======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Issue #16 - December 2002 "Live to Cirque; Cirque to Live" ======================================================================= Bonjour et bienvenue! With the closure of its planned complexes (see the "Cirque Buzz" section within) we see that the world of Cirque du Soleil can change in the blink of an eye. This issue we continue our coverage of Cirque's changing world with "Fire Within", a documentary series on the creation of Varekai. The series is down to its last few episodes and the tension is really heating up! Our own Paul Roberts takes aim on the newly released Varekai CD with his review of the release. While the Techie Geek takes a much needed rest, we dive back into the Cirque archives with a look at two interesting things from the past: "Le Group du Soleil" and "Cahier à Colorier". All this and Happy Holidays to everyone around the world from our family to yours! ============ Contents: ============ * Cirque Buzz: News, Rumours & Sightings * Oyez, Oyez!: Cirque Online * Itinéraire: Tour/Show Information * Historie: This Month in Cirque History * Anniversarie: Birthday Wishes to Cirque Alumni * Télémagik: "L'Envol Sans Filet" -- Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within, Part 3 (By: Wayne Leung) * Cirque Musique: "Versification du Varekai" (By: Paul Roberts) * Behind the Curtain: "Varekai Album Titles" (By: Keith Johnson) * Beyond the Bigtop: "Le Groupe du Soleil" -- Série Part 2 (By: Ricky Russo) * From the Boutique: "Cahier à Colorier" -- Série Part 3 (By: Ricky Russo) * Obstructed View * Parting Quote * Next Issue * Subscription Information * Copyright & Disclaimer ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ: NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= Cirque Abandons Hotel Complexes ------------------------------- On December 3rd, Cirque du Soleil announced that it was abandoning its plans to launch a global series of hotel complexes dubbed "Complexes Cirque" that was first announced this past April. The announcement closes a two-year feasibility study as well as the development of the prototype complex in Montréal -- "Laboratoire Montréal Project". The project, if it had succeeded, would have launched Cirque into the hotel- management business, featuring establishments with Cirque's avant-garde approach. The September-11 attacks in the United States and a downturn in global tourism is to blame for the project's closure. The decision affects approximately 5 people in the New Ventures Business Unit and the University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM), from whom Cirque leased the property to build the complex. The details of the complexes themselves were kept secret, however, at one time it was rumored that the hotels would be anchored by Cirque du Soleil productions. The sites would also contain nightclubs, and other entertainment venues. If the Montréal project was successful, Cirque had planned to open up complexes in Barcelona, Hong Kong, London, New York, Paris, and Tokyo. "We have a pretty good feeling right now that this is not a very good time to start developing projects of that magnitude on the international scale," said company spokesman Renee-Claude Menard. "This is not the good time to do this and actually it is not a good idea for us to do this," she added. Cirque du Soleil will continue to place its efforts on its core product, its productions, and expand its Cirque du Soleil Images imprint. [Source: Cirque du Soleil; Canadian NewsWire; Wayne Leung; Ricky Russo] A Quidam Performer Falls ------------------------ A loud snap was heard just before artist Natalia Pestova fell to the stage during the 5:00pm performance of Quidam in St. Petersburg on December 5th. The fall occurred during the Spanish Web ("Cordes Lisses") act, which features seven performers unharnesed. Shocked and frightened, the crowd fell silent as they watched the horror unfold before them. Artists of the Cirque came to the aid of their fellow performer quickly. Ms. Pestova was immediately taken to Bayfront Medical Center for treatment. She was released later that evening. Cirque canceled the rest of the 5:00pm performance and the second performance at 9:00pm citing safety reasons. Patrons of both performances were provided instruction sheets on how to either obtain refunds or exchange their tickets for a future performance. The show is expected to continue Saturday and for the rest of the run in St. Pete. [Source: St. Pete Times; Ricky Russo] New Shows -- New Ideas? ----------------------- Some small details have emerged about the performances/acts slated to be in Cirque du Soleils newest shows: New York-New York (2003) and the MGM-Grand (2004). Slated to debut in July 2003, the New York-New York show is currently casting Rhythmic Gymnasts (to perform in a duo act), a Contortionist / Handbalancer (for a specialty act - either solo, duo, trio or quatuor), a Middle Eastern dancer (for an exotic dance act), and "virile" male and "voluptuous" female dancers. The MGM Grand show, slated to debut sometime in 2004, is currently looking for artists skilled in Archery and the Martial Arts -- Wu Shu, Kung Fu, and Akido with the ability to use a Sabre, Nunchakus or Katana. The MGM Grand show is also searching for twin female acrobats for a special duo act. As a side note, Cirque is also casting for "Cirque du Soleil Presents", a half-hour show featuring high-calibre acrobatics, and circus and variety acts presented by young and upcoming artists. As always further information will be released as it becomes available. [Source: Cirque du Soleil Casting; Ricky Russo] Storm Forces Cancellation ------------------------- Last month we reported that the premier of Varekai in the San Francisco Bay area was cancelled due to 70 mile-per-hour (112.7 kilometers-per-hour) wind gusts in the area. During the event the local media reported that damage had occurred to the trademark blue and yellow swirled big top. The incident made national news headlines when CNN reported that the entire structure collapsed. "Fascination!" spoke with Katie Mitchell, the show publicist for Varekai in California, and was provided with an official statement from Cirque du Soleil regarding the matter: "San Francisco, November 8, 2002 ... The Thursday, November 7th performance of Cirque du Soleil's VAREKAI was canceled due to high winds and concern for the safety of our patrons and our cast & crew. Contrary to some news reports, the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big Top), located in the Pacific Bell Park parking lot, is still standing fully secured and safe. [Friday's] 4:00 p.m. performance will go on as scheduled. It should be noted that spectators who held tickets for the canceled performance were able to exchange the tickets for a later showing or have the ticket price refunded to them." [Source: Katie Mitchell, Charles Zukow Associates; Ricky Russo] The Magic Continues ------------------- The rumor mill strikes this month with a bit of news regarding the status and upcoming tour itineraries for Cirque du Soleil shows: Quidam is set to tour Japan, but rumor suggests it may NOT visit Australia on its journey "east". Instead, Quidam will return to Europe after its Japanese tour and visit cities it had not been able to visit the first time around. Saltimbanco is going to continue on its European tour for at least another year when, rumor has it, the show might return to US soil and set-up in select cities across the United States. Alegria is rumored to be staying on the North American continent for quite some time though its exact length of stay is not yet determined. Further cities are to be announced as they are confirmed. Dralion is rumored to be soon picking up stakes and heading to Europe, visiting the townships and cities that Quidam visited on its first European trip. Dralion has been on an extended North American Tour since 2001. Cirque du Parade ---------------- On Wednesday, December 25th, fans of Cirque du Soleil will be able to find their favorite characters and personalities in the Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade. The parade is hosted by Regis Philbin and Kelly Ripa and airs on the ABC Television Network beginning at 11:00am. Besides Cirque du Soleil, the parade will feature Disney and ABC stars. [Source: The Washington Post; Wayne Leung; Ricky Russo] Varekai -- US Release Date -------------------------- Fans received their first taste of the Varekai music when the soundtrack was released on 11/5/02. Unfortunately at the time the CD was only available in Canada, but that is about to change. On 1/7/03, the Varekai CD will be available in the United States! You can pre-order the CD from many online retailers, including BestBuy.com and Amazon.com (which also is CDNow.com). The list price is $18.98, however, of the two mentioned Amazon is lower with $14.99 sale price. [Source: CDNow; Stephen Plante; Ricky Russo] USA Syncro Goes Dralion ----------------------- All 