, 2009 to Oct 11, 2009 Belo Horizonte, Brazil -- Oct 23, 2009 to Nov 22, 2009 Curitiba, Brazil -- Dec 4, 2009 to Dec 27, 2009 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- Jan 8, 2010 to Feb 7, 2010 Sao Paulo, Brazil -- Feb 26, 2010 to May 2, 2010 Porto Alegre, Brazil -- May 10, 2010 to Jul 11, 2010 Buenos Aires, Argentina -- Jul 23, 2010 to Aug 29, 2010 Santiago, Chile -- Sep 11, 2010 to Oct 31, 2010 Varekai: Gijon, Spain -- Jul 9, 2009 to Aug 16, 2009 Hamburg, Germany -- Aug 28, 2009 to Oct 4, 2009 Moscow, Russia -- Oct 23, 2009 to Dec 13, 2009 London, UK -- Jan 6, 2010 to Jan 24, 2010 --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise noted. (*) Price reflected in brackets [] is inclusive of 10% Las Vegas Entertainment Tax where applicable, but does not include Sales Tax. Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=40 > Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - o Saturday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm o Sunday: 4:30pm & 7:00pm o Monday - Wednesday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2009 Ticket Prices: o Category 1: $109.00 o Category 2: $99.00 o Category 3: $95.00 o Category 4: $79.00 o Category 6: $69.00 o Category 7: $60.00 (Limited View) 2009 Dark Dates: o September 3 - 11 o November 4 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm 2009 Ticket Prices: o Orchestra: $150.00 [$165.00] o Loggia: $125.00 [$137.50] o Balcony: $99.00 [$108.90] o Limited View: $93.50 [102.85] 2009 Dark Dates: o August 3-11 o October 4 o December 7-22 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tue through Sat, Dark: Sun/Mon Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm 2009 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9): o Category 0: $117.00 / $94.00 (+Tax) o Category 1: $102.00 / $82.00 (+Tax) o Category 2: $83.00 / $67.00 (+Tax) o Category 3: $67.00 / $54.00 (+Tax) o Category 4: $53.00 / $43.00 (+Tax) 2009 Dark Dates: o September 20 - 28 o November 17 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm 2009 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!): o Category 1: $135.00 o Category 2: $99.00 o Category 3: $79.00 o Category 4: $69.00 o Category 5: $69.00 (Obstructed View) 2009 Dark Dates: o August 3 - 10 o September 7 - 9 o October 19 - 21 o December 1 - 14 KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Fri through Tue, Dark Wed/Thu Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2009 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12): o Category 1: $150.00 [$165.00] / $75.00 [$82.50] o Category 2: $125.00 [$137.50] / $62.50 [$68.75] o Category 3: $99.00 [$108.90] / $49.50 [$54.45] o Category 4: $69.00 [$75.90] / $34.50 [$37.95] 2009 Dark Dates o September 6 - 12 o November 10 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 2009 Ticket Prices: o Lower Orchestra: $150.00 [$165.00] o Upper Orchestra: $125.00 [137.50] o Lower Balcony: $99.00 [$108.80] o Middle Balcony: $93.50 [$102.85] o Upper Balcony: $69.00 [$75.90] 2009 Dark Dates: o August 3 - 12 o October 8 o December 1 - 16 ZAIA: Location: Venetian, Macao (China) Performs: Tuesday through Sunday, Dark Monday One to Two Shows Daily - Tuesday: 8:00pm Wednesday: 8:00pm Thursday - Saturday: 7:00pm & 10:00pm Sunday: 4:00pm & 7:00pm 2008 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 0-12): o Category 1: MOP$ 1288 / No Child o Category 2: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 688 o Category 3: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 488 o Category 4: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 288 2009 Dark Dates: o Not Available ZED: Location: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo (Japan) Performs: Varies One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary 2009 Ticket Prices (all): o Category 1 ("Premium"): ¥18,000 o Category 2 ("Front"): ¥15,000 o Category 3 ("Regular"): ¥9,800 o Category 4 ("Overview"): ¥7,800 2009 Dark Dates: o Not Available BELIEVE: Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm NOTE: Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of five are not permitted into the theater. 2009 Ticket Prices (all): o Category 1: $160.00 +Tax o Category 2: $125.00 +Tax o Category 3: $99.00 +Tax o Category 4: $79.00 +Tax o Category 5: $59.00 +Tax 2009 Dark Dates: o August 11 o September 9 - 17 o November 10 o December 8 -------------------------------------- VENUE - Arena & Seasonal Productions -------------------------------------- Online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=251 > Saltimbanco: North American Tour ------------------- Phoenix, AZ -- Jul 29, 2009 to Aug 2, 2009 Salt Lake City, UT -- Aug 5, 2009 to Aug 9, 2009 Columbus, OH -- Aug 12, 2009 to Aug 23, 2009 European Tour ------------- Stockholm, SE -- Sep 17, 2009 to Sep 20, 2009 Helsinki, FI -- Sep 23, 2009 to Sep 26, 2009 Turku, FI -- Sep 30, 2009 to Oct 4, 2009 Oslo, NO -- Oct 8, 2009 to Oct 11, 2009 Gothenburg, SE -- Nov 4, 2009 to Nov 8, 2009 Mannheim, DE -- Nov 10, 2009 to Nov 14, 2009 Nice, FR -- Nov 19, 2009 to Nov 22, 2009 Aarhus, DN -- TBA Alegría: Hamilton, ON -- Jul 29, 2009 to Aug 2, 2009 Bridgeport, CT -- Aug 20, 2009 to Aug 23, 2009 Boston, MA -- Aug 26, 2009 to Aug 30, 2009 Albany, NY -- Sep 2, 2009 to Sep 6, 2009 Syracuse, NY -- Sep 9, 2009 to Sep 13, 2009 Amhurst, MA -- Sep 16, 2009 to Sep 20, 2009 Rochester, NY -- Sep 23, 2009 to Sep 27, 2009 State College, PA -- Sep 30, 2009 to Oct 4, 2009 Pittsburgh, PA -- Oct 7, 2009 to Oct 11, 2009 Hershey, PA -- Oct 14, 2009 to Oct 18, 2009 Reading, PA -- Oct 21, 2009 to Oct 25, 2009 London, ON -- Nov 12, 2009 to Nov 15, 2009 Greenville, SC -- Nov 18, 2009 to Nov 22, 2009 Duluth, GA -- Nov 26, 2009 to Nov 29, 2009 Hampton, VA -- Dec 2, 2009 to Dec 6, 2009 Worcester, MA -- Dec 9, 2009 to Dec 13, 2009 Montreal, QC -- Dec 18, 2009 to Dec 30, 2009 Wintuk: Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday Exception: December 22nd, 28th and 29th Previews on Wednesday November 11th and 12th at 7:30pm Regular Season begins Friday, November 13th! Schedule: There are currently 87 scheduled performances between Wednesday, November 11, 2009 and Sunday, January 3, 2010 on the following days: o) Mon [2] - 12/28 (2) o) Tue [4] - 12/22 (2), 12/29 (2) o) Wed [12] - 11/11 (1), 11/18 (1), 11/25 (2), 12/2 (1), 12/9 (1), 12/16 (2), 12/23 (2), 12/30 (2) o) Thu [13] - 11/12 (1), 11/19 (2), 11/26 (2), 12/3 (2), 12/10 (2), 12/17 (2), 12/24 (2), o) Fri [11] - 11/13 (1), 11/20 (2), 11/27 (2), 12/4 (2), 12/11 (2), 12/18 (2) o) Sat [24] - 11/14 (3), 11/21 (3), 11/28 (3), 12/5 (3), 12/12 (3), 12/19 (3), 12/26 (3), 1/2 (3) o) Sun [21] - 11/15 (2), 11/22 (2), 11/29 (3), 12/6 (3), 12/13 (3), 12/27 (3), 1/3 (2) Performance Times: Wintuk may perform at the following times throughout its run. Consort the official schedule for exact showtimes: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/Wintuk/ schedule/WIN09_Show_Schedule.pdf > o) Monday: 2:30pm, 7:30pm o) Tuesday: 2:30pm, 7:30pm o) Wednesday: (2:30pm), 7:30pm o) Thursday: (11:00am), (2:30pm), 7:30pm o) Friday: (11:00am), 2:30pm, 7:30pm o) Saturday: 11:00am, 2:30pm, 7:30pm o) Sunday: 1:00pm, 5:00pm / 11:00am, 3:00pm, 7:00pm Ticket Prices: Tickets range from $30.00 to $220 based on category and date of performance. Peek and non-peek pricing is in effect. Vaudeville2009: Location: Chicago Theater, Chicago (USA) Schedule: There are currently 59 scheduled performances between Thursday, November 19, 2009 and Sunday, January 3, 2010, on the following days: o) Mon [02] - 12/28 (2) o) Tue [05] - 12/22 (3), 12/20 (2) o) Wed [11] - 11/25, 12/2, 12/9 (2), 12/16 (2), 12/23 (3), 12/30 (2) o) Thu [03] - 11/19, 12/10, 12/17 o) Fri [05] - 11/20, 11/27, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18 o) Sat [19] - 11/21 (2), 11/28 (2), 12/5 (3), 12/12 (3), 12/19 (3), 12/26 (3), 1/2 (3) o) Sun [14] - 11/22 (2), 11/29 (2), 12/6 (2), 12/13 (2), 12/20 (2), 12/27 (2), 1/3 (2) PERFORMANCE TIMES o) Wednesday: 2:00pm, 8:00pm (12pm, 4pm, 8pm on 12/23) o) Thursday: 8:00pm o) Friday: 8:00pm o) Saturday: (12:00pm), 4:00pm, 8:00pm o) Sunday: 1:00pm, 5:00pm TICKET PRICES o) Adults (1-8 tickets): PEAK / WEEKEND: Regular: $48.00, $65.00, $85.00, $98.00 Premium: $150.00 Tapis Rouge: $300.00 NON-PEAK / WEEKEDAY: Regular: $35.00, $45.00, $65.00, $82.00 Premium: $115.00 Tapis Rouge: $275.00 PRE-THANKSGIVING: Regular: $23.00, $30.00, $50.00, $75.00 Premium: None Tapis Rouge: None o) Students & Seniors: PEAK / WEEKEND: Students and Seniors receive a 10% discount on regular priced seats (premium and Tapis Rouge seats not included) on Pre-Thanksgiving and Non-Peak/Weekday tickets only. NON-PEAK / WEEKDAY: Regular: $31.50, $40.50, $58.50, $73.80 Premium: Not Available Tapis Rouge: Not Available PRE-THANKSGIVING: Regular: $20.70, $27.00, $45.00, $67.50 Premium: None Tapis Rouge: None o) Group - Adult (9+ tickets): PEAK / WEEKEND: Regular: $48.00, $65.00, $85.00, $98.00 Premium: $150.00 Tapis Rouge: $300.00 NON-PEAK / WEEKDAY: Regular: $28.75, $36.75, $59.00, $74.40 Premuim: $115.00 Tapis Rouge: $275.00 PRE-THANKSGIVING: Regular: $17.00, $22.00, $40.75, $60.75 Premium: None Tapis Rouge: None o) Group - Student/Senior (9+ tickets): PEAK / WEEKEND: Regular: $43.50, $59.00, $77.00, $88.50 Premium: Not Available Tapis Rouge: Not Available NON-PEAK / WEEKDAY: Regular: $26.25, $33.50, $53.50, $67.25 Premuim: Not Available Tapis Rouge: Not Available PRE-THANKSGIVING: Regular: $15.75, $20.25, $37.00, $55.00 Premium: None Tapis Rouge: None ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE'S SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) Club Cirque -- This Month at CirqueClub o) Networking -- Cirque on Twitter, Facebook & MySpace o) Gatherings -- CirqueCon, Celebri & More! --------------------------------------- CLUB CIRQUE: This Month at CirqueClub --------------------------------------- There were no new articles posted to CirqueClub for this period, so we're reaching back to April for a little piece on automation from LOVE we didn't get a chance to point out! What does AUTOMATION at LOVE mean? By Mike Brister My name is Mike and I am an Automation Technician for the Las Vegas show "The Beatles LOVE" by Cirque du Soleil. Over the past couple of months, I've been giving a lot of backstage tours to various visitors to our stage. In doing this, I've discovered that many people (sometimes even those in my industry) have very little or no awareness of what Theatrical Automation is. In short, I'm often answering the question... "What is automation anyway?" I thought it would be fun to write a little bit about what it is I do for the benefit of those who might be interested in a little behind the scenes peek. Automation is the remote control of moving scenic elements and performers including stage lifts, scenery, flying rigs, and sometimes animatronics. It is very closely related to industrial automation (lifts, elevators, factory robots, conveyors, and cranes) and uses a lot of the same equipment. Automation is relatively new in the entertainment industry and is probably the least standardized discipline currently. By that, I mean that the methods and equipment are VERY different from venue to venue. That is starting to change as it is used more often and more manufacturers are dedicated to building it. Now, it is true that lifts, moving scenery, and flying systems have been around as long as the theater itself but as a discipline, Automation hasn't really existed as its own entity for very long and most of these devices were manually operated with ropes or simple motors. In modern Automation systems, these devices are now usually controlled by computers playing back pre-programmed sequences of moves using sensors for real time feedback and safety monitoring. The precision and repeatability of the movements are significantly improved, which makes a better, safer show and allows designers to create much more complex show elements. But just because these systems are automated by computers doesn't mean that the human element is out of the picture. In fact, it takes crews of specialized Technicians to operate and maintain these systems. At "The Beatles LOVE", I am part of a crew of 12 Automation Technician's responsible for the maintenance and nightly show operation of 122 automation elements including 20 moving stage parts (12 vertical lifts, 4 over-sized trap doors, 2 horizontal moving stage floor parts, and 2 "pop up book"-style set pieces), 13 trolleys suspended on 9 ceiling tracks (7 trolleys can also rotate and 4 can travel as fast as 10' per second), 6 large format moving video screens (4 can change shape and retract into the ceiling), 43 cable winches (32 ride on the trolleys with 2 or 4 to each trolley), and 12 scrims (huge sheer curtains that we project video on). The bulk of the show's automation is made up by the lifts and trolleys. The lifts create the entire surface of the stage and allow us to change it's shape, add multiple levels, or create different sized openings in it. The trolleys, which behave similarly to small gantry cranes, are used to suspend almost all of the flying people and set pieces in the show. Our crew of 12 is broken up into 4 different jobs and many of us are capable of more than one of these jobs: 2 Managers, 5 Maintenance (they work early in the day), 3 Console Operators (that's what I do), and 2 Rovers (these