======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 19, NUMBER 10 October 2019 ISSUE #189 ======================================================================= Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. * * * MESSI10 PREMIERES! * * * Cirque du Soleil unveiled its newest show “Messi10” with a world premiere on Thursday, October 10th (10/10, get it?) at the Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona, Spain. Messi and other stars lined the red carpet for the first show, which by all accounts was a huge success for both Cirque du Soleil and Messi. Cirque set the show up like a soccer match: it lasts for 90 minutes and is divided into two 45-minute halves. The stage is also designed to look like a soccer field. Acrobats perform alongside some video clips of Messi’s career highlights, honoring the all-time great. Check out a collection of articles in our FEATURES section this month about MESSI10's premiere. And for those interested in knowing even more about the new show, keep an eye out for a new documentary - "Messi Cirque: The Creation of Messi10 by Cirque du Soleil" - which will premiere on Rakuten TV (https://rakuten.tv) on November 21st... For a sneak peek at what this documentary holds, check this link: https://www.facebook.com/watch/? v=422006568667941. * * * A NEW BIG TOP SHOW FOR 2020 * * * Something new is on the horizon! Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to announce its new Big Top production, written and directed by renowned artist and stage designer Es Devlin. In Cirque du Soleil 2020, the audience will be touched by uplifting acrobatic choreography, startling physical theatre and moved by the vibrant musical score, all infused with the warmth of human interconnection. Through Director Es Devlin’s exceptional creative lens, high-level acrobatics are woven within a striking and disruptive visual universe. This new big top experience invokes the power of the human performance and communal experience which remain at the heart of all Cirque du Soleil creations. It is a meeting of visual art and human performance, a hymn to the vibrant communal experience that only a live show can offer. Cirque du Soleil invites fans to meet under the Big Top in Montreal’s Old Port starting April 23rd, 2020 and share the experience of this new surprising and joyful live gathering. Creation Director Chantal Tremblay said that the "intention for this show is to surprise the audience with something bold, daring and visually exciting." The show offers a "fresh creative take on what we are.” Vice President of Creation, Daniel Fortin adds that “in working with iconic visual artist Es Devlin to lead this new creation, we are committed to making a strong and absolutely distinctive creative statement in 2020. This show marks not only the start of a new decade but also an exciting new era for Cirque.” Writer, Director and Set Designer, Es Devlin explains further: “At the roots of Cirque are exceptionally skilled humans performing at the limits of what is humanly possible. There are no words, no text. But the strongest story is understood: 2000 people all willing someone not to fall. It’s a potent communal experience, a travelling tent full of 2000 strangers, all realizing at once that when it comes down to falling or flying, we all want the same thing.” Renowned visual artist Es Devlin lives and works in London. Her multi- disciplinary practice spans solo sculptural exhibitions in London and Miami, avant-garde theatre in New York, experimental opera in Vienna, iconic stadium pop shows and Olympic Ceremonies in London and Rio. Devlin’s practice originated in small scale theatres in London, progressed through The Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal Opera House, and onto global opera houses, the Metropolitan Opera, New York and La Scala, Milan. She has conceived large-scale touring shows with Beyoncé, U2, Adele, The Weeknd and Kanye West as well as collaborations with the theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli and the actor Benedict Cumberbatch. Amongst her many current projects, Devlin is designing the UK Pavilion at World EXPO 2020. Es Devlin is joined by... o) Yasmine Khalil — Executive Producer o) Dan Fortin — Vice President, Creation o) Gabriel Pinkstone — Producer o) Es Devlin — Writer, Director and Set Designer o) Chantal Tremblay — Creation Director o) Lucie Janvier — Production Director o) Nicolas Vaudelet — Costume Designer o) Jade Pybus — Composer o) Andy Theakstone — Composer o) Daniel Cola — Human Performance Designer o) Jaque Paquin — Acrobatic Equipment Designer o) Lynne Page — Choreographer and Collaborating Director o) John Clark — Lightning Designer o) Jacques Boucher — Sound Designer o) Jérôme Delapierre — Projection Designer Cirque 2020 will be the company's 51st original production and 20th Big Top Show. Tickets are on sale now! BUY TICKETS HERE: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/2020 WATCH THE TEASER HERE: https://youtu.be/6mDEzRoaTTg LEARN MORE ABOUT ES DEVLIN HERE: - Website: https://esdevlin.com/ - TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeOadxT7kPA - Netflix: "Abstract: The Art of Design" Documentary In Season 1 Episode 3: "Es Devlin: Stage Design" * * * JOYA REFRESHES FOR SIXTH SEASON * * * JOYÀ will begin its sixth season at Vidanta Riviera Maya with new acts, new makeup and costumes, and a new culinary menu. Some notable changes include: A new and exciting act of “Aerial Rings Duo” performed by Argentine artists Flor Aracama and Nico Busso, will be the first of its kind and an exclusive to Cirque du Soleil JOYÀ. “Performing on the spiritual scene, the eloquence, beauty and strength of this duo are captivating and uplifting. We have restructured and reprogrammed the technical specifications of the stage to show their capabilities," said Joël Bergeron, artistic director of Quality at Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. A new comedic number will feature an additional moment of spontaneity, including audience participation. "It is an element often played at Cirque du Soleil shows because it transforms the audience from spectator to participant in a fun and exciting way," Bergeron said. And a new culinary experience created by Alexis Bostlemann, Vidanta's corporate chef. Bostlemann and his talented team created a much more unique dining experience to take the senses to the next level. “Cirque du Soleil JOYÀ is a unique multisensory experience, inspired by Mexico. A great example of this is the gastronomic component of the show, something that cannot be found in any other Cirque du Soleil show in the world. We are sure that with the surprises and additions we have prepared for this sixth season, JOYÀ will be an even more fun and interactive experience for our visitors," said Norma Preciado, director of Entertainment Marketing and Lifestyle of Grupo Vidanta. * * * LAST, BUT NOT LEAST... * * * And last, but certainly not least, we have a couple of important milestones to highlight: - MJ ONE celebrated its 3,000th performance on October 3, 2019 - CRYSTAL celebrated its 600th performance on October 4, 2019 - AXEL premiered preview shows on October 4, 2019 More? Keep reading! /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.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 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 * Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds o) Fascination! Features * SPECIAL /// "Cirque Scores with MESSI10" - A Collection of Articles Celebrating Messi10's Premiere * "Bringing Corteo's Sound to Life" - A Sennheiser Pro Talk Series interview with Christian Peterson - Head of Sound * Jean David's Quel Cirque, Part 10 of 12: "Thinking Big" A Special Series Celebrating Cirque's 35th Anniversary o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= *************************************************************** LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights *************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- ICYMI At NY Fashion Week, Hi-Tech Experience Steals Show {Sep.05.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- In the dynamic world of fashion, technology is increasing its footprint every day. Brands like Rent the Runway, Moda Operandi and Amazon are integrating new tools into their platforms to make customer experiences seamless and enjoyable. Enterprise software provider SAP is also expanding its presence in the fashion industry, as its technology hits the runway for the third time in September, showcasing tech-enabled designs and a newly enhanced interactive runway app at New York Fashion Week (NYFW). This year SAP partnered with Cirque du Soleil, the world leader in art and entertainment, and Fashion-Tech designer and innovator Anouk Wipprecht, to create the first-ever tech-enhanced designs. The designs utilize SAP Qualtrics to capture participant’s inputs and delivers custom-made beverages – cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks – and fragrances to the individual. WATCH A VIDEO DEMONSTRATION: https://youtu.be/BHkUiq9m4Rs Also, the Runway by SAP app will again be incorporated in top-designer Badgley Mischka’s runway show to create new ways for viewers to interact and provide real-time feedback during the shows. With these innovative technology advances and utilizing participant input to drive personalization, SAP is turning big data into a moment of joy in fashion. CIRQUE UNVEILS TECH-ENABLED DESIGNS BASED ON PARTICIPANT’S INPUT These original tech-enabled designs will come to life at NYFW. Together, SAP, Cirque du Soleil and designer Anouk created “Elixir” and “Fragrance” – two designs, each including a dress and a suit, that are centered around audience interactions to create the ultimate customer experience. Here’s how it works: The experience begins when the participant first engages with the design. The participant interacts with the model and design through a tablet on their arm that takes them through a series of questions using the SAP Qualtrics Experience Management (XM) platform. Feedback from the interaction is analyzed and feeds the exact experiential and operational data it needs to pick one of many expertly crafted beverages or fragrances for each guest. After the questions are answered, the design starts to work. All fashionably hidden, through conveyor belts, pumps and capsules secured by 3D-printed harnesses and accessories, the beverage design blends different alcohols, fruit juices and flavors to craft the perfect drink. While the fragrance design combines different scents creating a personalized fragrance with a custom label delivering a world-class product and brand experience for users. The designs not only make the beverages and fragrances quickly, but they are specifically catered to you. The designs know exactly what you need – a lavender-infused drink for when you are stressed, ginger- infused for more energy, or even the perfect fragrance you did not even know existed. How’s that for the ultimate personalized experience? SHOP WITH RUNWAY BY SAP This year, whether you are at the show or watching, you can participate in the runway experience by engaging in real-time with the looks from the Badgley Mischka show on the Runway by SAP app. Simply point your iPhone at the model and the app will identify what they are wearing. You can then dive deeper into the look and “like” or “love” the items, and add them to your wish list. You can share your wish list with BM, and they’ll alert you when items are ready for purchase. The app uses the beacon technology and machine learning algorithms that instantly recognize the looks as they walk the runway. BM has incorporated the app into its show, giving the audience the chance to engage and react to what they like and love, showing the designers the feedback and influencing future designs and buying decisions. It’s a personalized experience for each user. FUTURE OF FASHION AND TECHNOLOGY On the last day of NYFW, SAP will contribute to an “In Conversation” panel, led by Emma Rosenblum, Editor-in-Chief of Bustle Digital Group with guests, Alicia Tillman, Global CMO of SAP, Marcus Wainwright, founder of rag & bone, Diane Quinn, Chief Creative Officer at Cirque du Soleil, and Aaron Duffy, CEO of Specialguest. These thought leaders will discuss the impact of technology and experience in the fashion industry across a wide variety of topics. “We are excited to return to our third New York Fashion Week with a focus on creating more personalized and unique consumer experiences at the intersection of technology and fashion,” said Alicia Tillman, Global CMO of SAP. “Through our tech-enabled fashion designs, created in collaboration with Cirque du Soleil, and our enhanced Runway by SAP app, we wanted to demonstrate how our technology can translate direct feedback and inputs to give designers the feedback they need to create designs that are the most relevant to consumers today.” { SOURCE: Forbes } ---------------------------------------------------------- IATSE #58 Picketing Alegría in Toronto {Sep.12.