34 seniors vying for a spot on the 2003 national teams including the Olympic Training Squad got a head start this past weekend in San Antonio, TX where they learned the trial routine. The trial routine is set to Cirque Du Soleil's Dralion soundtrack and was choreographed by National Team Director Linai Vaz DeNegri and demonstrated by former national team member Anna Eng. For any questions or clarifications regarding the routine please email linai@usasynchro.org. [Source: Synchro Swimming USA e-Newsletter; Jim Mathre] Saltimbanco NOT to be re-filmed ------------------------------- In our July 2002 issue we reported that in conjunction with Bravo, the arts and film network in the United States and CDSi, Cirque would re-film Saltimbanco during its January 2003 run at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Fascination! has heard that contrary to previous rumors, Saltimbanco is not slated to be re- filmed after all. This is certainly disappointing news for fans of Saltimbanco who dislike the current filmed version. However, with Saltimbanco currently scheduled to continue its European tour with a possible return to U.S. soil, the show may yet find itself under the camera. [Source: Ricky Russo] Cirque du Lune? --------------- Perhaps that should read "Cirque du Looney" or "Cirque du Looneil?", but the "Lune" in the title stands for Luna (French for the moon) and is an idea by Michael Henderson that could turn the moon into a multi-billion dollar destination in Las Vegas. A $5 billion, 10,000-room hotel/casino is on the drawing board for Las Vegas, a city already replete with mega-resorts. "Moon Resort and Casino" would feature many "off-worldly" accommodations including a crater-like wave pool, a scale replica of the International Space Station (in the lobby), an indoor championship golf course and a 40-story recreation of the moon. One of the things that catches our eye (not that a vacation on the moon wouldn't) is "Cirque du Lune", a possible lunar-themed show from Cirque du Soleil. After visiting "Moon"'s website we were able to determine that "Cirque du Lune" appears not to be connected with Cirque du Soleil. Considering that the Cirque and MGM Mirage (which owns the Mirage, Treasure Island, Bellagio, MGM Grand, New York, New York among other Las Vegas destinations) signed an agreement to stage 2 more Cirque shows in 2003 and 2004, it is highly unlikely that another mega-resort would be able to sign Cirque to any kind of agreement. But anything is possible. This resort might sound far-fetched, but Henderson has spent approximately $1 million to build a scale model of his idea and hold press conferences to lure investors to pay for the mega of the mega-resorts. If you're interested in more about "Moon", visit their website at www.moonresortandcasino.com. I highly recommend the Video Tour, under the Moon Tour selection of the main menu. As always, Fascination! will keep our "eyes and ears" out on this one. [Source: WESH CH-2 Orlando; LasVegas4Visitors.com; Sam Quo Vadis; Ricky Russo] Cirque TV --------- Cirque du Soleil has released its schedule of appearance on Bravo, their US Network affiliate. The schedule of performance thus far are as follows (All times are Eastern): * December 31st: 08:00pm -- Quidam (120 Minutes) 10:00pm -- Dralion (120 Minutes) * January 1st: 12:00am -- Quidam (120 Minutes) 02:00am -- Dralion (120 Minutes) 11:00am -- Quidam (120 Minutes) 01:00pm -- Dralion (120 Mintues) * January 5th: 02:00pm -- Run Before You Fly (60 Minutes) 03:00pm -- Saltimbanco (60 Minutes) 04:00pm -- Nouvelle Experience (60 Minutes) 05:00pm -- Dralion (120 Minutes) 07:00pm -- Le Cirque Reinvente (60 Minutes) 08:00pm -- Nouvelle Experience (60 Minutes) 09:00pm -- Alegría (120 Minutes) 11:00pm -- Le Cirque Reinvente (60 Minutes) * January 6th: 01:00am -- Dralion (120 Minutes) 03:00am -- Run Before You Fly (60 Mintues) 04:00am -- Alegría (120 Minutes) ======================================================================= OYEZ, OYEZ(*)!: CIRQUE ONLINE ======================================================================= This Month at Cirque Club (By: Keith Johnson) --------------------------------------------- Cirque Club has been surprising us of late, with some significant new content on their members-only site each month. And this month is no exception, with two new sections to talk about. "Cirque Du Soleil on Screen" is devoted to listings of Cirque shows on (so far) American television, currently with listings for Bravo from November 26, 2002 through January 6, 2003. There's also a mention of theatres worldwide that are showing the IMAX film "Journey of Man." We can only think they got the idea from *our* "Cirque TV" section, which we've been doing for over a year. Cirque's "elves" have also been busy putting together a very special Xmas Holiday section. In one of the most fun special sections they've yet created, "Holidays With Cirque Du Soleil" consists of four sections - Celebrate, E-Cards, Gift Ideas and Goodies. "Celebrate" features a 2-minute special video of several Varekai performers sending holiday greetings. The Atherton twins, Rampin Brothers, and singer Zara Tellander, among others, appear in full makeup from San Francisco. As they speak in their native tongues, an English translation also appears. The video is available in low and high bandwidth Windows Media. "Gift Ideas" are items from the Boutique, sorted two ways. You can sort by type of recipient (Stocking- stuffers/Kids/Him/Her/Hard-to-Please) or by price (Under $25/$25-50/over $50). Both sorts present the same gift options. There are some new items here we haven't seen before, which speaks well of Cirques efforts to bolster their Boutique offerings. "E-Cards" is fun! You have a choice of two types of cards, with three images within each to choose from. You can choose "Be Creative" cards with images of John Gilkey as La Vigie, Alegria's Tamir duo, and a Mystère dancer. Or you can "Be Poetic" sending your own personal message with images from Varekai, a snowflake made up of contortionists, or a La Nouba clown riding on a field of ornaments. While the Poetic cards have one set image have no pre-chosen sayings, the Creative cards offer three "Tones" (Romantic/Inspirational/Mischievous) and three one-sentence "Messages". The different settings of these two parameters determine not only the Cirque-ey message, but also variations on the main imagery. It's a lot of fun to play around here and change the settings to see what you get. Once you're done with the creation, you can send the card to any friend or Cirque fan. Finally, the "Goodies" section is just that, and it's a treasure trove! It also links to the Xmas Messages video. But in addition it features 8 wallpapers, 1 from each of it's current shows, in 800 X 600 and 1020 X 768 formats. The imagery is familiar to Web Site visitors, but now fans can choose a screensaver based on their own Cirque show mood. There are also 10 recipes from the Cirque kitchens, in Adobe PDF format. (Note there are no pictures of the finished product here, it would be nice to have one, or at least a description of what the item is.) And finally, there are 8 Coloring Pages! Black and white line-drawn images of Alegria's White Singer, Quidam's Target and John, a trapeze artist, and Mystère Characters are just some of the PDF format images ready for printing and coloring. It's another month to send applause to the Website folks in Montreal, they continue to surprise us. We hope this section won't go away when the Holidays end, most of these items can be fun any time of year. We can't wait to see what they'll come up with next! At the Boutique (By: Ricky Russo) --------------------------------- This holiday season, as for Halloween, Cirque du Soleil has a full variety of goodies for fans to enjoy - from desktop wallpaper and eCards to more tangible collectibles. This month the Cirque Boutique (www.cirquestore.com) also has many new items for fans to enjoy - some that were previously only available on tour! - Sun Leather Mask ($225.00 US): An exquisitely crafted mask featuring a golden sun. The piece is crafted by Gilbert Coutu and is suitable to wear or hang! http://store.yahoo.com/cirquestore/sunleathermask.html - Etincelles Necklaces ($39.00 US): Designed by Isabelle Désy, the necklaces come to life with color and light. They can be worn in various styles, are made of acrylic beads and come in either Red or Clear. http://store.yahoo.com/cirquestore/necklaces.html - Varekai Programme ($12.00 US) Released in the United States during Varekai's Philadelphia run, the official Varekai programme is now available. Get yours today! http://store.yahoo.com/cirquestore/ivarekaii.html - Saltimbanco Programme ($12.00 US) It's been a long time coming, but the new European Tour Saltimbanco programme is now available on the Cirque du Soleil web site. It's a soft-cover book with 48 pages sized 7 1/4 by 12 3/4 inches. http://store.yahoo.com/cirquestore/issouvprog.html - Varekai CD/Programme ($29.00 US) A special holidays present from Cirque du Soleil! You get both the newly released Varekai CD and the show's programme in one package! http://store.yahoo.com/cirquestore/cdsouvprogva.html - Alegría Lantern ($25.00 US) One of the best items I've seen in a long time from Cirque is this lantern. It's made of Iron wire and was made special for the Cirque. It measures 7 1/2 by 10 1/2 inches and is a must- have collectible! http://store.yahoo.com/cirquestore/alegrialantern.html ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE: TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= [Touring Shows] Alegría: * Mexico City, Mexico -- at Gran Carpa Santa Fe Dates: Oct 10, 2002 to Dec 22, 2002 * Dallas, Texas -- at Fair Park Dates: Jan 23, 2003 to Feb 16, 2003 * Houston, Texas -- at George R. Brown Convention Center Dates: Mar 6, 2003 to Mar 30, 2003 * Austin, Texas: Spring 2003 * Portland, Oregon: Spring-Summer 2003 * Seattle, Washington: Summer 2003 * San Francisco, California: Fall 2003 Dralion: * Phoenix, Arizona -- at Temple Diabolo Stadium Dates: Nov 13, 2002 to Dec 15, 2002 * New Orleans, Louisiana -- at Zephyr Field Dates: Feb 6, 2003 to Feb 23, 2003 * Montreal, Quebec -- at Jacques-Cartier Pier Dates: May 15, 2003 to Jun 15, 2003 * Raleigh, North Carolina: Winter-Spring 2003 * Baltimore, Maryland: Spring 2003 * Cincinnati, Ohio: Summer 2003 * Hartford, Connecticut: Summer 2003 * St. Louis, Missouri: Summer 2003 * Nashville, Tennessee: Fall 2003 * Tampa, Florida: Fall 2003 Quidam: * St. Petersburg, Florida -- at Tropicana Field Dates: Nov 7, 2002 to Dec 15, 2002 * Tokyo, Japan Dates: Feb 7, 2003 to May 5, 2003 * Nagoya, Japan Dates: May 21, 2003 to Jul 6, 2003 * Osaka, Japan Dates: Jul 19, 2003 to Aug 31, 2003 * Fukuoka, Japan Dates: Oct 22, 2003 to Dec 7, 2003 Saltimbanco: * Madrid, Spain -- at Recinto ferial de Moratalaz Dates: Oct 31, 2002 to Dec 26, 2002 * London, England -- at Royal Albert Hall Dates: Jan 7, 2003 to Feb 2, 2003 * Bilbao, Spain -- at Zorrozaurre Dates: Feb 26, 2003 to Mar 23, 2003 * Geneva, Switzerland -- at Plainpalais Dates: Apr 18, 2003 to May 11, 2003 * Oostenade, Belgium -- To Be Determined Dates: Jul 24, 2003 to Aug 17, 2003 Varekai: * San Francisco Bay, California -- at Pacific Bell Parking Lot Dates: Nov 7, 2002 to Dec 22, 2002 * San Jose, California -- at Water Company at Delmar Avenue Dates: Jan 16, 2003 to Feb 9, 2003 * Atlanta, Georgia -- at Cumberland Galeria Dates: Mar 13, 2003 - Apr 20, 2003 * New York, New York: Spring 2003 * Chicago, Illinois: Summer 2003 * Los Angeles, California: Fall 2003 * Orange County, California: Fall 2003 [Resident Shows] La Nouba: * Two shows Nightly - Thursday through Monday. * Times: 6:00pm and 9:00pm * Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando. * No performances on Tuesday or Wednesday. - Note: Beginning January 3rd 2003, there will be no performances on Sunday and Monday. Shows will be presented twice a night from Tuesday through Saturday. * 2002 Dark Dates: - December 3rd through 11th * 2003 Dark Dates are as follows: - January 1st - February 2nd through 5th - March 23rd through 25th - May 11th through 25th - July 13th through 16th - September 7th through 9th - October 26th through 29th - December 7th through 15th Mystère: * Two shows Nightly - Wednesday through Sunday. * Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm * Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas. * No performances on Monday or Tuesday. * 2002 Dark Dates: - December 2nd through 17th * 2003 Dark Dates: - January 26th through 28th - March 2nd through 5th - April 13th through 15th - June 2nd through 10th - August 3rd through 6th - October 5th through 8th - December 1st through 16th "O": * Two shows Nightly - Friday through Tuesday. * Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm. * Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas. * No performances on Wednesday or Thursday. * 2002 Dark Dates: - December 4th through 19th * 2003 Dark Dates: - February 24th through 27th - April 21st through 24th - June 18th through 26th - August 11th through 14th - October 13th through 16th - December 3rd through 18th ======================================================================= HISTORIE: THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE HISTORY ======================================================================= * December 02, 1999 -- Dralion opened Irvine, California * December 05, 2001 -- Alegría opened Perth, Australia * December 14, 2000 -- Quidam opened London, England * December 16, 1999 -- Alegría: Le Film premiered in Singapore * December 23, 1998 -- La Nouba premiered at WDW * December 24, 1993 -- Mystère premiered at Treasure Island * December 26, 2001 -- Dralion reached 1000 performances (Dallas 1:00p) * December 28, 1989 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Phoenix, Arizona ======================================================================= ANNIVERSAIRE: BIRTHDAY WISHES TO CIRQUE ALUMNI! ======================================================================= * December 01, 1981 -- Elena Lev (Hoops/Quidam) * December 02, 1960 -- Nikolai Tchelnokov (Adagio/Saltimbanco) * December 03, 1965 -- Paulo Lorador (Hand to Hand/Mystère) * December 06, 1974 -- Patrick McGuire (Manipulation/Quidam) * December 08, 1966 -- John Gilkey (Le Vigie/Varekai) * December 09, 1974 -- Daniel Gutzmit (Hand to Hand/Salt 2000) * December 09, 1974 -- Jacek Gutszmit (Hand to Hand/Salt 2000) * December 11, 1965 -- Mark Ward (John/Quidam) * December 11, 1978 -- Christine Cadeau (Skipping Rope Solo/Quidam) * December 16, 1986 -- Ganna Ostapenko (Body Skating/Varekai) * December 17, 1952 -- Francois Dupuis (Baby/Mystère) * December 24, 1961 -- Karl Baumann (Target/Quidam) ======================================================================= TÉLÉMAGIK: "L'Envol Sans Filet" -- Fire Within, Part 3 (By: Wayne Leung) ======================================================================= Fire Within is reaching full flame. These next few episodes are full of tension and excitement as the cast and crew of Varekai scramble to ready the show for opening night. The level of stress and drama reaches its highest during these few episodes and it feels as if the earlier installments were meant to set the stage for these climactic ones. The characters we have met and become familiar with during the first half of the series are tested and challenged here. As viewers, we empathize with the artists and urge them to overcome their challenges. It remains to be seen who will triumph and who will falter. Not only does the series provide exciting and original content, but Director Lewis Cohen infuses Fire Within with subtle but effective stylistic touches that at times heighten drama or highlight nuances in any given scene. The director makes use of many rapid-fire montages of performers in training to give an ever-present sense of urgency. Sometimes he'll emphasize an important object such as the big top or the show's poster by making it the only colour object in a black and white frame. Cohen will also interlace matted shots of the Varekai performance to provide brief mystical moments in a very realistic and down-to-earth series. Fire Within also features very eclectic and evocative music. The series makes good use of the entire Cirque du Soleil Musique catalogue. "Meandres" from Nouvelle Experience plays in the background of a scene to establish an ominous mood. "Il Sogno di Volare" plays during Stella's family's quiet Christmas dinner. Saltimbanco's operatic aria is contrasted with the raucous drums of Dralion's "Bamboo", used as the background for the energetic cast Christmas party. Musical pieces are also used as recurrent themes; the melancholy "Rideau" from Saltimbanco is used as Gareth's theme and "Terre Aride" from 'O' accompanies training montages. Live selections from Varekai's score are used sparsely throughout the series, usually in context. For example, the Acrobatic Pas de Deux music will be used when the singer is learning the score or the performers are rehearsing. To round out the musical landscape of the series, a varied selection of non-Cirque music, ranging from folksy ballads to Eastern European dances and even Hip Hop is also used. As in Cirque's live shows, the music of Fire Within serves to set the tone of the series. Let us now journey deeper on our quest for Varekai as Fire Within continues. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ** SPOILER WARNING ** The reviews below reveal the episodes in detail. If you haven't seen the show and would prefer to be surprised, skip ahead. There will be an advisory ending this spoiler warning. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Episode 8: "Moving On" ---------------------- (Costume-fittings and mounting sets coincide with plans for dress rehearsals. - TV Guide) Varekai is scheduled to premiere in 45 days. The atmosphere at Cirque headquarters is aptly described by the show's Lighting Designer Nol Van Genuchten, "I think the stress is hitting the fan in here." As spectators, we all have a vague sense of how hard Cirque performers must work to make it in the world's best circus but it's still humbling to watch them struggle with the challenges that they face. After weeks of struggling to accelerate the progress of the show and improve their performances, it is once again time for the performers to show President Guy Laliberté what they've got. The stage is set, the theatrical lights are lit and Guy is presented with fragments of the opening sequence and several numbers including the rousing Georgian Dance. For Icarian Games, Gareth and Ashley are relegated to the back of the scene as the Rampin Bros. take center stage. Guy watches the spectacular skill of the Spanish brothers with a big smile across his face. This presentation is also the moment of truth for Stella, Raquel and the entire Triple Trapeze team. Laliberté axed their original Multiple Trapeze structure and it has taken them months to develop a new act. The performers have exhausted themselves trying to improve their shaky number, both acrobatically and dramatically. After the presentation, Cirque's Chief Operating Officer Lynn Heward gives the verdict; "I have to say to you I know you were sad when you lost your multiple trapeze but this [apparatus] does more for you than the other machine did. We see YOU in this performance and I think that's great." Then, turning to address the rest of the cast, "There are still lots of things to work on, tons of things to work on, but your movement forward is there and I just wish you all courage in the next few weeks, a lot of hard work and above all, give all of your attention and your focus to [Director] Dominic, he needs you, he can't do this show alone." The performers will need all the good wishes, the next few weeks will be the grueling final stretch to the premiere. But for now, they celebrate the acceptance of the Triple Trapeze into the show and a successful presentation. Adding to the list of reasons to celebrate, it is Gareth's birthday. He holds a party in his apartment at the Cirque residences. He's been trying unsuccessfully to phone his mother all day, we find out why. She has come from London with Gareth's sister and baby nephew Tyler to surprise him for his birthday. Gareth has not seen his family for almost six months and is elated. We witness their heartwarming reunion. The comfort of family gives Gareth the strength that he'll desperately need to survive the next leg of his journey with Cirque. "I've never worked so hard before in my life." Gareth professes. But he will soon be asked to work even harder. Also working at full steam is Cirque's marketing department. They have still not finalized a poster for the new show and time is running out. The original designs were tossed out when Marketing learned of an underwater film shoot with the show's lead performers. The still photos from the film are beautiful but their quality is not high enough to be reproduced as a poster. Marketing is at odds with Creative Director Andrew Watson over the poster design. The team looks at a group of about 10 candidate posters featuring Icarus, clouds, wings or any combination of these elements. Andrew Watson still likes the poster of Icarus underwater, a marketer disagrees, "I find it really soft . . . Andrew, you see it; I don't think the consumer sees it." The group debates for hours before deciding to look at some designs featuring a stylized puppet Icarus that Guy Laliberté originally approved. "It's less cerebral, it's more fantasy," says the marketer. As marketing debates the poster design, the Grand Chapiteau is already being erected in Montreal's Old Port. The performers will make their move to the show's venue and accelerate their working pace for the final stretch to the premiere. Stage Manager Armand Thomas prepares the performers, "So now we go through to the next step: Showtime! People are gonna get angry, people are gonna get angry at each other, we're gonna get really stressed out, we're gonna get tired, we're gonna get very frustrated and all that is normal for what we're gonna live through." An exhausted Gareth is concerned about the ramifications of the next step, "I don't know if I can handle it, I don't know if I can handle that life. When they started talking about 'things are gonna get really hectic and tempers are gonna fly' I'm like, I'm the worst person for temper." Gareth has been stressed and is having trouble sleeping. He is not progressing as quickly as he wants or needs to. Pedro, the Icarian coach, is frustrated at Gareth and Ashley's lack of consistency in their performance. At Cirque du Soleil if you aren't able to keep up with the best there will be consequences. Andrew Watson meets with Gareth and Ashley. They narrowly escape being fired. Gareth has been giving his best and it still doesn't seem to be enough. He is visibly upset, "I think I'm working well . . . What can I do? It makes me feel quite angry. I feel I am working hard. I feel training is going well. It's the final warning basically and if we have to have a meeting with him again, that's it." Then, with a sigh he concedes, "But that's life, y'know what I mean? That's show business." Episode 9: "The Grand Chapiteau" -------------------------------- (The circus stage, the Grand Chapiteau, is finally ready for a press performance. - TV Guide) T-minus 30 days to the premiere of Varekai: The artists move from the studio to the Grand Chapiteau. The big top is pitched in the Old Port of Montreal and covered in a light dusting of snow. For their first day of on-site training the performers arrive at a yet-unheated backstage tent. We see Olga and Anton huddled under a blanket and Stella working out on an exercise bike while dressed in her winter coat and hat. Everybody is busily preparing for the world press launch of the show; a press conference for over 200 journalists. After weeks of debate and many long hours, Louise Mercier and Cirque's marketing team have finally decided on a poster and main icon for Varekai, and not a moment too soon, she delivers the yellow poster with the stylized stick puppet Icarus to Andrew Watson just a few days before the press launch. She expresses her relief to him, "I feel like a pregnant woman who has just given birth." "I have another 28 days," the Creative Director replies with a laugh. Rehearsals continue under the big top. Adrian Berinde, the show's male singer, is incorporated into the staging for the first time. During a run-through of a group scene it is painfully obvious that Adrian has never acted before, he has absolutely no performance quality. He just goofs off and waves his hands. Fortunately, others are having more luck. The Atherton twins' Aerial Straps act has really come together. The new choreography is spectacular. The twins are determined to make their act one of the show's most memorable. "We don't want to be a standard apple, we want to be the best we can be on the stage and we want people to talk about our act when they've left. But that's all been sorted now, all that's left for them to talk about is our costumes," one of the twins says with a laugh. The Athertons are excited that their act has been chosen as one of the few that will be presented as a teaser during the press conference. Icarian Games, another act to be presented in the teaser, still has some major kinks to be worked out. Ashley and Gareth's futures at Cirque are hanging by a thread; their performance is still weak and inconsistent. Head coach Boris explains the ultimatum issued to them, "The buck stops here and the next decision will be a drastic one." With so little time left there is no tolerance for Gareth and Ashley's fumbles. Boris talks to Icarian coach Adrian about their performance, "[It's] not acceptable and the next step is, if we can't rectify it, we take it out." Stress is causing Gareth to become short-tempered and argumentative. During a training session he is defensive and constantly argues with his coaches. Ashley, on the other hand, just sits dejectedly and listens. Adrian lays down the line, "Training doesn't mean anything if you come last in a competition . . . We're not changing your routine unless you drop him next time and then I'm gonna take it out [of the show], end of story." Later, Gareth works with Director Dominic Champagne to fine tune his Lizard character; a menacing, dark figure which will open the show. With the Icarian Games quickly slipping from his grasp the Lizard character may be his redemption and his only chance to save his job. Gareth goes fishing in the St. Lawrence River on his day off. He seems pensive; a young man caught between a troubled past and an uncertain future. On top of problems with Gareth and Ashley, the Icarian Games proves to be an immensely difficult act to create a lighting design for. The inverted Icarian catchers are being blinded as they stare up into the over-head stage