guys do troubleshooting and maintenance during the nightly performances as needed). All of our computer equipment as well as the winches and trolleys were built by a company called Stage Technologies. This company built the theatrical automation for many of the other Cirque du Soleil shows including KA, Zumanity, Wintuk, Believe, Zaia, and some of the new shows opening in the next couple of years. They've also created systems for several cruise ships including for the Disney Cruise Line. There are a few other companies that also build this kind of equipment including Fisher Technical (Le Reve, Zed, Phantom of the Opera), Hudson (Finding Nemo at Walt Disney World), and Scenic Technologies (several shows on Broadway). Every show and equipment brand is different but here are some basics about my show, much of which is similar in other shows. For two shows each night, I sit behind one of 3 consoles (a customized computer called a Nomad) and play back my part of 289 cues per show. If you include all the cues before and after both shows too, we play back 646 cues a night (and that doesn't include the hour or two of rehearsals each afternoon). If the show cues were evenly spaced, we would be playing a cue about every 20 seconds for the entire 90 minute show. This makes LOVE the busiest show for Automation of all the North American Cirque du Soleil shows. To keep this organized and consistent, the three consoles are divided up by specific responsibilities: Board 1 - Runs most of the aerial automation that the audience can see. This includes people, set pieces, and props. Board 2 - Runs all of the moving stage parts (mostly lift cues), the 6 video screens, and some aerial work in one scene. Board 3 - Runs all of the loading and unloading (called set and strike) of people and set pieces on the trolleys behind the scenes. Each Board Operator can run up to 5 pre-programmed cues simultaneously and will have control of as many as 34 of the 122 moving elements (called an axis) at a time. The cues are all numbered and each one is told when to start by either a Stage Manager calling a "go" or by another Technician calling a "clear". We listen for these calls by headset on any of the 6 channels of communication we monitor simultaneously. In the event of a last minute change or if something goes wrong, we manually take control of the needed axes. Having the ability to run 5 different cues at once gives us the flexibility to run manual movements where the trouble is while still letting the rest of the show cues continue. There are many safety systems that are running automatically as we work including a lot of sensors, emergency stop buttons all over the theater, and some anti-collision software (called interlocks). The sensors automatically stop equipment for a variety of reasons including a lack of cable tension, cables being tangled or caught, too much weight on a line, improper movement from a winch, or something getting in the way of a pinch point on a lift (called a safe edge or astragal). Emergency stop buttons called E-stops for short, allow anyone in the building to stop equipment if they see a problem. This is also commonly used in industrial automation and theme park ride systems. At LOVE, interlocks keep trolleys that share a track from bumping each other. Some of the other shows have more interlocks to keep moving stage parts from hitting each other. LOVE has very few interlocks because the trolleys are used differently in nearly every scene. What would be a collision in one scene is not in the next. That is where the human operators come into play. We watch carefully to ensure that everything moves where and when it is supposed to. For safety sake, operation of this equipment always requires 2 or more actions to make it move but only 1 to make it stop. Running the show comes with a lot of responsibility. I like to use the analogy that we are each remotely driving 5 cars at the same time but all we can see are the dashboard displays and the GPS. There are cameras but many of the movements we control are outside of our vision. We rely heavily on Stage Managers and other Technicians around the theater to tell us when something is clear to move. This is important because so much of what we control is very large, very fast, and usually has people attached to it or standing on it. Most of our cable winches have a top speed of 10 feet per second and one of them actually reaches 20 feet per second. Despite the speeds, the equipment is very accurate. A movement will hit the target position consistently with 1/1000th of a foot accuracy. All of these computers and machinery and Technicians are there to create a unique and dynamic environment for a one-of-kind performance (that has to be repeated consistently 10 times a week). Thanks to this technology, the stage is a performer too and those of us behind the scenes work to keep it's choreography safe and spectacular 5 nights a week. I hope you enjoyed this little backstage peek! --------------------------------------------------- NETWORKING: Cirque on Twitter, Facebook & Myspace --------------------------------------------------- {Jul.02.2009 | Dralion } Dralion by Cirque du Soleil has arrived in New Zealand! The big top went up yesterday and the final touches are being made in time for the Auckland premiere next Thursday. Read about our team in action! Read More: < http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm? c_id=1&objectid=10582188 > {Jul.02.2009 | ZAIA} Stilt-walkers gathered in Macau for the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil to reclaim the Guinness world record for the most people simultaneously walking on stilts. The June 16th challenge was part of a worldwide celebration of 25 years of Cirque du Soleil! Fotos: [4] < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=88251& id=34277887388&ref=mf > Video: [0:25] < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php? v=1154151183217&ref=mf > [Jul.03.2009 | «O»} O by Cirque du Soleil wants to share an article about one of our Russian performers with fans who speak Russian! Read More: < http://www.bbc.co.uk/russian/entertainment/2009/06/ 090629_cirque_soleil.shtml > [Jul.06.2009 | «O»} Nearly 300 people participated in the Las Vegas attempt to break the Guinness World Record for most stilt walkers in conjunction with other locations around the world. Fotos: [8] < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=87213&id=26000574416&ref=mf > {Jul.06.2009 | LOVE} Fun Facts from Travis @ LOVE! | I wanted to take a little bit of time to talk about some of the exciting things that make this show so special. The show is truly beautiful and engaging, and I even catch myself backstage sometimes watching the show, which defiantly keeps it fresh and exciting. I've only been here since May 21st, but I've already been involved with a little over 70 performances! It is amazing to me that the artists and technicians still have the same excitement and put on a great show night after night throughout the over fourteen hundred performances (tonight are shows 1464 and 1465!) So anyway, here are some fun and exciting facts about The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil! The cast features 60 performers from 17 countries: A third of them are dancers, a third are character/actors and another third are acrobats. The youngest one is 9 and the oldest one is 71 years old! From the 7 main lifts to the automation in the air there are 130 axis of movement on our show, compared to 81 at “O”. Only KA has more, but if you don't count the 80+ pegs in their stage, our show beats theirs by a long shot, not that we are bragging or anything. LOVE uses 204 moving lights (all state of the art VariLights), 1000 dimmers and one finger to control it all. It is really impressive to watch the light board operator run the show. The ops are so expertly trained that they all know where every cue goes. Unlike many shows, the stage manager does not call the light cues. Because the automation in the show is so extreme, it is the stage managers primary job to call all automation cues, as well as a few sound, light, projection and actor cues. This is done for many reasons, but the main are to make sure that everyone on stage and backstage (or in the basement or the grid) is safe at all times. If the SM had to call every cue in the show it would either be impossible or they would pass out because there would be no time to breathe. We have over 6500 speakers in the theater, (compared to 78 at Mystère), specifically to achieve one of the most panoramic surround, IMAX for the ears, systems in the world. each seat is fitted with six speakers in order to hear the Beatles’ music like it’s never been heard before. LOVE is the only live theatrical presentation to utilize 5.1 digital surround sound! The designer, Johnathan Deans, is one of the most sought after sound designers in the World. The LOVE theatre features 24 digital projectors that are used in the show, including 4 built on motion platforms which allow their focus to be placed almost anywhere in the theater. Everything is digital from source to screen, making very large high definition digital 100’ wide panoramic images, one of the largest used in the theater, ever! There are over 331 multi-layer costumes used in the show, as well as over 150 wigs. A team of over 30 super talented wardrobe staff maintain the show every day, ensuring they look just as stunning as opening night. Finally, there are over 150 technicians and 60 Artists that make the show run every single day. While we are not the largest Cirque show on the strip, it is certainly a family atmosphere! Merci and Bon Chance! {Jul.06.2009 | LOVE} Happy Birthday Ringo!!! I'd like to be, under the sea, in an octopus' garden... {Jul.07.2009 | Saltimbanco} Saltimbanco celebrated its 5000th performance on June 30 in Tampa, Florida, USA! Check out these fotos: Fotos: < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=124059&id=41245692958&ref=mf > {Jul.08.2009 | La Nouba} Cirque 25th Anniversary at La Nouba, Revisited | Hey gang, we had so much fun on the anniversary of our founding, we wanted to share it again in video. Ahh, memories! The stilt-walk was a blast! Thanks to everyone who came out to join in the fun! Unfortunately, it will be a while before we get final confirmation of breaking the record for the "Most People Simultaneously Walking on Stilts (multiple venues)." We had 119 in Orlando alone, and 1908 successful participants from all over the world. Likewise we are waiting on confirmation of the breaking of two records: Marcos de Jesus, our BMX biker, did 61 pinky squeaks in 52 seconds (the record was 58 in a minute) Lance Trappe, our Mountain biker, did 108 front wheel hops in 1 minute, 21 seconds (the record was 3) Rokardy, our artist who does his chair balancing act in La Nouba, made an attempt to set a record for the "Longest Distance Walking on Hand Stilts." We believe this was the first of its kind and he walked a total of 189 feet. Again, we are waiting on final confirmation of setting this record. We’ll keep you posted... No matter what, everyone did a great job and celebrated our anniversary with true Cirque enthusiasm. Thanks to all for the memories and thanks to our fans for celebrating with us! Video: [2:49] < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php? v=124266080619&ref=mf > {Jul.08.2009 | OVO } View some footage of Cirque du Soleil participation to the Toronto Gay Pride Parade on June 29. Video: [1:11] < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php? v=228386080373&ref=mf > {Jul.08.2009 | Believe CRISS ANGEL Believe is bidding farewell to our intern Adam Kendrick... we'll miss you buddy. You're a true "Believer"! Check out Adam's post on our page (and photos of his handsome face) now! < http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=106123941715&ref=mf > {Jul.09.2009 | Zumanity} Cirque du Soleil will be in studio with Willie Bronco and the Zumanity girls shooting our third interactive game today! Have you played Hoops or Waterbowl yet? Check them out at: www.zumanityhoops.com and www.zumanitywaterbowl.com ! {Jul.09.2009 | KÀ} More KÀ kudos from Maverick Mom! Thanks! | Early last month I was in Las Vegas and had the chance to see a Cirque Du Soleil show. I chose to see KA- again. This time when I saw it, I was moving in this new direction of Escaping Mediocrity so I watched it with a fresh lens. It was as amazing and moving as I remembered it to be. So much so that I bought KA Extreme which chronicles how this amazing production developed. Read More: < http://www.themaverickmom.com/uncommon- business/lesson-cirque-du-soleil/ > {Jul.10.2009 | KÀ / «O»} We couldn't look this great without the amazing talents in wardrobe! | Next time you see one of those extravagant production shows on the Strip, take a moment from all of your oohing and aahing to consider this: Who does all the laundry? And, come to think of it, whose task is it to do the sewing, the darning, the dyeing of everything from the most basic undergarment to the flashiest headdress? Those tasks fall to the shows' wardrobe and costume crews, who work daily to ensure that every costume audiences see looks as good today as it did on opening night. Despite the high-profile results wardrobe crews provide -- would any show