======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 ------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.CirqueFascination.com ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 16, NUMBER 8 August 2016 ISSUE #151 ======================================================================= Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. You've heard the old adage "never say never", right? They, whomever "they" happen to be, suggest that nothing is impossible, anything can (and probably will) happen, and you should never totally dismiss options on the table, no matter how "blue sky" they may appear to be. And you know what? They're right! After all, hasn't Cirque themselves said impossible is only a word? So, just when I thought I had Cirque figured out (business wise), they went and threw a curve ball (or is that flea-flicker? #NFL). It's a bit of news we've had to sit on - as advised - for a little while now, but, since the company has listed job postings to begin this process, the cat's out of the bag: CORTEO IS BEING REMOUNTED AS AN ARENA TOUR. Yes, you heard me correctly. The show many hardcore fans (including myself) said would never / could never be converted due to the many logistical nightmares in doing so... is going to tour in arenas. Go figure! Never say never indeed. There hasn't been any news on whether the remount will be adapted to a thrust stage or retain its original and unique half-in-half structure, so stay tuned there. But that being said, I'd look for CORTEO to begin touring throughout North America again in mid-to-late 2017. But for those in South America, you're up for a tour of a different kind. On July 30th, after a six-day "countdown", Cirque du Soleil and Soda Stereo announced the name and some basic details about the upcoming musical collaboration known thus far only as #SodaCirque. "Séptimo Día - No Descansaré" (Seventh Day - I Will Not Rest) is the official title of the Soda Stereo-inspired spectacle, which is set to debut on Marhc 9, 2017 in Buenos Aires, Argentina - the band's home turf. "The name of the show has to do with creation,” Soda's Zeta Bosio said in an interview with La Nación. “That was the concept that inspired Michel Laprise (Cirque du Soleil director). The best title we could come up with for that was Séptimo Día." (In the Christian faith, according to the Book of Genesis, by the seventh day of creation, God had finished the work he had been doing, and so on that day he rested from all his work...) The story and music of the 1980s Argentine rock band - whose frontman, Gustavo Cerati, died in 2014 after lapsing into a coma - is the inspiration behind the new production: after gaining popularity with their fresh pop-rock sound in 1980s Argentina, Soda went on to enormous success throughout Latin America and, eventually, the Latin U.S. The band broke up in 1997 and staged a come-back tour a decade later, attended by millions of fans. Modeled on Cirque du Soleil productions The Beatles LOVE and Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour, which draw their inspiration from the life and work of musical icons, the concept of the show is a little out of this world: "Basically, the concept will be a science fiction story where there is this planet, which is basically Soda, where things are inspired by our songs and how people who live on that planet are inspired by our lyrics," said bassist Bosio. Cirque is creating the show along with Argentine music promoter PopArt, and Triple, Soda’s production company. Other details include: o) The show will last 90 minutes without an intermission. o) The story revolves around a fifteen year old adolescent who discovers his or her love for a band - in this case Soda Stereo - which will become his/her favorite for the rest of his/her life. o) Audiences will be asked to jump up and dance in the same way they would in a live performance. o) The show's message: “music is stronger than death”. I have to be honest with you here, as a fan of Cirque du Soleil, I'm perplexed when it comes to this creation. Michael Jackson, Elvis, and The Beatles transcended music and were global phenoms. Soda Stereo by comparison is not. Sure, Soda Stereo has topped the all-time lists in their native land, becoming one of the best-selling Argentinian bands of all time, and setting landmarks in record sales and attendances for their concerts, but is their stature and music worthy of a Cirque du Soleil level show in the same light as The Beatles, Elvis, or Michael Jackson? “I had not heard of them a year ago,” confessed Gabriel Pinkstone, Cirque’s Senior Director of Special Projects. “It’s very exciting. People love them because they are a soundtrack to their lives, but there’s also an inspirational quality about their success that people find very touching.” In an interview with Billboard, Pinkstone talked about Soda’s enduring legacy: "It's only when we organized a focus group with some of our Latino employees that we started to understand really how huge they were. We got together a group of our employees who come from South American countries and Mexico, and [Cirque Director of Creation] Jean-Francois Bouchard said to them, ‘I’m not going to tell you anything else, I’m just going to tell you two words, and I want to hear your reaction.’ And when he said ‘Soda Stereo’ they screamed, somebody cried, they were like, ‘oh my god we’re going to do a show with Soda Stereo.’ It was the first hint we had of how huge they were. They are so beloved. It’s a very visceral thing. They are very, very loved as a band." I hadn't heard of Soda Stereo until this collaboration was announced, and though I have since given the band a try (they sound very, very one-hit wonder 1980's), I personally don't understand the hype, but then again as I am constantly being reminded: I am not the target audience for this show... they weren't the soundtrack of my life. So, that being said, while I don't understand the Soda Stereo mania I do wish the creators and cast all the success in the world with this creation. After its debut in Argentina, Producers have already confirmed the show will tour with OCESA in Mexico and Colombia and Lotus FiveMusic in Chile and Peru. (See the ITINÉRAIRE section for tour details). And if you're looking to get tickets for this show, do it now! More than 150,000 tickets were sold in the first couple of days of general ticket sales (according to Argentine press reports), with lines stretching beyond the horizon. Twenty-two of the shows are totally sold out now. Additional performances have been added to accommodate, which premieres at Luna Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina on March 9, 2017 and will run through April 16th. Each of the over three dozen performances will be attended by an audience of about 5000 people. Ticket prices, set in Argentine pesos, range between about 45 and 244 U.S. dollars. Do the math! With Séptimo Día set to debut in March, the as-yet-unnamed new touring show in April, CORTEO Arena in mid-to-late 2017, and the Broadway revival of "The Wiz" sometime in late 2017 as well, next year is turning out to be very busy indeed. And we're hearing there's even more coming... but, yes, we can't talk about it yet. What we can talk about is earnings. We're still tracking PARAMOUR's week-to-week grosses and they continue to look... well, okay... Week This Week Potential Difference Seats % Cap Ending Gross Grosses in Dollars Sold ------------------------------------------------------------------ 17-Apr $190,773.60 $191,599.00 $0.00 1,897 100.05% 24-Apr $1,018,941.65 $1,149,594.00 $828,165.05 10,623 93.38% 01-May $1,065,771.30 $1,172,274.00 $46,829.65 11,043 97.07% 08-May $1,074,995.70 $1,367,653.00 $9,224.00 11,443 86.22% 15-May $464,021.20 $781,516.00 -$610,975.50 6,197 81.34% 22-May $907,800.25 $976,895.00 $443,779.05 9,213 97.18% 29-May $1,126,943.25 $1,805,456.00 $219,143.00 13,731 90.53% 05-Jun $1,024,449.62 $1,805,456.00 $102,493.63 12,000 79.11% 12-Jun $1,093,610.45 $1,805,456.00 $69,160.83 11,279 74.36% 19-Jun $971.039.25 $1,805,456.00 -$122,571.20 10,251 67.58% 26-Jun $1,000,730.25 $1,805,456.00 $29,691.00 10,756 70.91% 03-Jul $1,000,312.40 $1,805,456.00 -$417.85 11,748 77.45% 10-Jul $859,152.10 $1,805,456.00 -$141,160.30 9,176 60.50% 17-Jul $897,710.10 $1,805,456.00 $38,558.00 10,088 66.51% 24-Jul $980,483.20 $1,805,456.00 $82,773.10 10,681 70.42% 31-Jul $981,468.10 $1,805,456.00 $984.90 10,808 71.26% 07-Aug $910,341.70 $1,805,456.00 -$71,126.40 10,245 67.54% But Pollstar's 2016 Mid-Year gross figures are also out, and they're a bit more exciting. The concert business is off to a record start in what is shaping up to be another great year for the industry. The Top 100 Tours hit a record $1.48 billion in combined grosses. That is up $45 million or 3.1% over last year’s record pace. Even better news is that it was achieved by the Top 100 acts selling one million more tickets than at the same point in 2015. How did Cirque fare? Rank Gross Title AVG Tix AVG Tix Total AVG Cities in Mil Price Sold Tix Sold Gross / Shows -------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 $47.4 Amaluna $83.15 18,391 570,128 $1,529,280 31/260 16 $32.9 Toruk $69.83 22,413 407,688 $1,565,047 21/128 21 $28.8 Varekai $55.19 29,014 522,245 $1,601,333 18/149 61 $12.3 Quidam $74.42 33,147 165,734 $2,466,945 5/61 95 $7.4 Kurios $99.82 1,683 74,030 $167,942 1/44 ** $6.2 Ovo $67.02 11,571 92,571 $775,505 8/50 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 135.0 Million Gross 1,832,396 Tickets Sold Not bad! Of course you'll notice that TOTEM is not on the list, and that's because it's touring Japan - and earnings are not reported in that market. * * * In other news, a new LUZIA programme book made its debut along with the show in Toronto on July 27th. At present it is only available at the grand chapiteau, but look for it to appear on the Web Store soon. (As the pre-programme book that was on sale in Montreal is no longer available on the Online Boutique.) But you can get the new PARAMOUR programme book (which is not much more than the press fotos we've seen published about recently) through the Online Boutique if you're interested in completing your collection. The original TORUK book is also still available (the new one, which made its debut in Duluth, Georgia a couple of weeks ago is NOT available online yet, but as with Luzia's new book, I'd look for it to arrive there soon. Don't forget, the PARAMOUR cast album, which was recorded at the end of June and has spent the last few weeks going through post-production, is now off to mastering. Look for the album to be released digitally (via iTunes and others) on Monday, August 22nd, and then physically on Friday, September 16th. The album will showcase all 10 signature songs, including "Hollywood Wiz, "The Honeymoon Days of Fame", and "Everything (The Lover's Theme.) And speaking of album mastering - Episode 6 of CirqueCast is out! In this episode, Jose and I interview Alain Vinet, Cirque du Soleil's Musical Director. Alain was nice enough to invite us to his studio at Cirque IHQ where we asked him questions about the process of producing the show soundtracks, live albums and concept albums, how the 30th Anniversary Concert came about (interesting story!), and he also talks to us about his role at Cirque, and much more! Alain has been with the company for many years, so naturally, he's full of Cirque knowledge. Don't miss our video interview! A must for all Cirque music lovers!" Check it out here: < https://youtu.be/ZY2HiNVLOkA >. Alain Vinet has been a busy man these last few weeks, appearing not only on CirqueCast, but on Cirque du Soleil's social media videos as well. (Here he is discussing the making of the PARAMOUR Cast Album with Cirque du Soleil Social Media: < https://goo.gl/fsWqjO >). He also took time out to have a phone conversation with Keith and I for Fascination, where he not only discusses what he was thinking behind the selections for the 30th Anniversary Concert, but quite a bit on what he's been up to lately, which you can find in this month's FEATURE section. And more! I leave you now with this... "Circus — particularly the work of Cirque du Soleil," wrote the Toronto Star, "is all about surpassing boundaries. We go wanting to see things we’ve never seen before: the deftest juggler, the most daring hand- balancing act, the most gravity-defying of aerialists." And when those expectations are not met, we kvetch. With the unveiling of Luzia in Toronto Cirque du Soleil says it is refocusing on live shows while also moving forward on its ambitious menu of expansion projects worldwide. "Cirque du Soleil remains first and foremost a live show organization and it will remain forever our bread and butter," according to Cirque CEO Daniel Lamarre. But might the company's global expansion plans be spreading its creative juices a little thin? "That's a valid concern we have," Lamarre said, but "we'll never go in the direction that our fans will disagree with." What do you think? /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.com > | | | | At CirqueCast: | | < http://www.cirquecast.com/ > | | | | Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): | | < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > | | | \----------------------------------------------------/ - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * La Presse -- General News & Highlights * Q&A –- Quick Chats & Press Interviews * CirqueTech –- The Technical Side of Cirque * Special Engagement –- More In-depth Articles o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes * Fotos -- Images From Cirque & Other Photographs * Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds o) Fascination! Features * "ALAIN VINET: Secrets of the Gods" (Part 1 of 2) Interview by: Keith Johnson & Ricky Russo * “High Flyer Daniel Lamarre: A Tour de Force” By: Lynn Gauker | Fifty-Five Plus Magazine * "From Street Performer to Boho Billionaire... Meet Guy Laliberté" By: Diane Solway | W Magazine o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= --------------------------------------------------- LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights --------------------------------------------------- New Criss Angel Show Packed with Magic and Mood Swings {Jul.05.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Because they share a lot of the same tricks, most magic shows depend upon the personality of the magician. But what if it’s a split personality? Criss Angel has always been both his own brand and his own barrier to entry. Instead of being synonymous with “magic” he’s been synonymous with himself: the ’90s goth-rock leather and bare sculpted pecs weren’t easily confused with any of your tuxedoed or spangly jacket illusionists. If you knew him for his “Mindfreak” TV show, then you came to his live show to see that guy. If you were browsing for a “magic show,” you probably picked David Copperfield or something cheaper, less loud and less leathery. So now comes a reboot of Angel’s Luxor showcase, now called “Mindfreak Live!” And it’s so scattered all over the place you’d think it came out on the bad end of his death saw. For Angel’s fans, magic ignorance is bliss. Those who aren’t broad-based consumers of the craft aren’t likely to realize much of the cooler magic in the new show has been seen elsewhere, from Copperfield on down to afternoon perennial Nathan Burton. But if you do come in without a fully formed opinion of who Criss Angel is, he gives you a couple of versions to choose from. There’s the metal magician who saws a woman in half and never puts her back together, joking that he prefers to keep the lower half. “You sick bastards. Yeah, my people,” he says when a dark- humored follow-up bit extends the joke. But there’s also the Long Island family guy who gets choked up on stage making an impassioned plea to fight childhood cancer, becoming the voice of “all those kids who fought the fight and all the children just beginning.” Angel and accompanying photos explain this is a battle that came to his toddler son. Power to him for harnessing his celebrity and rallying fans to a cause. Pre-show videos also remind fans (or teach newcomers) how “it took me 18 years to become an overnight success.” They don’t even conceal the fact that Angel is 48 now if you want to do the math on his high-school graduation photos. People change. Get older and more dimensional, it all seems to suggest. But none of it quite prepares you for the left turns: Dressing the striking assistant Chloe Crawford as a cancer patient after we’ve seen her in plaid mini-skirt and red pumps. Or a Blue Man Group-ish “celebration of life” dance party with confetti and go-go dancers. And if it seems like a conscious attempt at an image makeover? Angel confirmed as much on opening night, when he told a crowd heavy on invited guests, “Some of you might still hate me,” but hoped they might reassess him. He also invited us non-paying customers to “compare me to what’s in Vegas right now,” which I think he meant as an invitation to study just how much magic is in the show, and just how much he packs into 85 minutes. The new edition is nearly wall-to-wall action, minimizing the awkward speaking parts and making little throwaway bits out of tricks that lower-budget magicians build into big moments, such as a blizzard of confetti snow. Some bits fold seamlessly into the next, such as when a straitjacket escape leaves Angel dangling upside down, allowing him to dive right into a switcheroo illusion known in the industry as a “substitution trunk.” Other times the action stops cold, often killing the cool gothic-horror vibe. The need to reset things backstage leads to a lot of forced comic relief from Mateo Amieva and Penny Wiggins, the latter familiar from years of working as The Amazing Johnathan’s ditzy sidekick. Angel carries over some of the original illusions unsurpassed on the Strip, including an audience member who gets to choose which of eight motorcycles will appear in a box. But if the offer to compare him to other Vegas magicians extends to the past, it leads down a gooey ethical trail. Lance Burton gets a shout-out and even a voice cameo for the sword-fighting switch seen in Burton’s show for ages. Other illusionists aren’t so generously credited: Copperfield for his flying around the stage and even into a box, or the double levitation Rick Thomas did for years on the Strip: first levitating a woman, then flying up to her to reveal that she has vanished as well. It’s like the history of magic all thrown into one show and, as such, can’t be beat for its magic-per-minute ratio. But when it comes to the personality of the star and whether you like him? The kitchen-sink approach only goes so far. { SOURCE: Mike Weatherford, LVRJ | http://goo.gl/Gt9vCC } MSC Meraviglia Is Next On Deck {Jul.05.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- If you were curious about what offerings Cirque might have in store aboard the MSC Meraviglia, imagine no longer. With just 12 months to go until the first guests set sail on-board the ship, MSC Cruises – the Swiss-based world’s largest privately-owned cruise line has revealed further details of its first next- generation smart ship. With the first cruise scheduled for June 4, 2017, MSC Meraviglia will feature the ultimate in entertainment, alongside a broad range of dining options and luxurious wellness choices. The highlight of on-board entertainment will be represented by the world leader in artistic performance, Cirque du Soleil, thanks to the exclusive Cirque du Soleil at Sea partnership with MSC Cruises. Two unique Cirque du Soleil shows will be performed on-board in the evenings, 6 nights per week, at the purpose- built Carousel Lounge. In addition, MSC Cruises will offer an exclusive on-site dinner service for up to 100 of the 450 guests booked for the show. MSC Cruises designed a custom-made entertainment venue, the Carousel Lounge, for MSC Meraviglia and its three sister smart cruise ships. Featuring the latest technology, this ground-breaking venue, which has been designed to meet the needs of Cirque du Soleil and its performers, will be a stunning circular performance space with a 180-degree circular glass wall. We’ve touched on this before (http://www.cirquefascination.com/? p=6801) and here (http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=6805). Cirque’s offerings begin on July 16, 2017. In the meantime, check out the ship and its itinerary: http://mscmeraviglia.com/ { SOURCE: MSC Cruises } Review: ‘Mindfreak Live!’ is Criss Angel saying, ‘Watch me now!’ {Jul.07.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Criss Angel wants it. He wants it so badly. He wants to be the biggest, baddest, greatest magician in the history of recorded time, space and dimension. He wants that so bad he can feel it, and watching him impose his will on his audience at “Mindfreak Live!” at Luxor, you feel it, too. “Are you ready!!” he calls from the stage. “I can’t hear you!!” Always with the shouting! This is commanding the audience’s attention in the most undiluted fashion, and Angel’s fans are eager to rise and shout right back. But if you’re among the fans of a more nuanced experience than this Goth-rock-magic show, you’ll brace at this approach — and probably wish you’d worn earplugs. Today, Criss Angel is indeed great at delivering large-scale magic. Whether he is the greatest ever, or even the greatest on the corner of the Strip and Tropicana Avenue, is an impossible statement in the subjective and derivative world of illusion. What is certain is the Luxor headliner’s firebrand approach is entirely a matter of taste. Angel is back with a visually dazzling and sonically powerful production that, had it been unleashed in 2008, would have made his life immeasurably easier. If nothing else, “Mindfreak Live!” should finally lay to rest the original production of “Believe,” which never took hold until Angel assumed a central creative role in his partnership with Cirque du Soleil. As both sides soon discovered in an often painful realization, the magic show at Luxor would need to survive as an Angel vehicle or not at all. The result is Angel is more than eight years into a 10-year contract with Cirque (primarily as a promotional partner) that ends in November 2018. Regardless of your opinion of Angel’s collection of ambitious illusions and acts, his is a Las Vegas success story. At the center of that saga is the unbending desire from the superstar magician to position himself — at times, literally — as the top magician working today. Angel’s drive is his great strength, as he simply refuses to gear down. During his show, and elsewhere, we are consistently reminded of his TV success, the reach of his Internet presence and his still-formidable worldwide following. “It took me 18 years to become an overnight success,” is the oft-repeated line, placing the Angel timeline in context. He could add that it also took eight years to deliver his greatest-hits show to the Strip. Angel’s new show impresses in ways that are sonic rather than subtle, and are principally loud, proud and powerful. In one segment, Angel saws a woman in half (well, two halves) on a metal table facing the audience with a matching metal blade. Sparks fly from the stage amid screeches and screams, and afterward Angel remarks that he “goes through a lot of women,” an effective joke as it has more than one meaning. For additional, and required, comic counterbalance, there are Penny Wiggins (long Psychic Tanya in Amazing Johnathan’s stage show) and Mateo Amieva. Their shared idolatry of Angel can seem a little overbearing (like, when Wiggins almost faints when Angel kisses her late in the show), but if taken as satire, is pretty funny. Also tucked into the show is a comic moment from “Believe,” when a female audience member is invited onstage to select among a dozen of Angel’s motorcycles. Every time I have seen this act, the woman grabs Criss’ butt, either when the two hug hello or walk toward those silver bikes. Never fails. But, seriously, give Angel credit for keeping himself in great shape. Still remarkably fit at age 48 and performing a more physically challenging show than ever, Angel is left hanging upside down high above the stage after a remarkably swift straitjacket escape. He performs the familiar routine in which he is covered in sheet, hands exposed, and when the sheet is pulled clear, Mr. Mindfreak is seated in the audience (and on this night, he reappeared next to Tony Orlando). Those who have seen multiple magic shows in Vegas, or anywhere, will somehow recognize these scenes from other productions. Angel has frequently targeted rival illusionists for copping his act; honestly, this genre of entertainment is so borrow-centric that expecting something entirely original is folly. Where Angel does achieve something that is actually mind-freaky is at the end, rising in levitation over a ladder, around the stage and inside a metal sphere. He worked for months on this act and finally slid it into the show a week before opening. The subtext of this show is Angel’s family and personal life. His son’s struggles with leukemia is brought to the stage as he announces the Johnny Crisstopher Charitable Foundation H.E.L.P event Sept. 12 in that theater. Photos of little Johnny and other children suffering from cancer and similarly menacing diseases are shown on the big screens, and Chloe Crawford is depicted as a cancer patient, arriving in a wheelchair and her head wrapped in gauze. Crawford, listed as the show’s co-star and who performs one act in the show, rises from that seat, and the moment is undeniably powerful. For those who arrived expecting a terrific night of magic on the Strip, it might be a little too heavy. But that’s how it is with Criss Angel. No ambiguity here. He’s full-tilt, all the time, pressing the boundaries of his art and working himself to a point of exhaustion. “Mindfreak Live!” is the show that will take him to the tape in Las Vegas, having ended this run in far better condition than when he started. { SOURCE: John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Sun | https://goo.gl/l74hpe } Did Criss Angel miss the chance to move magic forward? {Jul.10.