lights. Varekai's frustrated Lighting Designer Nol Van Genuchten admits, "Icarian Games is a really tough act to light. By no stretch of the imagination do I have a good relationship with them now." Press Conference day arrives; the cast must temporarily put their daily struggles aside and flash their rehearsed smiles for a room full of jaded reporters. All the artists are on edge; even veteran performer Olga has a case of stage fright. As she puts on her semi- finished costume she tells the dresser, "I don't wanna go out there! No!" Raquel relishes the challenge presented to her, she relates it to Varekai's theme, "It makes you a survivor. Life gives you opportunity to learn how to fight; if you make it then you're more special than people who don't have anything to fight for." Ashley catches the flu and cannot perform in the press conference show. Guy Laliberté and the show's creators greet the journalists. The mini-performance goes off without a hitch but little do the reporters know that just beneath the Cirque's slick veneer is a team desperately trying to salvage a show that is simply not ready. At the end of the episode Dominic directs a full dress and technical rehearsal of the show's opening sequence. It is less than three weeks to the premiere and he has not yet done a run-through of the show in its entirety. With the clock ticking down the final few days, it remains to be seen whether all the disparate elements of the show can be pulled together in time for opening night. Episode 10: "The Lion's Den" ---------------------------- (The cast is tense with the first performance of the Varekai. - TV Guide) Crunch time has arrived. The world premiere of Varekai is only 15 days away. In a Cirque tradition appropriately dubbed "The Lion's Den" the cast will give a preview performance to an audience of 500 Cirque du Soleil insiders including head honcho Guy Laliberté, the Lion in Cirque's proverbial den. Head Coach Boris explains, "This is the first time we have a run-through for about 500 people, a very friendly but critical 500; the creative department. Definitely a friendly audience but boy, an opinionated one, we know that, so that's the little challenge of the day." The Lion's Den is effectively Cirque's qualifying competition, performers who make the grade will see opening night and those who falter, in the eyes of Cirque's big wigs, won't. Sadly for Ashley and Gareth their verdict has already been decided. They will continue to train for Icarian Games but will not perform in the show. They have been judged as not performance-ready. Ashley is obviously very disappointed and disheartened that his months of excruciating training were ultimately fruitless. Understandably, he is in a bad mood before the performance, "I just got asked if I'm bringing the [Icarian] chairs out [on stage] . . . Yeah . . . that's ALL I'm doing . . . I so wanna do Icarian, I feel like I've done half a job." Before leading his cast into the Lion's Den, Director Dominic Champagne hopes to inspire their performance by reminding them of the show's Icarus theme, "A man is dying and he's sure he's dead. All the family around will show him, 'No, it's not the end of something, it's the beginning of something else.' This show is just that, so the lesson that everyone has to share with [Icarus and the audience] is 'Something else is possible.'" The audience arrives. Guy takes his seat. The show begins. The performance is still rough around the edges but resembles a finished show. Guy watches stoically and scribbles down pages of notes as the cast, dressed in half-completed costumes, run-through the show. Afterward, the camera watches from afar as Guy has an intense meeting with Dominic and Varekai's entire creative team. We sense that the show will see some major changes. Oleg is the first to hear the outcome of the Lion's Den. He is told that his Acrobatic Pas de Deux with Tatiana will not be featured in the premiere. Oleg is disappointed and on edge, he was not told why his act is being left out. He contemplates his future with Cirque, "No, this sounds crazy. Of course I'm not staying if I'm not doing my act. Nobody can prove to me that my act isn't good." Oleg feels betrayed; he has sacrificed much of his personal life to be in Cirque du Soleil. He has not even phoned his daughter in almost seven months. The axe falls hardest on the show's singer Adrian Berinde. The Lion's Den was his first performance in front of Guy Laliberté. Unfortunately, it was also his last. Adrian did not fit well into the show's staging or aesthetic and after 100 days at Cirque he has been fired. It is obvious that his working style clashed with the Cirque's. Adrian sums up his experience, "The Cirque is an exceptional place to be for some people but it can be a prison for others. I came here to be useful but in the end I think it didn't matter. In fact, I don't think anyone matters to them. What matters is the show." And the show must go on. A new singer, Cirque veteran Mathieu Lavoie, arrives to take Adrian's place in Varekai. Cirque Talent Scout Michel Laprise goes to the airport to say goodbye to Adrian. Varekai's ex-singer shares his thoughts on Cirque with Michel, "Let's be frank. The fact that I only met with my composer for half an hour during my hundred days at Cirque, that's not normal. I don't think it's anybody's fault but I think that the Cirque must stay grounded if it wants to continue to thrive." In the aftermath of the Lion's Den, Michel is a very busy man. He must fill some major holes in the show's lineup. "The show is evolving into a new artistic direction so that implies new players," explains Michel. Guy feels that the show is lacking in high-calibre acrobatic acts. Michel is charged with finding a "spectacular" act. He spends days trying to hunt down an available high-wire act. Unable to find one he instead decides to cast a world-class Mexican juggler named Octavio Alegria. Stage Manager Armand introduces Alegria to the Varekai cast just days before the premiere, "He's in the wrong show but he's got the right name," Armand jokes. Varekai is being shaken apart and rebuilt with major changes occurring only days before the premiere. Rigging designer Jacque Paquin worries, "We start having shows in ten days, we're not going to re- paint the planet in ten days, there's just no physical time to do it." With a displeased company president, an exhausted cast and virtually no time left, the odds are stacked against Director Dominic Champagne as he reshapes and fine tunes his creation for the pending unveiling. Episode 11: "Countdown to Premiere" ----------------------------------- (Guy and the director try to calm tensions as the world premiere approaches. - TV Guide) With each subsequent episode of the series the stress level increases. This installment opens three days prior to opening night. Tension is high, patience is low and big changes are being made to the show with little time left to smooth over the rough patches. Director Dominic Champagne is charged with the monumental task of locking down all the elements of the show. The Director is not seeing enough performance quality from the performers. He lectures the cast members about their overall performance up to this point, "It's your show. It's clear what you have to do. Do it and give it to the audience. Ok, I know now this show is very demanding for you and I know you're scared about doing that show ten times a week for years. Now we're doing the best show we can do in the amount of time that we have. When you are [on stage] you've got to participate, 'What's the action? What's the focus? Where's the focus?' So you don't upstage but you're alive." Gareth and Ashley have been removed from the Icarian Games act and now perform only minor supporting roles in Varekai. They are both obviously unhappy about their new reality. Gareth and Ashley's replacements arrive; the Stevens Brothers are a world class Icarian team from Italy. They will have to move extremely quickly to integrate into the world of Varekai in the two days before the premiere. Olga is struggling with the choreography for her Hand-balancing on Canes number. The acrobatic aspect of her act is flawless but her dramatic performance lacks quality. Stella speculates, "Olga's act is beautiful. She's an amazing and talented hand-balancer. She's good on her hands, not so good on her feet . . . Maybe it has a lot to do with her being the Cirque baby and being protected by her dad and everybody sort of takes care of her that's kind of stifling her maturity." After struggling through the dance portion of her act Olga leaves the stage and is obviously distraught. We meet up with her backstage, "It's no one's fault, it's just me, I'm just frustrated a bit and I shouldn't be. Something goes wrong and I get just like freaked out. So I have to be patient." Raquel and Stella's Triple Trapeze number is finally blossoming after months of hard work. The act is becoming fluid and aesthetically