on the Strip be quite as spectacular otherwise? -- theirs is a theatrical specialty audiences take for granted. Read More: < http://www.lvrj.com/neon/50459977.html > [Jul.10.2009 | «O»} A few artists from "O" greeted attendees of the National Strength and Conditioning Association Convention on July 9. Fotos: [10] < http://www.facebook.com/album.php? aid=88083&id=26000574416&ref=mf > {Jul.10.2009 | LOVE} Over 13,000 people gathered in Trafalgar Square (London) to sing "Hey Jude" together...WOW!!! | The exclusive 4 minute extended version of the moment 13,500 people sang Hey Jude together in Trafalgar Square. Everyone involved arrived thinking they could be dancing - no-one had any idea how the event would unfold. Video: < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orukqxeWmM0 > {Jul.13.2009 | Varekai} Varekai is now playing in Gijòn, ES until August 16! Check out the following article! < http://www.lne.es/secciones/noticia.jsp?pRef=2009070800_ 73_779414__Verano-carpa-Icaro > {Jul.13.2009 | Quidam} Quidam by Cirque du Soleil opened last week in Recife, Brazil! < http://www.diariodepernambuco.com.br/viver/nota.asp? materia=20090708111329 > {Jul.15.2009 | La Nouba} The 9:00 p.m. show on Friday July 10, 2009 was the 5000th performance of La Nouba. It is as fresh as it was the day it was first performed. This is due, in large part, to the dedication and energy of our artists. We have 22 artists who have been with us since day one... One such artist was recognized for having NEVER missed a show. Never. (I know, we can't believe it either!) Alexander Danilchenko (we call him Sasha) was recognized by the Artistic Director for La Nouba, Denise Biggi, and Senior Artistic Director for Cirque du Soleil, James Hadley during bows after the show. Fotos: < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=91225&id =16315569901&ref=mf > Video: [0:24] < http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v =1201717966075&ref=mf > {Jul.15.2009 | Mystère} Our new aritst Julie snuck out of the house to try out for the Philippines Rhythmic Gymnastics team at age 11...wow do we feel like slackers! Oh yeah, she made the team! {Jul.16.2009 | Alegría} Alegria was on The Today Show this morning and on The Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center)! Photos: < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=123758&id= 38543815745&ref=mf > Video: < http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/ 31943927#31943927 > {Jul.21.2009 | ZAIA} ZAIA dazzled silver screen Indian Cinema superstars as an exclusive performance of the Cirque du Soleil spectacular marked the launch of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend at The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel on June 11th. < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msyV_GS3IW4 > < http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sKmB4IOYBAU > {Jul.21.2009 | Wintuk} MEET THE CAST: Hoops performer Elena Lev returns to Wintuk this year with her unique fusion of contortion and hoops. Stayed tuned for updates on other Wintuk artists. {Jul.22.2009 | Saltimbanco} Saltimbanco performed at the Spacefest in Houston (40th anniversary of the moon landing) on Monday, July 20 - See photo album! Fotos: < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=127963&id= 41245692958&ref=mf > {Jul.22.2009 | Zumanity} Just saw the 2-page spread of our "Hoops" girl Julia posing in the latest issue of MMA Sports Mag. All we can say is... HOT! Pick it up on newstands now. :) {JUl.23.2009 | «O»} O by Cirque du Soleil was thrilled to provide the music for the Young and the Restless "Wedding of a Lifetime" ceremony last Sunday, July 19. {Jul.24.2009 | ZAIA} A group of journalists from HK were in town to interview Violaine Corradi, composer & musical director, ZAIA singers and musicians to talk about the album yesterday. Fotos: [8] < http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=93143&id= 34277887388&ref=mf > {Jul.24.2009 | LOVE} Music Playback Engineer, Gavin Whiteley, shares his "brush with a Beatle" story!!! Ch-ch-check it out! | In June 2006, Sir Paul McCartney-along with Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison and their families - came to The Mirage in Las Vegas to see the gala premiere of Love, the Cirque du Soleil show celebrating the Beatles' legacy, with the original Beatles tracks produced and remixed by Sir George Martin and his son, Giles Martin. As the "music playback engineer" for Love, I ran the music tracks for that show and had the pleasure of meeting Sir Paul when he came into my "office" to record a video interview following the Gala Premiere. I gave Sir Paul my seat at our "music playback system." Behind him were an array of keyboards, computer screens, and my parents' vinyl copy of the Sgt. Pepper album that I grew up with, and had brought with me for good luck. {Jul.29.2009 | Saltimbanco} Saltimbanco Pink Singer sings the National Anthem at the Diamondbacks baseball game in Phoenix - Tuesday, July 28! < http://www.facebook.com/pages/Saltimbanco-by-Cirque-du- Soleil/41245692958#/photo.php?pid=3159452&id=41245692958&ref=mf> {Jul.29.2009 | Wintuk} MEET THE CAST: Casey Rigney, performing in the Act Charivari as a Skate Street: He has been skating for 17 years and this would include 7 years pro. Casey won first place in best trick in 2002 at the Slam City JamV (one of the largest skateboard contests in the World) {Jul.31.2009 | OVO } In the last few days of July, Cirque du Soleil posted a couple of links to French-language articles about OVO in Montreal. Check them out here! o) Nouveau domicile «plus près de l'action» pour le Cirque du Soleil < http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/arts-et-spectacles/sur- scene/200907/22/01-886511-nouveau-domicile-plus-pres-de- laction-pour-le-cirque-du-soleil.php > o) OVO: sous la tente, une fourmilière < http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/arts-et-spectacles/sur- scene/200907/27/01-887767-ovo-sous-la-tente-une- fourmiliere.php > o) L’excellence est encore au rendez-vous < http://lejournaldequebec.canoe.ca/journaldequebec/ artsetspectacles/scene/archives/2009/07/20090730- 230704.html > o) Valérie Lesage : OVO: éclosion réussie < http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-soleil/arts-et-spectacles/sur- scene/200907/30/01-888681-ovo-eclosion-reussie.php > ---------------------------------------- GATHERINGS: CirqueCon, Celebri & More! ---------------------------------------- CirqueCon: < http://www.CirqueCon.com/ > Celebri: < http://www.celebri.org/ > [CirqueCon] o) Update #3: Thursday, July 9, 2009 o) Update #4: Saturday, July 18, 2009 UPDATE #3: Thursday, July 9, 2009 --------------------------------- Greetings, Cirque Passionates! We're counting down the days here at CirqueCon headquarters, until CirqueCon 2009: Monterrey and wish it would get here sooner. The three of us can't wait to see everyone again and especially the many Mexican fans we've not had a chance to meet before! With that in mind, we have IMPORTANT information to disclose to you regarding tickets to our official CirqueCon show of Dralion, to be held on Saturday, September 26th at 9:00pm. I wish to preface the news by saying it isn't what we hoped for, but we're working with what options have been presented to us and we know this little bump will not dampen our spirits. Please see the tickets section in this update on how to get your tickets to Dralion. We profusely apologize in advance for the inconvenience this may cause. Also, don't forget we have a wonderful package available at our Headquarters Hotel at the Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora. There are three types of rooms at our disposal - a standard suite, a superior suite (with a balcony!) and an executive suite (for those who might wish to do a little business on our vacation...). See the Hotel section of this update on how to join us there! And finally, please let us know you received this update by emailing us back at mexico@cirquecon.com. We want to be sure everyone knows about purchasing their show tickets. Thanks! o) DRALION TICKETS +---------------------------------+ | | | *** CIRQUECON OFFICIAL SHOW *** | | | | Saturday | | September 26, 2009 | | @ 9:00pm | | | +---------------------------------+ As we alluded to in our introduction, we have some rather disappointing news regarding tickets to Dralion in Monterrey. OCESA, the box-office vendor for Cirque du Soleil in Mexico, is unable to work with CirqueCon this year to facilitate group ticket sales in conjunction with the public release of seats on Monday, July 13th. We therefore regret that CirqueCon will NOT be able to reserve seating for you this year or offer tickets to the show as we have enjoyed in years past. Tickets will sell quickly (and we don’t want to miss you in Monterrey), so please be prepared to purchase your tickets directly on Monday, July 13th. Tickets go on sale beginning 11:00am Central Daylight Time. See the "Buying - Great, How Do I Get 'Em?" section below on purchasing tickets directly with OCESA. Pricing - Okay, How Much? ------------------------- The prices below reflect the cost of adults & children (there is no distinction between the two, sorry) with all taxes and fees added in Mexican Pesos (MXN) with USD approximates: ABONO: Tapis Rouge MXN: $2174 total ($1849 base + 290 tax + 35 svc) USD: $160.00 approx total VIP: Category 1 (This is not Tapis Rouge) MXN: $1295 total ($1090 base + 170 tax + 35 svc) USD: $95.00 approx total Reservado A: Category 2 MXN: $1061 total ($890 base + 136 tax + 35 svc) USD: $78.00 approx total Reservado B: Category 3 MXN: $828 ($690 base + 103 tax + 35 svc) USD: $60.00 approx total Reservado C: Category 4 MXN: $606 ($490 base + 81 tax + 35 svc) USD: $45.00 approx total See the Dralion seating chart on our TICKETS page at our website: < www.cirquecon.com/2009/tickets.htm >. One is also available at the Ticketmaster Mexico page (see below). Buying - Great, How Do I Get 'Em? --------------------------------- Tickets must be individually purchased directly with OCESA through one of these two methods: NOTE: Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, July 13th at 11:00am Central Daylight Time! 1) Online at TicketMaster Mexico: < http://www.ticketmaster.com.mx/ > The exact shortcut to our offical show is here: < http://www.ticketmaster.com.mx/event/140042D9BC8B9243? artistid=1001185&majorcatid=10001&minorcatid=52 > Although Spanish is obviously the default, you can get an English translation by selecting "English" in the upper right-hand corner. Navigating and purchasing a ticket on Ticketmaster Mexico is exactly the same as purchasing a ticket on Ticketmaster USA. 2) By Phone with OCESA/Ticketmaster Number: 011 52 (818) 369 9000 You will hear a recording in Spanish. Select option 5 and ask for an English speaking operator. They will be able to assist you from there. Unfortunately there is not a toll- free number to reach Ticketmaster Mexico. Should you have any problems with purchasing tickets to Dralion directly, please let us know. We'll do what we can to make sure you're under the Grand Chapiteau with us come September 26th! Okay - Now What? ---------------- Please let us know when you have purchased your tickets and in what section, row and seat they are located. We don't want to lose you. Once again we sincerely apologize for this inconvenience; however, if there’s a silver lining in this dark cloud it may be this: now we'll have passionates sitting all over the big top; we can totally rock the Grand Chapiteau! The three 'R'migos hope to see you there! o) HEADQUARTERS HOTEL Rich, Rodolfo and I are excited to announce that we have chosen a hotel in the center of a wonderful green space in the heart of Monterrey: HOLIDAY INN PARQUE FUNDIDORA. +-----------------------------------------------+ | | | HOLIDAY INN PARQUE FUNDIDORA | | | | $ 75.00 USD / Night = Standard Room | | $ 85.00 USD / Night = Superior Room | | $105.00 USD / Night = Executive Room | | | +-----------------------------------------------+ Notes: ------ .) Prices reflect Single or Double occupancy. .) Rates are in US Dollars at the date of payment. .) Rates do not include food and/or beverages .) Rates are subject to 15% IVA and 2% State taxes. .) Rates per extra person per night are $16.00 USD + taxes. Q. What's the difference in rooms? ---------------------------------- a STANDARD room is your basic hotel suite. a SUPERIOR room is a bigger hotel suite with a balcony. an EXECUTIVE room is on a private floor, with express breakfast and a business room. So come join us! ----------------- We have a number of convenient options available in order to make your room reservations, they are: .) PHONE = From the USA and other countries, please call 1-800-HOLIDAY and request a transfer to HOLIDAY INN PARQUE FUNDIDORA. Or, if you'd like to contact the hotel directly, you may do so by dialing [52] (818) 380-2217. From Mexico, please call 01-800-772-7083. And from Monterrey, call locally at 83-80-22-17. .) INTERNET = Go to the hotel's website at (www.hotelesmilenium.com), then select Monterrey on the map and later the hotel (HOLIDAY INN PARQUE FUNDIDORA). On the reservation form, please specify in the section "Código de grupo" the code: "CIR". .) EMAIL = Reserve by sending an email to