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.) Local 58 will be holding an informational picket outside the big top at Ontario Place at 6:00 p.m. on September 12, to mark opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria. The picket comes in response to Cirque’s choice to use lower-paid, non-union labour to mount the production. After a 20-year relationship that saw I.A.T.S.E. Local 58 working with Cirque to bring the Quebec-based circus company’s productions to audiences at the Port Lands and Ontario Place, the union was informed by Cirque this year that the company would be using non-union labour, at a rate of pay that is significantly lower than the skilled stagehands represented by Local 58 have been paid since they began working behind the scenes building sets, hanging lights and installing the sound equipment that create the spectacle audiences have come to know and love from Cirque. “We are hugely disappointed in Cirque’s decision to take the cheap route on labour rather than honour a long-standing relationship 20 years in the making,” says I.A.T.S.E. Local 58 president Justin Antheunis. The rate of pay for the non-union workers hired by Cirque du Soleil for the remount of Alegria is as much as $10.00 lower per hour than the wage Cirque paid Local 58 stagehands when they began providing labour for the company in the early 2000s. “The fact that Cirque would rather line the pockets of a labour provider than pay the skilled technicians what their knowledge and experience is worth is deplorable,” says Antheunis. “It’s yet another example of a multi-national company coming to Toronto and trying to drive down the wages of workers in this city, at a time when it’s only getting more expensive to live here.” The picket line will be set up outside the big top at Ontario Place at 6:00 p.m., where I.A.T.S.E. Local 58 stagehands will be informing patrons of Cirque’s unfair decision to use cheap non-union labour. President Antheunis will be on-site to answer questions. { SOURCE: Canadian Newswire } ---------------------------------------------------------- More on “‘Twas The Night Before” {Sep.12.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- As the title suggests, Cirque’s first holiday show is inspired by the familiar holiday poem called “A Visit from St. Nicholas” that was first published anonymously in 1823 before Clement Clarke Moore claimed credit for the work in 1837. Cirque described the new family show as a “vibrant acrobatic spectacle” incorporating feats of physical derring-do that long have been a strength of the Cirque brand. The story line will follow the journey of Isabella, a young girl who’s become jaded by the hoopla surrounding Christmas. The production aims to answer the question whether Isabella’s arrival in a topsy-turvy, upside-down, inside-out world new world realized in the show will reignite the holiday spirit in her. “‘Twas the Night Before …” is a show created to entertain the whole family, as well as the perfect opportunity for parents to introduce the world of Cirque du Soleil to their children for the first time.” Yasmine Khalil, chief executive producer of Cirque du Soleil, said in a prepared statement. “We are thrilled to return to Chicago with our very first production celebrating the holiday season, with a unique take on a Christmas classic.” Added MSG Live Executive Vice President Darren Pfeffer, “We are thrilled to be partnering with Cirque du Soleil — another name in world-class entertainment — on this one-of-a-kind production, which we know will not only provide a unique celebration of the season, but also inspire another generation to appreciate the creativity, athleticism and artistry of Cirque du Soleil.” The new Cirque holiday show is the latest in a growing collection of shows the entertainment company has unveiled since private equity firm TPG Capital acquired a majority stake in Cirque in 2015. TPG introduced new a strategic game plan to grow the brand and expand Cirque’s presence globally with an array of new productions in different types of venues. SEE SOME STAGE RENDERINGS HERE: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=13088 { SOURCE: Chicago Business Journal } ----------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil Celebrates 30 Years In The UK {Sep.18.2019} ----------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil marks its 30th anniversary in the UK with a celebratory exhibition from 19 September to 9 October with free entry at London’s historical Royal Geographical Society (with IBG). Fans can immerse themselves in the story so far, understand the journey of Cirque du Soleil, from creation to the travelling circus today, hear the music, and take an up-close look at costumes, masks and more! A truly global company with shows that have visited more than sixty countries and using themes evoked from different cultures around the world, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) is the perfect venue for this exhibition celebrating 30 years in the UK alone. From humble beginnings of street theatre, Cirque du Soleil has grown from a company of 73, to more than 4,000 people, featuring artists and employees from over 50 countries with more than 25 different languages spoken. The arrival of LUZIA next year, the company’s 38th original production themed around ‘A Waking Dream of Mexico’, will be the 14th production to debut in the UK and marks 30 years since Cirque du Soleil first brought its captivating magic and awe-inspiring acrobatics to the country. Since 1990, when the first Grand Chapiteau was raised in London to host Cirque Réinventé on the South Bank, just six years after the company’s inception in the streets of Québec in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has astounded audiences of over five million in the United Kingdom alone. Attention to detail runs throughout every aspect of a show. From the first stage design to intricate custom made costumes and precision make up, Cirque du Soleil’s spectacular productions come together through a multitude of talented technicians, artistic directors, designers, engineers, carpenters, coaches and musicians, with world renowned artists remaining the beating heart of excellence in every show. From exquisite moments of beauty including OVO’s Aerial Straps, Amaluna’s Balance Goddess, Totem’s Lovebirds Trapeze, Quidam’s Aerial Hoops and Varekai’s Flight of Icarus, to jaw dropping, heart stopping acts including OVO’s Russian Cradle, Totem’s Unicycle and Bowls, Varekai’s Russian Swings, Dralion’s Teeterboard, Kooza’s Wheel of Death and Amaluna’s Banquine, which wowed even Meryl Streep at the BAFTAs in 2017. With arena tours and big tops alike, Cirque du Soleil’s touring shows have travelled across the country. For residency shows, Cirque du Soleil found home at the Royal Albert Hall in 1996, when it returned to the UK with Saltimbanco. Transforming the show from a Big Top tent, to the iconic London venue has presented new challenges for every Cirque du Soleil production that has walked through its doors. The size, shape, unique space, entry points and heritage status of the Royal Albert Hall mean many productions have adapted their shows to work inside the hallowed hall. In 2008, Varekai was granted Westminster Council approval for a purpose-built rehearsal structure erected in the Hall’s West Car Park, measuring three stories high to allow performers rehearsal time for the Russian Swings act and the Hall raised the acoustic sound diffusers to accommodate rigging for the OVO’s Russian Cradle. Making its European debut, Cirque du Soleil returns to the Royal Albert Hall from 12 January – 16 February with its production of LUZIA. With Cirque du Soleil’s most technically challenging show to install at the Royal Albert Hall to date, LUZIA will see a 14 metre high water curtain rigged from the ceiling which can rotate 360 degrees and can create two dimensional images using water droplets and blank spaces produced from 174 electromagnetic nozzles. The water is treated, filtered and recycled for every performance and will become the first ever production to use water at the Royal Albert Hall in this way. As part of the exhibition, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) have curated a special display relating to Mrs Patrick Ness who visited Mexico in 1920. Her photography provided the wider world at the time with a unique glimpse of this colourful and vibrant nation. Cirque du Soleil strive for commitment beyond the stage, aiming to positively impact people and communities through creativity and art. 2019 saw a partnership blossom with The Duke of Sussex’s charity Sentebale, which helps youth affected by HIV in southern Africa. Attended by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, the premiere for TOTEM at the Royal Albert Hall saw all proceeds from the evening going to support Sentebale’s work and raise vital awareness for the programme. At the helm of Cirque du Soleil, CEO Daniel Lamarre on celebrating 30 years in the UK says: “We are genuinely happy to celebrate this great anniversary with the United Kingdom. Over the years, we have always been warmly welcomed in the UK, where we feel like home. We are grateful for the constant excitement shared by the fans and hope that this is just the beginning of many more shows and years to come!” The celebratory exhibition marking 30 years of Cirque du Soleil in the UK takes place at The Royal Geographical (with IBG) Society from 19 September to 9 October and entry is free. Entry times Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am – 4pm. For further information, visit www.rgs.org. Please note, the exhibition will be closed on September 26 between 10am and 12pm. { SOURCE: Broadway World } ----------------------------------------------- AEG Acquires Full Ownership of AXS Tickets {Sep.19.2019} ----------------------------------------------- After months of negotiation with AXS co-owners TPG Capital and Dan Gilbert’s Rockbridge Growth Equity, AEG has acquired 100% of AXS Tickets, Billboard has learned. The deal comes as AEG looks at the competitive landscape for concerts going in to 2020, when a consent decree governing Live Nation expires and restrictions on the $15 billion market cap company are finally lifted. The deal also follows a period of rapid technologic advancement at Ticketmaster and a decision by AEG officials to make investments that had been difficult to execute due to AXS’s previous ownership structure, which required unanimous consent between TPG, Gilbert and AEG for all material decisions. The purchase comes after more than a year of negotiation and two unsuccessful bids for AXS by rival ticketing companies. German firm CTS Eventim looked into a merger or acquisition with AXS but passed after it was clear AEG wouldn’t give up operation control. Nathan Hubbard with startup ticketing company Rival also made a bid for AXS and, later, he entertained a bid from AXS to buy Rival. Neither deal went anywhere. With no buyers willing to agree to AEG’s terms, the company was able to hold out until it secured favorable conditions to buy Gilbert’s group and TPG’s shares, which were ready to free up cash and sell the ownership stake in AXS it obtained acquiring Cirque du Soleil in 2015. It was Cirque du Soleil’s Outbox ticketing technology that originally powered the AXS ticketing system in a deal struck in 2011 to create a competitor to Ticketmaster, which had completed the merger with Live Nation the year before. In 2015, AXS merged with Veritix, the ticketing company created by Gilbert, who owns the Cleveland