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Criss Angel certainly has the resources to deliver what he promised: “The most mind-blowing, revolutionary magic show ever to be performed live.” But rival magicians are asking if he has a different goal: to be magic’s ultimate cover band. Rick Thomas paraphrases the letter he says he sent Angel: “Your success in Vegas is huge. You have much more opportunity than I do, and many more people who you can hire to work for you to create. I don’t. And when a magician comes up with something they can call their own, let them keep it.” You may remember Thomas for a family-friendly magic show that ran on the Strip for years. Back when he did a lot of cabinet illusions with tigers, you could call it a bargain version of Siegfried &Roy. But — with the exception of a pop-up pooch — those aren’t what turned up in “Mindfreak Live!” the reboot of Angel’s Luxor showcase. Thomas’ best-known original is what magicians call “a double- levitation with the girl vanish.” It starts with the age-old levitation of the lovely assistant. Then the magician zooms up to join her in the air. Thomas’ twist is to pull back the covering and reveal she has vanished while both are still airborn. “I wanted to do it with a real girl there and I wanted to do it in midair. I worked on it and worked on it until I made it happen,” Thomas says. “And every illusionist in the world knew it was mine, including Criss Angel.” See what magicians argue about? When you get down in the weeds on magic tricks — who owns them and what happens if one comes up with a different way of getting to the same effect — the weeds are deep. Deep, as in: Is the disputed levitation a variation of one created by Lance Burton, where he and the girl float up together for a little sexy time? Or the one by the late magic builder Gary Ouellet, whose “Ouellet Double Levitation” added that “zoom up” part for Burton’s ex-wife Melinda, “The First Lady of Magic”? Deeper, as in: What’s the difference between “levitation” and “flying”? The answer seems to have a lot to do with vertical motion, versus left-to-right. A sequence in Angel’s show looks a lot like one David Copperfield used for years. Both seem to stem from U.S. patent 5354238A, issued to John Gaughan in 1994, which tells you how it’s done (and is why Thomas says he didn’t patent his). Deeper still, as in six feet under, when you talk to another magician, Brett Daniels, about his signature piece: The midair appearance of a “floating girl.” It’s an illusion Daniels has done since 1991. He has licensed it several times, including a $50,000 deal for Hans Klok to use it in an Aladdin show (which became an almost-legendary Las Vegas misfire). Daniels says he and Angel worked together to develop an ensemble show called “The Supernaturalists,” but couldn’t agree on a final contract. “We parted as friends,” Daniels says. But Angel became the only magician to license the levitation from another builder, who also has rights to it via a settlement. (It’s complicated, and you don’t have all day.) “In 25 years, Criss is the only guy who has gone around me,” Daniels says. “I have nothing but respect for him. I wish he would have returned that respect to me by asking me (if he could use it in the new show).” Angel was fighting the flu but sent me a statement: “It is unfortunate that certain performers continue to waste energy envying the unprecedented success of ‘Mindfreak Live.’ However pathetic, this behavior is nothing new, as Houdini and Doug Henning were subjected to the same jealous treatment at the height of their popularity. I see no reason to dignify petty claims and paranoia with any further comment.” He’s right about this finger-pointing being centuries old. And, like rock ’n’ roll, movies, or any other art form, magic is a continuing story of younger people adding new twists on what inspired them. But the fighting over who did what is like a trip to the art museum. You can get up close and be confused by the brush strokes, or back up and see the big picture. So let’s get out of the weeds and away from whether Angel has the rights to familiar material. The bigger question is: Why is it there to begin with? This opportunity to really move magic forward only comes along every so often. As in decades. Think about Siegfried & Roy’s show opening at The Mirage. In 1990. A recent Bloomberg feature on Angel estimates he “generates” about $70 million a year. (The article cites “foreign rights; road show versions of his act; magic kits and other merchandise; and sponsorships.” All this would support a number that’s really hard to get to with Las Vegas ticket sales alone.) Angel has a 60,000-square-foot warehouse near the Strip to research and develop new illusions. And while he is solely in charge of the content, his producing partner on “Mindfreak Live!” is Cirque du Soleil. Granted, it’s a more austere, private-equity version of Cirque than the one that spent $165 million on “Ka.” But between the two of them, it’s fair to argue they could spend $30 million to $50 million to invent genuinely new stuff no magician could ever claim to have seen, let alone have performed. You know, mind-blowing, revolutionary stuff. As I noted in a show review, more of Angel’s fans come in via the image he created, not because they’ve seen six other magic shows. They can’t be expected to recognize Nathan Burton’s “showgirl cabinet,” Copperfield’s flying in and out of a trap or a “laser-bending” bit recently performed in the short-lived “Twisted Vegas.” When I talked to Angel for a June 3 preview of the relaunch, he promised to “really show how far magic has come and how kind of dated a lot of the magic shows are.” Playing devil’s advocate, I threw out the classic excuse I always hear: There are only so many principles of magic. Only so many ways to conceal a human body. That, Angel said, was “old thinking. That’s what magicians are conditioned to think. That’s what it’s always been about. Magic has only been about a puzzle, an enigma, of how it works. There’s never been something to get beyond the puzzle that gives people food for their hunger or their thirst of what they want to see.” That sounds like it might explain strong reviews for “In & Of Itself,” the brainy magic show by Derek DelGaudio now packing the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles. Angel’s version of “revolutionary” is quantitative; packing his show with more than 50 illusions. My reaction to it echoed Bill Smith, a Las Vegas builder of illusions through his company Magic Ventures. He too has “a beef” with Angel, over the rights to the sawing-a-woman-in-half trick you see in the show. That said, “I wanted to go in there and see some new stuff. That’s how magic evolves,” Smith said. “But I was open-mouthed, thinking there’s nothing new. The couple of new (segments) were basic principles.” So yes, we can argue with who invented what, and who has the rights to do this or that. But we can’t argue with Thomas’ larger point. Angel enjoys “a position in the industry that (he) can be creative, that (he) can come up with these things. But he didn’t. And that’s the upsetting part.” { SOURCE: Mike Weatherford, LVRJ | http://goo.gl/woYYP0 } Cirque brings Booming Business to Trois-Rivières {Jul.17.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- The city of Trois-Rivières wants to be Quebec’s next entertainment destination, and it’s hoping to attract tourists with its brand new open-air amphitheatre. As many as 64,000 people attended last year’s Cirque du Soleil tribute to Beau Dommage at the Amphithéâtre Cogeco, bringing in an estimated $15 million in revenues to the city. “Sixty-eight per cent of the audience was from outside the Mauricie region,” said Steve Dubé, the Amphithéâtre’s general director. “This means they book a hotel room, go out for supper … It’s helped local businesses, but it has also changed the perception people have of Trois- Rivières.” The amphitheatre is only steps away from the city’s historic core. The manager of nearby Bistro l’Ancêtre, Patrick Thiffault, says his phone has been ringing off the hook. “We are fully booked for every show night this week,” Thiffault said. “I may even consider opening during the winter months (because of the indoor cabaret).” The downtown merchants’ association was taken off guard by the success of the amphitheatre after it opened last year. Its general manager, Mathieu Lahaye, says businesses weren’t expecting the crowds of tourists. “Employees were a bit confused as to when the shows were on and how people could get there,” Lahaye said. “This year we gave clear directions so everyone is on the same page.” The Cirque du Soleil has signed a five-year agreement with Cogeco to continue performing its Série Hommage, a series of shows that pay tribute to Quebec artists. After the Beau Dommage show in 2015, artists will next be performing acrobatic feats to the music of Robert Charlebois. Audience follow the main character, “Linburgh,” through time and space, revisiting some of Charlebois’ classics like Ordinaire and Je reviendrai à Montréal. The 72-year-old singer-songwriter was at the show’s premiere on July 13th, but had no say about how his songs were adapted for the Cirque’s show. “The same old songs that people loved in the seventies are there, but you have new emotions, new sounds, electronic, hip-hop … and the kids love it,” Charlebois said. “And the people of my generation can discover new emotions, based on what they lived through in the seventies.” Tout écartillé, the tribute to Charlebois, runs until August 13th at the Amphithéâtre Cogeco. { SOURCE: CBC | http://goo.gl/pIwFwC } 45 DEGREES to Design and Produce the 2016 MAC Ball {Jul.19.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Located in the heart of the Quartier des Spectacles, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal (MAC) makes today’s art a vital part of Montréal and Québec life. For more than fifty years, this vibrant museum has brought together local and international artists, their works and an ever-growing public. It is a place of discovery, offering visitors experiences that are continually changing and new, and often unexpected and stirring. The main source of funding for the Musée Foundation, the annual Ball, is one of the year’s most anticipated and sought-after events. The evening has always been known for its high style, discerning taste and glamor. Guests at the annual MAC Ball will be invited to dive right into the world of the artist at the prestigious annual benefit evening to be held at the museum September 17. This year, the Musée Foundation has entrusted the agency 45 DEGREES, Cirque du Soleil’s events and special projects company, with the task of dazzling its guests. With proven expertise in creating successful events internationally, 45 DEGREES aims to present a Ball tailored to the expectations of the Montréal community. “We are very proud to have been chosen to design and produce the 2016 edition of the MAC Ball. Even though we have had a chance to stage prestigious events all over the world, this particular one offers a real challenge for us. We will be presenting our project at home, in the heart of our city, in front of distinguished guests. The MAC is where artists, their work and the public come together, and this is the setting in which we now have the opportunity to work on one of Montréal’s most eagerly anticipated events. Our team could not be more aware of this, and we are aiming for a result that lives up to the mission we have been entrusted with,” says Yasmine Khalil, President, 45 DEGREES. { SOURCE: 45 Degrees, MAC | http://goo.gl/fgVnfA } The “Secret” Lounge at the Lyric Theater {Jul.25.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- A golden curtain in the lobby of the Lyric Theatre masks one of the best-kept secrets on Broadway. It’s easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, especially amid the carnival atmosphere of the show currently playing the Lyric, Cirque du Soleil’s Paramour. Behind the curtain is a winding hallway covered in thick red carpet. Follow the pointing hands down a stealthy stairway. Once an attendant hands you a glass of sparkling wine, you know you’ve arrived at the Ambassador Lounge. Tastefully adorned with Danish Modern furniture and bathed in mood lighting, the Ambassador Lounge is the ideal spot for a romantic night out on Broadway: It features a coat check, private bathrooms, and top-shelf liquor. Its limited capacity shields its 40 nightly patrons from the chaos and long lines that regularly characterize intermission on Broadway: Using an unassuming door in the orchestra section of the house, they can slip back to the lounge during intermission where drinks will be waiting. In a house as big and boisterous as the Lyric, it feels like a lavish hideaway for the sophisticated theatergoer. At 1,896 seats (just four shy of the Gershwin, home of Wicked), the Lyric is the second-largest house on Broadway. Regularly referred to in theatrical circles as “a barn,” the Lyric has worn a variety of names over the last two decades denoting how often it has changed hands: the Ford Center for the Performing Arts (1998-2004), the Hilton Theatre (2005-2009), and the Foxwoods Theatre (2010-2013), when it hosted the infamous mega- musical Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark. In 2013, it was acquired by the London-based Ambassador Theatre Group, which quickly redubbed it the Lyric Theatre, after one of the two theaters that occupied the lot in the early part of the 20th Century. “We built this in the dark time after Spider-Man,” said ATG’s COO of New York Venues, Erich Jungwirth, as we sat in his favorite corner of the lounge. Jungwirth was hired by Foxwoods as the general manager of the Lyric (his first day coincided with the first day the cast of Spider-Man was onstage). A battle-hardened Broadway veteran by the time that show’s tumultuous three-year run drew to a close, he stayed on after the theater was picked up by ATG. “This room was here, but it felt like an old smoking lounge,” he noted. “During Spider-Man it was only used for special events,” Sue Barsoum chimed in. Barsoum, who also jumped aboard during Spidey, is the theater manager for the Lyric. “Young Frankenstein tried to do something with it, but no show really found the right way to market it and make it successful.” So will ATG be successful at getting its audiences to embrace the lounge where previous owners have failed? Admittedly, ATG is asking for a major cultural shift from its New York patrons: “The typical New Yorker doesn’t show up until ten or fifteen minutes before curtain, because they know that if they arrive any earlier, they’re usually left standing on the street,” says Jungwirth. The Lyric does things a little differently: The lobby and Ambassador Lounge open 45 minutes before curtain (15 minutes before most other Broadway houses). “Our Ambassador Lounge patrons can relax and enjoy a drink before the show,” he suggests, “Five minutes before curtain, someone will come over with their programs and they can proceed upstairs to their seats.” If that all sounds revolutionary in its gentility, it’s not: In fact, it has been the norm in the UK (where ATG owns the bulk of its theaters) for years. All of the London Ambassador Lounges feature the same level of service presented in swanky interior design by George Couyas. “When I first walked into one of these rooms in London, I fell in love with the plush red carpet and dim lights,” says Jungwirth, fondly recalling the lounge that runs underneath the stage of the Piccadilly Theatre, colloquially known as the “Tunnel of Love.” All of the Ambassador Lounges strive for similar intimacy: “It makes me want to sit here and have a drink and tell secrets,” Jungwirth says about the décor. ATG is already planning to create an Ambassador Lounge in its latest Broadway acquisition: the Hudson Theatre, which is slated to officially reopen next February with the Jake Gyllenhaal-led revival of Lanford Wilson’s Burn This, its first theatrical tenant in nearly five decades. Are such elite spaces the future of Broadway? And more importantly, is Broadway becoming like air travel, with primo lounges for top ticket-buyers and increasingly cramped quarters for the rest of us? Jungwirth rejects the comparison, stressing that the Ambassador Lounge is not just reserved for VIPs and premium ticket-buyers: “You can be sitting in the cheapest seat in the back corner of the balcony and you can still buy access to this room,” he states. The price of admission is $25 per ticket and includes a free glass of Prosecco. The best way to buy entrance is to walk right up to the Lyric box office and ask for it when you are purchasing tickets. For those of us who live in dread of long lines at the bathroom and bar, it’s an upgrade that is decidedly worth it. { SOURCE: TheaterMania | http://goo.gl/PuCHkB } Justin Sullivan on The Beatles LOVE 10th Anniversary {Jul.26.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- When I first learned that the original creators of our show, THE BEATLES LOVE by Cirque du Soleil, would be returning to the project for an “evolution,” I wondered, “How on Earth could this show get any better?” It seemed to me that LOVE had already outdone itself (and others) time and time again, with visuals that splashed color and a soundtrack unlike any other. It’s been almost two years since that fateful day, and I’ve realized now that, yes, the show could — and did — get better. My journey working for Cirque began in 2001 as a bright-eyed, baby-faced 18-year-old fresh out of Lubbock, Texas. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that I would actually run away with the circus, but here I am 15 years later still reveling in my fantasy-turned-reality after having performed in five of its shows around the world. One of the most poignant lessons I learned working for Cirque is that “why not?” is one of the most important questions the company continuously asks itself. Cirque’s desire to transcend boundaries is what has been the driving force behind its unbelievable success for more than 32 years. It is that same desire that drove Cirque’s decision to re-create LOVE in a marvelous new way. LOVE is now more beautiful, vibrant and alive than ever before. A new projectable stage floor transports you under the sea in the Octopus’s Garden and takes you on a psychedelic trip as shapes and colors whiz about the stage floor and are brought to life by Lady Madonna, her Sugar Plum Fairy and a crew of sensational dancers. New projections for each act of the show draw the audience in like never before as incredible texture and depth are added to the stage for an all-encompassing experience. Eleanor Rigby has never been portrayed more beautifully than when she dances in a world of stunning, interactive projections as she relives the memory of her lost love. Color and pure eye candy pop at every moment as vivid and reimagined costumes and makeup hearken back to a time of free love and the promise of change. New choreography and the addition of the classic “Twist and Shout” stir the inherent urge in us all to move our bodies, dance and smile. Breathtaking and gravity-defying acts that are a staple of Cirque abound as upgraded set pieces, props and equipment literally propel acrobats to new heights. One of the new acts, for example, features a trapeze duo flying through the air with such finesse, skill and beauty that we look twice to make sure it’s all real. My favorite part about performing in LOVE is seeing the audience relive and reconnect with moments of their lives as they hold hands with their loved ones and sing along. Equally moving is seeing new fans and younger generations experience the joy and wonder of Cirque and The Beatles together for the first time. Countless hours of rehearsals, trainings and meetings have gone into the reworking of LOVE. Although it has been extremely complex and tiring, the evolution of the show has been a refreshing experience for everyone working on it, making us closer, prouder and more cohesive than ever before. Thus, it is with great pleasure that we present to you the new and improved LOVE. Whether you love Cirque du Soleil or The Beatles or simply enjoy a good show, THE BEATLES LOVE is for you. Come see for yourself! We promise that you’ll fall in LOVE. { SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal | http://goo.gl/2exVdY } 45 DEGREES Cancels 40 shows in Turkey {Jul.26.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- According to ICI Radio Canada, the recent political situation in Turkey has pushed Cirque du Soleil to cancel 40 performances of the upcoming 45 DEGREES show Blüm, which was scheduled from August 16 to September 17, 2016. Blüm was custom designed for the Horticultural Expo 2016 Antalya, held in Turkey until October 30. “We were not able to ensure the safety of our employees to our satisfaction.” – Marie-Hélène Lagacé, Senior Public Relations Manager of the Cirque du Soleil. A total of 70 people were involved in the show, many of whom are employees of Cirque du Soleil. “This is a decision for their safety,” repeated Marie-Hélène Lagacé Radio-canada.ca. { SOURCE: ICI Radio Canada } 45 DEGREES – Savor “Le Savoir” {Jul.27.