cro.hipfmty@hotelesmilenium.com and mention the code "CIRQUE CON 2009". Make sure you provide the following information so your reservation may be confirmed: - Full Name - Credit Card Number - Expiration Date - Code Number - Card Company/Bank NOTE: A credit card will be required to secure your reservation! NOTE: You can cancel your reservation up to 48 hours prior to guest arrival without penalties. If the cancellation request is not received and confirmed by the hotel at least 48 hours before check in, your reservation will be canceled as a "no show" and a one night charge will appear on your credit card. UPDATE #4: Saturday, July 18, 2009 ---------------------------------- Greetings, Cirque Passionates! With just a little over two months to go until our exciting weekend in Monterrey begins (and with the ticket fiasco hopefully behind us), we wanted to announce our fantastic social events this year, put together for us by Rodolfo himself! We have three wonderfully exciting events to take part in this year: a twelve hour tour of the city of Monterrey, an evening of recovery at a local watering hole (Nueva Luna), and our CirqueCon group meal, this year being held at famous Los Generales restaurant, a Mexican buffet! Also keep in mind that tickets to our group showing of Dralion - the 9:00pm performance on Saturday, September 26th - are still on sale. Please visit our website for further information on purchasing seats: < http://www.cirquecon.com/2009/tickets.htm > And we still have plenty of room at our CirqueCon headquarters hotel - the Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora, which is right on site of the Grand Chapiteau! Visit the following link to book your room: < http://www.cirquecon.com/2009/hotel.htm > We're almost there! o) MONTERREY CITY TOUR Right after Registration, join us for an eight-hour tour of fabulous Monterrey. We'll visit museums, shopping centers, natural places and more! Rodolfo has all sorts of good places up his sleeve! This is a unique and customized city tour in Monterrey created by Rodolfo exclusively for the members of the CIRQUECON 2009 (he also is going to be our Tour Guide). So get ready to enjoy Monterrey in a very fun and unique way! +---------------------------------+ | | | *** MONTERREY CITY TOUR *** | | | | Friday | | September 25, 2009 | | @ 9:00am - 9:00pm | | | | $18.00 USD / Person | | | +---------------------------------+ What is included in the MONTERREY CITY TOUR package? ---------------------------------------------------- -- Transportation: a private and exclusive air conditioned bus awaits to take us on our fantastic tour today. Meet us in the Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora hotel lobby by 8:45am! -- Tour Leader: Learn about the history of Monterrey in both English and Spanish. Yes, our tour leader is Rodolfo himself! -- Admission Fees: Admission to Chipinque National Park, MUNE and Mexican History museums INCLUDED! -- Snacks: Four (4) bottles of cold water and two (2) bags of potato chips are included during the tour. Wow! -- Gratuity: Tips for the bus driver are also included in the quoted price; however, any extra purchases made beyond this package are not included. What might this wonderful package cost? --------------------------------------- It only takes $18.00 USD ($19.00 if by PAYPAL) per person to enjoy this incredible immersive experience you will never forget. See the PAYMENTS section at the bottom of this email on how to pay for the MONTERREY CITY TOUR. Schedule for CITY TOUR ---------------------- 9:00 AM -- Lobby Hotel Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora 9:30 AM -- Visit to Natural park Chipinque (Sierra Madre Mountain) 10:45 AM -- Visit to Atirantado Bridge and Cañon de la Huasteca Mountain. 12:00 PM -- Lunch at Paseo San Pedro Mall Food Court. (Food not included) 1:30 PM -- Visit to MacroPlaza (Monterrey Downtown) with stops at: - Mexican History Museum (admission included) - MUNE Museum (admission included) - Palacio de Gobierno y Explanada de los Héroes. - Teatro de la Ciudad and Capilla de los Dulces Nombres - Fuente de Neptuno - Monterrey City Hall - Faro del Comercio - Monterrey Cathedral - MARCO Museum (Lobby visit only) 5:30 PM -- Morelos Shopping Plaza (Mexican artisanal, traditional candies, etc.) 7:45 PM -- Nighttime City Tour (on the bus!) 8:45 PM -- Return to Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora Disclaimer ---------- Unfortunately, we cannot accept members less than 18 years of age unless they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 18 years of age or older who is also a member. Said parent/legal guardian will be expected to remain with said minor during Group Meal event. o) BOHEMIA NIGHT Phew, all that walking, riding and sight-seeing takes a lot out of you. Come join us at this famous watering hole for a little refreshment! Who said Margaritas!? :) Join us in the lobby of the Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora by 10:30pm to catch the "Magic Bus" to Nueva Luna! Those not in the lobby by 10:30pm may miss the bus! +---------------------------------+ | | | *** BOHEMIA NIGHT *** | | | | Friday | | September 25, 2009 | | @ 10:30pm - 3:00am | | | | $20.00 USD / Person | | | +---------------------------------+ NOTE: Due to Mexican government regulations, we cannot accept members less than 18 years of age to this activity, even if they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 18 years of age or older. Please note, members who take part in "Bohemia Night" will be required to present a valid Government Issue photo ID as proof of age upon check in at the podium. What's included in the BOHEMIA NIGHT Package? --------------------------------------------- -- Transportation: Bus transportation to and from the Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora to Nueva Luna Restaurant is included in this wonderful package, so don't worry about a thing! Meet us down in the lobby at the Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora promptly by 10:00pm. Return trips back to the hotel will occur in three increments, in case anyone wishes to leave a little earlier. Catch the return bus at 1:00am, 2:00am or 3:00am. Please note: if you're not on the bus by the last transfer at 3:00am you will (unfortunately) be left! -- Seating: There will be a specially reserved area at the restaurant just for CirqueCon members! -- Food: With four (4) passionates per table, we'll be treated to the Parrillada Grill, which includes Arrachera & Sirloin steak fajita and Chicken Fajita accompanied by sausage roasted in cheese, all served in a hot frying pan on a bed of onions, with peppers. Accompaniments include guacamole, chili peppers, and goaded and crisp totopos. Mmm! -- Drinks: Two (2) non alcoholic drinks (soft drinks, lemonade, etc) are included per person. Any other extra beverages (including all alcoholic beverages) will be available by request to servers and will be at every person own expense. Tips for the extra beverages are not included with this package. Please note that, unlike the United States, many countries do charge for refills, so please keep this in mind if you are ordering a soft drink! -- Entertainment: Special live music including Rock, Pop, Salsa and North Mexican Traditional Music. Also a DJ will be playing between bands segments. -- Gratuity: Tips for your server are included in the quoted price; however, any extra purchases made beyond this package do not include those tips, please plan accordingly! What might this wonderful package cost? ------------------------------------------- It only takes $20.00 USD ($21.00 if by PAYPAL) per person to enjoy a wonderful night out in Monterrey, Mexico. Come join us today! See our PAYMENTS section at the bottom of this email on how to pay for BOHEMIA NIGHT. Schedule for BOHEMIA NIGHT -------------------------- 10:30 PM -- Lobby Hotel Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora 10:50 PM -- Arrival to NUEVA LUNA 11:00 PM -- Dinner / Live Music - Party! 1:00 AM -- First transfer from Nueva Luna to Hotel 2:00 AM -- second transfer from Nueva Luna to Hotel 3:00 AM -- First transfer from Nueva Luna to Hotel Disclaimer ---------- Note: Each participant, assumes the entire responsibility and liability for losses, damages, and claims arriving out of injury or damage to themselves, members of their party, belongings, or other property occurring during the CirqueCon, and shall indemnify and hold harmless CirqueCon, its agents, Committee, organizers, volunteers, service providers, and employees from any and all such losses, damages and claims. o) GROUP MEAL Come eat with us at Monterrey's famous LOS GENERALES restaurant for authentic Mexican cuisine, buffet style! +----------------------------------+ | | | *** CIRQUECON GROUP MEAL *** | | | | Saturday | | September 26, 2009 | | @ 2:00pm - 5:00pm | | | | $19.00 USD / Person | | | +----------------------------------+ What is included in the GROUP MEAL package? ------------------------------------------- -- Transportation: Once again CirqueCon is providing bus transportation to and from our headquarters hotel at Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora to the restaurant. Please be in the lobby by 1:30pm so the "magic bus" can be on time! -- Food: Enjoy a Mexican Buffet (all you can eat) at famous LOS GENERALES restaurant in a reserved area just for CirqueCon members! Buffet includes a wide selection of the most typical and famous cuisine associated with Mexico, so eat up! (Alcoholic beverages are not included). -- Gratuity: Tips for your server are included in the quoted price; however, any extra purchases made beyond this package do not include those tips, please plan accordingly! -- Sights: After our meal it's out to the Obispado hill for a magnificent view of Monterrey. Rising about 775 meters above sea level, this viewpoint is adorned with a fabulous circular esplanade with a humongous flag and pole at its center. You'll definitely want to bring your camera for this! What might this wonderful package cost? ------------------------------------------- It only takes $19.00 USD ($20.00 if by PAYPAL) per person to eat with the CirqueCon group. See our PAYMENTS section at the bottom of this email on how to pay for GROUP MEAL. Schedule for GROUP MEAL ----------------------- 1:30 PM -- Lobby Hotel Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora 2:00 PM -- Group Meal at LOS GENERALES Restaurant 4:00 PM -- Transfer to Obispado Hill / Esplanade 4:30 PM -- Group Picture! 5:10 PM -- Arrival to Holiday Inn Parque Fundidora Disclaimer ---------- Unfortunately, we cannot accept members less than 18 years of age unless they are accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 18 years of age or older who is also a member. Said parent/legal guardian will be expected to remain with said minor during Group Meal event. o) PAYMENTS FOR SOCIAL EVENTS We really must thank Rodolfo wholeheartedly for putting together three wonderful packages for us this year - we really can't wait to get to Monterrey! We'd love for everyone to join us - here's how you do so. We have these two convenient payment options available: CREDIT CARD via PAYPAL We have our general PAYPAL account for those that wish to pay via credit card. Please send the following per person to PAYPAL account - mexico@cirquecon.com: $19.00 USD per person for MONTERREY CITY TOUR $21.00 USD per person for BOHEMIA NIGHT $20.00 USD per person for GROUP MEAL BY CHECK Events paid via CHECK are not subject to the paypal surcharges. Please send the following: $18.00 USD per person for MONTERREY CITY TOUR $20.00 USD per person for BOHEMIA NIGHT $19.00 USD per person for GROUP MEAL Checks should be made out and sent to: Keith Johnson 31241 Fourth Avenue South Federal Way, WA 98003-5203 Decided to join us, great! -------------------------- We will reserve seating on a first come, first served basis based on payments received. Please let us know that you've decided to join us and for what event by emailing us at mexico@cirquecon.com. Cancellations are available up to August 31, 2009. After that date we will be unable to refund the price of attendance. # # # We're very excited about Monterrey. So come join us south of the border; we 'R' looking forward to it! Ricky "Richasi" Russo, Rich Alford & Rodolfo Elizondo CirqueCon 2009: Monterrey! www.cirquecon.com mexico@cirquecon.com ====================================================================== ======================================================================= COMPARTMENTS -- INFORMATION BEHIND THE CURTAIN ======================================================================= o) DIDYAKNOW - Facts about Cirque o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History --------------------------------- DIDYAKNOW? - Facts About Cirque --------------------------------- o) Didyaknow that the surface of the KOOZA stage is decorated to look like a starry sky, and in the center ring is a graphic representation of the sky in Montreal (Canada) on the night of the first public performance? o) Didyaknow there are more than 175 costumes and 160 hats in Koozå? There are 1,080 KOOZA items in all, including all the shoes, props, wigs and so on. o) Didyaknow the Wintuk stage floor opens to reveal the Power Track, a specially-designed trampoline that is 55 feet long and six feet wide? This is a fun and "uplifting" act showcasing the performers' acrobatic and tumbling skills. o) Didyaknow Cirque du Soleil has a mobile club? Text CIRQUE to 25025 to join. o) Didyaknow the DRALION Kitchen has a 3 colour code system for labeling food? Red, eat very little if at all, high fat content; Yellow, eat in moderation, moderate fat content; Green, eat plenty of and at any time, low fat and full of nutrition. This was created because the Chinese house troupe likes to eat North American food but doesn't know how to evaluate its nutritional value. o) Didyaknow the Varekai stage is surrounded by more than 300 artificial trees, 15 to 35 feet tall, interspersed with 20 acrobatic trees that cast members can climb. Certain trees in the set are flexible enough to allow artists to fly between them. o) Didyaknow that not a single seat in the Zumanity theater is further than 66-feet from the thrust of the stage? o) Didyaknow that the ring-like apparatus used in Dralion to allow performers to fly around stage and to allow the singer to ascend to the stars is called "The Sun"? The Sun is one of three pieces used during the show. The other two are used as a catwalk and to encompass an enormous lantern. ------------------------------------ HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History ------------------------------------ * Jul.01.