Cavaliers. As a result of the two partnerships, TPG and Rockridge together held 62% of the company while AEG held a 38% stake. As for competing against Ticketmaster, the company has had mixed success. While it was able to secure an exclusive ticketing agreement with the famed Red Rocks venue outside Denver (also home to AEG’s reclusive billionaire owner Phil Anschutz), it was unable to renew several Veritix clients and struggled with growth. With full control of AXS, AEG plans to develop its own secondary ticket offering and potentially merge or acquire a new a ticketing partner. Company officials are also considering pursuing a non-exclusivity model for new clients, similar to the city-owned Greek Theatre in Los Angeles, which is managed by SMG. Promoters who bring shows to the building are welcome to use the ticketing technology of their choice and officials with AEG are considering making a similar offer to potential clients. Instead of paying an advance for upfront exclusivity, venues using AXS would be allowed to use Ticketmaster for any Live Nation shows brought to their facilities. A non-exclusive model could be a competitive remedy to Ticketmaster, which has continued to rapidly increase market share 10 years after its merger with Live Nation, a deal that required Ticketmaster to license its technology to AEG so the company could build a competing ticketing solution. The agreement also forbade Live Nation from withholding content from buildings that signed with AEG, but allowed Live Nation to give preference to venues that use Ticketmaster. That exception has made the federal consent decree essentially unenforceable and AEG officials have largely given up on an intervention from the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission. Sources tell Billboard that DOJ officials have met with AEG executives over complaints of anti- competitive behaviors, but have never charged Live Nation with violating the agreement. The consent decree was briefly discussed in a televised U.S. Senate oversight hearing Tuesday between Senator Richard Blumenthal and Makan Delrahim, assistant attorney general for the antitrust division. Delrahim confirmed the DOJ had been “examining allegations of violations” of the consent decree, but expressed doubt the department would be able to prevail in a court challenge. “The current standard for a violation of a consent decree — which is probably why we haven’t seen enforcement of consent decrees, too many of them — was that the term has to be clearly unambiguous and you have to prove it in the court to clear a convincing standard. I don’t have to tell you how difficult of a standard that is,” Delrahim said in a response to a question from Blumenthal. Going forward, Delrahim explained, consent decrees coming out of the DOJ will “include provisions that force the parties to agree to a lower standard for review,” making it easier for court challenges of violations. After the hearing, Live Nation released a statement saying it had “always complied with their obligations under the consent decree” and added, “We do not force anyone into ticketing agreements by leveraging content, and we do not retaliate against venues that choose other ticketing providers.” The statement also said the company “worked closely with the Department of Justice on the inquiries they have received during the term of the consent decree” and that the DOJ “has thoroughly investigated these complaints” and “has never found any material violations.” { SOURCE: Billboard } ----------------------------------------------- Boston Dynamics’ Robot Headed to Cirque? {Sep.27.2019} ----------------------------------------------- Animal-like robots that started out as a military-funded research project might be shipped off to the circus instead of the battlefield. Cirque du Soleil says it’s in talks with robot maker Boston Dynamics about using the four-legged Spot robot in its live shows. The agile robots walk, climb stairs and open doors. They have become famous on YouTube but haven’t been applied commercially since the company was founded in 1992. That’s changing this fall. The Waltham, Massachusetts, robotics firm revealed in a YouTube post this week that Spot is now in mass production and shipping to select customers for such uses as monitoring construction sites or inspecting energy facilities. Cirque du Soleil says it’s still in the “ideation” stage and evaluating Spot’s potential in live entertainment. SEE A VIDEO DEMONSTRATION OF THE ROBOT-DOGS HERE: https://youtu.be/wlkCQXHEgjA { SOURCE: New York Post } ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque R.U.N’s to 7Five Brewing Co {Oct.07.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil has announced a partnership between Vegas Golden Knights fan favorite Ryan Reaves’ 7Five Brewing Co. and upcoming show “R.U.N” at Luxor. A series of four parody movie posters are being released starting this week, and the posters provide fans with instructions to enter to win VIP access to the grand opening performance of the show alongside Reaves himself. The posters are available as a gift with the purchase of 7Five Training Day Golden Ale at 18 Lee’s Discount Liquor locations across Las Vegas. “I’ve always been a huge fan of Cirque du Soleil so 7Five’s collaboration with ‘R.U.N’ is a great fit,” said Reaves. “I look forward to attending the world premiere with one lucky fan and experience the action unlike ever before on November 14.” For more information on the contest, visit RUN7Five.com. *************************************************************** Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews *************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------- Luzia’s Naomi Zimmerman Wows Crowds & Makes It Look Easy {Sep.09.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- From a young age, we’ve been told to reach for the sky. Well, one woman took that advice seriously, and has reached new limits by joining one of the most influential performance groups in the world. Dealing with a frantic work schedule and relentless training isn’t easy for most, but Naomi Zimmerman, a Cirque du Soleil performer, hasn’t let any of those obstacles stop her from doing what she loves most. Zimmerman, 26, performs as an acrobat and dancer in the Cirque du Soleil show Luzia, a tribute to Mexican culture that highlights elements of light and water, combining the Spanish words for both to form the name. In the show, Zimmerman performs an Adagio act, or sort of acrobatic version of a dance number, accompanied by three male partners who toss her in the air or swoop her in dizzying loops to peaceful music. It’s reminiscent of the death-defying tosses of a high level cheerleading competition — but so much more artistic. I JUST THOUGHT, ‘YOU KNOW WHAT? THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DO. THERE’S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.’ When you’re in the audience, Cirque du Soleil performers make those twists, turns, flips, and other tricks look effortless. Well, that’s a part of the job. Little do most of us know that it takes hours of training and practice in order to make these performances come to life. For Zimmermann, her training started at an early age, by getting involved in gymnastics when she was only 5 years old. Through gymnastics classes, she discovered her love for acrobatics and decided to attend a circus school at 8 years old to push herself even further. “At the beginning I wasn’t sure because I’m a little bit shy, but people were so welcoming and it was very acrobatics orientated, and I really loved it,” Zimmermann tells Elite Daily in an interview. Zimmermann’s love of acrobatics might have been what started her journey, but once she realized she could make a career out of the activity, she was all in. “I discovered that people were actually making this their job,” Zimmermann says. “So I just thought, ‘You know what? That’s what I want to do. There’s no question about it.'” Once she decided she wanted to make a career out of acrobatics, Zimmermann auditioned in 2010 for professional circus school École Nationale de Cirque in Montréal, Canada, and was accepted. Three years later, Zimmermann was able to audition for Cirque du Soleil immediately thanks to her school’s association with the famous performance company. However, when Zimmermann first auditioned, she was told that there was no place available at the time — and didn’t land the job. “They told me they would contact me when they found a spot for me or need someone who fits my skill set,” Zimmermann says. “So, I decided to perform in another show in Mexico.” When she didn’t make the cut for Cirque du Soleil the first time, Zimmermann could have given up. Instead, she continued to perform in other shows until she was contacted by the company nearly three years later in 2016. Zimmermann was asked to perform in Cirque du Soleil’s show Luzia and accepted the role. I CAN THROW MYSELF A LITTLE BIT HARDER BECAUSE I KNOW THERE’S THREE PEOPLE TO CATCH ME, AND I LOVE THEM. As an official Cirque du Soleil performer, Zimmermann definitely does not have the standard 9-to-5 job. She starts her day by attending a yoga or fitness class to wake up her muscles, and then heads to training in the afternoon. During training, performers practice tricks that need more development, or work on new tricks being incorporated into the show. Even though Zimmermann isn’t a stranger to perfecting her moves, the preparation is rigorous. As an audience member, one might think that these performers only have to put their game faces on a few nights a week, but in reality, it’s hours of hard work. The show puts on some eight to 10 shows a week, spending four to 12 weeks in a city before moving on. “Our work is pretty rigorous,” Zimmermann says. “We have to train all day and on our own time, so I don’t think people always realize how much work goes into this show.” Performers get about eight months of training for a new show before it goes on the road. One of the things Zimmerman loves most about her act is the creative aspect. “The work that I do in my act is something very different and something we created,” Zimmermann says. “It’s something that’s never been done before, so that’s what I love about my act.” Of course, performing in the air can be stressful, and relies a lot on trusting your partners. Luckily for Zimmermann, she’s developed close friendships with her fellow performers and knows they have her back. “I can throw myself a little bit harder because I know there’s three people to catch me, and I love them,” Zimmermann says. AS AN ARTIST, NEVER BE SCARED OF BEING DIFFERENT. One of the best perks for Zimmermann is the traveling. While Cirque du Soleil has some 20 shows in active performances at any given time, some of them are limited to one location while others move around. Her show, Luzia, tours in countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, and Russia. For some, international flights can be draining, but for Zimmermann, it’s an exciting perk. “The aspect that I love the most is the travel,” Zimmermann says. “Traveling with with this big family that I get to work with every day is really nice.” Zimmermann may be filling up her passport, but spending so much time on the road definitely takes away from family. However, Zimmermann is grateful that her family recognized her talent from a young age and has supported her throughout the entire process. “My family has always been very supportive,” Zimmermann says. “They saw my talent and the potential I had when I was young. I was very lucky in that department. I don’t see my family very often since I’m traveling, but they’ve come to see me perform in certain cities.” Zimmermann’s resilience is proof that no one should give up even if things don’t initially work out. As long as someone is unique and unafraid, Zimmermann is sure that hard work will pay off. “First of all, as an artist, never be scared of being different,” Zimmermann advises. “The more unique you are, the more interesting you’ll be. People will be drawn towards your work.” Not all of us can be circus performers, but Zimmermann’s talent is something she’s taken to new heights — literally. { SOURCE: Shelby Black | Elite Daily } ---------------------------------------------------------- Pisanu: Leading in the Age of Constant Decision-making {Sep.13.