pleasing. However, the women now have other concerns. At Cirque they not only perform their trapeze act but appear as supporting characters throughout the show. Raquel and Stella perform roles in the Body Skating act which opens the show's second half and assist Olga during her number which leaves the trapeze artists with very little time to focus on their own act. Raquel and Stella express their concerns to Head Coach Boris. They complain that having all of their duties concentrated in the show's second half puts them at risk for injury. Boris promises the problem will somehow be rectified. At 11:00PM the night before the final invited dress rehearsal Dominic stages Olga and Anton's wedding, the show's finale, for the first time. The tired performers finish work at 1:00AM and relax with drinks in the dining trailer. Tomorrow they will perform the show in front of an audience for the first time. Luckily that audience will mostly consist of Cirque staff and invited friends and family members. The morning of the final dress rehearsal Olga looks exhausted and has lost her voice. "I didn't sleep good, my throat is killing me. Oh well, I still have to go." She says. Before heading to the big top she must make a stop at Cirque Headquarters for the final costume fitting of her yet-unfinished wedding dress for the finale. Kevin and Andrew Atherton pick up their family at the airport. Parents, sister, Grandmother, aunt, uncle and cousins, the entire Atherton clan has come from England to watch their boys perform. One of the twins confesses, "It's gonna be a bit weird to perform in front of my parents, there's a bit of added pressure but I wouldn't say a lot." Joining the Atherton family in the audience will be Stella's parents, Raquel's boyfriend and Olga's parents. Oleg and Tatiana receive some good news; their Acrobatic Pas de Deux act which was previously shelved for the premiere will be performed after all. They are elated. Before the final rehearsal begins, Dominic Champagne informs the performers that their brand new big top has just been christened, "We're starting the life of a new big top tonight and the name of the big top is Vivia which means 'full of life'. Viva Vivia!" With Vivia full of invited guests, the lights dim and the stage comes alive. Backstage it is pandemonium, performers scramble to make their cues. On stage the performance does not go well, riddled with errors and missteps. There are falls during the Icarian Games, the Solo on Crutches dancer takes a spill, the Athertons fail to catch each other in mid-air during Aerial Straps and then stumble on their landing. For all her worries, Olga's hand-balancing act is one of the few that is performed flawlessly. Afterward, the artists give the performance mixed reactions. The Atherton twins are disheartened, "The audience is just silent, it's really crappy." Olga gets a verdict from her mother, "There has to be that sense of magic. You can't fake it. You have it or you don't." At this stage of the game there is not much that can be done to fix the flaws in the performance, the performers and creators will have to rely on a Cirque dictum: Bad dress rehearsal, good opening night. Tomorrow they will premiere Varekai to the world and see for the first time if it will fly or fall. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- END SPOILER WARNING ---------------------------------------------------------------------- All of the struggles, triumphs and tribulations of Fire Within have lead up to this point, Varekai's opening night. Be sure to check out the next issue of "Fascination!" for the thrilling conclusion of Fire Within! Upcoming Episodes ----------------- * Episode 12: "Opening Night" (A focus on the premiere features highlights. - TV Guide) * Episode 13: "The Aftermath and Departure" - Series Finale (Casting adjustments are made as the three-year world tour begins. - TV Guide) ======================================================================= CIRQUE MUSIQUE: "Versification du Varekai" (By: Paul Roberts) ======================================================================= After a much-anticipated six months since the show's premiere, the "Varekai" soundtrack (BMG Canada/Cirque du Soleil Music/Catalog #: 74321-93928-2) has arrived and at first I had doubts about how I felt about the CD. "Varekai" was the first Cirque du Soleil show where I went in not knowing the music. Even when I saw "Mystère" (my first show) in 1996 I had the soundtrack memorized. Like most Cirque du Soleil soundtracks, the studio version is quite different than live, actually much more with Varekai than any previous show. Prior to hearing the CD, I had the live music swirling in my head. When I gave the CD a second chance, I pretended to have not seen the show and to my surprise, I fell in love with it and play it constantly. For the first time Cirque du Soleil brought in an "outsider" in world- renowned British producer, Nitin Sawhney, to interpret Violaine Corradi's compositions. Mr. Sawhney's impressive resume includes working with Jeff Beck, Sinéad O'Connor and Paul McCartney, as well as many solo projects. Fascination! writer, Wayne Leung's description of Sawhney's style as one that fuses European Electronica and World Music sums up the taste of the "Varekai" CD. "Varekai" is Cirque du Soleil's most mainstream World-Music CD to date and another Fascination writer, Keith Johnson, points out that the success Cirque du Soleil had in Billboard's charts may attribute to this change in change in direction. Cirque du Soleil was listed in the Top Ten World Music Artists in Billboard's 2001 Year End Charts. They were number seven with three entries ("O", La Nouba, and Dralion) and the Dralion album came in at number nine for the year on the World Music Album chart. Like it or not, you definitely get your money's worth with nearly sixty-nine and a half minutes of music and an impressive packaging. The CD comes in a removable cardboard cover that has a picture of the "Varekai" bird on front and a picture of Olga Pikheinko in her silver- white outfit performing a handbalancing split on back. The insert is a 14-page booklet that features photos from the souvenir program, musician/contributor credits, poems by Hèléne Dorion (spoken words from several songs), and brief statements from show creators. Following are my brief interpretations of each song. The opening toy piano theme of "Rain One" appears throughout the CD, as well as Terry Callier's first of many echoing, low-voice recitations: "Falling... I walk the Earth... I am an angel in your eyes... Consciousness...." Following the opening theme a descending note pattern from a grand piano emerges and the lovely voice of Tina Grace sings a couple of verses in English. Without any pause the next song "Le Rêveur" begins with a cymbal crescendo and features percussionist Steve Shehan, who may be the star of the "Varekai" CD. Throughout the CD, Steve pounds on several percussion instruments including clay pots, resonators, an ocean drum, a Darbuka, and occasionally traditional drums. I do not recall hearing any of this song during the live show, but its trance-like feel includes a continuous drone enhanced by Middle Eastern-like wails from Natacha Atlas and "Varekai" live singer Mathieu Lavoie, who was the original "Quidam" male singer. Next, "Vocea" accompanies the Flight of Icarus and Swedish vocalist, Zara Tellander, makes her debut. Zara's wide-ranging voice blends a strong tonal quality with a majestic vibrato. Also introduced is violinist, Carmen Piculeata, who replaced original violinist, Stéphane Allard, in the live band. Carmen provides many beautiful violin lines that nicely compliment Zara's and the London Voices' vocal lines. "Moon Licht", which accompanies the Handbalancing on Canes act is my favorite both live and on the CD. With a tribal beat providing the emotion, Zara applies a nasal-tonal voice with heavy warbles and vibratos that accentuates the extensively scaled melody line. The middle of the song includes a lengthy spoken word passage by Mathieu, Carmen, and Tina. The CD arrangement is much different than the live arrangement in that there are lesser verses and no accordion and violin solos that are featured live. I wish there was a way to combine both arrangements to make one incredible song. "Patzivota" is an extended (9:19) version of the Varekai "wedding" between Icarus and Diamond, which is also the set-up to The Russian Swing act. Credited for singing is The Varekai Choir, consisting of live musicians: Zara, Mathieu, percussionist Rafik Samman, keyboardist Brigitte Poudrier, and wind instrumentalist Wayne Hankin. With a hip- hop drum beat, the melody is the same as from "Rain One" but the continuous vocal line goes through several key changes. Fitting for modern-day discotheques is song, "El Péndulo", the Aerial Straps accompaniment. With an upbeat background of synthetic percussion, bass, and ethereal keyboards, Zara sings a beautiful melody line that makes