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé (Vol 2) CD Released (Nâga) * Jul.02.2002 -- La Nouba Boutique pepper spray incident forces evacuation * Jul.03.2009 -- Koozå opened Minneapolis/St-Paul * Jul.04.2007 -- Cirque named top Canadian Brand by Brand Finance Canada. * Jul.05.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Rimouski * Jul.05.1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Québec [Vieux-Port de Québec] * Jul.05.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Québec * Jul.05.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Seattle * Jul.05.1996 -- Quidam opened Ste-Foy * Jul.05.2007 -- Koozå opened Quebec City * Jul.05.2007 -- Varekai opened Adelaide, Australia * Jul.06.2000 -- Saltimbanco 2000 opened Seattle * Jul.06.2006 -- Quidam opened Philadelphia * Jul.06.2008 -- René Dupéré named "Chevalier" in the Order de la Pléiade * Jul.07.1987 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Québec * Jul.08.2004 -- Alegría opened Philadelphia * Jul.09.2009 -- Quidam opened Recife, Brazil * Jul.09.2009 -- Varekai opened Gijon, Spain * Jul.10.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Vienna * Jul.10.2003 -- Alegría opened Vancouver * Jul.10.2009 -- Dralion opened Auckland * Jul.10.2009 -- La Nouba celebrated 5,000th performance [9:00pm] * Jul.11.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Montréal * Jul.11.1997 -- Alegría opened Berlin * Jul.11.2008 -- LOVE celebrated 1000th performance [Friday] * Jul.11.2009 -- La Nouba celebrated 5000th performance * Jul.12.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Saint-Jean-Port-Joli * Jul.12.1994 -- Alegría opened San Francisco * Jul.13.2003 -- Cirque nominated for 1 Emmy - 55th Emmy Awards Outstanding Nonfiction Program Alternate - Fire Within * Jul.14.1992 -- Fascination opened Osaka * Jul.14.1992 -- Saltimbanco opened San Francisco * Jul.14.2006 -- Alegría opened Amsterdam * Jul.14.2006 -- Corteo opened Chicago * Jul.16.2003 -- Varekai opened Chicago * Jul.17.2008 -- Dralion opened Sydney, Australia * Jul.18.2002 -- Cirque nominated for 2 Emmys in 54th Emmy Awards Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Alegría Outstanding Choreography for 74th Academy Awards - Debra Brown * Jul.19.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Baie-Saint-Paul * Jul.19.2003 -- Quidam opened Osaka * Jul.20.2004 -- Varekai CD released in Canada (CDS Musique) * Jul.20.2004 -- Alegría CD released in Canada (CDS Musique) * Jul.20.2007 -- Corteo Nominated for Emmys o) Category 6: Art Direction for a Variety, Music Program or Special o) Category 28: Picture Editing for a Special (Single of Multi-Camera) * Jul.21.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Berlin * Jul.21.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Adelaide * Jul.21.2005 -- Dralion opened Oostenede * Jul.22.1998 -- Alegría opened Antwerp * Jul.22.1998 -- Quidam opened Chicago * Jul.23.1988 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Toronto * Jul.23.2006 -- Varekai NAT 1 Ends (2002-2006) * Jul.24.1992 -- Fascination opened Sapporo * Jul.24.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Oostenede * Jul.24.2003 -- Dralion opened Columbus * Jul.24.2008 -- Quidam opened Alicante, Spain * Jul.25.2002 -- Quidam opened Boston * Jul.25.2007 -- Dralion opened Osaka, Japan * Jul.26.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Québec * Jul.26.1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Toronto [Harbour Front] * Jul.26.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Toronto * Jul.26.1995 -- Alegría opened Chicago * Jul.26.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Angers * Jul.26.2001 -- Quidam opened Copenhagen * Jul.26.2007 -- Alegría opened Gijon, Spain * Jul.27.2004 -- Varekai opened Boston * Jul.27.2004 -- Varekai CD released in US (CDS Musique) * Jul.27.2009 -- LOVE celebrated 1500th performance [7:00pm] * Jul.28.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Chicago * Jul.29.1999 -- Dralion opened Toronto * Jul.29.2009 -- Corteo opened Osaka * Jul.30.2009 -- OVO opened Quebec, QC. * Jul.31.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened London * Jul.31.1997 -- Quidam opened San Jose * Jul.31.2003 -- Zumanity Begins Preview Performances * Jul.31.2004 -- Quidam celebrated 3000th performance [Sat, 1:00pm/Calgary] * Jul.31.2008 -- Corteo opened Calgary, AB, Canada * Jul.31.2008 -- Varekai opened Oberhausen ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= ------------------------------------------------------- "EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ALAIN VINET Musical Director, Cirque du Soleil" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) {Issue Exclusive} ------------------------------------------------------- We often talk in these pages about Cirque music, its influence, popularity and the high esteem (and high expectations) it has amongst fans. Many have praised its unique sound and style while at the same time wondering about (and sometimes even questioning) decisions made by soundtrack CD producers. These popular sellers are not taken lightly within Cirque’s Montréal headquarters. In fact CDs are fourth in popularity for show-specific souvenirs after programs, apparel and DVDs. And why not - they’re affordable, long lasting triggers of memory that don’t fade or shrink in the wash. The music and discs can be found everywhere, distributed in Canada by Justin Time (a division of EMI), in the US by Red (a division of Sony) and worldwide by Universal, as well as on iTunes and in Boutiques in tents and theaters throughout the world. A major part of Cirque’s 25th anniversary celebration has been the June release of "25" a two-CD musical retrospective (reviewed in July’s issue of Fascination!). Its eclectic selection made us curious as to how it was created and the thought process involved. So we went to the source! Last month we had a chance to talk with the very kind Alain Vinet (Al- ahn VEE-nay), Cirque du Soleil’s Musical Director, about his role in the creation of "25" as well as the show soundtracks so close to the hearts of many devoted fans. He started his DJ career in 1978 becoming famous in the Montréal club scene for his sets at (((Stereo))) and later at Circus. His show ‘brand name’ "Mouvement" was also the title of his 2-CD compilation set for Cirque du Soleil Musique (CDSMN10002-2, 2005). We started by asking how he became Cirque’s Musical Director. "That’s a long story! I had been a DJ for 20 years and in Montréal I was everywhere. Guy Laliberté heard about me and in 1999 hired me for some private events. That led to DJ’ing for some of the premieres of Cirque shows, my first being Quidam in London in November 2001, and after that some other private events. And then the world premiers of Zumanity, KA, Love and BeLIEve. Throughout those years I became good friends with Guy." He was then asked to contribute a dance music track to the "Solarium/Delirium" 2-CD dance compilation (Cirque du Soleil Musique CDSMCD 10021-2, 2004) released as part of the 20th anniversary celebration, remixing "Africa" (from "O"). "I worked on it with a friend, [Sam from] a production company called Quicksound. [He picked it] and I went along with it. I did the vocal and choral arrangements and a bit of the percussion. He did the didgeridoo when we decided to put that in. I have to share the credit because he really worked hard." "[Then] I was a consultant for Delirium [arena show] because it was more of an electronica venture and I come from an electronica background. Following that Cirque [wanted] to produce new musical artists for the [CDS Musique] record label and I was signed as an artist. I was the only one [whose 2-CD set "Mouvement" was released in 2005], because after that the company decided to regroup into what they know best, which is Cirque shows. So after they released my compilation I proposed to Guy to come and help the label because I have many contacts in the electronica world. He welcomed that and asked me to be hired. And that’s what led to my first contract as a director at Cirque, where I was mostly taking care of music for special events and artistically directing the albums of the shows. About a year later they added me as more of a consultant as far as the new shows are concerned, which is what I do now." The creation of "25" started, as many things at Cirque do, with a brainstorming meeting. "Two years ago we started talking about things that would surround the 25th [anniversary]. There were a lot of ideas brought to the table but unfortunately we couldn’t do all of them. (Laughs) [But] the CD was retained because it’s such a well-sold item. It’s something people tend to buy to have a piece of our shows. Most of our sales come from Boutiques in the big top or theaters. We [also] had good success with "Solarium/Delirium" for the 20th [anniversary]. But going back to more of the core business it was decided [to use] existing masters and [create] a compilation that reflects 25 years of Cirque." Chantal Côte, Corporate PR Manager, elaborated, "Music is also a very strong element of Cirque’s brand and one of the main creative components of a Cirque show. It’s made us distinctive over the years; Cirque music has a specific sound to it. So if we are to remember the past 25 years music should be part of that." "Music is [also] a great passion of Guys," Mr. Vinet added. "Second to the whole [process of] creation he’s a person that enjoys a whole lot of different music and buys a lot of different music. I’d say music touches him in a way, a little bit above all the rest." In 2004 as part of its 20th anniversary Cirque released "Le Best of" (Cirque du Soleil Musique CDSMC10022-2, 2004) featuring a set of slower chilled-out tunes from then-current productions. How are this and "25" different? "Le Best of was an attempt to launch the record label. The idea behind it was to have a product that reflected some of the best Cirque music to make a punch. When it came to the 25th anniversary I wanted to stay away from [songs on the] Le Best of CD [so that] our customers [wouldn’t be] getting selections [they already had]." "The purpose wasn’t to create another "best of," but rather to create a general spirit of the last 25 years. But also to not go for the more obvious songs because most people already have those songs anyway. My goal was to have people discover a song that maybe they would have passed [over]." Speaking of songs buyers might already have, we noted that two songs that might be considered "greatest hits" - the title track from Alegria and "Let Me Fall" from Quidam (the latter coming into public consciousness thanks to Josh Groban’s cover and use of the song in his concert DVD where he makes a set piece out of climbing a set of invisible stairs until he falls into a black abyss) - are missing from "25". The original version of "Alegria" was on "Le Best of" so a slower version from Alegria Le Film was used on "25." Was "Let Me Fall" considered? "For Saltimbanco Gilles suggested I use "Barock" which is kind of a rock-ish sounding song. And to keep the continuity in the vibe of the "Dynamique" CD I decided to use "Rivage" (from Quidam) which is [similar] sounding to "Barock" to make an evolution in the compilation." Mr. Vinet then explained how and why songs were selected. "I asked a lot of questions of Gilles Ste. Croix and people that were here since the beginning to get a sense of their best souvenirs from that era. So some of the songs were picked by Gilles and a lot were picks that I made. For about a year I kept sending advance copies to both Guy and Gilles to get their feedback. But last year having been such a busy year for Cirque I was pretty much on my own." "After a while of not really getting any feedback I went on my own and really went through a process of flow. Guy always insisted that we would have one CD that is more like chill, down tempo, and one that would be more dynamic. So starting with