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- Davide Pisanu, Senior Vice-President Affiliated Businesses at the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group and CEO of the Blue Man Group, has worn many hats within the world-renowned performance company since starting there three years ago. On top of his involvement with the Cirque du Soleil’s partners, he currently oversees the group’s strategy and transformation and serves as the interim Senior Vice- President for the Resident Show Division in Las Vegas. This mountain of responsibility at a company that employs over 5,000 across its multiple divisions and subsidiaries is no small undertaking—but, Pisanu is up to the task. His excitement for the mental gymnastics of balancing the multiple portfolios under his responsibility is, in fact, at the heart of his success with the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. “It’s really about where you find joy and energy and seeking that out,” Pisanu explained. “People are not going to pay you a certain amount of money and give you a certain title for you to start counting your hours. You need to make it work and the only way you do that is by doing something that you enjoy. I get a lot of energy from solving complex problems and doing things and transforming things and shaping things.” As a native Montrealer, part of the joy that Pisanu derives from his work comes from participating in a local success story. The Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group began as a performing circus troupe that toured Quebec in 1980 under the moniker Les Échassiers,before growing into the largest theatrical producer in the world. “For me being part of something bigger than I am and something important for this city, this province, and this country was clearly a part of [joining Cirque du Soleil],” Pisanu said. The convergence of francophone and anglophone cultures is as emblematic of the city that the performance group has flourished in, as it is of the business’s success. For Pisanu, the Cirque du Soleil’s multicultural project has elevated Montreal’s status as a creative hub to the heights of New York and Los Angeles. “Cirque du Soleil’s signature products, are truly influenced by the meeting of two cultures: what people traditionally call European circus and the North American circus tradition where you travel between cities,” he said. “So it’s the meeting of a certain aesthetic with a certain business model that is truly unique and probably the only place where that could happen is Montreal.” Including a formative three-year period at McKinsey & Company, Pisanu has had three careers over the course of his early forties as a lawyer, a consultant, and an operator. He attributes his diverse resume to his perpetual need for a challenge. He sees himself, not as a classical operator, content to oversee a status quo, but as a critical thinker who seeks to effect change and transformation. “I need to take things and bring them somewhere,” Pisanu said. “And that somewhere needs to be different from where I first started. Some people are really good at optimization: you take a business, you optimize, and you keep running it. I think I need a little bit more intensity.” Pisanu views non-linear trajectories such as his as an emerging trend in today’s uncertain world. Instead of steadily working their way to the top of a given company, modern professionals always need to be on the lookout for new opportunities. “Nobody knows what the world is going to look like twenty-four months from now, which was not the case thirty years ago,” Pisanu remarked. “Young people today have to be prepared to be constantly reinventing themselves.” The unpredictability of business has also caused a shift in managerial styles. Executives need to be willing to depart from standard models and techniques like long-term development plans in favour of adaptability. “Today, we make decisions constantly,” Pisanu said. “As a senior executive I never really make a decision that is for five years later because things change super fast. You set up a strategy because you need a guiding star, but you need to be nimble and agile enough to revisit your decision on an almost constant basis.” On the upside, leaders’ flexibility in the face of uncertainty allows for a more participatory business model, even at big companies like the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. Pisanu acknowledges that it can take personal courage to share new ideas, but he is also emphatic that the rewards are well worth it. As a young senior executive, Pisanu has experienced the benefits of that courage firsthand. “People are afraid of being judged for saying the wrong thing,” he said. “But the less practice you have the less good you are at imposing your presence. And this is something that compounds throughout your whole career. If there’s a time to make a mistake it’s when you start.” { SOURCE: Karl Moore; Forbes } ---------------------------------------------------------- D’Angeli on Evolving the Brand and Promoting a New Show {Sep.20.2019} ---------------------------------------------------------- It’s an incredibly busy time for Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal-based live entertainment giant that has redefined Las Vegas shows over the past 25 years. It maintains seven of the most popular and successful productions on the Strip and is currently gearing up to expand the performance schedule for “O” at Bellagio to seven nights per week. And then there’s “R.U.N,” Cirque’s first live-action thriller, a brand-new concept and production set to open October 24 at Luxor. It’s being described as an entirely different direction for a brand that’s built its reputation on avant-garde, circus-style shows like “Mystére” and “KÁ.” There are no acrobats or clowns in “R.U.N,” which is designed like a blockbuster Hollywood action film that comes to life onstage. “It’s a lot right now, but it’s awesome,” says Lou D’Angeli, vice president of marketing and public relations for Cirque’s resident shows division. “Every show that’s in the market right now is having a good year. That doesn’t mean we take our eye off them at all, but we have a team dedicated to launching the new show. It’s the first show in six years we’ve launched here and it’s our No. 1 priority. And it’s re-energized us. Our shows are fantastic and I come to work every day excited to be there, but when you have a new project like this, everybody gets amped up.” Everyone at Cirque is busy these days, but D’Angeli is at the forefront when it comes to introducing “R.U.N” to the world while simultaneously growing the audience for other shows that have been entertaining Las Vegas for a long time. He started with Cirque and came to Vegas in 2009, moving his family from Philadelphia where he had worked with Comcast Spectacor (which owns the Wells Fargo Center, the NHL’s Flyers and at that time owned the NBA’s 76ers) and then with World Wrestling Entertainment. He broke through with WWE after success with a smaller regional offshoot, Extreme Championship Wrestling, where he managed routing, sales and marketing and even got some time in the spotlight as a somewhat villainous wrestling manager character, known as Sign Guy Dudley and Lou E. Dangerously. D’Angeli says he and his family quickly fell in love with Las Vegas and the lessons he learned with the dominant WWE entertainment brand were easily applied to his new career with Cirque du Soleil. “When I worked at the arena in Philadelphia, I remember people coming downstairs and talking about this crazy tent show down the street, like it was the craziest thing they’ve ever seen,” he says. “That was my first exposure to Cirque. No one could describe it. It’s just so trendsetting and revolutionary in creating live events and the WWE was the same mentality. “So when I got to Cirque my challenge was to bring some of those old- school, boots-to-the-ground ticket sales tactics, more of a grassroots marketing approach, and we did that and have done that and we still do. When you think about people going up and down the Strip, instead of seeing a truck with a show logo, it’s a truck with a logo and a video screen and somebody moving around and music and smoke. It’s a spectacle, and that’s just a truck on the Strip, not even the show. Being in Vegas makes you think like that, what can you do to amplify everything.” A lifelong hockey fan, D’Angeli was instrumental in Cirque’s unique partnership with the Vegas Golden Knights, which started before the city’s NHL team dropped the puck for its first game. He’s looking to expand on that kind of innovative partnership with other familiar sports and entertainment brands with “R.U.N,” which is so different from other Cirque shows that it could create new collaborative opportunities. “We have been able to secure a bunch of stuff that we couldn’t do before because it didn’t make sense,” he says. “You can force partnerships and promotions but people can see if it’s not authentic. What we did with VGK brought a lot of life to how partnerships can be executed and the NHL caught wind of it fast and we were able to do things with them, too. The next challenge is replicating that impact.” The action movie style of “R.U.N” should be a good fit with big-name brands like WWE or UFC, but as always, the onstage product must deliver. And the expectations of anything done by Cirque du Soleil are understandably high. “The pressure is there now because we have to sell tickets and market a show that’s very different but completely necessary,” D’Angeli says. “For our brand to evolve, these moves are necessary. For us to find a new audience and create new partnerships, moves like this are necessary but also exciting and scary at the same time. You don’t really know until you know. But I know that the show is amazing.” { SOURCE: Brock Radke, Las Vegas Sun } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Alegria, Amaluna, Bazzar, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem, Volta, and Cirque 2020} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {OVO, Crystal, Corteo, AXEL, Messi10, 'Twas The Night Before} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA, Paramour, X: The Land of Fantasy, and R.U.N} 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 ------------------------------------ Alegría-In a New Light: Toronto, ON -- Sep 12, 2019 to Nov 24, 2019 Miami, FL -- Dec 13, 2020 to Jan 26 2020 Houston, TX -- Feb 22, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 Austin, TX -- Apr 15, 2020 to May 17, 2020 Chicago, IL -- Jun 3, 2020 to Jul 12, 2020 Washington, DC -- Jul 23, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020 Vancouver, BC -- Oct 15, 2020 to Jan 10, 2021 Amaluna: Winnipeg, MB -- Sep 14, 2019 to Oct 20, 2019 San Francisco, CA -- Nov 3, 2019 to Jan 12, 2020 Sacramento, CA -- Jan 22, 2020 - Feb 16, 2020 Bazzar: Punta Cana, DO -- TBA Cirque 2020: Montreal, QC -- Apr 23, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020 Koozå: Malaga, ES -- Sep 13, 2019 to Oct 13, 2019 Madrid, ES -- Oct 24, 2019 to Dec 22, 2019 Seville, ES -- Jan 15, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Lyon, FR — Mar 19, 2020 to Apr 13, 2020 Tel Aviv, IL -- Jun 4, 2020 to Jun 30, 2020 Kurios: Sydney, AU -- Oct 2, 2019 to Dec 15, 2019 Brisbane, AU -- Jan 10, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Melbourne, AU -- Mar 12, 2020 to Apr 13, 2020 Adelaide, AU -- May 29, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020 Perth, AU -- TBA Luzia: Vancouver, BC -- Oct 3, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019 London, UK -- Jan 12, 2020 to Mar 1, 2020 Moscow, RU -- Mar 19, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Totem: The Hague, NL -- Oct 11, 2019 to Dec 8, 2019 Düsseldorf, DE -- Dec 19, 2019 to Jan 26, 2020 Munich, DE -- Feb 12, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020 Rome, IT -- Apr 1, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 Milan, IT -- May 21, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020 VOLTA: Atlanta, GA -- Oct 10, 2019 to Jan 5, 2020 Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 18, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020 Costa Mesa, CA -- Mar 18, 2020 - Apr 19, 2020 Denver, CO -- TBA ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ OVO: Medellin, CO -- Oct 09, 2019 to Oct 26, 2019 Panama City, PA -- Nov 12, 2019 to Nov 17, 2019 Guatemala City, GT -- Dec 3, 2019 to Dec 8, 2019 Norfolk, VA -- Dec 27, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019 Charlotte, NC -- Jan 8, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020 CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE: Mexico City, MX -- Oct 4, 2019 to Oct 13, 2019 Moscow, RU -- Nov 22, 2019 to Dec 8, 2019 Saint Petersburg, RU -- Dec 11, 2019 to Dec 15, 2019 Kazan, RU -- Dec 19, 2019 to Dec 22, 2019 Ufa, RU -- Dec 25, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019 Ekaterinburg, RU -- Jan 1, 2020 to Jan 5, 2020 Riga, LV -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020 Krakow, PL -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020 Gdansk, PL -- Jan 30, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020 Minsk, BY -- Feb 6, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Kiev, UA -- Feb 13, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020 Sheffield, UK -- Mar 6, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020 Glasgow, UK -- Mar 11, 2020 to Mar 15, 2020 Aberdeen, UK -- Mar 19, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020 Belfast, UK -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020 Manchester, UK -- Apr 1, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 Birmingham, UK -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Nottingham, UK -- Apr 15, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 CORTEO: Milan, IT -- Oct 2, 2019 to Oct 6, 2019 Bologna, IT -- Oct 9, 2019 to Oct 13, 2019 Pesario, IT -- Oct 17, 2019 to Oct 20, 2019 Leipzig, DE -- Oct 23, 2019 to Oct 27, 2019 Frankfurt, DE -- Oct 30, 2019 to Nov 3, 2019 Nuremberg, DE -- Nov 6, 2019 to Nov 10, 2019 Graz, AT -- Nov 13, 2019 to Nov 17, 2019 Brussels, BE -- Nov 21, 2019 to Nov 24, 2019 Paris, FR -- Dec 12, 2019 to Dec 15, 2019 Stuttgart, DE -- Dec 18, 2019 to Dec 22, 2019 Mannheim, DE -- Dec 25, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019 Lisbon, PT -- Jan 3, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020 Granada, ES -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020 Zargoza, ES -- Jan 22, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020 Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020 Santiago de Compostela, ES -- Feb 5, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Santander, ES -- Feb 12, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020 Bordeaux, FR -- Feb 21, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 Antwerp, BE -- Mar 13, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020 Vienna, AT -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020 Montpellier, FR -- Apr 2, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020 Aix-en-Provence, FR -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020 Lille, FR -- Apr 16, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020 Copenhagen, DE -- Apr 23, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020 Herning, DE -- Apr 29, 2020 to May 3, 2020 Nice, FR -- Aug 20, 2020 to Aug 22, 2020 AXEL: Cornwall, ON -- Oct 4, 2019 to Oct 5, 2019 Syracuse, NY -- Oct 11, 2019 to Oct 13, 2019 Huntsville, AL -- Oct 18, 2019 to Oct 20, 2019 Pensacola, FL -- Oct 24, 2019 to Oct 27, 2019 Tampa, FL -- Oct 31, 2019 – Nov 3, 2019 Jacksonville, FL -- Nov 7, 2019 to Nov 10, 2019 Roanoke, VA -- Nov 14, 2019 to Nov 17, 2019 Worcester, MA -- Dec 5, 2019 to Dec 8, 2019 Quebec City, QC -- Dec 12, 2019 to Dec 15, 2019 Montreal, QC -- Dec 19, 2019 to Dec 29, 2019 Detroit, MI -- Jan 2, 2020 to Jan 5, 2020 Milwaukee, WI -- Jan 9, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020 Tulsa, OK -- Jan 16, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020 Cincinnati, OH -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020 Kansas City, MO -- Jan 30, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020 Nashville, TN -- Feb 6, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020 Greeneville, SC -- Feb 13, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020 Columbus, GA -- Feb 20, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 Messi10: Barcelona, ES -- Oct 10, 2019 to Nov 10, 2019 Buenos Aires, AR -- Jun 11, 2020 to Jul 5, 2020 'Twas The Night Before: Chicago, IL -- Nov 29, 2019 - Dec 8, 2019 New York, NY -- Dec 11, 2019 - Dec 29, 2019 --------------------------------- 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 "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday NOTE: Starting January 2020, "O" performs 7 Days a Week Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm *) Single Show Dates | 7:00 pm Only o) Tuesday, Nov 5, 2019 *) 2019 Dark Dates: o) 9:30 PM Performance of November 7 Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday - Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm 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: Stage Theater New Flora | Hamburg, Germany Performs: One/Two Shows Nightly... X: THE LAND OF FANTASY Location: Hangzhou, China R.U.N: Location: Luxor Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday - Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm SHOWS BEGIN OCTOBER 24, 2019 ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) Lyrics Video: "The Change" | VOLTA We run, we yell We dream of a fest One agreement and a bow Last, forever If we're hurt, we try We can't forget the pain To the sky and light, we lose and we stand Nana Nana a... When we dream We're tossed in pain We live again To fight the dream We stand With all of our dreams Nana Nana an... We run, we yell We dream of a fest One agreement and a bow Last, forever If we're hurt we try We can't forget the pain To the gods we shine, bright Nana Nana na... If we're hurt we try We can't forget the pain To the gods we shine, bright Nana Nana na... Nana Nana na... WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIo7oeeM7IQ o) Lyrics Video: "Simcha" | «O» Ko lé adja kouné Émali kou ni ma ya Ko lé adja kouné É niti kou ya dé Ko lé adja kouné Émani tou li ni ma Ko lé adja kouné É niti kou ya dé Stomé kra ya han ko yo do pou É hé ka ya di nidjma koyé Stomé kra ya han ko yo do pou É hé ka ya nidjmé Ko lé adja kouné Émali kou ni ma ya Ko lé adja kouné É niti kou ya dé Ko lé adja kouné Émani tou li ni ma Ko lé adja kouné É niti kou ya dé WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Jn06_0b7s o) Lyrics Video: "Kouyama" | Totem Batou byèné Bamanté kouviéné Bané shuviéné Bai-yi Mokyéménti-a Bamanté kouviéné CHORUS Koumaya Kouamya yé luma Koumaya-iyé Koumaya (x3) Koumayé, koumayé Koumayé, koumayé Koumayéluma Koumayé-ay-iyé Koumayé-yé-luma Koumayé-ay-iyé Bamanté kouviéné Eniwan souviéné Bai-yi Mokyéménti-a Koumayé, koumayé Koumayé, koumayé Koumayé, koumayé CHORUS (x2) WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b18J9W_Li8 o) Lyrics Video: "Junoon" | KOOZA Palkon pay chhupi roshni (The sunlight hid on my eyelashes) Chandni kho gayee (The moonlight was lost) Kho gayee (It was lost) Mehkee see subhah khil gayee (The morning became fragrant like a flower and bloomed) Is adaah pay kurbaan, kurbaan (And would be sacrificed for this charm) Junoon kaisa (What kind of passion is this) Yeh samaa, jahaan, aisa... aah (How is the atmosphere/the world like this) Rangon main bikhri roshni (The sunlight split into colors) Yeh junoon ishk ka, ishk ka (The madness of love, of love) Behki see subhah khil gayee (This morning became a flower of emotion) Yeh junoon ishk ka, ishk ka (This madness of love, of love) Junoon kaisa yeh samaa, jahaan, aisa... aah (What kind of passion, this atmosphere, this world is...) Khayaalon main (In my thoughts) Naa jaane kya hua, kaise, kyoon hua (I don't know what happened, how, or why it happened) Nigaahon main (In the exchange of a glance) Naa jaane kya hua, kaise, kyoon hua (I don't know what happened, how, or why it happened) Soona yeh dil tha, yeh kaise machal yaya... haah (This heart was empty, how did it start to beat?) Junoon kaisa yeh samaa, jahaan, aisa... aah (This passion, this moment, this world just is...) WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh5Ds7M7ryE o) Lyrics Video: "Klezmer Moment" | CORTEO Si ça te fait du bien Si ça te fait du bien De te sentir un peu plus mal Sens-toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Sens-toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Si ça te fait du bien Si ça te fait du bien De te sentir un peu plus mal Sens- toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Sens-toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Mieux Sans te sentir mal Te fait du bien alors sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Si ça te fait du bien Si ça te fait du bien De te sentir un peu plus mal Sens-toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Sens-toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Si ça te fait du bien Si ça te fait du bien De te sentir un peu plus mal Sens-toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal pour te sentir un peu mieux Sens-toi bien mal Sens-toi bien mal WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rViA4hv8yOE o) OTHER VIDEOS - Corteo's Last Performance in US https://www.facebook.com/Corteo/videos/3005138486223440/ - Crystal's Snowball Fight https://www.facebook.com/CrystalbyCirqueduSoleil/videos/530211201114438/ - Building Crystal's Stage https://www.facebook.com/EscenarioOCESA/videos/505040497009915/ - Congratulations to our very own Rigging Technician, Getti Kehayova, for being the Guinness World Records holder of the Largest Hula Hoop Spun; in addition to being the first female to accomplish the task! Training for a year, Getti locked down the title by spinning a massive 5.18 m (17 ft 0.25 in) hula hoop! https://www.facebook.com/GuinnessWorldRecords/videos/921179451548676/ - KA Archer Training: https://www.facebook.com/KA/videos/2390749680962199/ - RUN: Can't Have Action Without Stunts https://www.facebook.com/runtheshow/videos/2374504129432122/ - RUN: Meet "The DJ" https://www.facebook.com/runtheshow/videos/1152879968233196/ - RUN: Meet "The Bride" https://www.facebook.com/runtheshow/videos/387680491909548/ - Alegria's Premiere in Toronto https://www.facebook.com/Alegria/videos/2907123915969298/ - Meet Luzia's Aleksei, The Most Flexible Person in the World https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleil/videos/516396742532687/ ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) SPECIAL /// "Cirque Scores with MESSI10" - A Collection of Articles Celebrating Messi10's Premiere o) "Bringing Corteo's Sound to Life" - A Sennheiser Pro Talk Series interview with Christian Peterson - Head of Sound o) Jean David's Quel Cirque, Part 10 of 12: "Thinking Big" A Special Series Celebrating Cirque's 35th Anniversary ------------------------------------------------------------ SPECIAL /// "Cirque Scores with MESSI10" - A Collection of Articles Celebrating Messi10's Premiere ------------------------------------------------------------ HOW CIRQUE TURNED TO THE GENIUS OF MESSI FOR INSPIRATION From El País, a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain The artistic spirit of the Argentine soccer star is the protagonist of the world-renowned company’s new production. EL PAÍS SEMANAL got a sneak peek at the rehearsals in Montreal ahead of the premiere on October 10 in Barcelona. A red-and-white ball was the gift that Lionel Messi received on his fourth birthday, on June 24, 1991. A legend was born at that precise moment, as he reportedly proceeded to execute a series of mind-blowing moves with his present. “We froze when we saw all the things he knew how to do, because he had never played soccer before,” says his father, Jorge, in Luca Caioli’s biography, Messi. Messi’s instinctive handling of the ball led to fame at an early age. During the half-time breaks at matches played by the Newell’s Old Boys club, his name would be called out and Messi, standing barely one meter tall, would descend the stairs of Coloso del Parque stadium without once dropping the ball from his feet. It is this artistic spirit that Cirque du Soleil has captured in its groundbreaking show Messi10, which is due to open in Barcelona on October 10. “Leo is the best in the world and we want to represent his skills on the pitch – his strength and determination,” says Mukhtar Omar