this a memorable and even a danceable tune. I can picture young, pretty people grooving as strobe lights and fog engulfs their gyrations. "Gitans" is the show's opening band march and the theme to the dancing Fireflies at the beginning of the second Act. On the CD version, an accordion and violin trade frantic solos that are based off the main theme. This is the only traditional circus-like theme on the CD. Another song where Zara shines is "Kèro Hiréyo", which accompanies the Triple Trapeze act. The marching-cadence studio version is similar to the live version. A highlight of the song includes the English Chamber Orchestra playing the melody line while the London Voices provide a counter melody line. Accompanying the Water Meteors act is "Lubia Dobarstan", a Latin-like song with a melodic chorus sung in harmony by Zara and Mathieu. The verses feature Zara singing a scat vocal over a three chord staccato guitar pattern. The song's finale includes electronic harpsichord- like sounds playing behind furious violin solos that end abruptly with noises similar to an electrical outage. The noises are then shockingly replaced by compressed vocals that lead into the next song and end up being the chorus. "Emballa" is another Latin-beat tune that is used with the Juggling act. The first time I heard this catchy song, I found myself repeatedly singing the chorus, but I really enjoy the lightning- fingered acoustic guitar solo that is played by Marcial Heredia Fernandez. The ending sounds like a vinyl-record player that has died as the song slows down. Then the CD kicks into the most energetic song on the CD. In the live show, the most thrilling act is The Russian Swings so "Oscillum" has to match the thrill. Live, the accompaniment is mainly percussion, but on the CD there are violin, Bansuri, and Duduk solos that fill the spaces between the echoing vocal samples from the poem of "Ghazal", an excerpt from Pakistan, Music of the Qawal, UNESCO Collection of Traditional Music of the World. As intense as the act, this song's rapid pace is the perfect match. When I heard Zara's initial vocals on "Funambul", a smile crept across my face as I instantly recognized this acappella accompaniment to La Vigie's Cloud act. As La Vigie proudly guides his balloon, with internal colorful video effects, a heavenly choir escorts his every move. Along with the London Voices, The Varekai Choir appears once again to provide the background chorus. The closing track, "Resolution" is not included in the show and is composed by Nitin and Taraf de Haidouks. This song, however, resembles the fast-paced opening and closing "Greek Wedding" theme of the live show. It speeds up to an abrupt ending and the CD fades out with chattering fireflies that anyone who has seen "Varekai" should recognize. Not included on the CD are the accompaniments for the Icarian Games, Acrobatic Pas de deux, Body Skating, Solo on Crutches, and the Clown acts. I must credit (where credit is much due) a few people not included on the CD: bandleader/keyboardist, Michel Cyr; drummer virtuoso, Paul J. Bannerman; and new member, bassist, Richard Drouin. These omitted live-band musicians, along with the ones included on the soundtrack, bring Violaine's powerful compositions to true life. For those who are not impressed initially, give this CD a few listenings, I'm sure you will find it appealing. ======================================================================= BEHIND THE CURTAIN: "Varekai Album Titles" (By: Keith Johnson) ======================================================================= Did you know that the song titles given on Cirque Show Soundtrack CD's often aren't the names the show musicians use? It turns out the musicians often refer to the songs by the name of the act the song accompanies, or by another name entirely! A case in point is Varekai itself. A very kind source provided us with the "band names" of each of the tracks on the Varekai CD. Here they are (in ""), along with the CD track name, and the act it accompanies. 1. Rain One - Piano theme, used throughout the show - "Rain" 2. Le Reveur - Acrobatic Pas De Deux - "Duduk" 3. Vocea - Flight of Icarus - "Filet" 4. Moon Light - Olga P's Handbalancing - "Olga" 5. Patzivota - Russian Swing setup - "Set Up Swings" 6. El Pendulo - Aerial Straps - "Straps" 7. Gitans - Intro to Act II/Fireflies - "Gitans Waltz" 8. Kero Hireyo - Triple Trapeze - "Trip Trap" 9. Lubia Dobsratan - Water Meteors - "Meteors" 10. Emballa - Juggling - "Octavio" (the jugglers first name) 11. Oscillum - Russian Swing - "Russian Swings" 12. Funambul - La Vigie with his balloon - "Cloud" 13. Resolution - this is a non-show track In addition, here are the names of the musical pieces that don't appear on the CD. * Intro/Ending Celebration - "Charivari" * Icarian Games - Was originally called "Hawa Song" but the name was changed to "Icarians" just prior to the shows debut * Georgian Dance - "Georgian Dance" * Body Skating - "Sun Drum Fun" ======================================================================= BEYOND THE BIGTOP: "Le Groupe du Soleil" -- Série Part 2" (By: Ricky Russo) ======================================================================= Names and labels like "Créations Méandres", "Tous Azimuts", "Télémagik", and "Enterprises Nâga" have been seen on various Cirque du Soleil programmes, videos, CDs and other merchandise world-wide. Having seen these names one might ask how they all fit into the company known as Cirque du Soleil. In our efforts to investigate the various treasures that lurk inside Cirque du Soleil programmes, Let's take a moment to expand upon one of them: "Le Groupe du Soleil". Imagine... when a handful of street performers met in the 1980s to do a show from time to time in their native Quebec they couldn't have dreamed where it would lead them, and yet this troupe flourished in a region with no circus tradition. Their drive and determination turned a collection of artists into one of the most recognizable companies in entertainment today. And it wouldn't surprise anyone to know that the Cirque du Soleil name is actually an umbrella, encompassing various divisions and companies. What then is "Le Groupe du Soleil"? "Le Groupe du Soleil" was and in many cases still is an interesting piece of Cirque's corporate puzzle from the very beginning of this enigmatic troupe. For example, from its initial creation through to 1989, Le Cirque du Soleil was produced by "Club des Talons Hauts, Inc.," the same group Cirque was born from. In that instance they were produced by that Company. Later that same year (August 1989), the last year the creators had given themselves to firmly establish their art, Cirque du Soleil as a Company changed and morphed into "Le Groupe du Soleil", completely shedding their "High-Heals Club" roots. Under the guidance of Daniel Gauthier (a one-time Cirque Treasurer, President and founding member), this new moniker encompassed many of the derived companies that sprang up in support of the artists and their product. They are: Le Cirque du Soleil Productions -- Spark. This is the starting point; "the locomotive; the raison d'être". This part of the Groupe specializes in mounting tours, staffing its workshops and studios, and managing its vehicle fleet and specialized equipment. Créations Méandres -- Creativity. This division manages the authors rights and copyrights, and takes charge of recruitment, training and publishes the music for the shows. This division was also known as Les Productions Méandres Inc. Tous Azimuts Enterprises -- Investment. Tous Azimuts is an investment company handling the creation and development of other related companies for Cirque du Soleil. Tous Azimuts is also responsible for the marketing and publishing of CDs, programmes, T-shirts and other products bearing the Cirque du Soleil logo and likeness. Télémagik -- Filmworks. This division was formed in 1988 and released the original 90-minute version of "Le Magie Continue", as well as various other Cirque du Soleil shows through the years. Télémagik was renamed Cirque du Soleil Images in May of 1997 to better brand the multimedia company with its parent. Enterprises Nâga -- Services. This division provides a range of services from snack-bars to the creation, production, distribution, and management of Cirque du Soleil's promotional products. Enterprises Nâga released the CD and Vinyl editions of "Cirque du Soleil", the original 1987 tour music. Admission/Microflex -- Tickets. This company was started with the assistance of Cirque du Soleil to distribute tickets for its shows as well as other cultural and sporting events throughout Quebec. Together with Microflex, a software company that specialized in computerized ticketing, it became the largest ticket-sales network in the province. Today Admission is owned by TicketMaster, the largest ticket-sales company in the world. "Le Groupe du Soleil" is but one of many treasures awaiting discovery within the classic Cirque du Soleil