that I took pieces from all the shows, listening to how they [worked] together when one finishes and the [next] one starts. It was really quite a painstaking process." "I also wanted to have songs that are not part of our regular show CD’s that are available in the marketplace. For example the Wintuk CD was never put out commercially; it is only sold at Madison Square Garden." (Our readers should note that the songs from the first and second versions of the first "Cirque du Soleil" album as well as "Nouvelle Experience" and the "Journey of Man" soundtrack, though unavailable on physical CD are available as ITunes downloads. Alegria Le Film and the studio version of "Mystère" (both of which have one track each on the "25" set) sadly are not.) "I was also able to get advance [tracks] from ZED, ZAIA, BeLIEve and OVO. On top of that I got two songs from [the very first Cirque du Soleil vinyl 45 from] La Fanfonfonie. They were René Dupéré’s band even before Cirque was created, in the very very beginning." That rarity proved a challenge. "[We used a vinyl 45] because it wasn’t possible to actually grab master [tapes] from that era. [But] there was a copy of the 45 [in the Archive] that [we put] through a whole mastering and clean-up process. And I was surprised because I thought the sound wouldn’t be good because it was made so long ago. But since I took it from vinyl it actually sounds louder than our later productions." But the special effort was worth it. "I insisted on having those two songs [from the 45]. One of them, "Cirque du Soleil," was very important for me to be in there. The other one, "Le Funambule," was a suggestion from Gilles Ste. Croix. Apparently this was the opening song of the very first show." Indeed, when we asked composer René Dupéré to list his favorite Cirque tracks (see our two-part interview in Fascination! issues #46-Oct 2005 and #47-Jan/Feb/Mar 2006) he commented, ["Funambule" is] one of my favorite melodies. I wouldn’t say it’s the best one, but it’s one of my favorites because it reminds me of souvenirs and remembrances and nice things that happened [in the early days]." These two rare songs are a perfect fit for the CDs concept of a musical retrospective spanning all 25 years of Cirque’s existence. In addition to chronologically following the evolution of Cirque music throughout the years while separated into the two Laliberté-mandated "mood disks," Mr. Vinet took special care with the links between tracks such as the sound of children at the beginning of the "Poétique" disk. "In the intro to the first song you can hear children in the background, sounding like the old street performances in Baie St. Paul. I wanted to add that little bit of flavor, [as though] we’re coming in [to the tent] and can hear the orchestra getting in tune and [the music] starting. These are little pieces that I added just to make kind of a link." Other small bits have been added as well, such as a fragment from the original vocal sessions of "Lubia Doberstan" (from Varekai) tagged on as an intro to the song. "It’s from the original sessions; a little piece you don’t really hear but is there at some point. I added this piece for linking purposes as well." His work also extended to "cleaning up" tracks that appear on their original albums overlapped by other tracks. The acapella "amen" ending of "A Tale" (from La Nouba) in this set is free of the overlap from the next selection on the soundtrack CD, "Porte." "I had to work on it a little bit. I did use the master but [at the end] I used a piece from the original session to make an ending, so that it would finish less abruptly and you don’t hear the next song coming in." The creation of "25" wasn’t the only project keeping him busy in Cirque’s 25th year. "All my creative power is now used at Cirque especially during the spring when we have a lot of special events. Because I build all the music [for them]. And this year particularly with the 25th Anniversary there’s a lot of talk about it in the media so everybody wants Cirque. So that makes me doubly busy. Everything that pertains to the 25th anniversary has music in it, and I do mean everything. So a lot has come through my desk." Did this include the music for the special Cirque du Soleil/Concept Fiatlux fireworks display as part of the Montréal International Fireworks Competition (http://www.internationaldesfeuxloto- quebec.com/EN/ and www.fiatlux.org) occurring Saturday, August 15, 2009 at La Ronde Park in Montrèal? "Very much so; I built and chose the [musical] contents. The show itself should be around 35 minutes. I wish I could see it but I’m leaving Montréal a few days before that, and I’m going to miss it unfortunately." His duties as Musical Director during the almost five years he’s been at the company have always involved input into the creation of the show soundtrack CD’s. "[Initially] I would come in after the creation is done and pick a producer and give comments on what I wanted to hear on the CD as far as a general sound is concerned. And then I got more and more involved in the process of creation of the album. I really do take quite a bit of time with the producer in the studio, sometimes participating in the arrangements and the general flavor. Sometimes picking instruments that may not be in the show but add a color. For example Kooza has a very Bollywood kind of feel and in the show we have a couple of pieces using synthetic sitar, but for the album we decided to have a real sitar." Being in such an influential position we had to ask to what extent he felt a shows CD should reflect a shows musical sound. "I have mixed feelings about that. Of course I always want to try to keep as close to the show as possible. I read the blogs once in a while so I see pretty much what has happened in the past. And I take [those loyal fans comments] into consideration. I always say we have to add some audio imagery [to make up] for the lack of [visual] imagery so it stands alone. [While] always trying to stay as close to the show as possible. I want to make it so [the fans] are not alienated by what we added. [I want to] keep it faithful." "But that being said I was brought in to make these CDs stand alone, so that you can listen from one end to the other and even if you don’t have all the visuals it still sounds right. That’s mainly what I do. Sometimes I will add on to what the show music sounds like. Guy put me here specifically for that, to make sure we have a stand-alone sound." "And it was decided a long time ago to stay away from [live albums] as much as possible. Because it doesn’t sound right without the visuals. You [can hear] the difference in sound quality between the produced album and the live recordings. As a live bonus it’s OK but as a piece that represents the show on the regular CD the quality of the sound is not acceptable." "[Also] the arrangement is very important. When you do a show sometimes a piece will be 8 minutes long, on an album I don’t need more than five. And normally I will ask my producers to redo the arrangements to have a proper beginning and end to each [song]; I’m not crazy about fade-outs. Although on the ZAIA album there are quite a few. But we were running late!" (Laughs) How does he judge what makes a good soundtrack album, or really any album? "The trip it takes you on from beginning to end. I was born in the 60’s so I come from the days of listening to albums, like Pink Floyd’s "Dark Side of the Moon," where you listen from one end to the other and it’s like a story being told." "And that’s what I try to do with the [soundtrack] albums, trying to keep the order of the show but sometimes playing with one or two songs. For example "Kooza Dance" (from Kooza) happens right after intermission yet is such a thematic song. During creation you would always hear the creators talking about the "Kooza Dance". And it’s such a nice, crooner-like song I said, ‘Let’s open the CD with that.’" We noted the new ZAIA CD clocks in at a hefty 70+ minutes and wondered if the amount of music on a CD was ever a consideration. "In ZAIAs case the CD was produced by [ZAIA composer] Violaine Corradi at her demand. And at my demand too. Guy wasn’t too hot on the idea at the beginning but the result speaks for itself and he really loved the album. We have so much material since our shows last for 90 minutes and it’s hard to pick [what to] leave out, that’s why ZAIA has such a high minute count." The creation musicians, he acknowledged, also play an important role in the development of a new shows music. "For the sound of the show they are very very important. When it comes to the albums I always try to keep the voices from the show. And any peculiar instruments like folkloric instruments [where] it’s hard to find a good player we’ll insist on the show musician." "It’s hard to get [show] musicians to do studio sessions. But we still want to keep them involved because they are one of the big reasons of the success of the music. But on other occasions, like Kooza, we did all the production in Montréal except for maybe a couple of lead solos and the vocals because of a time constraint." It’s also part of Cirque’s normal process to not record a shows CD immediately after premiere. "We have a six-month process where we leave a show and let it go and find its place with an audience," Ms. Côte explained. "Then the creators are all invited to come back with a new perspective and look at it. We call it fixation [FEEX-ah-shon]. It doesn’t mean the show won’t change over the course of the years but the main skeleton, the main creative elements will be settled for years to come." Mr. Vinet elaborated, "I cannot start working on a CD until fixation is complete. That means everybody’s happy with it and we can proceed. Until that is done we can’t do the soundtrack because the music can still vary. Sometimes a number might change or another piece of music is added. We want [the CD] to have, as closely as possible, the final music of the show." "Even then the show is going to change sometimes - an artist leaves, another one comes in or different music is created. That’s why you have songs in shows that are not on the album, because throughout the years numbers have changed and music has been added. Since I have been here the average is about a year after the show opens." With the tantalizing tastes of tracks from ZED, BeLIEve and OVO included keeping "25" up-to-the-minute, we asked Mr. Vinet to run down the production and release status of these new creations CDs. ZED - "I got the masters about a month ago. In the US I don’t know exactly when the release date is, another department [makes that decision]. But in Canada both ZAIA and ZED will come out on August 25. ZAIA is already out in the US; it came out there first." [Update: Since this interview we have learned that the release of ZED and ZAIA in Canada has been delayed and will occur in September or later.] BeLIEve - "I was aiming for the first anniversary of the World Premiere which is Halloween, 2009. It’s the date I asked Eric [Serra, composer] to make, so [we could] throw a little launch party with the first year anniversary of the show in Vegas. But we couldn’t work on it because Eric is really busy on a movie with Luc Besson [the sequels to the computer-animated "Arthur and the Invisibles" titled "Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard" (2009) and "Arthur and the Two Worlds War" (2010)]. I have to take him when he’s available since it’s in his contract that he has to produce the CD. Sometimes we have to delay a little bit but then again it’s not any longer than any album normally takes since it takes about a year for a CD to hit the shelves." OVO - "We probably won’t have a CD until next spring, which is about average." With ardent worldwide fans of Cirques musical output hungry for Cirque music in all its forms we wondered if Cirque had ever considered smaller-run limited second editions of some of the rarer pieces of Cirques musical legacy, such as the live recordings of Saltimbanco and Alegria that were issued as Christmas presents years ago. "There are no plans for that that I’m aware of. I’m sure we still have [them] in the Archive somewhere. Maybe the masters still exist but [they would need to be located]." To which Ms. Côte added, "It’s a good suggestion though." (A hopeful sign?) His connection with Cirque and Laliberté has allowed Mr. Vinet to be a vital creative part of events Cirque fans would give almost anything to attend - show world premiers and the parties thrown at Lalibertés residence in Montréal. "It’s always incredibly fun; people are there to have fun so it always makes for a really cool evening. Plus we always have performances and décor which you don’t necessarily find in clubs. With all the added value it’s really nice to meet and work with performers, it adds so much layering to the evening." "For me it’s like my old life, but also putting a little bit of "water in my wine" to accommodate less electronica-savvy people [so as not to] make them feel too alienated. But at the same time keeping my sound. Because as a DJ if I’m not allowed to play the way I play I’m just not going to play, that’s a decision I made 15-20 years ago." Being a re-mixer of note we wondered if he had attempted remixes of Cirque songs other than "Africa." "At the