Sharif, the show’s director. “But we are still a circus and this a show for everyone, not just for soccer lovers.” The idea for the production originally came from José Manuel Pinto, a former Barcelona goalkeeper and founder of Wahin Makinaciones Records, who also happens to be an artist with Sony and a great friend of Messi’s. “I always believed there were a lot of parallels between music and sport and that they fed into each other,” says Pinto, who is now a sound engineer. Pinto took the idea to Afo Verde, president of Sony Latin America, Spain and Portugal, who had already collaborated with Cirque du Soleil on earlier projects. “What if we do a show and combine it with soccer” ventured Pinto. The Sony CEO was excited: “Yes, we could tell the story of someone like Michael Jackson or The Beatles,” he replied. At which point, Pinto interjected with, “Well, I have a friend who is the greatest of them all and he’s still alive. It would be great to do it with someone who is still living.” And the CEO agreed: “It would be fabulous!” Days later, Verde was at the Camp Nou stadium along with the Cirque du Soleil directors to watch Messi in action and get some ideas together for the extravaganza. But while the proposal started to take shape, it still needed Messi’s approval. “I went to see him and explained the idea,” says Pinto. “I knew he would like it because we had gone to see it [Cirque du Soleil] with our families.” As Pinto had anticipated, Leo was all for it, though he was anxious to know how the two different skill sets could be woven together. “Messi has followed the show and its developments closely,” says the show’s creative director Sean McKeown at Cirque du Soleil’s Montreal headquarters, where the artists are rehearsing against the clock from dawn to dusk. “We have had around five check-points with him during which he only asked for a couple of things: that his family should be represented since he feels that he would not have got into the elite without them, and that we present acts that have never been seen before in the circus.” Challenge accepted. “He has broken and continues to break all records, so it is up to us to come up with an unforgettable show,” says McKeown. “And we will do it because these guys [referring to the artists] are crazy. It’s incredible what they manage to do simply by setting their minds to it.” Some credit also has to go to Cirque du Soleil’s recruitment team. The company has 46 artists from all over the world performing Messi10, including countries such as Taiwan, Ethiopia, China, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Russia, Kazakhstan, Spain and the United States. All of them are first-class athletes, each with their own specialty such as the corde lisse, the trapeze, the spinning diabolo, contortionism and the banquine act, which involves acrobats jumping on and off human towers. Cirque du Soleil has 60 people in their casting department as well as 20 talent scouts posted around the world. “I saw there was an audition, I went for it and it went well,” says Catalina Vega, one of the world’s top soccer freestylers, whose eye-watering agility with the ball has earned her a starring role in the show. “This is an opportunity you can’t miss because the gig could last for around 10 years,” she says. “But it does involve a lot of hours of work because we are not just freestylers, we do everything.” Frenchman Gautier Fayolle, a seven-time world freestyler champion who will perform with Catalina, agrees. “This is a great experience because I have a trainer for the first time who guides me,” he says, catching his breath after performing a number of stunts. “It also means I can try out a lot of new things that I couldn’t try at home.” It is impossible not to look heavenwards when you enter the vast Cirque du Soleil ‘Big Top’ in Montreal, where the sets have been created for this show. Everything appears to take place at vertiginous heights, such as the acrobatics performed by a young artist named Jimmy who is a former trampoline champion. “I had two dreams – to go to the Olympics and to get into Cirque du Soleil, an ambition I had after seeing the Alegria show many years ago,” he says. “Fortunately, one of the two has come true.” After hours of rehearsals, all the artists gather in the dining room. “How do we look?” asks Noé Chemel, a Belgian trampoline champion and Europe’s number three in 2014. His mother thought jumping would take the edge off his hyperactivity. Another artist keen to know how the show is shaping up is the Ethiopian contortionist Malik, who can bend his body in ways that defy reason. All the artists are eager for feedback from people other than their trainers. “We are so used to this routine that the things we do seem almost normal,” says Nacho Ricci, an Argentine who specializes in the corde lisse – a vertical rope – and who is looking forward to the premiere in Barcelona so that his friends can come and see him in action. Ricci landed the gig after years of talks and emails that concluded in an offer dependent on a video audition. “They asked me to show specific skills and also to perform some hip hop, something I had never done before. But I guess I got what I wanted,” he says. Once the artists have been taken on board, Cirque de Soleil puts the machinery in gear. “We do everything in depth,” says McKeown,” because it’s the detail that makes the difference.” First, after arriving at the talent factory in Montreal, the successful candidates undergo all kinds of physical and psychological examinations to check whether they need any minor surgery and to see how they perform under stress. They also take measurements for the costumes they will wear – Cirque du Soleil has its own sewing studio with 300 permanent employees. “We run up 16,000 costumes and make 1,200 pairs of shoes a year,” says James Lavoie. “But for this show we will only use 165 different pieces. I think we are creating our own version of a soccer universe through our clothes.” Lavoie shows off a costume made from natural grass as well as a pair of trousers that give the impression of being pixelated as though the wearer was on TV. “Messi tells us which ones he prefers, but we know that he has approved them all,” Lavoie adds. The size of the sewing operation is matched by the rest of the Cirque du Soleil headquarters, which cover 36,000 square meters. There is a make-up room that offers 60 hours of courses while other spaces are used to prepare the acrobats, many of whom have never had any training in theater or choreographies, nor worked on facial expression. In order to enter this Messi world, it is necessary to go through the door to Les Studios Gilles Ste-Croix – named after one of the Cirque Du Soleil’s founders. This is a 20-meter-high pavilion that is still not big enough for the main act; in Barcelona, the premiere will take place in the immense Parc del Fòrum, which is more than 40 meters long and 27 meters wide. The aim is to replicate a soccer pitch with the spectators sitting around it. Preparations started on August 16 when ships carrying the necessary structures and materials left Canada for Barcelona. And as Messi stipulated, the end result will be unique. “We are not a traditional circus; rather, we create acts that have never been done before,” says Igor, one of the show’s main trainers. He made his career at the Moscow Circus and comes from a family of circus performers. “The key is to combine soccer with our artistry, and I believe we have succeeded because, as far as I’m concerned, this is the best show I’ve ever seen – partly because of the level we have aimed for and partly because of the response of the protagonists.” It is also thanks to the director, Mukhtar, who is crazy about soccer and Manchester United. “When they asked me to direct the show, my wife said, ‘This is just so you can watch more soccer, isn’t it?’ And I replied, ‘Hell, no! This is my show!’ Although inside I was thinking, ‘The hardest thing will be to create a spectacle that lives up to the world’s best player’.” But this thought doesn’t hamper any of the acrobats involved in Messi10. “Looking around, everyone excels at what they do,” adds Mukhtar. “We are playing in the big leagues. The circus, like soccer, is hard work. You get it wrong and you start again. You practice until it’s perfect. You don’t get to be number one without putting in the effort.” But sometimes things do go wrong, and there is always the risk of injury. “This is a risky business,” says Igor, who is working with the freestylers. But Jimmy, who has just performed a series of jumps from a swing, adds: “It’s something we don’t think about. If we did, we wouldn’t even try to do it.” Meanwhile, Yang Huang, who started balancing acts at the age of seven because her mother didn’t want her simply playing with a ball, explains how she prepares herself mentally. “I put on music to stay alert and keep my mind clear. Otherwise, you make mistakes.” In the event of injury, Cirque de Soleil has a team of physiotherapists on hand. “It’s very difficult for people putting themselves at risk every day and pushing their bodies to the limit not to injure themselves,” says Mariana, a Brazilian physiotherapist who left the Cirque du Soleil to attend to injuries at the Brazil Olympics in 2016, but who is now back for the Messi10 show. “There are all kinds of injuries but we work a lot in prevention so that when they do happen, they are not so pronounced and don’t take so long to heal.” With prevention in mind, Cirque Du Soleil has decided to innovate and is working with RealTrack Systems, a physical activity monitoring system devised by a Spanish-based company using Wimu, a wifi data collection device used by Barça players, including Messi, to measure acceleration, speed and distance as well as heart rate and physical ability. “It’s new and we don’t know if it’s going to work,” says Mariana. “But it seems as though we can get data that helps to improve the artists’ performance. We will see what the results are, then decide if we will work with them going forward.” “We always have a plan B in case someone gets injured or sick on the day of the show,” says McKeown. “We try to have at least one understudy for each artist because you never know what kind of injury they could get and how long they will be out of action. But if there’s one thing we know is that in this world, the show must go on.” And this is about Messi: “The story of a youngster with an ambition that made him overcome all obstacles to become the best Number 10 in history,” according to the promotional material for the show. “But we want to explain that the 10 could be anyone – a doctor, a lawyer,” Mukhtar adds. “It’s about someone having a dream and making it come true through work and commitment.” There is, however, only one Messi – just as there is only one Cirque du Soleil. And together they have created something extraordinary. * * * CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SCORES WITH 'MESSI10' From Billboard Magazine The first strains of Pharrell Williams’ 2015 single “Freedom” play on the stage of Cirque du Soleil’s new show Messi10, in which a face-off between two groups of performers begins. As jersey-clad teammates encourage the audience to clap to the music, three soccer players dribble and spin balls on a stage that revolves and rises, while four human jugglers mirror the freestylers’ moves -- only instead of balls, the acrobats toss one another in the air. Messi10, based on the story of soccer superstar Lionel Messi, premiered Thursday (Oct. 10) in Barcelona, where Messi and his club team reign over popular culture, positioning Sony Music to score big as well. The country is also home to many Cirque fans; Spain is the Montréal-based troupe’s second-biggest market, after the United States. Following its initial run of Spanish dates, which are already sold out, Messi10 will head to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in June 2020 - - 10 shows have already sold out there in the presale -- and continue on a five-year world tour that will include the United States. The show, which Cirque refers to as “a super production,” is the first in the billion-dollar company’s 35-year history to have a sports theme. Sony Music Latin Iberia chairman/CEO Afo Verde came up with the idea for Messi10 with Pinto Wahín, a