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- It’s time to savour Le Savoir, an unforgettable, multi-sensorial culinary journey, set to debut in Montreal in early August — a dining experience like none other that challenges all the body’s senses to see, touch, taste and celebrate a culinary spectacle that promises to go down in the annals of historic eating. Following on the success of last summer’s Stella Artois Sensorium food experience in Toronto, Montreal is following suit in a similar event created in collaboration with famed British- based culinary wizards Bompas and Parr (of the Jelly Parlours of Wonders Fame / Bompasandparr.com), and produced by 45 DEGREES, the global events company from Cirque du Soleil. Organizers say Le Savoir uses time as a metaphor and Stella Artois as the muse to transport guests to a forgotten garden in the heart of the city — Montreal’s USINE C (1345 Ave. Lalonde) will play host to Le Savoir from Aug. 4 to 11 before the event travels to New York City and Buenos Aires. Within a forgotten garden in the heart of the city, guests in Montreal (and later New York City and Buenos Aires), will be transported through the four seasons — winter, spring, summer, autumn — to explore frigid tunnels and luxuriant labyrinth while discovering edible curiosities paired with and inspired by the tasting notes in a Stella Artois. The highlight of your multi- sensorial quest; you will find yourself immersed in a forgotten greenhouse for a feast from Bompas & Parr designed to enhance each of your five senses. Sight. Sound. Taste. Touch. Aroma. The mad scientists of the food world bring their unique wizardry to an immersive dining experience. Inspired by the tasting notes in a Stella Artois — refreshing and iconic savory Saaz hops, unique fruity yeast, sweet malty cereals — your senses will be indulged and awakened by interactive canapés, deconstructed elixirs, unusually prepared meats, and more in this feast you’ll not soon forget. The unique and fantastical dining experience blends beer, food, technology, entertainment and performance art to challenge perceptions and awaken the senses. “It’s using food as a creative medium,” says Sam Bompas, who, with Harry Parr, leads in flavour-based experiences. Their company specializes in culinary research, architectural installations and contemporary food design that consists of creative cooks, designers, specialized technicians and architects. Their studio is noted for working with some of the biggest companies and the world’s foremost cultural institutions to give people emotionally compelling or inspiring experiences. They are indeed culinary wizards one might find written into a Harry Potter movie. “We work with chemists and pyrotechnicians, scientists and magicians to create a multi-sensory experience that employs good food with the whole spectacle,” Bompas says from his home in London, adding that his team has worked more than eight months to get this event perfect. “We’re excited to partner with Stella Artois to create a dinner party so sensual and luxurious that it will stimulate the senses as never before,” added Parr. Are you ready to awaken your senses? < http://www.stellaartoislesavoir.com/ > { SOURCE: Toronto Sun | http://goo.gl/7SRGZy } Tim Smith, Artistic Director, on Mystère {Jul.27.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- The beloved and enchantingly beautiful MYSTERE by Cirque du Soleil is a 23-year-old hit on the Strip at Treasure Island, its original home. While many theatrical productions have come and gone, MYSTERE, the original must-see, remains a constant, entertaining millions who attend from Las Vegas and across the globe. To date, MYSTERE has entertained more than 14 million guests in 10,000-plus shows. As the artistic director at MYSTERE, I’m often asked: What is it about MYSTERE that people love so much, what keeps them coming back — what is the secret? The answer is simple. There is no secret formula but rather an emotional connection, one between a brand and its audience that’s pure, thought-provoking and, in our world, uniquely entertaining. Part of that emotional connection with our audiences is the ability for us to entertain them in ways they’ve never experienced before by constantly upgrading our shows with newer, challenging acts that shock and inspire. These frequent updates are what keep MYSTERE exciting and fresh, differentiating us from a typical Broadway-style production where audiences will see the same show night after night. If you saw MYSTERE five years ago, when you return, you would experience it in a familiar, yet different way today. Since its beginning, MYSTERE has set the standard for which all Las Vegas productions are measured. The show continues to incorporate “pure Cirque” elements including powerful athleticism, high-energy acrobatics and vibrant imagery and costuming, while also featuring subtle changes in choreography and staging that impact how the audience feels, interprets and connects with the show. These changes also re-energize and challenge our artists, allowing them to expand their skill sets and be engaged in the work they do. A great example of our ever-changing theatrical landscape is the new Teeterboard Act that arrived this summer, which is part of the Planche Act that features the trampoline, fast track and teeterboard disciplines in one exhilarating, captivating scene. No doubt one of the most awe-inspiring moments in MYSTERE, the Teeterboard Act hasn’t changed since its premiere in 1993, making this new rendition even more exciting. Fulfilling the Cirque mission to create, we wanted to elevate the act by adding a new teeterboard, more powerful acrobatic sequences, faster-paced choreography and new artists. The new board is shorter than the original and catapults artists higher and faster into the air. Where they could once fly 10 to 15 feet in the air, they are now soaring to impressive heights of nearly 20 feet. Additionally, MYSTERE is uniquely entertaining for all generations. Being unlike any other production has helped us build loyalty with audiences across the globe. Fans know that while there are seven Cirque productions on the Strip, MYSTERE has its own identity, story and rhythm. Thrilling action, colorful characters and vibrant imagery abound while a live band with vocalists score this mesmerizing journey through life. Regardless of your background or age, we know that when you hear the musings of a larger-than-life baby playing with the crowd, or catch a glimpse of the whimsical bungee artists soaring 50 feet above the stage, you will smile at the fantastical beauty, skill and finesse that define this amazing show. To further connect with our fans and say thank you to the community, we are going one step further and opening our doors during rehearsals. Now fans have the opportunity to see how our artists train and get a rare inside look at what goes into preparing for our shows. Open rehearsals are free and open to the public, so it’s a wonderful experience for everyone. During these rehearsals, we host Q+A sessions that allow guests to ask questions to gain a better understanding of our artists and process. If you’ve never experienced MYSTERE, or it’s been awhile since we’ve seen you, get to know us again and witness the magic of MYSTERE for yourself. It truly transcends time and continues to offer something special for our city — and you. { SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal | http://goo.gl/2MB0oO } MJ HIStory Statue unveiled at Mandalay Bay Las Vegas {Jul.29.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- On Thursday, July 28, the Estate of Michael Jackson teamed up with Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil and Mandalay Bay to pay tribute to the King of Pop as they unveiled his iconic HIStory Statue. Featured on the cover of his world-famous album HIStory: Past, Present and Future Book 1, which became the best- selling multiple disc album worldwide, the HIStory Statue is the third piece of memorabilia to be loaned by the Estate for display on the Mandalay Bay property. The highly anticipated unveiling ceremony took place in the Main Lobby of Mandalay Bay, where fans had the opportunity to witness the live reveal of this historic sculpture. To welcome the piece, members from the cast of Michael Jackson ONE delivered a never-before-seen performance created especially for this event, dazzling the audience as they performed to “SCREAM,” the first single from the HIStory album. Following the performance, fans were able to meet and take photos with those cast members. “There’s a reason why Michael Jackson’s spirit still lives on,” said Jerry Nadal, Senior Vice President, Resident Shows Division at Cirque du Soleil. “It’s the passion and love behind every song he created. It’s the soundtrack he delivered to an entire generation and beyond. We certainly see this every night at Michael Jackson ONE as thousands of Michael Jackson, Cirque and music and dance fans of all ages and backgrounds collide to experience their favorite Michael Jackson songs in a new and innovative way. Now, this incredible statue stands with us as a testament to his legacy.” On loan from the Estate of Michael Jackson, the HIStory Statue joins two other pieces at Mandalay Bay: Jackson’s red and gold military-style jacket from his appearance at the 1984 American Music Awards and a pair of his iconic black loafers and crystal- encrusted white socks. An additional historical Jackson item will be revealed on Saturday, Aug. 27, kicking off a three-day birthday celebration for the King of Pop inside the ONE Theater. “Michael Jackson was and always will be an icon of our time,” said Darren Davis, Vice President of Entertainment at Mandalay Bay. “We are so thankful that the Estate has been gracious enough to share this statue and all of the other precious Michael Jackson memorabilia with our property. Those who visit Mandalay Bay will have the opportunity to see these amazing pieces, and they are truly extraordinary.” Check out some media on the unveiling: o) VIDEO /// < https://youtu.be/3i-8uydsz_I > o) VIDEO /// < https://youtu.be/sTaI4BqFRWQ > o) FOTOS /// < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=8837 > { SOURCE: ETurbo News | http://goo.gl/DOYHSe } MAKING-OF: The Musical Universe of Tout écartillé! {Jul.28.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Follow the creative team as they rework Robert Charlebois’ music to give an original twist to this unique show. Second edition of the Tribute Series – Tout écartillé offers a breathtaking plunge into the unbridled imagination of Robert Charlebois. Presented exclusively at the Cogeco Amphitheatre in Trois-Rivières from 13 July to 13 August 2016. VIDEO /// < https://goo.gl/JN5zCW > {SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } Amaluna… in Chocolate! {Jul.28.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Amaluna and the renowned chocolatier Dominique Persoone unveiled this morning a stunning chocolate replica of the Valkyrie costume. 3 days and 36 kg of chocolate were necessary to recreate this unique costume. You will be able to see this amazing costume in the concessions tent until August 19th. FOTO /// < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=8819 > { SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil } --------------------------------------------------- CirqueTech -- The Technical Side of Cirque --------------------------------------------------- Behind the Tech of LOVE {Jul.13.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- It is not just changes to choreography that have given “Love” a refreshed look and feel. Key changes to the show’s technical elements have given the show a new look. While video projection has always been part of “Love,” it was mainly seen in two panoramic projection surfaces on either side of the theater, as well as sporadic special surfaces, courtesy of 24 Christie 20k digital projectors. For the 10th anniversary refresh, show director Dominic Champagne and his team decided to add more. “We felt what we had wasn’t enough to fill the room,” says the show’s operations production manager Paul Reams. “So we decided to take the 6,500 square-footage of stage floor and turn it into a projection surface.” The theater now has 52 active Christie projectors, making it the largest projection installation in all of Cirque du Soleil, and one of the largest in North America, according to Reams. “It takes 27 servers and four control computers, with 30 terabytes of storage, to run the show.” Lighting designer Yves Aucoin made changes to his original lighting design, now providing perimeter footlights shining up at the performers, instead of lighting shining down onto the stage surface. “Also, to reduce shadows, every point on the stage is covered by at least four projectors, in some places six,” making use of complicated layering to help keep the illusion real. “It’s complicated — our stage is not a square box.” The content, by Montreal-based designer Francis Laporte (and executed by three media provider companies), now makes use of images of the Beatles themselves — previously a “no-no,” says Champagne. “One of the rules we had when we built the show was that we wouldn’t put the Beatles themselves in, visually, before the end of the show. But we decided two years ago that introducing the presence of the Beatles would support the visual treatment of every act,” he says. Paul McCartney is now seen in “Yesterday,” for example, in video footage from a performance not long after the song was written. And the show opener, “Get Back,” includes the four Beatles performing the song from their legendary London rooftop “concert” January 1969, their last live show. TECH BY THE NUMBERS o) 66.4k Square footage of stage floor o) 652 Number of projectors, taking 27 servers and 30 TB of storage to run the show o) 6600 Custom props used o) 6300 Batteries charged daily or weekly for props o) 6,000 seat speakers — 3 in each of the 2,000 seats The nearly 600 custom props that are used in the show have been given a boost — everything from full-size VW Bugs to remote controlled trains of light to smoking umbrellas. “If it’s not nailed down, and it’s not a brick, it’s a prop in the show,” says Richard Amiss, “Love’s” head of props. Almost 300 batteries have to be charged daily or weekly to run it all. Just as the artists have “tracks” of activity for each evening’s show, so do Amiss’ props technicians. “What the audience doesn’t see is always the most complicated part,” he says. “The backstage choreography is nonstop. My least busy team has a track with a combined seven minutes of the 90 where they’re not doing anything. They have to search through cue sheets just to find bathroom breaks.” Music director Giles Martin, who with his father, the late George Martin, and engineer Paul Hicks, created the show’s soundtrack, also decided to give both the sound system and the show’s music a fresh take. “It had always been well received as a good sounding show, but I thought it could be improved,” he says. Among other things, a set of Meyer X-800 LFC subwoofers were added. “I had an expert come in and analyze the room, so that we could adjust the EQ [equalization],” Martin says. “We found that we needed a bit more low end. People listen differently than they did 10 years ago — they want more bass, they want things louder. I wanted more sound to hit you in the chest.” The theater’s 6,000 seat- speakers — that’s three in each of the 2,000 seats — were replaced with higher-quality speakers than were available 10 years ago. “I was able to put more content in the seat speakers now, because the previous ones would distort easily, which is no longer a problem.” Martin decided to completely remix the entire complex soundtrack with Hicks, to take advantage of higher quality transfers from the Beatles’ original session tapes than technology permitted in 2006. “I thought, as long as we’re upgrading the playback system, I’d better look into the music, as well.” As before, he and Hicks conducted the mixing in the theater itself, though this time, Hicks was able to create the mix in real time, via Avid Pro Tools on a laptop, instead of being tied to a mixing console in a back room. “We were able then to connect his laptop to our digital-to-digital converters and directly to our front-of-house mixing console,” says head of audio Rob Lindsay. “That was a huge improvement, having everybody in the same room this time.” The remix gave Martin a chance to introduce yet more “Love” magic into the soundtrack. “Strawberry Fields Forever,” whose original “Love” version took the listener through four versions/demos of the song, now instead has its signature Mellotron “flute” introduction back intact. “The absence of the Mellotron was something that always bothered Dominic,” Martin says. “It is quite iconic. So it’s back.” The quality of music playback at “Love” is key. “We need to listen to music more out loud, and we don’t,” Martin says. “When you hear a great song on a great system, it takes us back to the days when we used to invite friends around to listen to music. And that’s part of the intention of ‘Love’ — it’s about making people listen, not just hear.” { SOURCE: Yahoo Music / Variety | https://goo.gl/jv08en } Paramour Hits The Broadway Stage With Lectrosonics {Jul.20.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Montreal-based entertainment company Cirque du Soleil, which currently has more than 15 major shows running worldwide, recently opened its first musical theater production on Broadway, at the Lyric Theater. Paramour, a story set during the Golden Age of Hollywood about a woman who must choose between love and art, features a cast of over three dozen acrobats, musicians and singing actors that are exclusively equipped with Lectrosonics’ SSM Digital Hybrid Wireless micro belt pack transmitters. “We’re using 36 SSM radio transmitters with Venue2 receivers” reports front-of-house engineer David Patridge, who is working with long-time collaborator John Shivers, the show’s sound designer. The equipment was supplied by theatrical sound reinforcement specialist company Masque Sound for use at the Lyric Theatre which, with an audience capacity of 1,896, is the second largest theater on New York City’s Great White Way. “Every performer who has any kind of line or is singing is wearing one. We are also using the SSMs to amplify a wireless guitar, a wireless piano, a wireless trumpet; in fact, there’s a bunch of instruments that people wander around with on stage that are fitted with SSM transmitters,” says Patridge. “Sonically, the SSM is terrific. From an audio standpoint, it really is a winning product,” he continues. “When it came out we were able to try it in the field opposite other radio transmitters. We compared the audio quality on an actor, A/B’ing back and forth, with two mic elements and two transmitters on the person. We really liked the quality of the SSM. So it was a no-brainer for this production.” Almost every SSM on the show is paired with a DPA Microphones d:screet 4061 miniature omnidirectional microphone, he reports. But the SSM offers more than just superior audio quality, says Patridge. “The actors wearing them along with everybody in the hair and wig department love the form factor because they are substantially smaller than other transmitters that are on the market. It often becomes difficult to hide transmitters, but we heard a lot of positive comments made by all of the people who deal with hiding these things on the actors. So that is also a winning factor for the SSM.” In fact, three of the principal actors are double-miked, he continues. “They’re out on the stage the whole time, and it would be very inconvenient to have to rip microphones off them; just getting them off the stage would be a problem. They each wear two SSM transmitters and we use a Sennheiser MKE 1 for backup. We set one of the mic elements back behind the head of the other mic, so it pretty much looks like one microphone, but we still have a second element in case something happens to the first one. Due to the small form factor of the SSM, the actual amount of real estate that the two transmitters take up on a performer is pretty much what a normal transmitter would take.” The show’s production crew has also been enjoying the remote control capabilities of the SSM, Patridge reports. “We all downloaded the LectroRM application, to be able to send DTMF tones into the microphone in order to turn LEDs off, lock them, change gain and so on.” Adopting the Lectrosonics SSM transmitter for this show has been an upgrade on several levels, according to Patridge. “With the SSM, the sound quality is better, and the manageability with the batteries and the remote functionality are bonuses. The battery life is also great. All this with the small form factor. The takeaway for us is that we want to specify them on all of our shows.” About Lectrosonics: Well respected within the film, broadcast, and theatre technical communities since 1971, Lectrosonics wireless microphone systems and audio processing products are used daily in mission-critical applications by audio engineers familiar with the company’s dedication to quality, customer service, and innovation. Lectrosonics is a US manufacturer based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Visit the company online at www.lectrosonics.com. { SOURCE: Lectrosonics } Cirque du Soleil flies into Avatar with BlackTrax {Jul.21.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil has brought James Cameron’s Avatar to life in TORUK – The First Flight through the near-magical technology of BlackTrax. Under the supervision of Istvan Fazekas, Assistant Head of Lighting for TORUK – The First Flight in conjunction with video specialists Solotech, BlackTrax technology tracks the video and lighting elements that transform a simple 85 by 162-ft stage into a visually stunning re-enactment of the tales of the inhabitants of Pandora and takes the audience on a voyage through a new world. TORUK – The First Flight premiered in December 2015 in Montreal, Canada, which then kicked off its North American tour. While the inhabitants of Pandora will be brought to life by skilled Cirque du Soleil performers, the show also features large-scale puppetry and lived-in puppets to bring the creatures of Pandora to life. But one of the magical tools that helped tie the whole look and atmosphere of the show together was BlackTrax technology. BlackTrax is a real-time tracking system that uses beacons with stringers and LEDs that turn into tracking points, cameras and software that is used to track people and moving objects on stage in real-time with pinpoint accuracy. As the performer walks, leaps and runs across the stage, nearly invisible LEDs attached to his costume will transmit his movements to a camera and software. In turn, they direct the lights or creative visuals to essentially follow them around the stage. The show is full of video illuminations that bring this creative world to life in front of the eyes of the audience, and although BlackTrax was initially just used to track 5 performers, over the weeks of rehearsals that number grew to 17 performers, 15 props and 2 ‘Home Trees.’ These are 80 feet wide by 40 feet high. The structure is equipped with wheels and stands on nine pivots and can be moved by hand. Istvan Fazekas, Assistant Head of Lighting for TORUK – The First Flight, said: “My goal was not to use follow spot, even though we had four on standby in the first two months of our creation. However, using the BlackTrax tracking system on the show is more stable and more precise than having local follow spot operators every week. We are using 12 Clay Paky Sharpy Wash’s and 12 Sharpy Spots.” The Sharpy models are a good fit for the production as they can keep up with the speed of the movements and are bright enough for use on stage. These models were also hung sideways to prevent them from flipping if the performer traveled directly under the fixture. Fans of Cirque du Soleil and Avatar will be able to imagine that the costumes were a very tight fit on the actors, making it a challenge to hide the tracking beacons in inconspicuous places. Fazekas continues: “Every time I found a good place for the BlackTrax stringers or a beacon on the artists the creators of the show or the costume designer changed something on the costumes or their movements. Now most of them have stringers on their shoulder and on top of their wig, some of them have an extra sleeveless unitard which they put over their show unitard just for BlackTrax or a chest piece wired for the act they are tracked in.” The multimedia projections in TORUK – The First Flight evokes awe-inspiring landscapes – from the Floating Mountains and the Omaticaya Hometree, to the Anurai’s animal sanctuary and the lush jungles where the Tawkami live – create a visually stunning environment for the performers. So do the large-scale effects that come from the storyline, such as the earthquake and volcano eruption, the rivers of lava rising from within, and the Shaman’s visions projected on a huge floating, ethereal veil. Video projections sometimes over flow beyond the set and right into the audience, giving spectators the feeling they’re not merely gazing at Pandora, but they’re actually ON Pandora. At one point, waves start in the audience before washing up on shore on stage; in another scene, a starry sky is projected all over the arena, virtually turning it into an upside-down planetarium. The total projection surface, excluding projections that reaches out into the audience, is approximately 20,000 square feet, more than five times the size of a standard IMAX screen: 12,750 for the stage, 3,600 for the two lateral screens, and another 3,600 for the two columns of ‘Hometree’. There are 40 video projectors in all: half are 30,000-lumen each, the other half, 20,000-lumen. 22 video projectors are used for projections on the ground; 6 projectors send video images on Hometree; 2 projectors are dedicated to the two lateral screens; and 8 projectors are used for immersive projections into the audience. “Solotech provided the 40 Barco projectors which are driven by 8 4x4pro d3 media servers. BlackTrax is the magic tool that, in this installation, combines these technologies to track two large ‘tree like’ huge inflatable structures that are 40-feet in height,” explained Sebastian Cousineau at Solotech. “In front of a captured audience, whilst the ‘trees’ move on stage, the tracked video projection stays perfectly aligned and looks astoundingly real in movement and texture. We designed the system, which renders live particles around artists and puppets to create effects that follow them while they are tracked with BlackTrax. “We also use BlackTrax positioning to focus 28 of the 40 projectors in the media server’s 3D environment, it is a fast way to calibrate the projectors ensuring their real-world position is matched within the virtual file that controls the projection mapping.” CAST BlackTrax CEO Gil Densham said: “We are very proud to have contributed to this thrilling event. The continual development of this technology means that they will continue to be used in creative projects such as TORUK – The First Flight and we are very excited to see what else BlackTrax will be used for.” Both Avatar and Cirque du Soleil fans will appreciate the art and technology that have contributed to bringing this cinematic masterpiece to a different stage. It promises to be an evening of spectacular scenery and magical storytelling. { SOURCE: CAST Blog | http://goo.gl/B4QN3Q } Flying robots perform 100th show on Broadway {Jul.29.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Since April, a troupe of eight flying machines has been performing in a Cirque du Soleil Broadway show called Paramour. This group of quadcopters has now completed its first 100 shows in front of a live theater audience, without a single incident. Given the string of recent safety incidents with drones, this begs the question: How was this accomplished? The Paramour quadcopters were designed and created by Verity Studios of Zurich and were transformed into flying lampshades in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. Some readers may recognize them as the direct siblings of the similarly dressed quadcopters in Sparked: A Live Interaction Between Humans and Quadcopters; a short movie shot over the span of two days in the controlled environment of a research lab. What sets the Paramour quadcopters apart, and the key to their ongoing success on Broadway, are a new localization technology and fail-safe algorithms, that keep the fully redundant quadcopters safely on course, performing 8 times a week, in front of a live audience of up to 2,000 people, without nets. The people behind Verity Studios are no strangers to performing quadcopters. Founder Raffaello D’Andrea is a professor of control systems at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), from which Verity Studios was spun off. From a lab aptly named the Flying Machine Arena he has been conducting research for over 10 years on complex, autonomous flight, using a high-precision motion capture system to guide the vehicles. The ETH team’s first dancing drones performed in 2009 as part of research by Prof. D’Andrea’s former PhD students, Federico Augugliaro and Angela Schoellig. The group first stepped into the public performance space in 2011 with Flight Assembled Architecture, the world’s first multi-quadcopter performance in front of a large audience. In all, more than 200 live research demonstrations have taken place so far in the Zurich lab with occasional appearances given abroad, such as Google IO 2012. While the team used motion capture technology extensively over this period, this type of localization technology proved inadequate for a long-running Broadway production when taken out of the research laboratory. The fundamental issue is that motion capture systems rely on a centralized architecture whereby all commands are forwarded to a single computer. A failure in that computer’s hardware or software may cause a sudden loss of control for the complete fleet. Whereas an occasional failure of this type may be inconsequential in a research environment like the Flying Machine Arena, it is unacceptable for most commercial and industrial applications. The live events industry, in particular, has high safety standards owing in part to the amplification of safety risks when performing close to crowds of people. In addition to the safety risks, the consequences of a mishap entailing personal injury can be severe in terms of negative publicity, brand damage, and litigation. Nevertheless, motion capture based performances near a live audience have been attempted, such as in this recent America’s Got Talent performance. An alternative vision based system was demonstrated in a recent Britain’s Got Talent episode where quadcopters used onboard cameras reading floor patterns to orient themselves. In both cases, the number of quadcopters permitted is limited by occlusion once a critical level of vehicle density is reached. Furthermore, both these systems can be compromised by external show-related light sources (e.g., stage lighting, spotlights), or even from the audience (e.g., laser pointers, flash-light photography), risking loss of control of some or all the vehicles; a major safety concern. To address these shortcomings, Verity Studios developed a new system specifically for industrial applications that must meet strict safety and reliability standards. While the company and its founders are tight-lipped about the proprietary technology in use on Broadway, it is clear that they have moved away from vision systems to using radio-frequency-based localization. According to statements by Raffaello D’Andrea at a recent TED talk (http://goo.gl/n6YaLc), both the new proprietary localization system and the flying machines are redundant and use fail-safe algorithms such that every vehicle can withstand any single point of failure. Another key factor in the system’s success is its Inter- operability within a theatrical environment. Any theatrical system must function within a complex ecosystem of stage automation where stringent industry standards prevail. “These flying machines have met or exceeded all expectations in terms of safety, reliability, maintenance, and ease of operation,” states Michael Shepp, Automation Carpenter for Paramour. The technological achievement of creating a safe and robust system for flying a multitude of vehicles before a live audience introduces a rich palette for artistic expression. Creative staff at Cirque du Soleil recognized this potential and have worked side-by-side with Verity Studios to achieve this milestone on Broadway. Cirque du Soleil Chief Creative Officer, Jean-Francois Bouchard, states: “The flying machines are unquestionably one of the most important statements of the Paramour show.” Cirque du Soleil and Verity Studios are currently exploring the artistic use of flying machines in other upcoming productions. { SOURCE: Robo Hub | http://goo.gl/ECRlWo } --------------------------------------------------- Q&A –- Quick Chats & Press Interviews --------------------------------------------------- Michel Laprise Reflects on Zig-Zagging Career {Jul.15.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Michel Laprise loves big projects. The charming and whip-smart out director served as creative director for Madonna’s 2012 Super Bowl halftime show and directed her “MDNA Tour.” More recent credits include writer/director of Cirque du Soleil’s latest touring show “KURIOS — Cabinet of Curiosities”. Inspired by the Victorian era’s surge of invention and creativity and imbued with a “French steam punk” aesthetic, “Kurios” premiered in Montréal in April 2014 and is Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production. Like Cirque du Soleil’s other shows, “Kurios” reinvents circus by combining the basics — tent, clowns and acrobats — with sophistication and the artistic elements of theater. Recently, Laprise shared thoughts with Patrick Folliard of the Washington Blade via phone from Montréal where he’s based about “Kurios,” Cirque du Soleil and Madonna, whom he calls M. Q. For a lot of people, Cirque du Soleil’s innovative aspects have become familiar. Is the pressure to remain cutting edge massive? Yes, but it’s a pressure we put on ourselves. I hear people say, “I’ve seen Cirque once. I don’t need to see it again.” For us it’s a mission to constantly reinvent ourselves. “Kurios” is different from other shows. The characters are real people in real clothes. The set itself is a laboratory that someone inhabits and not the abstract magical place like in our other shows. Q. What led you to staging big productions? Did it happen by accident? Well nothing happens by accident, only by passion. I’m a group person, so the bigger the project, the more people you get to play with. I’ve never looked at the obstacles, only the destination, which is to make people happy and storytelling. It’s like a big surprise party for a lot of people. When I joined Cirque 15 years ago to do casting, I styled auditions to be an intense two-day mini-workshop. Because most of the acrobats were not speaking English or French, I used my intuition to touch their talent and did my best to bring it out. Over the years, the artists who were cast encouraged me to direct. Eventually I told Cirque co-founder Guy Laliberté that I wanted to direct. Of course he wasn’t yet ready to give me a $30 million dollar project like “Kurios,” but he knew I came from theater and was a professional director so he made me special events designer. And eventually he allowed me to conceive and direct my show which was a longtime ambition of mine. Q. What’s the inspiration behind “Kurios”? My dream was to do a show where a character accesses a parallel world and brings poetry and imagination back to earth. We live in a world where we can do so much. I can ring Tokyo for free on Internet right now. Yet it’s a very complex time of scarcity for many people. I want to help people believe that everything is possible, because I think it is. And I want them to feel joy. The show is set in the latter half of the 19th century, a time of invention and innovation. Lots was happening — the railroad, telegraph, gramophone, electricity. Suddenly invisible energy was stimulating people’s imaginations. Not accidentally, it was also the golden age of magic and illusionists. Magicians were the rock stars of the era. Q. Does being gay make you a better director? I’ve always been gay so I don’t know any other way. But I do believe that going through the process of coming out to self and family and friends gives you a sense of compassion and allows you to appreciate diversity. And that I think makes for a better director. Of course I’m generalizing. There are assholes in every community. Within Cirque, same-sex couples are respected and celebrated. So being gay here isn’t an issue. Q. Why especially should LGBT people come to see “Kurios?” Critics and fans say this is Cirque’s best touring show in 10 years. It’s more theatrical than most of Cirque’s other productions and what’s more, there’s a rainbow and disco ball in the show. I don’t want to spoil the surprise of when they appear. There’s also a lot of love and inclusiveness in the show. The planets were well aligned when we created this show. And of course the acrobats and what they can do with their bodies is amazing. To reach their level skill, they begin training at age 5 and live a strictly disciplined lifestyle. They eat tiny bites of food throughout the day. Stretch a couple hours before every performance. Q. I’d be doing our readers a disservice if I didn’t ask the next question. You want to know whether or not I’m single? Q. No. I’d like to hear about working with Madonna. Before working with Madonna in 2012, I presented my ideas to her manager. He liked them so he took me to her. She appeared in the room. I told her my thoughts and she was smiling as I spoke. Then she asked me to listen to “Give Me All Your Luvin’” the first track of her then-new album “MDNA.” M’s hands were shaking a little bit as we listened. So I thought that if after 30 years she’s still nervous to show new work, then this is somebody who really cares about what they’re doing. I knew then that I wanted to work her. For the first week of rehearsals for “MDNA,” M hurt her ankle and broke her little finger. I asked to slow down pace. She said, “No Michel.” That’s the job. It’s like going to war with her. She thinks like an acrobat. Her work ethic is incredible. She’s also very demanding but it’s nothing I wouldn’t expect from a woman of that level. She never yelled at me. The only time she raised her voice during rehearsal was when the schedule wasn’t allowing her to see her kids. Despite the pressure on her, she was calm and focused with brilliant sense of humor. She teases me about my (French Canadian) accent which is less strong now than it was. I don’t do a lot of pop music shows, but I’d definitely like to work with her again. We stay in touch. She sent me flowers on my birthday. Q. And are you single? I am. But that might be changing. Some romance may be in the works, but that’s all I’ll say. { SOURCE: The Washinton Blade | http://goo.gl/SsQZyO } Meet TORUK Puppeteer Nick Barlow {Jul.15.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- As we gear up for the debut of Cirque du Soleil Toruk: The First Flight, arriving in Denver July 21, we caught up with puppeteer Nick Barlow who shared how he balances life on tour and fatherhood. One of six puppeteers in Toruk: The First Flight, Barlow brings to life the animals of Pandora—from Direhorses, Viperwolves and Austrapedes to the great Toruk himself. But his biggest role is played at home, as a father of two. This is Barlow’s first tour appearance with Cirque du Soleil, and he admits it’s been a challenge having two elementary-aged kids at home. But he’s fortunate to have such a strong support system back home in Melbourne, thanks to his wife and the grandparents. “The hardest part is being away—and the time difference,” says the Australia-based puppeteer. Luckily, he gets a tour break every 10 weeks and has two weeks to spend at home with his family in Australia. When he’s home, he likes to spend as much time with his family as he can. “We go on picnics, take walks, hang out at the beach—normal family stuff,” he says. When Barlow’s back on tour, his kids send him videos and photos that he hangs in his hotel room, and they Skype on the regular. “It gets really tough,” he says, about being away. “It’s not ideal, but we push through.” Barlow is lucky enough to have a family on the road, too—his tour-mates. “The people in the show become your family too,” he says. They have dinner together and explore new cities every week. “It’s like having an extended family.” And with 40 people on stage and another 60 or 70 people behind the scenes, that’s quite the family. But in the end Barlow wishes to be able to work closer to home, or to have his family travel with him one day. Until then, he hopes to be able to have his kids catch him on tour soon. “They’ve seen the rehearsal in Montreal but haven’t been able to see the whole production yet—and it’s such a great show for all ages,” says Barlow. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy.” { SOURCE: Colorado Parent | http://goo.gl/G3KTsr } Eirini Tornesaki: What It’s Like to Sing with Cirque {Jul.15.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Eirini is a classically trained musician who has recorded at Abbey Road. In a VoiceCouncil exclusive, she shares her backstage routines and tells us how hard it is to perform 10 shows a week all around the world! Q. What obstacles have you had to overcome for your love of singing? I was born with a cyst on my left vocal cord, which later formed a sulcus. I grew up with constant vocal difficulties, such as limited range, extremely breathy tone, voice breaking during performance, losing my voice easily, absence of ‘head voice’ etc. These challenges caused me a lot of doubt about whether singing was the right thing for me. But something inside me wouldn’t give up. I didn’t know the cause of my problems until I investigated further when I moved to the UK. I had to just come to terms with the limitations and learn how to use my instrument the way it is. Q. What musical lessons have you learnt since joining Cirque? Firstly, my technique has improved a lot. During the creation period of the show, I trained daily with a vocal coach for 2 hours, for about 3 months. My coach helped me strengthen my voice, gain stamina and work on the weaker parts of my voice. Since I joined Cirque, my rhythm and focus has improved as I need to simultaneously focus on my singing and the counting of my band leader depending on the action on stage. On top of that I started becoming more and more comfortable on stage, experimenting with acting skills and interaction with both the audience and my colleagues on stage. Q. How do you take care of your voice when doing so many shows? Performing so many shows does indeed require discipline and some small sacrifices. Firstly, I warm up every show day, for 30 minutes. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink alcohol during the city run (7-10 weeks), I use a humidifier if my room is dry, I steam my vocal cords usually after two subsequent show days. I do ‘nasal showers’ (with a Neti Pot) to eliminate mucus and allergies, I try to sleep for 8.5 hours and drink 3 litres of water daily. I don’t eat dairy products before a show because they can cause mucus, I rarely go to bars or loud places where I could tire my voice and I try not to talk too much or sing on my day off (Monday). I know it sounds like a lot, but the joyful feeling of achievement when I finish a 10 show week with a healthy voice is incomparable, and it’s worth all the effort. Q. What are your top tips for a successful audition? An audition is like a gig, just with added stress. It’s important to be so familiar with the material that you don’t even have to think about it. If there is a note you are not sure about, rehearse it a million times… If there is a lyric you think you may forget, just repeat it until you’re on autopilot. Make sure you are not hungry during the audition, but also not too full. Be very well warmed up. And the biggest cliché, but number 1 tip, be yourself! This is especially true with Cirque as they want to know your personality, hear your style and what you could bring to their shows. Q. How do you stay mentally focused when doing a long run of shows? During a long run, our artistic director tells us pace ourselves. I distribute my energy equally to each show and find a balance. Of course it gets harder and harder as the weeks go by, so it’s important to take care of my physical and mental health. I practice yoga, maintain a healthy diet and do things that I enjoy. Q. Do you have a backstage ritual before or after the show? There is a lot to get done before the show! My preparation takes 3 hours including make-up, warm-up, sound check, hair etc. I try to do everything without rushing. My ritual right before the show is to take a couple of big breaths, understand what kind of mood I am in, and if it’s bad I try to break a smile at my colleagues and lighten up and wish them a good show. We show each other compassion and encouragement. Q. What’s the best and worst thing about touring? The best thing is that you never get bored! Every 2 months we are in a new city that we can explore. We live in a new apartment and meet new people. The worst thing is as soon as you feel at home you have to pack your whole life again in a couple of suitcases and leave. Sometimes I don’t even bother unpacking certain things! Q. Tell us about your biggest performance fail… I think by performing multiple shows every week, I have failures and successes almost every day. For example, there have been 2 times that my voice broke during an a cappella part! You know, when nothing comes out but a squeaky sound… a cappella… Q. Do you ever get star struck? Not too often, but I got star struck by Christina Aguilera when she came to watch our show and came to meet us backstage! I was nervous before the show, just because I knew she was there watching. Q. A motto that inspires you? The famous quote by Paulo Coelho: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” { SOURCE: Voice Council Magazine | http://goo.gl/jAVLlZ } Roaming with KURIOS Clown Facundo Gimenez {Jul.16.