time [of "Solarium / Delirium"] I did an attempt at "Oscillium" (from Varekai) but the vocal and [organ] were glued together. It was a voice and instrument together [on the same track]. So it was really hard for me to split everything for a proper mix." "I did remix "Let Me Fall" for one of the parties but nothing good enough to put out. It was done too long ago. But I have a lot of newer remixes - when I do a world premiere or a premiere of a show I make a remix of one of the show songs. And I’ve done quite a few [of those]." "For the LOVE premiere I did a little mash-up of "Love You To" by George Harrison mixed with the beats from a Cirque song and some vocals from another Cirque song. Kind of a mash up of the three. And I did a mash-up of "Because" using the acapella [version] with the beats of "Alegria." Just to signify the wedding of Apple Corps and Cirque du Soleil. Which was my way of expressing that." "I asked Guy last year when we were in Tokyo for permission to [release some of those remixes]. I have to iron out the details. But the beauty of it is they are all done already." His house music compilation set "Mouvement" demonstrated his skills as re-mixer and DJ, skills honed over many years. "I’ve been a club DJ in Montréal for 31 years, more in the underground than in the mainstream scene; that was where I grew up as a DJ and producer. When [house music] came out in 1985 it was such a fresh approach. It was taking some of the classic music and adding beats to it. It [was now within] the reach of anyone to produce that kind of music, you didn’t need to have a million dollar studio. It was the beginning of self- producing and computers and all that. That really appealed to me. And on top of that I’m a huge fan of electronic music, always have been since the days of Kraftwerk and even further back Pink Floyd." Having such a long history as a DJ means quite a collection of music. In addition to "a ton" of CD’s he has close to 14,000 vinyl recordings. His catalog numbers about 50,000 songs. "[When I DJ] I always carry enough music to play for 2 weeks. When I use turntables or CD I always use 3. [One reason is so] that I can prepare in advance a little bit more. Instead of just waiting until the song ends I can prepare the next one so I can keep my flow going. ‘Cause when you DJ you have an overall vision of what the night is going to be, its peaks and valleys. By adding a third player I can prepare in advance so I can have better continuity. And the other reason is sometimes on that 3rd CD I might put an acapella track that I will sample over whatever’s going on. Or a loop or all of the above. It just helps you be more [prepared], especially with CDs. With vinyl you had sleeves; it was very visual. With CDs, especially burned CDs, it’s [just] a line of text. That’s it, there’s no visual cue. So sometimes I need the extra time to do research in my books." What does he consider a good remix? "I know by listening to it. If it gets me, if the groove is good and, speaking specifically about remixes, if it respects the original then to me it’s a good remix. But sometimes you will have something more ‘dub-ey’ where not the whole vocal is there but pieces [of it], and if the groove is good that is also a good remix." "[What’s] important to me is what the song says instead of how it’s sung or spoken. I’m a big fan of spoken word. When I find songs that have something like that, automatically I will listen a bit more closely to what it says." He is especially attracted to "eclectic" music. "In my book eclectic means "not mainstream." Something you would not necessarily expect, that broadens your horizons. "Eclectic" is my middle name. Even in my DJ’ing I went away from the mainstream 20 years ago. I like to provoke people, [make them] work for it, not give them everything tailor-made, ready-to-eat, ready-to-serve. No, you have to work a little bit for it. You have to be open minded to really appreciate the typical state of mind in the club environment." And it’s the open-mindedness of the people he has met (or, rather, one specific person) which has had a powerful effect on his life. "Meeting Guy Laliberté was really a turning point as far as the direction my career has taken, definitely. He’s really open and has broadened my spectrum by inviting me on trips, making me see the world and going to premieres and stuff like that. [I’ve met] so many amazing creative people. I have to say that was a big turning point for me." In a company so well known for its creative decisions it’s important to realize there are business decisions as well. "I’ve been here close to five years now and I can tell you it’s always a struggle between business and creation. Of course creators at Cirque are always super well treated. But there has to be a voice of reason at some point. It’s really hard to keep a perfect balance. [Sometimes business] will be going well and the creative [side rules], but like now with the economy we tend to stop spending where we don’t need to. Which is just a common sense compromise." His workload at Cirque doesn’t leave much time for other things. "[It’s a challenge] finding some time to work on my own music, that’s for sure! (Laughs) The 9 to 5 in general [is hard]. I’ve always been more of a night person. So I try to arrange my schedule so I do all my business [during the day] and then I might stay at the studio until midnight and just work away. When the feelings good and it’s working well I just stay at it until I fall asleep." But he finds the job inspiring. "Everybody that creates music inspires me in one way or another. Our composers inspire me incredibly, the music is so beautiful. [And it’s unexpected], you listen to a Cirque song and think it’s going to go from F to G but it doesn’t, it goes some other way. That’s what I love about Cirque music. That gives me a lot of inspiration. That’s actually what’s keeping me artistically alive, in the midst of business and all that." What gives him his greatest satisfaction? "At Cirque - Making sure that I always go beyond what is asked of me into areas where people would not have thought of sometimes. And I believe that’s what makes me successful at Cirque. Because every curve ball they threw at me in the past four years I always hit home runs. That makes me really happy. Personally - Having a great DJ set. Producing a good song and playing it and people go wild. This is my greatest reward." What does he say to young artists? "Don’t mind the challenges, just go for it. If you believe it enough it’s gonna happen. Perseverance and discipline. Maybe I was lucky but that’s how I made it. I spent 10 years in the studio not making music for money but learning my craft. I never went to [DJ] school, everything I know I learned on my own." "Just play with it, have fun with it, because that’s going to reflect in the end product. And if you don’t have fun that too reflects in the final product; when you get blasé about it you can feel it. And you can note that throughout musical history. [You see] bands that do maybe one or two good albums [and then] get spoiled by the riches and the jet set. You have to keep a cool head about those things, because what life brings you one day she can take from you the next." "But you can’t stop just because of that; you go back and start something else. There are always possibilities, the world is my oyster!" (Laughs) My sincere thanks go to: Mr. Alain Vinet, for so graciously spending time with us, Lise Dubois, Corporate Alliances Coordinator (for arranging the details), Chantal Côte, Corporate PR Manager, And my wife LouAnna for putting up with my sometimes obsessive hobby. ------------------------------------------------------- "From Olympian to Drummer" By: Aaron Guidry, Mystère Percussionist {Special Reprint} ------------------------------------------------------- When I was in fifth grade, I had a very important decision to make. I could either take gymnastics or be in the band. I chose band. Nearly 25 years later, I am enjoying the best of both worlds. Six years ago, I auditioned for entertainment giant Cirque du Soleil and won the job as percussionist with Mystère, Cirque’s first resident show in Las Vegas. Since opening in 1993, Mystère has presented more than 7,000 performances for over ten million spectators exclusively at Treasure Island. Commonly referred to as the “flower in the desert,” Mystère helped pave the way for other Cirque du Soleil creations in Las Vegas and abroad. The band at Mystère consists of eight instrumentalists and two female singers. The music is very dependent on the acts that it accompanies, and for that reason, the show is never quite the same. The format and layout is similar every night, but musical phrases can be extended, shortened, or even cut altogether as cued by the action on stage. Many times, these changes occur on the fly with no advance warning. This allows for a degree of flexibility within the show and keeps the energy raw and exciting. I have yet to grow tired of performing Mystère, largely due to the organic nature of live theater and the awe-factor of Cirque du Soleil. TAIKO AT MYSTÈRE At Cirque, rehearsals are called trainings, ensembles are called teams, instructors are called coaches, and performers are called artists. In addition to my chair as percussionist, I have several other responsibilities, one of which is Taiko Coach. As a coach, I train artists how to drum and ultimately be cast in the Taiko Team. Music accompanies nearly every act in Mystère, with taiko integrated into the Opening and Finale of the show. Approximately a third of the 80-member cast is trained to drum. During the opening number, six drummers create pulsating rhythms that propel the world of Mystère into existence. These rhythms are the vital heartbeat, pounding with excitement as the journey unfolds. For the closing number, a 14-member team performs on various sized drums from the 16-inch shime daiko to the 72-inch okedo daiko, launching Mystère into the final celebration of the voyage. From world-class gymnasts, to passionate dancers, to larger-than-life characters, all artists share the ability to perform before an audience with precision, consistency and, above all, emotion. As Taiko Coach, it is my job to mold artists’ hands and ears, to guide them from athlete to musician, and to teach musical qualities from technique to expressiveness. Through astonishing presentation, the Mystère Taiko Team represents an elegant strength and the synergy of beauty and power. Each artist has a track for which he or she is responsible. This track usually consists of two main specialty acts and a variety of cues. If an artist’s track calls for taiko, the training process begins upon arrival in Las Vegas for integration into the show. Prior to this, artists have completed a training process called “Formation” in Montreal, Cirque’s headquarters. During Formation, artists are coached on skills specific to their primary acts. They do not, however, receive any drumming instruction. Taiko training all happens on-site in Vegas. Where does one begin when teaching an Olympic-quality athlete the concepts of drumming and, more importantly, musicianship? I joke that it is very much like the days when I taught sixth-grade beginning percussion class, except I no longer have parent/teacher conferences! But seriously, once an artist’s track has been confirmed, a timeline is then put in motion to gauge progress and plan accordingly. In fact, artists often ask me to provide them with a set of goals to reach within a certain timeframe. I attribute this to their competitive background and strong work ethic, as artists at Cirque tend to be very performance-driven. Just like music students, all artists begin with varying basic abilities, but the training process is generally broken down into three phases. Each phase contains specific goals and objectives that are built upon sequentially. To distinguish between the two taiko acts, the first is commonly referred to as Opening Drums and the latter as Finale Taiko. I will focus on the Opening Drums training process below. WEEKS 1–2: MOVING THE HANDS During the initial training period, artists meet with me for at least two 30-minute sessions a week. There are instances when several new artists arrive at Mystère at the same time. When this occurs, we meet in group sessions, but soon after, each artist trains one-on- one. Much like a private lesson, quicker progress is achieved when the focus is on the artist’s individual needs. The concentration for these two weeks is on moving the hands consistently while maintaining a relaxed and fluid range of motion. Exercises focus on hand placement, wrist and arm movement, and evenness of sound from hand to hand. The ultimate goal is to create a repertoire of exercises that will be used as warm-ups in future trainings. These exercises also serve as a springboard in learning the show music for Opening Drums. Variations are created in the moment according to the artist’s needs. Trainings occur in a room with large dance-studio-style mirrors, making it easy to directly monitor motions and match movements. I play along, but also allow opportunities for the artists to play unaccompanied. Playing together quickly develops a degree of confidence, while playing individually gives the artist