former Barcelona player turned artist- producer now signed to Sony Music Latin, who composed two songs for the show. Sony will license some master recordings and compositions for the show. “Leo is the greatest player in the history of football and a world- renowned figure,” says Verde. “It’s a show that will tour the world and is created for the world.” While Cirque, Sony and the show’s producers declined to provide financial details, the last time the company toured the globe with a show based on a singular superstar -- Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour (2011-14) -- it grossed $360.9 million over 501 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore. At the time, it was the eighth- highest-grossing tour ever. Messi10 is slated to run two years longer than the Jackson show did. “I think this is the first time we collaborated with a music company like Sony,” says Messi10 writer-director Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar, “where they have been hugely involved with the production and selection of the music.” According to Verde, the song selection reflects Messi’s favorites and music that represents moments in his life. Messi himself has served as a consultant for the show and its soundtrack, which includes versions of songs by Shakira, The White Stripes and film score composer Hans Zimmer, as well as Argentine artists Dread Mar-I, Los Cafres and Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. Verde brought the idea to PopArt Music, the Buenos-Aires based concert and festival promoter that produced Cirque’s Sép7timo Día, inspired by the songs of the legendary Argentine rock group Soda Stereo, which sold 1.5 million tickets for its 2017-18 tour. PopArt then proposed the Messi show to Cirque. “Instead of telling them they were crazy, we said we’d think about it,” Cirque du Soleil executive producer Charles Joron joked. Since the 1980s, the company has expanded with Las Vegas residencies, acrobatic spectacles inspired by the film Avatar and the music of The Beatles and Jackson, and a movie production deal. Since selling a majority stake to U.S. private equity firm TPG Capital and Chinese fund Fosun Industrial Holdings in 2015, Cirque has bought the Blue Man Group, the Illusionists Magic Show franchise and family entertainment company VStar. “We are always expanding our universe and this show fits that strategy,” Joron says. “I don’t think that we could have taken the template that we have been using with Cirque music-wise for the last 30 years,” says Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar, writer and director of Messi10. “It’s a sports- inspired show, and with sports comes a different type of energy, from music that people know. We’ve had shows before where there have been two or three placements of known music, but I think this is the first time we have actually collaborated with a musical company like Sony where they have been hugely involved with the production and the selection of the music,” Mukhtar adds. Multi-Grammy-winning producer Rafael Arcaute served as Sony’s artistic director for the soundtrack. In addition, Cirque musical director Hugo Montecristo composed music for the show. “We wanted to make sure that the transitions would still have that Cirque magic -- so it wouldn’t be just like a playlist of songs,” says Mukhtar. “We are entertainment entrepreneurs,” PopArt director Matias Loizaga says of his company’s transition from local concert promoter to global theatrical producer. “That means being innovators and pushing boundaries, not just promoting artists when they come to South America.” He predicts Messi10 will be a win for all involved. “I think it will mark a before and after for Cirque du Soleil.” * * * MESSI10: CIRQUE's NEW SPORTS-THEMED SHOW IS A WINNER From Billboard Magazine With acrobats that fly across the stage with the speed of a ball into a goal and heroic videos of Leo Messi, Messi10 is sure to please crowds. With acrobats that fly across the stage with the speed of a ball into a goal, trapeze artists that literally take soccer moves to new heights and heroic videos of Leo Messi, Cirque du Soleil’s Messi10 should more than meet expectations for the living legend’s global legion of followers and football lovers in general. But the show, which premiered Thursday night (Oct. 10) in Barcelona with Messi and other Barça club players in the audience, transcends fan fever or celebrity tribute, and does it so beautifully, representing the physical and emotional essence of the game in a series of acts that play out (like a match) during two 45-minute periods. Messi10 is more muscle than flash. It’s pure nerve, family entertainment and poetic performance. Rather than a biography of the man recognized as the world’s greatest soccer player, it’s a conceptual ensemble piece that explores and elevates the idea of teamwork and expands the usual definition of “athlete” through the prowess of its international cast of trampoline acrobats, freestyle soccer champions, aerial and tight rope artists, human jugglers, dancers, a diabalo spinner, and a contortionist you'll not soon forget. Popart Music, the Buenos Aires-based concert and festival promoter, executive produced Messi10 and Sony Music had unprecedented participation (Messi also consulted and had approval). Mukhtar Omar Sharif Mukhtar, writer and director of Messi10, is a former champion competitive hip-hop dancer who proves with this show that he knows about flow. The result of this collaboration is a show that could appeal even to those who usually stay far away from Cirque du Soleil glittering tents or flashy Las Vegas theaters, and, also, notably, to younger audiences. Messi10 is not glitzy, over the top, New-Agey or other adjectives that have sometimes been used to describe past Cirque productions. The costumes - mostly artful shorts and jerseys– are more fashion than fantasy. The set is minimal, consisting of a stage made to look like a soccer field, the apparatus for each act, and a lot of balls, some of which are remote-controlled. A huge screen is at times placed on the stage so that the performers can interact with Messi virtually (this works better than it sounds). In one scene that also has to be seen to be appreciated, a performer dominates an imposing robotic opponent. The music includes songs by Pharrell Williams, The White Stripes and Shakira’s World Cup anthem “La,La,La,” as well as energetic electronic tracks, the beat of bass drums, crowds cheering and the voices of sports commentators. The producers have also enhanced the experience by adding the Messi Challenge, a fun pre-game soccer skills test that audience members can participate in before the show for the chance to come on stage as “the Messi of the day.” Food trucks outside the tent give the event a festival feel. Spectators who don’t know Messi’s story won’t come away with a lot of facts, but the show is definitely, on its most basic level, about football. There’s a locker room scene in which soccer players who spin balls with their feet compete with others who spin their teammates bodies in the air; a match on a field-long trampoline on which the players/acrobats advance past each by doing yards-high flips and somersaults in the air, accompanied by Los Fabulosos Cadillacs’ stadium classic “Matador.” In an at turns hilarious and head-shaking (as in “no way”) bit, a contortionist mimics a player who's thrown himself on the field exaggerating an injury, then goes beyond. Humor is also provided by Mateo Amieba, a clown playing an out-of-shape referee and the show’s MC, who starts his schtick by getting the audience to do a wave. Perhaps the most directly biographical part of Messi10, and its potential tearjerker, is an acrobatic choreography evoking Messi’s childhood, performed to “Hijo” by Argentine group Los Cafres, which has been transformed from a reggae song (one of Messi’s favorites) into an emotional ballad in a new recording for the show. Mukhtar has described Messi10 as being about the inspiring message of the football astro’s character and career (Basically, with perseverance “anyone can be a 10”- Messi’s team number). To play that up, words like “confidence,” “family” and “vision” and Nike style slogans like “don’t stop never give up” flash and scroll onscreen during the performance. That may be good reinforcement for the kids, though it comes off as a little corny for the older crowd. Really, it’s superfluous, since it’s the performers who in a more visceral way transmit the show’s most important message: that human beings can do miraculous things if we work together. At the end of the show on the night of the premiere, Messi came on stage, where the entire cast was gathered, some waving flags, while Shakira’s “La La La” played. Without saying a word, he greeted the performers, took an awkward bow, quickly headed off into wings. ------------------------------------------------------------ "Bringing Corteo's Sound to Life" - A Sennheiser Pro Talk Series interview with Christian Peterson - Head of Sound ------------------------------------------------------------ Sennheiser's award-winning Pro Talk Series includes in-depth interviews with the top industry luminaries, such as Manny Marroquin, Al Schmitt, Ken Travis and more. In 2018, the Pro Talk Series won a TEC Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement in the Audio Education Technology category. Designed to serve as a valuable resource for aspiring engineers, producers and audio enthusiasts, the series focuses on the journeys of the world’s leading audio professionals and their expert advice for a path to success. Season 2 on YouTube features interviews with the industry’s most respected audio professionals, including Christian Peterson, Head of Sound for Cirque du Soleil: Corteo. With a passion for sound since his childhood that began with theatre and music performances, Christian Peterson has been a staple in the live sound industry – most especially with Cirque du Soleil. “As a kid, I really was passionate about sound – I really fell in love with speakers, microphones and recording music,” he says. “I was determined by about probably 15 that live sound was what I wanted to do. I was doing everything I could to go work at music festivals and concerts, pushing cases – the way a lot of us kind of get into the industry. For me, the kind of turning point in my career was when I started moving from small club shows into arenas and arena tours.” From there, Peterson moved into the Cirque du Soleil circuit after approaching Kooza when it was touring in Australia. At that time, he ended up landing a job with them after a lot of persuasion. “That was really fun – it was a great experience and a great start with Cirque du Soleil,” he continues. “Cirque du Soleil was a company [that] I really wanted to work for. Since I was a kid, I'd seen the shows. Quidam was the first one I saw when I was six years old, so it has always been something that was part of my life. It's really rewarding for me now, years later, to be in this environment, doing my part with the company.” For the past year, Peterson has been serving as Head of Sound for Cirque’s Corteo arena shows. “Touring with Cirque de Soleil is a lot of fun,” he adds. “We have a great professional environment where we're working with some of the top-of-the-line equipment and artists, and the shows are really well put together. The environment…we're working with industry professionals… and the artists themselves and the acts they perform are absolutely incredible, so it's really rewarding for us to put on a show that is at such a great caliber.” According to Peterson, Corteo is about a clown who died and his movement through into the afterlife, during which he's seeing all the life events he’d experienced. “It's really special because it's about a real person,” he explains. “And so all the makeup and themes are all about people and humanity and some of the acts are incredibly lifelike. The traditional Cirque du Soleil setting for this show was in a big top [or] a grand chapeau, [which is] a giant circus tent – and this show actually did ten years in a circus tent before moving into this arena adaptation. What this show brings that is different to the other Cirque shows, especially in the arena sense, is that we're not performing to a downstage