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- If you were to imagine the type of person who runs away to join the circus, it would be hard to do better than Facundo Gimenez. The 31–year-old Argentine-born clown has worked with the magical, bohemian Cirque du Soleil for 9 years but has been a clown for most of his life. Gimenez is currently touring in the traveling Cirque du Soleil production of Kurios, a delicious blend of steampunk and Victorian influences, and one of the most fanciful, poetic Cirque productions in recent memory (in Washington, D.C. from July 21-Sept. 18). Gimenez plays a central, unforgettable role as the ring master and remarkably inventive comic relief (you won’t want to miss his hilarious observational comedy rendition of the grooming and bathroom habits of cats). Perpetually on the road in his whimical life as a clown, Gimenez has quite literally lived out of a suitcase. Gimenez sat down with Roam to talk about wanderlust and his deeply philosophical approach to clowning. To Gimenez the clown is a shadow and reflection of society, a powerful voice for its absurdities and hypocrisies. Every society since ancient times has had a clown figure, he notes, and Gimenez has loved watching as audiences around the world respond to this universal archetype. “In Asia people don’t laugh but they smile and when you finish they politely clap,” he observes. Latinos, says Gimenez, are the most enthusiastic and demonstrative. “For 21 years I have been traveling around the world with no home,” Gimenez admits of his peripatetic ways. But this March, after eight years of saving (“It was hard for me to get a mortgage” he laughs), Gimenez finally bought two homes in Guadalajara, Mexico. His goal was to own a home by age 30, and now he has two. Over a near-lifetime on the road, Gimenez has collected strategically, composing a memory as much as buying a memento. He picks up pieces of art and handicrafts wherever he goes and pairs them with photographs he takes of the people who made them, like the woman who wove a favorite poncho he bought in Guatemala. And now with his Guadalajara home base, he has finally found a place to park his objects. Loaded down with silver rings decorating his fingers and a cascade of necklaces ornamented with crystals, his legs tucked up under him, Gimenez out of costume looks more like an international Anthroplogie-outfitted hipster than what we might think of a working clown. “Every day I wake up I have fun choosing a costume that I will dress in, representing the energy that I woke up with,” he says of his civilian garb. To stay healthy on the road Gimenez doesn’t eat sugar, tries to sleep as much as he can, minimizes his gluten intake and eats a lot of super foods, vitamins and organic food. But his spiritual happiness is just as important, “If you do what you love, you are happy and at peace with yourself and that’s really important to not be stressed,” he says. Gimenez is sitting backstage during a break from his Atlanta appearances for Kurios, hanging out in a viewing area of leather couches and large-screen TV where performers can watch their work and critique their performances. Crew members dart in and out of this open living room-slash-hair studio-slash-rehearsal space and intense Russian gymnasts with bodies like plastic action figures practice on the ropes and bars in a makeshift gym. An artist as much as a clown, Gimenez is an eloquent, thoughtful, inquiring soul, who tells me he was up all night until 8 a.m. doing a photo session with a friend, just the sort of thing you’d hope a 21st century, jet-setting, hippie-cool clown would be up to while on the road. “At night I feel very, very artistic,” Gimenez confesses in his thickly-accented English. In addition to pursuing photography, the multi-faceted, ever- curious Gimenez has delved into house music DJ-ing, documentary- making (he loves avant-garde Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky whose The Holy Mountain is a big influence), and has recently been exploring tarot card reading and hypnosis. In his off-time from Cirque du Soleil Gimeniez runs motivational seminars in Mexico, Costa Rica and other places interested in his approach to what he calls conceptual clowning. Among the items he always travels with in four very large suitcases: mixers, speakers, a projector, computers, cables, a Steadicam and tripods. And one absolute essential: a scale to make sure his bags are not overweight. Influenced by clowns from Charlie Chaplin and Jerry Lewis to Andy Kaufman, Gimenez started young in Argentina. “I put on my first red nose when I was 8,” he jokes. He’s been traveling with one circus or another ever since, in over 32 countries so far, including Russia, South Africa, Qatar and Lebanon, performing for everyone from Jimmy Carter to Hugo Chavez, Mel Gibson and Christina Aguilera. Gimenez has never been burdened by material things (what man living out of 4 suitcases can be?). But to stay grounded and connected on his travels, he used to always decorate his room with an Argentinean flag. Over time that connection to an idea of home has melted away. “You create your own home everywhere you go,” he’s learned. He no longer displays the flag. “I never stopped being an Argentinean, but now I am something else: a citizen of the world.” { SOURCE: Travel Channel | http://goo.gl/5twi6U } Meet Ryan Shinji Murray – KURIOS Acro Net Artist {Jul.19.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- When Ryan Shinji Murray was 10, he made the short trek from his home in Ashton, Maryland to Washington, D.C. with his family to see a performance of Cirque du Soleil. A decade later, he did what he could to enter the circus profession and not long after that, he became a member of the popular performing troupe. “Seeing that first performance definitely planted the seeds in me, but it wasn’t until much later that I really did anything about it,” he says. “It became a dream, but one that took a unique path to get there.” With a background that included competitive gymnastics, diving, Kung Fu workouts, pole vaulting and just playing around on the trampoline in his back yard, Murray became something of a master of acrobatics. He was a prominent diver in high school at Georgetown Prep and continued the sport as a student at NYU. He coached gymnastics at Preston Gymnastics in Gaithersburg and transferred to the University of Maryland. “While I was there, I joined the Gymkana troupe, an exhibition gymnastics and acrobatic performance group,” he says. “It was a way to stay in shape and continue practicing acrobatics.” It was while in the troupe that he realized that this was his passion and what he really wanted to do with his life. Thinking back to when he was 10, he sent a tape to the folks at Cirque du Soleil, hoping for a job. It didn’t materialize right away, and he headed back to New York to do what he could to get into the performance field. “I tried to tap into anyone I could find on the performance scene—especially when it came to the circus,” Murray says. “I was lucky to get a job as a trampoline instructor at Trapeze School New York.” Within a year, he was performing regularly with a chair balancing act in various venues throughout the city, as well as occasionally flying trapeze with the instructors at TSNY. In 2009, he was invited to join Cirque Éloize, a theatrical circus company based in Montreal. Over the next few years, Murray was touring the world with the show as a trampoline wall artist, becoming a featured star known for his 20-foot tall chair stacking solo. Then, in July of 2013, Murray got the call he had always hoped he would get. Cirque du Soleil contacted him to see if he would be interested in taking part in its new creation. Faster than he could do a double flip, he signed on the dotted line. The result was one of the 13 acts in the production, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities. Murray is one of eight performers in the acro-net number, which he describes as a perfect fusion of trampoline and the trapeze net. “The idea is that you can use all of the people together to push one person into the air, so we can push someone about 40 feet into the air,” he says. “It’s so much fun to be able to do a unique acrobatic act. People who watch it have such a fun time and the reactions are amazing.” Written and directed by Michel Laprise, KURIOS—Cabinet of Curiosities is Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production since 1984, and includes a talented cast of 46 performance artists from 15 different countries. “It’s got everything you could imagine,” Murray says. “There’s such an assortment of crazy, acrobatic feats, elements of magic and plenty more. The transitions are smooth and there’s never a dull moment.” Plus, being so close to his home, Murray is excited that his friends and family will have the chance to see what he’s been doing with his life. “I’ve been doing circus professionally for about six years and only made it close to home one time, so it’s really great that I’ll be getting the chance to show everyone what keeps me happy,” he says. And who knows. Maybe Murray will inspire a young kid to follow in his trampoline steps. { SOURCE: Keith Loria, DC Theater Scene | http://goo.gl/ytjBmQ } Meet Stacey Magiera, TORUK Clanswoman {Jul.27.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- TORUK-The First Flight is soaring into the United Center this August for Chicago audiences and Stacey Magiera is a gymnast in the show from the Chicago area. She went to Barrington High School while winning state titles and breaking records. She earned a gymnastic scholarship at UIC. After graduating she joined the cast of Cirque de la Mer and Viva Elvis in Las Vegas. After three years in that show, she transferred to KA at the MGM Grand. She now takes TORUK on the road and sat down to talk to Windy City Times about it. Q. Hi, so you are an Illinois girl? Yes, I grew up in Jefferson Park until I was 7; then we moved to Barrington. I went to American Academy of Gymnastics in Wheeling, Illinois then I did two years of gymnastics at Barrington High School. I went to UIC and did four years of collegiate gymnastics there. I really wanted to figure out how I could make gymnastics work for me after that as a career. I worked for a show called Cirque de la Mer in San Diego. After I auditioned they taught me how to do Chinese poles and flying trapeze into the water. I also did high dives and tumbling there. That is how I transitioned into circus arts. I made a demo video from that show with my gymnastics background and sent that into Cirque du Soleil. Then I was hired. Q. That must have been great to incorporate gymnastics and Cirque together. In gymnastics, you have the four apparatuses where you are doing it your whole life—but with Cirque there are so many different apparatuses to learn. Q. I saw Viva Elvis in Vegas years ago. I was in it for the entire run, so you saw me. I was in the high-bar act. It went through a couple of different versions. I was in the acrobatic pole act, and I did bungee. Q. Were you ever tired of Elvis songs? Actually, no. I was a little bit skeptical moving to Vegas but, once I got there, my life was off the strip. The strip is for tourists. Vegas is such a fun place to live. I’m an outdoor enthusiast so I found good hiking and camping. There is a ski resort 40 minutes outside of Vegas so there was plenty to do. Q. Do you enjoy traveling on the tours? I love traveling. It is cool to be on a show that travels every single week. The first couple of days in the city we have off, so we have time to explore. Q. TORUK is Avatar-inspired? Yes. The show is story-based. It is told through acrobatics, projections and life-sized puppets. The projections, in particular, bring the world to life. You will feel like you are on Pandora. Q. Do you wear a lot of blue paint? Yes. My face is all blue and I do my own makeup. It takes about an hour to do. The rest of the costume is a head to toe blue body suit. It has UV reflective dots everywhere so it looks like we are glowing like in the movie Avatar. There are different clans we play so depending on which clan we have different accessories that are added to the body suit. Q. What is your part? There are five clans and I am in three of them. I am the chief of the Anurai clan. It is a balancing act on a spinning skeleton. It is a one of a kind apparatus that they created for the show. It was cool to be part of the creative process for that. I am part of the Tipani clan, which comes from the forest. We do Chinese poles/articulated pole act. It is a super intense act where we are climbing up and down poles and spinning around while fighting off viperwolves. I am also part of the Omaticaya clan, which is from the movie Avatar. I do an aerial rope act in that clan. Q. How is the Tree of Souls involved in the show? Part of the plot is that two young Na’vi boys go on a quest to save the Tree of Souls. Q. How much rehearsal was involved with all of this? Before the show opened we trained for about four months to create the show and come up with all of the tricks. Our soft opening was this past November and we have been touring ever since. Q. Are there any LGBT cast members? There are a lot. Q. What is the music like? It is a beautiful score. Most Cirque shows have a live band but we are traveling every single week we have a track they play. We do have a live singer and she has a gorgeous voice. Q. Are cast members hurt in the show ever? We have been very lucky with injuries. Everyone takes care of their bodies and does their best to prevent injuries by doing exercises to stay in shape. Q. How is it maintaining your physique? In gymnastics I had to do the same thing. I grew up like that so it comes naturally. Q. Do you have to watch your diet? I train a lot so I burn so many calories a day. It doesn’t really matter but whatever food you put in your body is the energy you get out so I try to eat healthy. We have a catering team that travels with us so they cook all of our meals. Q. Hopefully, you have some Chicago pizza while in town. Lou Malnati’s Pizza is my favorite! { SOURCE: Windy City Times | http://goo.gl/Pl2l9I } --------------------------------------------------- SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT –- More In-depth Articles --------------------------------------------------- Giles Martin on his father: ‘Take a sad song and make it better is what he did’ {Jul.13.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Even before the legendary Beatles producer Sir George Martin died in March, his son Giles found himself the recipient of a staggering family inheritance. For years, the 46-year-old, a producer in his own right, has acted as a custodian of the music of the Beatles. In recent months, he has been in charge of several major Beatles-related assignments: new high-definition mixes for the DVD compilation Beatles 1+; restoration of audio from early Beatles concerts for an upcoming Ron Howard documentary about the band’s touring years; and preparing the Beatles’ catalogue for streaming beginning last Christmas. Martin is well aware that Beatles devotees the world over are placing his efforts under an extraordinary amount of scrutiny. “I do a mix, or change something, and I’m analyzed and criticized by everyone,” he says, speaking from northern Spain where, he says only half-jokingly, he is “escaping the Beatlemaniacs”. Martin has non-Beatles assignments too, in film (he worked on Kingsman: The Secret Service) and as “Sound Experience Leader” for Sonos, the wireless speaker specialists. But he acknowledges that he and the music of the Beatles are by now inextricably linked. “It’s a mixed feeling,” he says. “Do I really want to have this around my neck? I mean, to be the son of George Martin and then doing all the Beatles stuff? I remember voicing this concern to a producer friend and he said to me, ‘If you don’t do it, someone else would love to do it.’ “At the same time, I feel deeply honored to be trusted by them, and by my dad, to be the person that protects it, makes sure standards are kept, and also innovates.” Most recently, Martin has been revisiting and revising his work on perhaps his most high-profile Beatles project. Cirque du Soleil’s Love has been seen by an estimated 8 million people in more than 4,500 performances since it opened in the purpose- built Mirage Theater in Las Vegas in 2006. The show sees Cirque du Soleil’s performers enact their acrobatic feats to the accompaniment of Beatles songs, from I Want to Hold Your Hand and Help! through to Something and Get Back. The show’s soundtrack, also released as an album in 2006, consists of fresh mixes of some songs, together with new sonic collages and mash-ups concocted by Giles Martin. Drive My Car, for example, is sliced and diced and combined with The Word; Within You Without You is laid over Tomorrow Never Knows; and the sinister waltz of I Want You (She’s So Heavy) barges into Being for the Benefit of Mr Kite! The mixes are audacious musical feats worthy of comparison with the most impressive Cirque du Soleil routine. The show has been given a makeover for its forthcoming 10th anniversary, to be officially celebrated on Thursday 14 July, with brighter costumes and characters (the Blue Meanies, the grinning beasties from the animated feature Yellow Submarine, have joined the party), an overhaul of the theatre’s audio- visual technology and new imagery from the Beatles’ film and video archive. For his part, Martin has spruced up the songs and setlist – adding, among other things, Twist and Shout to inject some rock’n’roll energy into the early parts of the show. There are those who balk at the very idea of Love – mostly those who resist the populist entertainment of Cirque du Soleil. A number of George Martin obituaries referred to the show as if it were the result of a lapse of judgment. It has ample rewards, though, for the open-minded Beatles fan: the way the opening Hammond organ notes of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds flicker to life like fireflies at dusk, or the sensual, ménage à cinq aerial choreography of Something. One of the most effective set pieces, to A Day in the Life, might be interpreted as being about John Lennon’s relationship with his mother, its climactic piano chord signifying the devastating finality of death. With more than 8,000 speakers in the theatre, Love is, at the very least, a spectacular listening party. “The intention was always to make sure a) the Beatles are happy; b) I don’t screw anything up; and c) the people who actually own and care for the music, the fans, they’re stimulated by it,” says Martin. “Love was really a mission in making people listen and not merely hear.” Giles Martin first started tinkering with the Beatles’ music in the early 90s, when he was still a student. He was brought in to sessions for the Beatles Anthology albums to provide a second pair of ears for his father, who had been gradually losing his hearing. In 1996, Giles again collaborated with his father on In My Life, a compilation of Beatles tracks that featured an all- star roster of performers at the mic, including Sean Connery (performing a spoken-word version of the title track) and Jim Carrey (contributing keyboards and manic vocals to I Am the Walrus). When a Cirque du Soleil/Beatles show was first conceived – George Harrison pitched a collaboration to Cirque founder Guy Laliberté in 2000 – the initial idea was to create new dance remixes of the old songs, with Fatboy Slim pegged as someone who might oversee the musical side of things. When Giles Martin heard of those plans, he suggested an alternative approach, one that used only the music the Beatles themselves had created. It would be “the gig that never happened”, he says. Martin spent three months working on his mixes, on spec, before the project even got the green light. “I really thought I would get fired. I didn’t think anyone in their right mind would approve of it, so I just enjoyed it, really.” For Martin, it was thrilling to get inside the original Beatles recordings, hearing the quirks of isolated vocal and instrumental tracks. “You don’t quite believe, with these iconic records, that somebody actually sat down and played it. To hear someone talking under a count-in and then playing the bit you know so well … wait a second, this wasn’t magically put on a tape machine – there is actually someone doing this?” At the same time, Martin was nervous about how his experiments would be received, feeling like he was “painting a moustache on the Mona Lisa … I thought, Oh my God, I’m going to get lynched for this.’” As it turns out, Love remains one of Cirque du Soleil’s most popular productions. The show’s grand opening in 2006 was also the occasion of the biggest ever reunion of the Beatle extended family, with Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison, Barbara Starr, Cynthia Lennon, Julian Lennon, Sean Ono Lennon, Dhani Harrison and George Martin in attendance. With the death of George Martin, the production has assumed a new poignancy. Though Martin Sr had reservations about the project initially, he warmed to it, and father and son ended up working closely together on it. “I would sit and chop things up and create stuff and think about the show, he would come in on Thursday, and I’d play him bits and we’d talk about it, and just have a nice time together. Regardless of whether the show was a success or not, I would always be so grateful for that. Very few people have the chance of going through their dad’s dirty laundry for two years.” The show also features George Martin’s string arrangement – which he composed at age 80, when his hearing had almost completely deteriorated – for George Harrison’s acoustic demo of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. The song, with that arrangement, was performed at George Martin’s memorial service. There’s another reason to recognize George Martin’s indelible contribution to the Beatles catalogue in the coming weeks. Next month marks the 50th anniversary of Revolver, a high point of his relationship with the band. The album shines with his production genius: the macabre strings on Eleanor Rigby, the eerie yelps of backwards guitar in I’m Only Sleeping, the Goons- esque revelry and sound effects of Yellow Submarine and the startling sonic seance that is Tomorrow Never Knows. “He is …” Martin stops himself. “He was brilliantly musical. Dutiful in his approach and sensitive, and at the same time groundbreaking. ‘Take a sad song and make it better’ is what my dad did, and that’s his legacy, really. Every time you hear a Beatles song, he’s part of that.” His father was also humble about his legacy until the end, Martin says. “He knew he was going to die, I knew he was going to die, and I said, ‘Dad, you signed the Beatles. Just think about that. If you did nothing else, just imagine how much you’ve given to the world.’ And he said, ‘You know? I did the best I could.’” { SOURCE: The Guardian | https://goo.gl/1sCHul } Giles Martin Reshapes and Protects The Beatles’ Legacy {Jul.14.2016} ------------------------------------------------------- Giles Martin was seated on a director’s chair onstage at the Love Theater at the Mirage when he was unexpectedly upstaged by an underdressed interloper. “I’m talking and I hear this clapping, and I’m saying to myself, ‘What’s going on?’ ” said the son of the late Sir George Martin an hour or so after he left his onstage session with VIP guests. “I turned around, and there he was.” Martin had been cut off by a knighted former Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney, clad in sweatpants and a T-shirt. McCartney ran a circle around the nonplussed Martin, who had risen from his chair, then bowed to the crowd and posed for a quick photo. McCartney then grabbed the mic and said, “Ladies and gentlemen! Giles Martin!” With that, he scrambled off. “I hadn’t seen him this trip at all, and I was going to text him yesterday … ” Martin said, chuckling. “But it’s true, I love him dearly, I really do. He has been incredibly kind to me, all my life, and of course my father loved him, too.” There is a familial feeling in the boundless Beatles universe as the show “Love,” the fanciful collaboration between the band and Cirque du Soleil celebrates its 10th anniversary tonight at Love Theater. McCartney and Ringo Starr are in the hotel now, as are Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison to round out the ranking members of Apple Corps, the Beatles licensing company. The list of extended Beatles family members expands to attend the landmark show include Sean Ono Lennon (son of John and Yoko) and Dhani Harrison (son of George and Olivia). Ron Howard, who has produced the documentary “The Beatles” about the band, is also in Las Vegas for the event. Giles Martin’s role in the Beatles’ stage show has been simple to describe but nearly impossible to appreciate unless you are in his position. As the son of the man who produced all of the Beatles’ recorded music during their active eight-year run, Martin was given the band’s recorded catalogue and charged with creating the soundtrack to “Love.” It was not easy at first. Martin recalls being afforded access to the Beatles’ master tapes at Abbey Road Studios in London, where the band recorded nearly all of their albums from 1962-70. “I was ostracized,” he said. “I had engineers at Abbey Road who would not speak to me, who would turn off the lights when they left and I was still working.” So pure were the Beatles’ masters that purists at Abbey Road were rankled even when the tapes were cleaned up for the band’s first CD releases nearly 30 years ago. “And here I come, just destroying everything,” Martin said. “It wasn’t until ‘Love’ opened that I was accepted, and that this work was appreciated.” Martin and Cirque director and writer Dominic Champagne, who co- created the show a decade ago, were most recently in Las Vegas in February for previews of the revamped production. The upgrades have been precise in some areas, profound in others. A new sound system has boosted the “low” end of the music, and such songs as “Come Together” and “Tomorrow Never Knows/Within You, Without You” make your heart jump. “Twist & Shout” has been added and “I Am the Walrus” edited away near the top of the show. The stage surface is now used for video projections, and the silhouette artistry on the theater’s scrims has been updated. Most impressively, images and video of the band is used far more inventively than in the original show; the late Neil Aspinall, a friend of the band dating to their days of playing at the Cavern Club, always fought to keep the Beatles’ images away from the stage — and only at the end of the show, during the show-closing segment of “All You Need is Love” was the band actually shown in performance. “They were very protective of the Beatles’ image, in case the show did not work,” Champagne said today. “Now, we can’t get enough of those images in the show.” Naturally, Martin’s father was instrumental in the launch of “Love” and was on hand for the opening in 2006 and again five years ago for the fifth-year anniversary. But Sir George died March 8, just as Giles returned to Wilshire, England, from Las Vegas. Martin smiles as he remembers his final chats with his father. “I’d ask him questions, ‘Dad, you know, do you ever feel you’re not very good at music?’ and he’d say, ‘What do you mean?” I said, ‘I often feel like I can’t do this, if I don’t have the chops and maybe I’m just bad at it,’ ” Martin recalled. “And he said, ‘No, I never feel that way. I always feel like I am brilliant.” There is a quick laugh. “I just remember how amazing that was, that he was lying in that bed, feeling so bad — when you are dying, you are not feeling good, you know, that’s the fact, but he had so much gratitude,” Martin said as he looked out at the “Love” stage. “In our various conversations, I said to him, ‘Dad, you’ve recorded the Beatles. Think of how many millions of people you’ve made happy. He was very proud of that.” The final artistic contribution from Sir George is the orchestral arrangement in the stage version of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” During the number a female artist soars above the audience as a line drawing is created on the stage below. “It’s now hard for me to imagine the song without the arrangement,” Martin said. “In some way there is a synergy of the sound and the line drawing, the new strings my father added and George recording the song as a young man, with the dancer’s movement as she performs … there is all that interplay, and without that arrangement, it would not be the same.” It is the moment we recall Sir George and his role in the Beatles’ family. “He said to me, at the end, ‘I did the best I could.’ That’s what I keep in mind. When you think of the Beatles, it is so much more than a show. It’s the power of escapism, and being taken on a journey that makes you feel better.” { SOURCE: John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Sun | https://goo.gl/OPyFC4 } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Amaluna, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia & Totem} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Varekai, TORUK, OVO & Séptimo Día} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYÀ & Paramour} 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 without notice. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >, or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Amaluna: Knokke-Heist, BE -- Jul 14, 2016 to Aug 21, 2016 Manchester, UK -- Sep 7, 2016 to Oct 9, 2016 Dusseldorf, DE -- Nov 17, 2016 to Dec 18, 2016 London, UK -- Jan 12, 2017 to Feb 4, 2017 Vienna, AT -- Mar 9, 2017 to Apr 2, 2017 Koozå: Sydney, AU -- Aug 25, 2016 to Nov 6, 2016 Brisbane, AU -- Nov 24, 2016 to Jan 8, 2017 Melbourne, AU -- Jan 20, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017 Perth, AU -- TBA Kurios: Washington, DC -- Jul 21, 2016 to Sep 18, 2016 New York City, NY -- Sep 29, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016 Miami, FL -- Dec 9, 2016 to Jan 29, 2017 Dallas, TX -- Feb 17, 2017 to Mar 26, 2017 Houston, TX -- Apr 6, 2017 to May 21, 2017 Winnipeg, MB — TBA 2017 Portland, OR — TBA 2017 Vancouver, BC — TBA 2017 Luzia: Toronto, ON -- Jul 27, 2016 to Oct 16, 2016 San Francisco, CA -- Nov 17, 2016 to Jan 29, 2017 San Jose, CA -- Feb 9, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 Seattle, WA -- Mar 30, 2017 to May 21, 2017 Denver, CO -- Jun 1, 2017 to Jul 9, 2017 Chicago, IL -- Jul 21, 2017 to Sep 3, 2017 Phoenix, AZ -- Sep 22, 2017 to Oct 22, 2017 Totem: Osaka, JP –- Jul 14, 2016 to Oct 12, 2016 Nagoya, JP –- Nov 10, 2016 to Jan 15, 2017 Fukuoka, JP –- Feb 3, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 Sendai, JP -– Apr 6, 2017 to May 21, 2017 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ Varekai: Beirut, LB -- Sep 7, 2016 to Sep 11, 2016 Dubai, UAE -- Sep 16, 2016 to Sep 24, 2016 Doha, QA -- Sep 27, 2016 to Sep 30, 2016 Istanbul, TR -- Oct 5, 2016 to Oct 9, 2016 Milan, IT -- Oct 20 2016 to Oct 23, 2016 Florence, IT -- Oct 27, 2016 to Oct 30, 2016 Bologna, IT -- Nov 03, 2016 to Nov 06, 2016 Turin, IT -- Nov 10, 2016 to Nov 13, 2016 Nantes, FR -- Nov 16, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016 Toulouse, FR -- Nov 23, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016 Strasbourg, FR -- Nov 30, 2016 to Dec 4, 2016 Paris, FR -- Dec 7, 2016 to Dec 11, 2016 Lille, FR -- Dec 14, 2016 to Dec 18, 2016 Lisbon, PT -- Jan 5, 2017 to Jan 15, 2017 Seville, ES -- Jan 18, 2017 to Jan 21, 2017 Gijon, ES -- Jan 25, 2017 to Jan 29, 2017 Sheffield, UK -- Feb 2, 2017 to Feb 5, 2017 Dublin, IR -- Feb 8, 2017 to Feb 12, 2017 Newcastle, UK -- Feb 15, 2017 to Feb 19, 2017 Leeds, UK -- Feb 22, 2017 to Feb 26, 2017 Birmingham, UK -- Mar 1, 2017 to Mar 5, 2017 Nottingham, UK -- Mar 8, 2017 to Mar 12, 2017 Glasgow, UK -- Mar 15, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 Lyon, FR -- Apr 13, 2017 to Apr 16, 2017 Budapest, HU -- May 12, 2017 to May 14, 2017 TORUK - The First Flight: Chicago, IL -– Aug 3, 2016 to Aug 7, 2016 Indianapolis, IN -– Aug 10, 2016 to Aug 14, 2016 Birmingham, AL -– Aug 19, 2016 to Aug 21, 2016 Nashville, TN -– Aug 24, 2016 to Aug 28, 2016 Evansville, IN -– Sep 1, 2016 to Sep 4, 2016 Brooklyn, NY -– Sep 7, 2016 to Sep 11, 2016 Newark, NJ -– Sep 15, 2016 to Sep 18, 2016 Milwaukee, WI -– Sep 22, 2016 to Sep 25, 2016 Minneapolis, MN -– Sep 28, 2016 to Oct 2, 2016 Winnipeg, MB -– Oct 5, 2016 to Oct 9, 2016 Fresno, CA -- Oct 27, 2016 to Oct 30, 2016 Ontario, CA -- Nov 2, 2016 to Nov 6, 2016 Los Angeles, CA -- Nov 11, 2016 to Nov 13, 2016 Phoenix, AZ -- Nov 16, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016 San Diego, CA -- Nov 23, 2016 to Nov 27, 2016 Sacramento, CA -- Nov 30, 2016 to Dec 4, 2016 Portland, OR -- Dec 7, 2016 to Dec 11, 2016 Philadelphia, PA -– Mar 8, 2017 to Mar 12, 2017 Vancouver, BC -- TBA OVO: St. Louis, MO -– Aug 3, 2016 to Aug 7, 2016 Manchester, NH -– Aug 25, 2016 to Aug 28, 2016 Hershey, PA -– Aug 31, 2016 to Sep 4, 2016 Hampton, VA -– Sep 7, 2016 to Sep 11, 2016 Roanoke, VA -– Sep 14, 2016 to Sep 18, 2016 Orlando, FL -– Sep 21, 2016 to Sep 25, 2016 Estero, FL -– Sep 28, 2016 to Oct 2, 2016 Jacksonville, FL -– Oct 5, 2016 to Oct 8, 2016 Erie, PA -– Nov 17, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016 Kingston, ON -- Dec 7, 2016 to Dec 11, 2016 Detroit, MI -– TBA SÉPTIMO DÍA – NO DESCANSARÉ: Buenos Aires, AR -- Mar 9, 2017 - Apr 16, 2017 Cordoba, AR -- May 2017 Lima, PE -- June 2017 Santiago, CL -- July 2017 Bogota, CO -- September 2017 Mexico City, MX -- October 2017 Guadalajara, MX -- November 2017 Monterrey, MX -- December 2017 Select US Cities -- 2018 --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2016 Dark Dates: o September 10 – 14 o November 9 Special / Limited Performances: o June 18, 2016 (Only 7pm performance) o June 19, 2016 (Only 7pm performance) o December 29, 2016 (Two Shows) "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm (as of Aug 12, 2015) 2016 Dark Dates: o August 1-9 o October 9-11 o November 28-December 13 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm (Only 7:00pm on the following days in 2015: January 20, May 8, May 15, May 19, May 20, and December 31) KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm (Only 7 pm performances on May 9, 16 and June 21) 2016 Dark Dates: o September 15 - 23 o November 23 LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm (Only 7:00p.m. on May 15-16, June 19-21, December 31) (Only 4:30p.m. & 7:00p.m. performances on July 4) MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Two Shows Nightly - Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Schedule: 7:00pm & 9:30pm on Friday, Saturday, Monday & Tuesday 4:30pm & 7:00pm on Sunday JOYÀ: Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday One/Two Shows Nightly: 9:00pm (Weekdays) 7:00pm & 10:15pm (Fri, Sat & Holidays) PARAMOUR: Location: Lyric Theater, Broadway, New York City Performs: Wednesday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday One/Two Shows Daily: 2:00pm (Wednesday) 7:30pm (Thursday & Monday) 8:00pm (Friday) 2:00pm & 8:00pm (Saturday) 2:00pm & 7:00pm (Sunday) ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) WEBSERIES -- Official Online Featurettes o) FOTOS -- Images From Cirque & Other Photographs o) VIDEOS -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds --------------------------------------------------- WEBSERIES: Official Online Featurettes --------------------------------------------------- *) DHL: GREAT IS IN THE DETAIL A lot has changed since the world's number one grossing live entertainment tour got its start in Quebec in 1984. Thirty years on, Cirque du Soleil has become a part of the DHL partnership program, which will help bring the spectacular troupe of performers and acrobats to cities around the globe. "Not your average circus," the spectacular troupe of acrobats and performers has had more than 140 million spectators since its inception in Quebec in 1984. With shows in 300 cities on six continents, the partnership is the perfect fit for DHL's global logistics capabilities. Join us as we go behind-the- scenes with Cirque du Soleil on tour with "Great is in the Details" and learn how DHL and Cirque are working together! o) EPISODE 14: BRINGING TO LIGHT (KURIOS) May 13, 2016 In episode 14 of the Great is in the Detail series we learn the challenges of lighting a show. They must ensure the director’s vision is created whilst allowing artists to perform their acts without distraction. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/qXyp17B7goI > o) EPISODE 15: MUSICAL CUES June 22, 2016 In episode 15 of the Great is in the Detail series we understand how the artists and musicians rely on each other during the performances. We discover how composers are inspired by the artists and how the artists are inspired by the music. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/DU8VTMxyrX0 > o) EPISODE 16: TRACKING TALENT June 27, 2016 In episode 16 of the Great is in the Detail series we learn how Cirque du Soleil finds and fosters the amazing artists that perform in their shows – a process that can take months and months and requires a deep understanding of the show from the moment of inception. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/s1Bh8E5qHCY > Check out all the other episodes of this great web series here: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=8126 > *) THE BEATLES LOVE 10TH ANNIVERSARY We celebrate the 10-year anniversary of The Beatles LOVE with a look at the evolution the beloved Las Vegas show. o) INSIDE LOOK: OCTOPUS' GARDEN Immerse yourself in the underwater world of the revamped “Octopus Garden” scene LINK /// < https://youtu.be/pQbuEGki2A4 > o) BEGINNING OF EVOLUTION The Beatles LOVE celebrates 10 years on the Las Vegas Strip. Join us as we take a peek into the evolution of the show for this fantastic celebration. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/VCnwkG5GAtQ > o) INSIDE LOOK: "TWIST AND SHOUT" We are mesmerized by electrifying performance for the new “Twist and Shout” scene LINK /// < https://youtu.be/pNTa5bRlYOs > o) EVOLUTION OF SOUND Rock & Roll has never sounded better. Immerse yourself in the updated sound at The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/TjlpOa5oAKE > o) EVOLUTOIN OF PROPS Join us backstage and discover the fun and unique props that make The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil a one of a kind experience. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/CJa_f01sG5s > o) INSIDE LOOK: "YESTERDAY" Go behind the scenes of the beautifully reimagined acrobatic performance for “Yesterday” LINK /// < https://youtu.be/qPAg_TiCO3g > o) EVOLUTION OF COSTUMES & MAKEUP The costume and makeup teams’ creative process continue to evolve with the show. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/ObPY2Wgq8qs > o) 10TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION It’s like living in a dream! 10 incredible years and The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil is brighter, bolder, and bigger than ever! Hear it straight from the heart of some of our biggest fans! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/OqJVfwNPOW4 > --------------------------------------------------- FOTOS: Images From Cirque & Other Photo Links --------------------------------------------------- AMALUNA -- https://goo.gl/itlvhD -- Intermission Selfie AMALUNA -- https://goo.gl/Aq6emN -- Goodbye Artistic Director KOOZA -- https://goo.gl/EYLA9L -- Reflecting on a Good Day LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/ghPK31 -- Oyuna meets Aleksei LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/L5Fmeh -- Last FeW Shows in Montreal LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/oNg7Tu -- Goodbye Montreal #1 LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/2XnLHP -- Goodbye Montreal #2 LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/4Phs6h -- Goodbye Montreal #3 LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/dixKlg -- Goodbye Montreal #4 LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/5FzJK4 -- New Look for Hummingbirds? "O" -- https://goo.gl/VHnBYn -- Lining Up for Swim Trials OVO -- http://goo.gl/7v9nFC -- OVO in the Streets OVO -- https://goo.gl/Lv9J3I -- Green on Green is Bad! LOVE -- https://goo.gl/lhY23y -- Come Together SCALADA -- https://goo.gl/gdjMv0 -- Scalada Vision Premiere #1 SCALADA -- https://goo.gl/7DPJwN -- Scalada Vision Premiere #2 SCALADA -- https://goo.gl/87oQx4 -- Scalada Vision Premiere #3 SCALADA -- https://goo.gl/bc8NXl -- Scalada Vision Premiere #4 TORUK -- https://goo.gl/9uQCrk -- How Long Can You Handstand? TORUK -- https://goo.gl/w4osux -- Time Flies! TORUK -- https://goo.gl/eDpPIl -- In The Streets of Lincoln TOTEM -- https://goo.gl/ljwQuN -- Congrats Hideto Okuzawa! TOTEM -- https://goo.gl/MMWA9O -- On The Streets of Tokyo VAREKAI -- https://goo.gl/1OogDF -- Performance at Palacio Carlos --------------------------------------------------- VIDEOS: Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds --------------------------------------------------- AMALUNA -- https://goo.gl/f7LVkd -- Artists in Knokke AMALUNA -- https://goo.gl/Yp4aP1 -- Premiere in Knokke AMALUNA -- https://goo.gl/nx5ZcD -- Thank You Knokke AMALUNA -- https://goo.gl/blFTx8 -- More Knokke-Heist JOYA -- https://goo.gl/oSJ6b1 -- Meet Antonio Herrera KA -- https://goo.gl/ENU8kr -- Making of KA Video KOOZA -- https://goo.gl/Ox1vsC -- Teeterboard Training #1 KOOZA -- https://goo.gl/UmuibJ -- Teeterboard Training #2 KOOZA -- https://goo.gl/fnWi9p -- Last Shows in Santiago KOOZA -- https://goo.gl/D0vpsO -- G'Day Aussies! KURIOS -- https://goo.gl/u0ybdE -- Ryan Applies Makeup! KURIOS -- https://goo.gl/J4gGlj -- One Hour Until Showtime KURIOS -- https://goo.gl/TjAPZk -- Premiere at Tyson's Corner LOVE -- https://goo.gl/Y1Klio -- Happy Birthday Ringo! LOVE -- https://goo.gl/j7WjHb -- The Magic of John Lennon LOVE -- https://goo.gl/WRusIe -- Surprise Visit by Paul McCartney LOVE -- https://goo.gl/ycmFEm -- New Banner at The Mirage LOVE -- https://goo.gl/1yEjlP -- 10th Anniversary Celebration! LOVE -- https://goo.gl/hjOjiX -- A 10th Anniversary Thank You LOVE -- https://goo.gl/jSMMeV -- Love to LOVE LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/zNgqO7 -- Meet the Juggler! LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/KELOsy -- Step Onto a Mexican Movie Set LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/yjht96 -- Celebrating 100 Shows! LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/GoIjdL -- Los. Mos. Qui. Tos. LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/gLmdSZ -- Band Says Goodbye at HQ LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/lLCVi1 -- Goodbye Montreal! LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/r9M0St -- We're Coming Toronto! LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/jfN63U -- Dive Into a Cenote LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/kGG1ba -- Training in Toronto LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/YQC6Q9 -- Meet Krzysztof, 360 Swing Artist LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/KALbvo -- Meet Jonas, Head Carpenter LUZIA -- https://goo.gl/B4XZ86 -- Majo & Erini Singing Acapella "O" -- https://goo.gl/a1OGBG -- Makeup Application OVO -- https://goo.gl/K0bnoY -- Canada Day Celebration OVO -- https://goo.gl/ZUQtUC -- Thanks Windsor, Hello Memphis OVO -- https://goo.gl/IF8h4p -- Sunday Brunch w/Ants OVO -- https://goo.gl/id66bE -- Hello, Chattanooga! OVO -- https://goo.gl/dZQ7ug -- 360-Degree Rehearsal Video PARAMOUR -- https://goo.gl/Kwkg5q -- Atherton's in Time's Square PARAMOUR -- http://goo.gl/16EScD -- Ryan Vona at the Today Show PARAMOUR -- https://goo.gl/Ay7pr3 -- Stunning Acrobatics Look Easy? PARAMOUR -- https://goo.gl/w9XC0M -- Ruby Lewis on Recording Album SCALADA -- https://goo.gl/KdZXgm -- Discover Scalada: Vision TORUK -- https://goo.gl/vztQu3 -- 5@5 w/Gabrielle Martin TORUK -- https://goo.gl/AzG0YB -- 5@5 w/Elizabeth Brown Gagnon TORUK -- https://goo.gl/ovrJfa -- 5@5 w/Thomas Hubener TORUK -- https://goo.gl/tB5kCc -- Two Week Break! TORUK -- http://goo.gl/EB29bz -- 9 Secrets That May Surprise You TORUK -- https://goo.gl/IbmWGO -- More Shows in Chicago, Yay! TORUK -- http://goo.gl/S1OuGx -- KDVR Goes Behing the Curtain TOTEM -- https://goo.gl/dKQVmV -- Hello Osaka! TOTEM -- https://goo.gl/OvtTfN -- Dress Rehearsal Day TOTEM -- https://goo.gl/LfqrsR -- Premiere in Osaka #1 TOTEM -- https://goo.gl/fEldU5 -- Premiere in Osaka #2 TOTEM -- https://goo.gl/oXSHAu -- Glimpse of High Bar Training VAREKAI -- https://goo.gl/KGev9W -- Announcing UK Tour! VAREKAI -- https://goo.gl/Xr5mYj -- Performance at the Alhambra VAREKAI -- https://goo.gl/IbfpZF -- Wishing You a Soaring Summer ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "ALAIN VINET: 'Secrets of the Gods' (Part 1 of 2)" Interview by: Keith Johnson & Ricky Russo o) “High Flyer Daniel Lamarre: A Tour de Force” By: Lynn Gauker | Fifty-Five Plus Magazine o) "From Street Performer to Boho Billionaire... Meet Guy Laliberté" By: Diane Solway | W Magazine ------------------------------------------------------------ "ALAIN VINET: 'Secrets of the Gods' (Part 1 of 2)" Interview by: Keith Johnson & Ricky Russo ----------------------------------------------------------- As long-time amateur journalists, we are used to requesting time with artists, creatives, or executives at Cirque du Soleil. We are curious about so many things at a company that does numerous interesting, creative and unique things as an everyday occurrence of its existence. While we are used to asking, it is highly unusual for us ourselves to be asked. But such was the case when we got a message from our friend at Cirque Corporate Montréal, Musical Director Alain Vinet (Al-ahn VEE-nay), to spend some time with him catching up on Cirque’s latest music voyages. Long-time readers have enjoyed conversations with Mr. Vinet twice before in these pages. There was our initial discussion in 2009 with our article, “Moving Cirque” (< http://www.cirquefascination.com/? p=1597 >) where we discussed creation of the “25” 2-CD retrospective set (2009, CDS Musique 10030). And again in 2013 with our article, “Facilitating the Journey” (< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=3960 >) where we discussed creation of the CD’s for Totem (2010, CDS Musique 10034) and Amaluna (2012, CDS Musique 10046). But discussing the latest Cirque Music (of which there has been much lately) wasn’t the primary factor for him. He also wanted to respond to erstwhile Editor Richasi’s review of the broadcast version of Cirque’s 30th Anniversary Concert, “Celebrating 30 Years Through Music” (< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=5487 >. There Ricky raised several questions about song and singer selection, which Mr. Vinet felt could best be answered in an interview. That conversation will print in our next issue, but for now let’s talk with Mr. Vinet about the latest Cirque musical efforts! LUZIA ----- We started with the latest Cirque show CD release, Luzia (May 13, 2016, CDS Musique 10053). When we talked back in April the show was just about to premiere, with an extra amount of time for previews for a Big Top show, two weeks instead of the usual one. It was due, Mr. Vinet explained, to scheduling conflicts. “Because of problems coordinating [the schedules of] everybody involved being able to be there for the