programmes, and there are many more yet to come. Today you know "Le Groupe du Soleil" simply as "Cirque du Soleil, Inc." but you can still see many of the derivatives of the Groupe still at work. Look at the fine print inside your programme or on your CD... you might be surprised! ======================================================================= FROM THE BOUTIQUE: "Cahier à Colorier" -- Série Part 3" (By: Ricky Russo) ======================================================================= Whether it be their trademarked blue and yellow big-top, their avant- garde costuming or their amazing pictures and photographs, Cirque du Soleil brings a world of color with it wherever it goes. With the holidays around the corner, Cirque du Soleil has once again filled our world with color by providing its fans a chance to "bring out the artists" in themselves. Now fans all over the world can provide their favorite characters with a little color of their own - with coloring images "inspired by" Cirque shows and characters. These new sheets feature such beloved characters as The White (or Black) Singer from Alegría, John from Quidam and the Green Lizard from Mystère. But, would it interest you to know that these sheets aren't the first "coloring images" produced and released by Cirque du Soleil? In our continuing investigation into all things Cirque and the treasures that lie in many of their older programmes, we're going to take a brief look at the 1987 "Cahier à Colorier" or, coloring book. That year (1987) Cirque du Soleil took every last penny it had in its reserves and took its show to the west coast of the United States in a make-or-break move. The show did not yet have a name (it would later become known as "Le Cirque Reinvente") but it took California by storm, creating the phenomenon we know as Cirque du Soleil today. Nestled within that year's program is an 8-page coloring book, featuring whimsical circus-like scenes for eager kids (and adults alike) to color. The book is a concept by Thérèse Mondor, a noted member of Cirque's Graphics Artist department in the early days. She also provided the illustrations (the actual black-and-white scene drawings) for the coloring book. The images themselves are set to a narrative - a story about Flox, a small clown who dreamed about amazing circus adventures. The whimsical story is written by Nancy Vanasse and Myriam Spielvogel. "One night," the story begins. "Flox had a marvelous dream. He saw a huge circus tent - the Big Top - flying from one country to another; drawing thousands of stars behind it in a shimmering train. From far up in the sky, the magnificent caravan finally caught sight of Flox' house. As if by magic, the whole village awoke to the sound of a brass band. 'Wow!', Flox exclaimed. 'It's the Cirque du Soleil!' And there they were, the most extraordinary characters parading by before his very eyes, inviting him to join their celebration. There were clowns of all colors, shapes and sizes. There were acrobats doing impossible jumps and turns. There were jugglers. The children came forward and watched in fascination. A young clown riding by on a unicycle leaned down and handed Flox a strange-looking ball... 'What's happening to me?' Flox wondered. 'Everything's spinning! I'm getting dizzy!' It was so overwhelming! After spreading its message of joy throughout the village, the Big Top set off again on its voyage to far-away countries. Then, poof! Everything vanished and Flox woke up, enchanted by what he had seen." Of the three creators of this interesting Coloring Book, only Thérèse Mondor remained connected with Cirque through the years. You can find her name on many projects connected with the Cirque including: The "O" poster illustration, the "O" CD Booklet, the Dralion CD Booklet and the Cirque du Soleil Corporate Journal "Le Bulletin", all of which she served as Artistic Director. It is an interesting aside that Michel Dalpé also served Cirque du Soleil in creating the Dralion Internet Club site, the Alegria Souvenir Programme, and the cover for the "Inside La Nouba" video. Many a spectator becomes enchanted by Cirque du Soleil when the show has ended, and thanks to the creativity of the Cirque du Soleil graphics department, Thérèse Mondor, Nancy Vanasse and Myriam Spielvogel, fans of Cirque du Soleil had a way to take that enchantment to a whole new level. You can find scans of the old Coloring Book on Richasi's Le Grand Chapiteau (www.azlance.com/~richasi/Cirque/) - select "Le Cirque Reinvente" from the "Spectacles/Creations" menu. The new coloring pages can be found on the Cirque Club (www.cirqueclub.com) website. ======================================================================= OBSTRUCTED VIEW ======================================================================= Last Month ---------- Shipments of "Varekai" CDs have been making their way to fan's mail boxes all across the world. It has drawn mixed reviews from fans. What do YOU think of the music and the direction Cirque has taken with it? -- Response(s): "Though I have yet to see the show, and have no interest in knowing what songs go with each act until I do, I do know that Gypsy/Romani culture inspired this show. [...] Knowing this, all of the different cultures that are combined in the music make a lot of sense. The two styles that Violaine included in this CD that was not present in Dralion are the Spanish/Latin styles heard in Lubia Dobarstan and Emballa and the traditional eastern Europe/Russian style most associate with Gypsies heard in Gitans and Resolution. These songs are very creative in how they use the cultural influences, though I would have loved to see Miss Corradi blend the cultures a little more. I know a lot of [fans] would rather have had Cirque just record the same music that plays during the show, but I really believe that would take away a great artistic opportunity that the studio CDs present. Nitin Sawhney and Violaine decided to take the concepts behind the music in a new direction with this CD, and I applaud them for their creativity. This one thing that makes Cirque stand out from other performance is that they aren't afraid of chance, and encourage their show and their music to evolve of time. This CD is just another evolution." -- "Kali Wolf" "OK, so here you have one new album and a new show that I have not seen. I like the album, there are a few things you can say about the fact that Cirque hired a producer in addition to the composer to "do" this album, sometimes, it works out well, sometimes arrangements could have better left out. The album captures the basic story of Varekai. From a visual point of view the booklet looks very nice, although we are lacking the lyrics, one of the things I am sure many are missing. It might not be Cirque's best album ever but that is hard when competing to albums like "Journey of Man", "O" and (the music written for) Quidam. Cirque has taken their own claim that says "every media has to be appealing on its own", and took it one step in the right direction. Could we get that "O" Live CD out in the meantime? Thanks..." -- Mark Wijman ======================================================================= PARTING QUOTE ======================================================================= "Cirque du Soleil is the most wonderful of dreams!" - 1987 Coloring Book ======================================================================= NEXT ISSUE... ======================================================================= Our next issue will conclude our coverage of the series "Fire Within", just in time for its U.S. premiere. We'll also hear from The Techie Geek, look in on Ricky's "Le Grand Tour" of Cirque shows and much, much more! Join us for our next exciting issue of "Fascination!" Have a comment, question or concern? Email the Fascination! Newsletter staff at: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >. We are anxious to hear any and all comments! ======================================================================= SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======================================================================= Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available only through sub- scription. To subscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination- subscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To unsubscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To view back issues, please visit our Yahoo! Group address at: < http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CirqueFascination/ >, login using your Yahoo! ID (required) and select the Files menu option. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at: < CirqueFascination- owner@yahoogroups.com >. ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= "Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, Paul Roberts, Jen Waldman and Wayne Leung. "Fascination! Newsletter" Copyright (c) 2002 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.