a soloistic perspective that can then be more easily critiqued. Because self- exploration is such an important part of development, personal playing time is allotted either at the beginning or end of each session. Of particular note is that during these two weeks, no drums are used at all. The training room has a rubber floor that coincidentally provides great rebound, so it is used as our “drum.” While this may seem odd, it is very functional and keeps the atmosphere casual and non-intimidating. The floor and mirrors provide the vehicle for establishing good technical habits that will move artists into the next phase of training. WEEKS 3–6: LEARNING THE ACT Weeks 3–6 introduce more rhythms, techniques, and movements that will be used in actual show performance. The artists also begin to train on a real drum, usually of the nagado style. Mirrors in the training room continue to be a useful tool in showing the techniques of fluid motion and relaxed body movement. Many times I play directly opposite the artist so that my sticking, movement, and timing can be imitated with more visual ease. Each artist is given a practice CD that includes audio warm-ups and exercises broken down phrase-by-phrase at three different tempos: slow, medium, and show-tempo. The CD is meant to be used as a resource for play-along between trainings, but it is also used to reinforce listening skills and practice techniques during one-on-one sessions. The training room is equipped with a sound system that allows the artist to hear the audio with ease. Due to staging and the natural acoustics of the Mystère theater, a click is used to coordinate the drumming during the opening of the show. Artists wear discreet in-ear monitors connected to a wireless receiver allowing them, but not the audience, to hear the click track. For this reason, a metronome is used throughout the duration of the trainings. The metronome is also used as a facilitator for ear training, a facet of musicianship that will ultimately factor into the artist’s performance. Tempos provide a tangible weekly goal and are gradually increased based on progress. As more rhythms and patterns are learned, references are gradually made to what is “clean” and what is “dirty.” Artists are very familiar with what a clean ensemble statement in their field of specialty feels and looks like; however, they are now asked to determine what a clean ensemble statement sounds like. One training method is to play a repetitive pattern in unison, with the artist following my tempo fluctuations. A variation of this approach is to split the pattern between one of us playing the primary rhythm and the other providing the underlying pulse. Both strategies train artists how to adjust accordingly when any modifications are needed. These exercises also raise awareness of clarity and teach holistic listening skills. Musical notation is not necessary, and Opening Drums is taught by rote. Generally, counting is in eights as opposed to the standard four beats per measure. The reason for this is two-fold: first, most of the patterns are in eight-count phrases; and secondly, artists are very familiar with counting in eights due to their background in movement. For artists who are more visual learners, cues are illustrated to represent small groups of patterns and phrases. References are made to note values and their relationships to one another, but learning to read music is not a necessary step in the process. Inflections of the voice are also used in learning nuances to rhythms. One technique used periodically is to have the artist clap to a pulse while singing rhythmic phrases. This helps to solidify beat alignment as well as develop a feel for the rhythm itself. Another approach is to play and vocalize simultaneously. This facilitates coordination and assists in memorization. Being that Cirque is a multi-cultural company, employing artists from 19 countries at Mystère alone, English is not always the first language. Because of this, vocal inflection often provides a great tool for communication when lengthy explanations are simply not practical. Opening Drums is played seated in a yatai baishi manner. This style of movement is essential in providing a visual energy and excitement as the world of Mystère gives birth. Just as exercises are used in learning to drum, exercises are also used in learning to drum and move at the same time. Choreographed motions are isolated and initially rehearsed away from the drum. A padded wall provides a comfortable back support and physical reference as rocking movements are coordinated with the drumming. Additionally, hands are separated, giving the artist yet another perspective to draw upon when creating a mental snapshot of the rhythms and accompanying choreography. Many times, trainings are filmed so that artists can step back, assess, and evaluate progress from an outsider’s point of view. Videos of other performances are also compared and used as a standard on which to model. Once a strong understanding of rhythmic passages with choreography and movement is obtained, we are now ready to move into the final stages of preparation for performance. WEEKS 7–9: EXPLORING THE VENUE After six weeks of training the artist has become very familiar with a routine set of exercises and, more importantly, how to apply those exercises to Opening Drums. This makes the learning process very streamlined when drawing references to techniques and correcting errors. All aspects of performance, from drumming to movement to listening, are now integrated into one complete thought. With these strong foundations, the focus moves to endurance, consistency, and increasing tempo. Live tracks that were recorded during actual show performances are now utilized during trainings. These tracks, which are included on the practice CD, contain the click for the artist to follow, the music played by the Mystère band, and also the bandleader’s vocal cues. Complete run-throughs using the live tracks become a normal part of training. These allow artists to gain a sense of what it will take mentally and physically to perform Opening Drums from beginning to end. Pacing and breathing is also a focus as artists train for endurance. A big step in this phase is the move from the training room to the stage. Opening Drums is performed with the artists spread throughout the theater and suspended 30 feet above the audience. For this reason, stage trainings also involve non-drumming aspects specifically devoted to the artist’s safety. Technicians are on hand to explain general procedures and administer the use of wireless receivers, in-ear monitors, safety gear, and harnesses. Emergency measures are also rehearsed should there be a need to initiate them at any point during the act. Stage trainings present a new set of challenges. For one, the artist is now wearing in-ear monitors, allowing the click to be “internal” as opposed to sounding “external” through a speaker, as in the training room. Also, the artist’s click is at a calculated millisecond delay from the theater’s house system. This delay is used to synchronize the drumming with the band necessitated by a spatial difference between the house speakers and the taiko. Additionally, the drum and artist are now floating, rather than seated securely on the ground, creating new kinesthetic challenges. Much like going from the practice room to the recital hall, stage trainings present issues that are inherent to the acoustics and environment of the venue. The artist is temporarily placed out of a comfort zone, but quickly learns to adapt by using the listening and technical skills that have been focused upon prior to this point in the training process. Show-condition run-throughs, complete with costuming, audio, rigging, automations, and lighting are rehearsed to recreate a realistic show environment. This training leads artists to full integration into the show. WEEK 10 and BEYOND: MAINTAINING THE SKILLS Final details are communicated as artists are given official approval to perform as members of Mystère’s Taiko Team. Once integrated, an artist remains in the taiko line-up for several shows. This allows time to develop familiarity with this facet of the track, as well as a true sense of drumming within the show environment. Artistic Management will give notes and direction as needed, and a video of every show is also used for consultation in refining the performance. Should the artist’s track call for Finale Taiko, several more trainings will be given specific to the Finale act itself. Exercises used during previous trainings will be further explored as the repertoire of rhythms, movements, and techniques is continually expanded. An additional six to eight weeks of training is usually required, and a similar process of learning, from training room to stage, is applied during integration. While Finale Taiko is a more technical act, the experiences gained through performing Opening Drums are used as a stepping-stone to accelerate this phase of instruction. Trainings will gradually move from sessions focusing on individual needs to ensemble trainings where the concentration is on the quality of the act as a team. These group trainings also serve the purpose of allowing back-up taiko artists the opportunity to rotate into the act and maintain their drumming skills. Back-ups are crucial in keeping the production running smoothly in emergencies without sacrificing show integrity. Ensemble trainings are scheduled periodically on an as-needed basis. Many of the strategies used in the taiko training process at Mystère have been borrowed from my teaching experiences as a public school music educator; however, there is no one all-encompassing approach. Adapting the instructional path to an artist’s personality and background helps make integration smooth and successful. This flexibility is commonly seen through the transformation of musical vocabulary into more familiar expressions. For example, rather than saying, “increase your dynamic,” I might say, “create more energy.” Rather than saying, “time accurately through the rests,” I might say, “take a breath.” And, rather than saying, “subdivide the beat,” I might say, “fill up the space.” This vernacular creates a level of comfort as artists develop skills that are essentially very foreign. Just as the artists in Mystère never thought they would have a job that required them to play music, I never imagined I would be teaching Russian gymnasts how to drum! Artists welcome the challenge, and for me, experiencing music in this new way has been equally refreshing. Listen beyond your ears, and then, just as I have, you too will come to share a new dimension in your musical journey, wherever that might take you. Aaron Guidry is the Percussionist and Taiko Soloist with Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère. Additionally, he serves as Taiko Coach, back-up Drum Set Chair, and Assistant Band Leader. Aaron consults and arranges the wind books for competitive marching bands across the United States and also is the Music Designer for the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps. His compositions are published through Yata for Luda. Aaron holds a B.M.E. from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and a M.M. from West Virginia University. ======================================================================= NEXT ISSUE ======================================================================= Thanks to our friend Steve Long, next month Fascination! will take a look at Corteo, currently in Japan, as well as Japan’s first resident show - ZED - six months after its premiere! ======================================================================= PARTING QUOTE ======================================================================= "We always keep contact with the public. This is our source. We want the public to cross through the wall and be an actor in the event. It makes us feel as if we are not God; we're human, we are Saltimbanco--a street player, here tonight to share this big joke, our show." -- Gilles Ste Croix (1994) ======================================================================= SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======================================================================= Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available through subscription via Yahoo! Groups or on the World Wide Web in text format at the newsletter's website: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. To subscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination- subscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To unsubscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To view back issues, or other online Newsletter content, please visit us at: < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >. Have a comment, question or concern? Email the Fascination! Newsletter staff at: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >. We are anxious to hear any and all comments! ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 9, Number 5 (Issue #67) - August 2009 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c) 2001-2008 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. { Aug.07.2009 } =======================================================================