Premier, they gave us an extra week of previews to fix things. Normally we open the big top shows for previews and a week later do the Premier. This time because of scheduling circumstances [there was a delay, but] it makes everybody happy to have an extra week to breathe before. I don’t know [if it’s a trend.]” In what we think is just the second time for a CDS Musique release, the CD for the show was available on the first day of premiere in Montréal! Usually it isn’t available until several months after a show has set off on its journey, allowing time for the show to settle and go through what Cirque calls “fixation.” This time there was another mandate, which came, “…from the heavens! Actually [it was] one of the things that changed when Guy sold 90% of the shares of Cirque, decisions like [having] the CD ready by a certain date resides with someone else. Not having the CD ready for the opening of the show [meant we] were losing a lot of money, because the markets we go to first - Montréal, Toronto and San Francisco - are always big markets for us.” (They are three of Cirque’s largest worldwide markets, that generally occur in the first six months of a shows life.) But producing a CD in parallel with a shows creation brings other issues to the fore, such as whether the “sound” of the show is represented in the CD, and the use of creation musicians. The difference between the music on this CD and its arrangement in the show, he explained, is like the difference “[between] Montréal versus Seattle.” (Laughs.) In addition to having a product for sale in important early markets, the nature of the show (being inspired by Mexico) was another reason to move forward quickly and use a different production/recording team. “The idea was to also create credibility in the Latin pop market. Because it's a show about Mexico we wanted to represent the modernity of Mexico. So I thought the CD would be the perfect way to do that, [given that we had] to have the CD ready for the premiere. I thought it was the perfect place to represent the modernity, and [allow us] to tap into that Latin America music market before the show actually [starts touring there.] For the first time the CD has the chance to be the ambassador.” The moved-up timeline also meant the trend of using creation musicians to record the soundtrack CD had to be abandoned. “It was not possible to use the creation musicians, because they [had just] arrived for rehearsals in January, they didn’t know the songs yet. And they were busy because they had mis-en-scene, costuming, makeup, and all that to learn. So it was impossible for us to get [access to] them while they were in creation.” “But the demand was to have a CD for the Premier of the show. And we came to the conclusion that we could get somebody from Mexico to actually do the recording with real Mexican musicians that had the soul we were looking for to make the record authentic.” The need for a pair of music pieces from the show to be available immediately for use in promotion materials presented the Cirque team with another challenge, but also an opportunity. “I proposed [the production duo of Ramón Amezcua (DJ moniker “Bostitch”) and Pepe Mogt (“Fussible”), known as Nortec Collective (Found at nor-tec.org or https://www.facebook.com/nortecbf/)] to (Luzia composer) Simon Carpentier (simon-carpentier.com) and said let’s work with these guys. And Simon actually knew them and loved what they did. Obviously they are two DJ producers but they always keep the traditional instruments of Mexico, like tuba, trumpet, accordion and guitar in their music, and it's very, very cool what they do. So we were both in agreement that this would be the perfect [solution] for the two singles.” “The first two we did were the first piece on the CD, “Asi Es La Vida,” and we also did, “Los Mosquitos.” We didn’t want any vocal songs because we were using them for marketing purposes. So we tried that and we actually loved working with them; they are sweethearts, they are really good at what they do, and really fast.” “[Another] reason to use this particular team [was that] from the beginning of creation we had heard a lot of statements [that suggested that] – okay, yes, we are doing a show on the Mexican culture, but we also need to represent what it is today. In the show itself it's a little bit tough to do because obviously we are more into an acoustic setting, more into musicians playing live etc. etc. And to put electronic or trendy music in the show was a little bit more difficult.” Satisfaction with those first two tracks gave Cirque the confidence to use the team to produce the entire soundtrack using their own musicians. The CD provided the perfect opportunity to incorporate the modernity of Mexican electronic music by being produced by the Nortec Collective duo. But at the same time, there was concern that the sound of the CD would not quite match the sound of the music as played in the show itself. “That being said, I asked them to put “inspired by the music of the show” (on the cover) because it is quite different. I am hoping this is not going to be a double-edged sword where people expect the show to be as electronic as the CD (or the CD to be as acoustic as the show, for those buying it as a souvenir of the show).” “When you buy the CD [as a souvenir], that notion of “inspired by” kind of excuses that. That was one of my first concerns when they asked me to have it ready for the premiere. I said, “Look, we've seen in the past that when the music you buy is not what you hear in the show sometimes there are complaints. But let's try something new. That is why, if you [look at] the sleeve it's very clearly indicated that it's “inspired by” the music of Luzia. That was something that I insisted upon from the beginning, because obviously fixation [had not been done].” “We [had the same] experience [on] Toruk. I was asked to deliver the master in October in order to have it for the Premier in Montréal in December. Guy [Laliberté] didn't oppose it. Now that he's sold he's letting a lot of it go and not making a lot of business decisions, [though] he is on board as a lead creator. [Previously] Guy always insisted that we wait until we actually had a show before we produce [a CD] for it. So you could say this is one of the things that has changed since the sale.” With an average lifespan of 10-15 years, having a show CD accurately reflect the music as played in the show could be a major consideration over the long term that might not be as important to an ownership whose plans are to increase the value of the company and then sell within the next 5 or so years, and thus not be around to deal with the consequences of shorter-term decisions. What Luzia CD tracks appeal to him? “That's a tough one. Obviously the three vocal songs are right up there, they’re the main things actually.” (Those would be the ones creation singer Maja Cornejo sings on; 2-“Tiembla La Tierra”, 4-“Pambolero”, and 9-“Cierra Los Ojos”.) JOYÀ ---- As opposed to Luzia, the original creation musicians team of: Sophie Guay – Vocals; Benoit Martin – Guitars, Bandleader; Abraham G. Buchanan – Drums; and Bryden Baird - Trumpet, were part of the recording of the Joyà CD (Dec 24, 2015, CDS Musique 51919). And that was due to a clever plan on Mr. Vinet’s part. “They had a break in, I think it was September, 2015, in which they were all coming to Montréal. The show was going dark for, like three months or something like that, and some people were going back to their families. So what I did was contact them and ask if we could have them all for two days in a row, the four musicians [in the studio] at the same time, to get the spirit, instead of recording the drums one day and something else the next. Because you can record the drums first, then the bass, then the guitars later, but you miss the chemistry of the people playing together.” “The only way to do this project was if we [played the entire] show, and that's exactly what we did. We took the Ableton Live tracks of the show (a software package that plays additional music tracks and samples in sync with live performance) and transferred the playback tracks, so as they were playing along we could skip the parts we did not need. All the big numbers we recorded as if we were doing the show, and we edited it later. It was a lot easier on the musicians because they didn't need to learn a new [arrangement]. It was done quickly, but the recordings were amazing. Rob Heaney, our recording engineer, was there with me helping to guide them. So when we finished in the studio the job was pretty much done; we just had to edit a little and mix, but the tracks were already good.” This plan had a number of advantages. Less time commitment from the musicians was one; two days in the studio is way under the norm for the average CD. The resultant tapes had the sound and feel of the show in live performance. And less studio time meant less expense. What is his favorite track? “It's a [medley of] three transitional songs, [with] a little of the Brazilian vibe in the middle, called “The Dive.” It starts very, very soft. It has a very soft intro where we really hear Sophie (Guay’s) voice perfectly. Then we go into that little bit of Brazilian feel, which is not like that in the show but I decided to make it a little bit more rhythmic. There's a lot of music in Joyà that [is transitional], a minute and a half here, two minutes there, [and they] kind of glide into one another. When you don't have the visual it's hard to use those little snippets. This one I particularly like the melodies.” TORUK ----- Another 2016 CD release in a busy year for CDS Musique is the soundtrack from the James Cameron’s Avatar-inspired Toruk-The First Flight composed by Bob & Bill (Guy Dubuc and Marc Lessard (Feb 5, 2016, CDS Musique 10052). This arena show features pre-recorded musical tracks, though occasionally accompanied by a live singer. Since the music was pre-recorded the tracks were already available, which allowed the CD to be produced in parallel with creation and ready by Premiere. Those tracks were used to create the CD. “Maybe mixed a bit different, with some secrets that Rob and I [added].” “We had a mandate to not go too electronic because the context of the music is you're on the planet Pandora. On Pandora there is no metal, so crashes and all of that had to be foregone. It's really interesting the way Marc and Guy approached it. Some [sounds were made by playing on] wood in the forest to make percussion sounds. All kinds of things like that, using instruments that were out of this world, not using the typical guitar, bass, drums. Of course there are drums, of course there is guitar, of course there is bass, but not using them in a typical format. That was the mandate Guy gave them, he suggested that maybe on this planet it's not chromatic. So they got inspired and went in a lot of different directions. They had to create a unique musical color for each of the clans, and in some of the clans there are voices. And there are a lot of voices in Toruk.” The CD also features appearances from several Cirque creation musical veterans, including: o) Julie McKinnes from “O”, KÀ and Amaluna (Lead vocals and Cello on “Viperwolves/Timpani Clan”) o) Isabelle Corradi from Alegria and Varekai (Lead vocals on “Kekunan Clan”) o) Christian Laveau from Totem (Lead vocals on “Luminous Reunion”) o) Wayne Hankin from Varekai (Tramp (Jew’s Harp) on “Shaman Story”) They appear because, “…they are in the show, [their] parts are in the playback. There is a singer, but the singer is there more to help lead the storyline. The [live] singer represents the head clan.” Mr. Vinet’s favorite? ““Takwami Clan.” The one where Elsieanne (Caplette) sings.” OTHER FORTHCOMING CDS --------------------- We also had a moment to talk about some forthcoming music projects. The Broadway Cirque show Paramour will be getting a CD produced by Mr. Vinet himself! Recorded in one day(!) with the band and vocalists recording simultaneously (as many Broadway musical CD’s are) in a recording space at Avatar Studios in New York (which was previously known as the famous Power Station), the CD will be released in digital format on August 22, 2016 and out in CD form on September 16. In addition, the Soda Stereo musical project (now called “Séptimo Día – No Descansaré” “Seventh Day-I Will Not Rest”) is also toward a March 9, 2017 premiere in Buenos Aires. (Tickets are on sale now; our South American readers can pick them up HERE < http://goo.gl/D0EgN5 >. The forthcoming CD should be interesting, since the music is moving in a direction, “…more like Beatles Love. The two remaining band members are having fun in the studio rehashing their old songs to make them fit whatever (show director) Michel Laprise has in mind.” NEW CONSIDERATIONS ------------------ One commonality between the CD’s discussed above that Cirque music fans like us tend to notice is that the songs on the CDs are getting shorter and the album total times are getting shorter. Toruk’s total time is 46 minutes, Luzia comes in at 44 minutes, and Joyà clocks in at only 36 minutes. We wondered if this was a trend. Again, the answer is not so simple. And no small part of it is that soundtracks and videos are no longer considered just brand extensions – souvenirs, mementos – they are treated as profit centers as well. So such concerns as how much time is spent in a recording studio, and thereby how much material is recorded for a particular shows CD, becomes part of the financial calculation. “It's trying to optimize what we do for the return we get. In the music business, it’s commonly known that when you pay an artist for one session you are allowed [to record only] 15 minutes of music for the CD maximum. We [also] try to keep each song under 5 minutes just to make it a more coherent experience instead of having 7 minutes arrangements that get boring after a while.” “And in the case of Joyà the show itself is 77 minutes if you count the intro. There is a lot of transition music but there are only eight [songs]. So I tried to combine some transitions to have [more] music on the CD. So that's why we ended up with a 35-36 minute CD that you can listen to from one end to the other and it flows kind of like the show.” The wide variety of delivery methods, especially digital, would suggest more possibilities for special or expanded releases of show soundtracks. But, as Mr. Vinet points out, “The downside to special releases is that it's like the 30th Anniversary Concert. It's not necessarily designed as a wide appeal kind of product, it's more a specialty kind of product, like the three-disc special edition of Varekai was. It was designed to fill in the gaps that the regular CD missed.” “Without looking at the business aspect, I could see how one might think that we could take everything we ever put out and put it on digital really easily and cheaply. If there were ways to increase the availability and variety of Cirque music, the different kinds of music, or the different forms music can take, through some sort of fan club or special edition kind of thing, yes, I would encourage that very much.” But again, financial considerations Cirque fans might not be aware of are a large reason why we don’t see those releases. “All it boils down to is that each time you make a master and use it commercially you have to pay everybody again. That's where it gets incredibly cost ineffective.” Last time, we talked about Mr. Vinet’s involvement with CD’s in terms of working with composers on the arrangements. Have those responsibilities evolved? “I'm continuing to do that except that going forward I am getting more and more involved in the actual production process, which is what I did for a living for years as a DJ. So I got really interested in being part of the team that actually produces the CD. And especially with Bob and Bill; when they came on board I'm kind of the person that opened that door for them.” “When you are actually in a creation it's hard to be objective afterward and produce the CD. So as we did [with the Bob & Bill- composed shows] Totem (2010, CDS Musique 10034), Amaluna (2012, CDS Musique 10046), and Kurios (co-composed with Raphëal Beau, 2014, CDS Musique 10051) where they were involved for the last part, it became obvious that I [could] come in and co-produce with them. For Totem and Amaluna [Bob & Bill] laid the groundwork. Rob Heaney and I then went in and did the mix and all the edits to get the songs into a proper listening mode, like a pop song if you will. So that became my role, but instead of giving the orders I actually did it. Which is more fun for me! (Laughs.)” * * * Next Month, we talk about the 30th Anniversary Grand Concert. And, what they were thinking! ------------------------------------------------------------ “High Flyer Daniel Lamarre: A Tour de Force for Cirque” By: Lynn Gauker | Fifty-Five Plus Magazine A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter ----------------------------------------------------------- TORUK — The First Flight is one of Cirque du Soleil’s three latest death-defying acts to thrill audiences around the globe. The multimedia show brings to the stage the enchanting world of James Cameron’s AVATAR. Propelled by an uplifting cinematic score, TORUK is an eclectic fusion of cutting-edge visuals, puppetry, and, of course, Cirque du Soleil’s signature acrobatic style. The combination of athleticism, balance, theatrical performance and imagination that fuels the show equally underscores the pioneering spirit of C. “Cirque du Soleil is, today, a junction between sports and cultural performance. Maybe because I was both playing football and doing theatre as a youth at high school, that was an indication of what I would do later on,” says the organization’s iconic leader, referring to his eventual entry into the world of Cirque. At age 62, Daniel is a study in subdued exuberance and understated boldness. He believes the ability to tap into one’s imagination and creativity in the workplace is paramount to achieving success. “Bringing on new projects is what I enjoy the most. I had a blast on December 21 at the Bell Centre watching TORUK, our new show; seeing [Canadian filmmaker] James Cameron as excited as I was; seeing everyone from Cirque being so proud about having this opportunity,” Daniel exclaims about the act running through Quebec, the U.S. and Ontario from January to September 2016. CRAVING CREATIVE CHALLENGES “I was like a kid that night, and I hope I will never lose the spirit of looking for new creative challenges,” Cirque’s enterprising chief maintains. “It started with an informal conversation when James Cameron invited me to his studio while shooting the first AVATAR movie, and building this type of relationship is very important.” Seated in his creative-chic Montreal office, Daniel’s eyes twinkle as we converse. He enjoys talking about what it is like to run the phenomenally popular, multi-billion-dollar organization located in St. Michel, an inner city of Montreal, Quebec. Perhaps fittingly so, the leader of Cirque du Soleil admits that what is also key to achieving corporate success is his ability to be “someone who is striving to have fun all the time, as much as possible.” As the head of the world’s largest theatrical producer, Daniel is in charge of generating strategies for business development and operations. He is also accountable for the company’s financial sustainability, as well as its culture and values. Although Daniel’s world evokes images from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, his life was not always glitz and sparkle. Cirque du Soleil’s chief grew up in the tiny village of Grand- Mère, then a municipality in central Quebec, located 35 kilomeres (22 miles) north of Trois- Rivières. Today, Grand-Mère forms part of the City of Shawinigan. Founded in 1898, Grand-Mère is an important railway and river transportation centre serving the lumber, pulp and paper, hydroelectric and textile industries, and is surrounded by verdant nature: forested hills, lakes, flat plains and farms. Growing up in the small community, Daniel’s family faced financial hardship early on. “We were quite poor, but I never felt that we were. It was only when I became an adult that I realized we had not been rich. But money was never an issue because we had so much fun,” he recalls. Moreover, village life helped Daniel develop a strong sense of self and solid values — essential to how he would transact business down the road. YOUNG ATHLETE Since childhood, Daniel has been fascinated with the entertainment world. Grand-Mère, however, offered little opportunity in that field. Montreal was the entertainment scene, “the big city, and almost unachievable for me.” The youth focused, instead, on athletics – primarily hockey and track and field, and later on, football. “I was successful [academically], but if I would have had an hour to play on an ice rink or read a book, I would spend it on an ice rink.” Daniel went through training camp and was selected for Trois-Rivières’ junior hockey team. “But I was studying at a private high school that was very tough on its students. They called my parents and convinced them I should not play for the junior hockey team, but only for the school. At the time, I was very upset, but that was probably the very best thing for me, because I could concentrate on my studies and not lose all my teeth playing hockey.” The Grand-Mère native quickly switched sports and wryly admits he was the only student playing for his school’s football team while enrolled in performing arts and acting in the school’s theatre troupe. Despite their differing opinions over playing hockey, Daniel was, and still is, very close with his parents, Gilles and Pauline Lamarre. His mother has always been a positive influence on the family. His father instilled in him great confidence, along with his two younger sisters and two younger brothers. “He always supported us in a way that made us feel we were the best and led us to believe we could do anything we wanted to in life.” POSITIVELY RESILIENT Having been raised in a very positive home environment, Daniel admits, “I run away from negativity as much as I can.” He chuckles, his wide smile illuminating his strong, artistic facial features. “I like to think positively, and I think I am resilient. When people come to my office with a problem, they should have a solution.” Along with athletes and actors, who ranked high on Daniel’s list of favourite people when he was a boy, so did entertainers – including circus performers. “The first time I went to the circus, I was probably six. It was a small circus called Kermesse, travelling around Quebec, and being broadcast by Radio- Canada. I was really impressed.” Although he had developed a dynamic, hard-working approach to life at a young age, Daniel never thought he would one day become a public figure. Even today, he confesses, “I’m always surprised when I’m at the airport and someone says, ‘Mr. Lamarre, congratulations on Cirque du Soleil.’” BOLD CAREER MOVES Throughout his life, Daniel has had a steady, strategic progression from one career to another, starting at the age of 16. At that time, the youth enjoyed working as a journalist for Le Nouvelliste de Trois- Rivières, the local daily. It was a bold move for someone his age, and the first of many in his career. The fledgling journalist also worked for Radio- Canada in Trois- Rivières while completing CEGEP, before leaving in 1972 to study communications at the University of Ottawa – the initial turning point in his life.An added bonus about studying in Ottawa was learning the English language, “because there was no one in Grand-Mère who spoke English.” Daniel was among the first to graduate with a degree from the university’s new faculty of communications. Within less than a year of graduating, he returned to Trois-Rivières to assume the position of communications director for the Fèdèration des Caisses Populaires du Centre du Quèbec. One year later, in 1977, he left to take on the role of public relations director for Montreal-based Cogeco Inc., a telecommunications and media company. These career moves would set the pace for Daniel’s rapid ascent up the corporate ladder, and led to the second key turning point in his life. In 1981, the forward-thinking 28-year-old joined Burson-Marsteller in Montreal – the world’s largest public relations firm – as its president and CEO. But a new corporate lure was soon to surface, and in 1984, Daniel left Burson-Marsteller for the position of executive vice-president and senior partner at National Public Re- lations (NPR), Canada’s largest privately-owned public relations firm. “NPR came to me and asked me why I was working for a foreign-owned organization, saying I should be doing the job of an entrepreneur and should join them as a partner,” he recalls. “It took me a while to make up my mind, but I liked the idea of becoming independent.” A RISING STAR In the early 1980s, the same time Daniel was establishing himself in the world of public relations in Montreal, a troupe of 20 acrobats and troubadours entertained vacationers in Baie-Saint-Paul, a municipality in Quebec’s Charlevoix County. The street theatre group included Guy Lalibertè, who walked on stilts, juggled, danced, sang, played music and breathed fire. Founded by Gilles Ste-Croix, the troupe was known as Les Èchassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul (the Baie-Saint-Paul Stiltwalkers). In 1984, Quebec City was celebrating the 450th anniversary of Canada’s discovery by Jacques Cartier, and needed a show that could carry out the festivities province-wide. Guy presented a proposal for a show called Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) to the Quebec government, which was organizing the celebrations. Needless to say, he succeeded in convincing the organizers that Cirque was a lucrative act capable of attracting a wide audience. With financial support from the Quebec government, the troupe was officially formed and called Cirque du Soleil. More than 30 years, 155 million spectators, billions of dollars spent in ticket purchases, hundreds of thousands of Cirque performances, and 300 cities within 40 countries spread across six continents later, Guy Lalibertè, Gilles Ste-Croix and their cronies’ cherished “crazy dream” has reached dizzying heights. Unbeknownst to Daniel, the vibrant, yet soft-spoken man who grew up close to where Cirque du Soleil had taken root would eventually point the company’s strategic direction and expansion sky high. MEETING THE TITANS The genesis for Daniel joining Cirque occurred in 1986, when Guy became one of Daniel’s customers. “At the time, he couldn’t pay my bills because Cirque was struggling financially.” Daniel waived his fee and wished Guy much success with his new company. In 1995, Daniel became NPR’s president and continued to work closely with Quebec media outlets. Two years later, he had accepted an offer from Andrè Chagnon, Quebec’s media kingpin and owner of TVA Group Inc., Quebec’s largest private television broadcaster, who asked Daniel to become president and CEO of the organization. “Because of my [communications] background, I was very excited about the idea of managing such an important communications company in Montreal.” JOINING THE CIRCUS In January 2001, Daniel made history by taking on the role of president and CEO at Cirque du Soleil. He admits joining Cirque “was a bold and daring move, but I was the only person who didn’t realize that. I’m glad I didn’t know, because I probably would have made a different decision.” Cirque provided him the opportunity to have a “playground that was bigger than just Canada.” Despite his initial enthusiasm about entering the theatrical world, things did not go off without a hitch. “I was totally lost.” The head of the first nouveau cirque to gain global popularity by not using animal acts grins, seemingly amused by his brutal honesty. He had told Guy at the outset that he was a quick learner and would be off to a flying start within just a few months. But Guy simply laughed at Daniel’s remarks, “because he knew there was no benchmark for Cirque. Everything we do here is very unique. It doesn’t matter where you are coming from – it takes a long time to understand the business model, all aspects of the organization, the creative process. And it took me a good year before I started to feel at ease in this organization.” Through the years, Daniel has overseen the creation of 10 Cirque subsidiaries, dedicated to, among other things, custom-made show content, media (together with Bell Media) and multimedia. “One of my strengths or contributions to this organization is that I see myself as a business developer. That’s what I’ve been doing all my life,” he says. “I worked very hard to help Guy finalize the deal with the Beatles [for the Cirque show Love] and to develop the Michael Jackson show, One. “When you bring a new show to Cirque, it means you will create more jobs for Quebecers and more jobs for creative types,” Daniel adds. “And that’s what is driving me.” That, along with the fun aspect of heading up a company such as Cirque. BEST JOB IN THE WORLD “I’m passionate about the life I live. I should be grateful and thankful every day because I have the best job in the world,” says Daniel. “People have always been trying to get my attention about other jobs. But I haven’t seen, nor do I foresee, anything as crazy and as much fun as the job I have.” Part of that fun comes from the attention the company pours into audience experience. Investing in research for show development is at the heart of Cirque’s operations. “Expectations are very high. People want to get surprised again at each show. We have to come up with new ideas; new ways of doing things.” Under its internal R&D program called Eureka, employees are asked to obtain helpful information, ideas and direction for Cirque productions. “We like to think of this organization as having 5,000 pairs of eyes and ears travelling around the world.” He adds, “We do have traditional research we conduct all the time, to see how people would react to our show content. We also have an amazing network of people and creators around the world, bringing us new ideas.” LUZIA AND PARAMOUR OPEN Daniel says the company is continuing to thrill with its latest big top show, Luzia, which opened in Montreal’s Old Port April 21, and which will open at Port Lands in Toronto July 28. “With Luzia, it is the first time we are doing water under the big top. Even if you’ve seen 10 Cirque du Soleil shows, you’ll be surprised when you see TORUK, when you see Luzia, when you see Paramour on Broadway.” Determining the location of each act is equally important. Daniel cites New York City as an example of a key market where the organization has been underdeveloped. “We stepped back and asked ourselves why we don’t have a presence in New York City, and decided to open an office there in the spring of 2014. And guess what? We are opening our first Broadway show [Paramour] this May.” Remaining physically fit through the years has also helped Daniel keep pace with his children, now ages 33 and 35. And today he enjoys time with his five grandchildren who, he says, “have changed my life for the best, because kids bring you back to normal life.” Cirque’s top gun flashes a smile. “I’m just coming back from a week’s holiday, and my wife was amazed to see how I was able to forget about my job for a week. The reason for that was my granddaughter, who is four years old. She was driving me every day, saying, ‘We have to go there. We have to do this.’” Perhaps she takes after her dynamic grandfather, who remains driven to ensure Cirque du Soleil continues to spellbind audiences worldwide. How much longer does Daniel Lamarre plan to remain at the helm of the world’s most famous circus? “For as long as the owners want me; for as long as I’m healthy – and that’s why I’m training and working hard, and want to continue to have fun for as long as possible.” After all, there’s no business like show business. ------------------------------------------------------------ "From Street Performer to Boho Billionaire... Meet Guy Laliberté" By: Diane Solway | W Magazine A Special to the Fascination! Newsletter ----------------------------------------------------------- The first time Guy Laliberté, 56, visited Ibiza, in the late 1970s, he paid his way as a busker, stilts walker, and fire-eater. Back then, the idyllic Spanish island was a hippie enclave frequented by nudists, out-of-favor aristos, and pedigreed thrill seekers on the hunt for mind-altering, round-the-clock bacchanalia. These days, Laliberté owns Can Soleil, a 64-acre spread on Ibiza’s northwest coast, purchased from the art collector and Mercedes-Benz heir Friedrich Christian “Mick” Flick, and he arrives via either his own plane or his 178-foot yacht, the Tiara. While the intervening years have seen the street performer–turned–Cirque du Soleil cofounder become a billionaire, they have done little to diminish his flair for seeing possibility in unlikely places. “They thought I was crazy when I brought this here,” Laliberté told me one afternoon this past February, practically shouting over the whipping winds as we walked around the first large-scale artwork he had transported to the island. Time and Space the Speed of Light, 13 solid-basalt columns that rise, Stonehenge-like, over the cliffs, was a commission from the Australian sculptor Andrew Rogers. Laliberté laughed as he recalled how local authorities looked askance at his insistence on erecting the 420-ton installation on his property. “They sent police cars!” When it comes to his endeavors—whether it’s creating a global brand out of a band of street artists or becoming the first Canadian space tourist (more on that later)—Laliberté is a high-stakes player, the kind of impresario that his boyhood heroes P.T. Barnum and Walt Disney might have admired. Though he began amassing blue-chip contemporary art only three years ago, the Montreal-based mogul has just unveiled a public sculpture park on the grounds of his Ibiza home, a year after opening two contemporary exhibition spaces near the center of the island’s namesake town. Also in town is Heart Ibiza, a club and restaurant designed by Patricia Urquiola that he co-owns with the celebrated chef brothers Albert and Ferran Adrià, of El Bulli fame. “I always plant the seeds of my desire and try to be a gardener of it,” Laliberté said with a mixture of understatement and bravado, making it clear that he hopes for nothing less than to turn this sybaritic outpost into a year-round cultural destination even after the summertime highfliers and famous DJs have moved on. “And I’ve been lucky in my life to be very successful in my harvest.” Dotting his sculpture park’s vast hardscrabble grounds are Ugo Rondinone’s colossal Stone Figure, 2015, and Ai Weiwei’s Iron Tree, 2013. Nestled strategically in the brush are enormous red boulders inscribed with text, part of the conceptual artist Jenny Holzer’s site-specific commission. At Laliberté’s invitation, Holzer spent several weeks in residence this past winter, scouring the island for rocks and preparing for the exhibition that now fills Laliberté’s two public spaces—Lune Rouge and Art Projects Ibiza—overseen, as is the park, by Heather Harmon, director of the art advisory KCM Fine Arts. The exhibition, “Are You Alive?” which runs through mid-December, includes Holzer’s iconic LED artworks and a selection of marble benches inscribed with aphorisms. In the sculpture park, she was hoping to carve Dada text or concrete poetry right at the waterline, and sentence fragments or words on the rocks on the slope of the hills. “That way, the thought gets completed by the visitor by the time they get to the bottom,” she elaborated when I joined her and Laliberté on a tour. I asked her later what she made of her patron. “He strikes me as someone who thinks that being a bit wild is a good idea.” Last summer, the first artist in residence was the Japanese superstar Takashi Murakami, who inaugurated the exhibition spaces to great fanfare. “Guy took a plunge into the deep end of the pool very quickly,” Tim Blum, whose gallery Blum & Poe represents Murakami, says of Laliberté’s ambition. “He’s not theoretical; he has uncanny primal instincts. A lot of what he responds to is work that can be experienced in a spiritual or physical way.” A case in point is Sarah Lucas’s bawdy sculpture Gold Cup Maradona, a ginormous sunshine-yellow phallus thrusting to the sky that dominated the entrance to Lucas’s exhibition in the British Pavilion at the 2015 Venice Biennale and is now a highlight of Laliberté’s collection. Nearby is Giuseppe Penone’s towering 2012 Albero Folgorato/Thunderstruck Tree, whose sliced branches of bronze and gold leaf call to mind a thunderbolt. “At first I made mistakes,” Laliberté admitted, pointing out the drunken-angel statue on the lawn, which he plans to keep there as a reminder of those missteps. We were sitting on a white sofa winding around the grand picture windows in the main villa, one of several buildings at Can Soleil. A black toque was pulled down over his shaved head, and he was wearing a black leather jacket, a black scarf, black suede sneakers, and black jeans. With his tattoos, rows of beaded string bracelets, and ever-lit Gauloise, he suggested a French cineast. “My approach was more about buying things that made sense in an autobiographical way, creating the story that I wanted to make. But at a certain point, I wanted to build something serious. I got totally hooked and took it as a challenge to educate myself in a short period of time.” Three years ago, Laliberté hired Kimberly Chang Mathieu, the founder of KCM Fine Arts and a former art adviser to Los Angeles mega collectors Maurice and Paul Marciano of Guess. Chang Mathieu and Laliberté spent a year looking at museums, fairs, and galleries without buying a thing. “It was my Art History 101,” he joked. Since 2014, he has made up for lost time, purchasing about 100 pieces by 30 artists. “When something piques his interest, he can’t let it go,” Chang Mathieu told me. “He needs to understand, master, and be the best at it.” Sure, there are plenty of splashy current names in his collection, but Laliberté is also willing to dig deep into previous generations. In a recent show of works he owns at Lune Rouge, Kara Walker’s 2013 cut-paper wall installation The Sovereign Citizens Sesquicentennial Civil War Celebration shared the room with one of David Hammons’s shrouded mirrors, Nam June Paik’s 1994 video pieces, and a wall sculpture by Martin Kippenberger. If Laliberté’s tastes now lean more to the avant-garde than to mass entertainment, sharing his treasures with the public has always been part of his plan: One of the ways in which he reinvented the traditional circus with Cirque du Soleil was by combining musical theater, spectacle, and acrobatic disciplines from around the globe. “Your capacity to build a great institutional collection defines your quality as a collector,” he said, noting that he’s made major loans to the island’s only other public contemporary space, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Ibiza, which last year organized a show of collaborative works by the artists Douglas Gordon and Tobias Rehberger—another sign that Ibiza’s new crowd includes players on the international art circuit. Fabulous wealth, of course, has allowed Laliberté to move quickly, but so too has his rapport with the artists whose work he collects. “I think the fact that I was an artist really helps me get access to certain things that I wouldn’t have if I were only a rich collector,” he said. “I like spending time with people who have passion.” After a studio visit with the famously reclusive Hammons got off to an awkward start and Hammons left to get coffee, Laliberté sought him out on his own and clicked with the artist by talking about his days in New York as a street performer. He’s hosted Murakami and his family at elaborate Cirque premieres in Tokyo, and for the artist’s opening on Ibiza last summer, Laliberté threw a party at home for 1,700 guests and played DJ all night. Last October, he flew to Paris for Sterling Ruby’s first solo show with Larry Gagosian and, while there, bought Rondinone’s film of John Giorno performing his poem Thanx 4 Nothing, after seeing the work in the Giorno retrospective at the Palais de Tokyo. Ruby says he knows within the first 30 minutes of a studio visit if there is going to be a relationship with a collector. “I’ve had sheikhs and hedge fund kings come through,” he says. “With Guy, you could tell art was an obsession. His comments were intuitive and edgy.” Ruby considers him one of a handful of his “old-school patrons— the kind who come to the studio, talk about the work, and then come to see how it evolved in the show.” (And then buy it.) Laliberté sleeps anywhere from one to six hours a night, getting by on power naps. His style is decidedly laid-back, but he’s a stickler for detail, even choosing all the housewares and linens himself for the homes he owns around the world. His friends like to say that nothing makes him happier than masterminding the best party in town, whether it’s in Montreal or Tahiti. “He can just rip-roar-on-the-floor laugh because someone’s having a new experience,” said Chang Mathieu, who travels with him regularly. “He’s so excited when somebody’s eyeballs are like, ‘Holy shit!’!” His knack for “organizing chaos,” as he described his early role at Cirque, extends to his personal life. This past year, Laliberté took his two youngest kids out of middle school so they could travel around the world on the Tiara; the group included their mother, his ex- partner Claudia Barilla, his masseuse, and his then-girlfriend. Laliberté has three older children with his first partner, Rizia Moreira, a Brazilian former model, and the entire brood, together with all the grandparents, gathers for holidays in Kona, Hawaii. Two of his kids inherited their father’s love of adrenaline: His son Kami, 16, is a promising race-car driver on the Formula 4 circuit; his daughter Naima Moreira-Laliberté, 19, is a champion Canadian junior equestrian in dressage. Last year, when Laliberté sold 90 percent of his stake in the Cirque juggernaut to U.S., Chinese, and Canadian investors, he announced that he didn’t want to burden his children with burnishing his passion—he wanted them to discover their own. He still retains a 10 percent stake and remains in the role of artistic adviser for every Cirque show. Laliberté grew up in Quebec City, where his father worked in client relations for the aluminum manufacturer Alcan and his mother was a nurse. Both parents played music, and their son became adept at accordion. In school, he said, “I was a troublemaker, for sure. There was a moment when I could have jumped on the dark side, versus going for my dream.” He got kicked out of a few schools before the director at one of them recognized Laliberté’s ability to mobilize the students and put him in charge of student-faculty relations. At 18, he hit the road as a juggler and fire-eater; later, he started a theater troupe in which everyone preformed on stilts. In 1984, at the age of 25, he united a bunch of street performers he knew in Baie-Saint-Paul, a city on the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River, for a performance that would seed Cirque du Soleil, a spectacle that bridged the gap between circus and theater with a theme, lavish sets, commissioned scores, and no animal acts. Ever the showman, Laliberté said he sensed in the 1990s “that Las Vegas was the market to grab” and persuaded the casino mogul Steve Wynn to make Cirque a permanent fixture at his then-latest hotel, Treasure Island, and to cede him creative control of the show. In short order, Laliberté redefined Las Vegas as a family–entertainment destination. During my visit to Ibiza, I joined Laliberté for dinner at one of his villas, along with Holzer, Chang Mathieu, and various friends and colleagues. Though his conversation was punctuated with New Agey references to energy points, Laliberté laughingly recalled his unlikely foray into gambling. One night in 2006 at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, he asked to join a game of poker, but no one would let him in because he was a beginner. So he plunked down $50,000 on the table and got a seat. “He observed for about 20 minutes,” his friend Sean O’Donnell, who oversees Laliberté’s real estate and hospitality ventures, remembered, picking up the story. “Then he said to me, ‘Listen, they’re going to think we’re a bunch of drunk French frogs and that they’re going to take all our money.’ Of course, he ended up cleaning everybody out at that table that night.” A year later, Laliberté finished fourth in the World Poker Tour World Championship. In 2009, he upped the stakes on his adventures by traveling to outer space on a Russian Soyuz spacecraft, paying $35 million for the trip to the International Space Station. Before takeoff, he spent six months training alongside cosmonauts in Star City, Russia, where he learned about spaceflight and survival and lived and cooked for himself in a tiny apartment. Despite being a chain smoker, he passed dozens of medical tests. While in space—where he dared his fellow astronauts to don clown noses—he was patched in live via satellite to a U2 performance in Tampa, Florida. With Laliberté on the giant screen, his friend Bono chatted him up about the experience—to help raise awareness of Earth’s water-shortage issues on behalf of the One Drop foundation, which Laliberté had founded two years earlier. Laliberté is even considering a bold reinvention of the modern-day cemetery. Already, the creative maverick has purchased land in Montreal for a public memorial park, where he imagines visitors will celebrate the lives of those remembered there via a museum and interactive installations. He is also in the final stages of completing a private, solar-powered resort on Nukutepipi, the atoll he owns in French Polynesia, which is 475 miles from Papeete—more precisely, in the middle of nowhere. Laliberté has had to create everything from scratch: He erected a facility to make asphalt and cement to build a runway and greenhouses to produce vegetables. Modeled on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, it will be completely self-sustaining and serve as a kind of luxe “last” resort, should a doomsday scenario present itself. But back on Ibiza, the world’s toniest revelers were about to descend on the island, and Laliberté was eager to orchestrate their astonishment. “I want people to poke around and explore,” he said of Holzer’s plan to hide many of her new works across the property. “I’m just an actor in contemporary art. I’m not provoking change, but I’m making my little gesture. I’m taming my garden.” ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 16, Number 8 (Issue #151) - August 2016 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2016 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.10.2016 } =======================================================================