audience. We're performing to two separate sides and that really keeps the intimate feel.” Though the show is no longer under a big top, the arena settings make it possible for the production to still have that circular setup, with audiences across from one another, that’s synonymous with circus performances. “It's a really interesting stage [and] there's a lot of dynamic movement,” continues Peterson. “We've got angels flying in and out of the picture… [and] a large revolving section on the stage, so artists and musicians are constantly moving about for sound. That's interesting because we have a lot of musicians who get out from their band pits and they’re actually playing on stage as well.” In planning the audio for the show, Peterson had to find body microphone solutions that would play nicely with the dynamic and continually moving format of the show. “Everyone has wireless microphones and in-ears, so they can play and be quite agile on stage,” he says. “There's a lot of movement [and] change of image with the music and the sound. One of our challenges in audio is bringing the image from a solo character on stage to a full live song that might be played supporting an actor. There are some songs that are really big and powerful, like a rock show almost, and there are [others] that are really intimate. A lot of the sound we're really pushing and pulling image, emotions and feeling – wherever you're sitting in the audience, we want to try and replicate that feeling. Among Corteo’s sound team is a dedicated PA Tech assuring a consistent sound regardless of venue “and that's a big challenge we have,” continues Peterson. “The sound plays a really important role by reinforcing the music and the imagery of the music, in relation to the artists on stage. So, if an artist has an act that needs to look as big as possible or actually look as small as possible, we can really do that with not only the dynamics of the band, but also the dynamics of how we're mixing the show and where we're placing things visually as well in relation to the ear. The cool thing about having surround speakers and so many zones of PA is that we can move some things around visually. You might notice [that] a lot of our PA is [uniquely] all gold as opposed to black cabinets in the air. [This] blends really well with the set and design, and really fits in with what's going on on-stage. It's really important for the audience to take in the full immersive experience of the act with the music – and they really go hand-in-hand. We don't want people to think about sound, we want people to think about how fantastic the music was on the show. We really want to reinforce that and create that emotion and imagery through the sound, but really through the music, and we're just supporting them the entire way.” “When we’re tuning the PA, we have a number of reference microphones we put across the room; we're doing lots of averages. There's lots of different zones of the PA that we're covering. Whether it's on stage – with what we call the cross fires, which do an on-stage fill as well as the front audience – we want to make sure that each person is getting the same kind of image [and feeling] on stage.” Because of the Cirque du Soleil environment and high-quality show, one challenge that Peterson and his team face is ensuring there is never a show-stop. “We want to have redundancy every single step of the way,” he says. “If something was to go down, anything at all, we always need to have a plan B or a plan C, and further. So, if it's the front of house console [that goes down,] the monitor console is also doing a front of house mix the entire time; subsequently, if it's the monitor console [that has a problem], the front of house console is also doing in-ear mixes for the band. We have all these tracks running behind the band as well, and we can drop that in at any time we wish. It's all played live, but if ever anything was to happen – on any microphone, artist or anything at all, we have everything played to a click track. We could flip all the inputs on the consoles, both the monitors and front of house, and continue on like nothing happened at all.” On the monitor side, Peterson says the show is running a Soundcraft V8000 console, “we're doing a number of different mixes for the artists [and] eight band members. We also have mixes for front of house, … coms and other utility sources.” For PA Drive, Peterson and his team run AES with MADI Fiber for audio signal between the consoles and stage boxes. “The backbone of the system is our direct-out MADI matrix,” he says. “All the audio from the stage boxes [and] consoles [to] recording computers and keyboard computers, all comes in as MADI fiber. Then we're also running a network ring for all our data, so at any point of our system we can access almost every other unit via web browsers through our network. For the band pits, the two band leaders [are] running a redundant keyboard rig. They have Yamaha [MOTIF] XF8 keyboards for the internal sounds and they're also controlling some contact sounds via MADI. They also have another separate Roland controller each, which is controlling [redundant playback] on Ableton, as well as cues in the show. So, whilst the entire show is running live, everything is still multi-tracked and sitting there ready to go to the click-track that we’re all listening to. When the bandleader switches from primary to redundant, it also sends a MIDI trigger to send a command that changes the MADI matrix, so there's almost no loss in audio and the show can run with the backup tracks. If anything happens, we can always switch into one of the backup lines, fix the problem and have them back up and running live again.” For audio gear on Corteo, Peterson relies on a Soundcraft Vi6 console at front of house. “We're using all 96 channels and pretty much all of the buses – it's a very packed board,” he explains. “That's running the main mix for the show, as well as running the backup lines for the monitor console for the artists. We're then sending that audio to the Galileo and Callisto's from Meyer Sound, and that's running through a Meyer system as well – we've got 24 M’elodies, Miracast for delays, 700-HPs for subs and some 600-HPs. We [also] have front fills [and] a number of surround cabinets that I floated out in the audience with some big chandeliers hanging underneath them. We use a cue station system with three matrix units to do that. In addition, we're also running a Waves MaxxBass unit that gives us some low-end harmonics as well as some compressors on the vocal and headset microphones. Our male and female vocalists – who are wonderfully talented sometimes sing with the rest of the band in the band pits – are on DPA headsets with Sennheiser [6000 Series] transmitters, and they're walking around the stage singing as well. So it's really cool to see them come out and perform with the artists on stage but then also form back part with the band.” When the vocalists are on-stage, they are outfitted with DPA 4088 microphones and while in the band pit singing with the band, they are on Neumann KMS 105s, “which sound absolutely fantastic,” says Peterson. “With the handheld microphones, the vocalist can kind of move about the mic and really get the dynamics they wish. On headsets, you really have to control that a little bit for them and ourselves at front of house. For the characters on stage, a number of them are mic’ed up… on headset microphones, … on hairline microphones and … on lavs. And that is dependent a lot on their costume as well as what they do on stage. Mauro, our lead character, has a headset microphone [and] it's really important that we have a great close-mic sound for him. One of our vocalists is not only performing an aerial piece, she's also singing as well, so we have her hairline mic’ed, and the great thing about the Sennheiser 6000 Series packs is that they're so low-profile and weigh absolutely nothing, she can wear that [during] a whole trick – she's falling from great heights and it doesn't bother her at all. A lot of our artists are really great at putting their own headset on and knowing where the microphones should sit or shouldn't, and that really helps us as well in the sound department, giving them the ability to kind of know where they should be sitting.” “In the band world on the show, we have to have a lot of control over the dynamics, of course, because we're so close to the audience and we really [want to keep] that close intimate feel. We can't have a drum kit blasting away right next to an audience member. So, we have a Roland V-drums kit that has some great sounds on it – our drummer Alex is fantastic on that. He's also on-stage playing some drums, which is really cool to see when the drummer comes out on stage and plays live. We have a lot of live percussion, so it really keeps that feel. We're really lucky on this show, we have such a great relationship with the band. I think one tool that anyone can have on a successful show for sound, is to have a great band and have a really good relationship with them. They're amazingly talented, really easy to work with, and it really makes our lives so much easier. They really embrace when we try new things and try and help them, and we're constantly listening together and talking about sound. It's really rare to have that environment, so [it’s] very special.” Everyone in the band has a switch microphone, which enables them to communicate with each other as well as with the front of house and monitor engineers. “They use Sennheiser e 835’s, and that's really important because the band is split up in four different areas. We want to make sure they have complete communication control the entire time. If something goes wrong [or] they need a hand with something, our RF technician can run out and help them during the show. In the drum and percussion pit, whilst the electric drums don't need to be mic’ed up, we have a lot of acoustic percussion and, for that, we use Sennheiser and Neumann microphones. We've got Sennheiser e906s, KM 184s from Neumann and a couple of e 604s from Sennheiser.” “In other systems and other the shows, we might have used analog wireless microphones, but the Sennheiser 6000 series really helps us,” explains Peterson. “Being all digital, we have no issues with harmonic distortion. They're really easy to use and even simple things like the networkable chargers, so we can see in WSM – from any computer in our rig – what the battery life is looking like for the next round of batteries we are going to be putting in, as well as the ones I've already got on-stage. So it really helps us with redundancy in terms of that. Moving every week, we obviously have to do a new frequency coordination for every city we're in. [I think] one of the issues that manufacturers had before was the latency that digital brings in, especially when so many other parts of the system [are] digital as well – the console, the in-ears and so forth. [Sennheiser] really has brought the latency down to almost negligible, and it really helps us to have a real-time monitoring system [with the artists].” “Obviously, we've got some great gear [here at Corteo]. It's been an awesome experience building this kit over the last year, and I've certainly learned a lot. Advice I'd give to people getting into the industry would certainly be to broaden your skills in a networked environment. Networked audio is definitely the primary backbone for pretty much every major system you see these days, and I'd say that any experience in an IT field is almost more important than tuning a drum kit or micing up a guitar amp. It can be daunting, but it's also really exciting with what you can do at the same time. So, I really think it's important that we really nurture [new people in this industry] and give them great support and advice, because they're the people are going to be working alongside you in years to come.” You can watch the 3-part interview with Christian Peterson here: o) Part 1: https://youtu.be/45oTKIQ6V3M o) Part 2: https://youtu.be/xBl4ninRb3A o) Part 3: https://youtu.be/-a9uaKZnMaE And if you're interested in other interviews in the series, check them out here: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/protalkseries ------------------------------------------------------------ Jean David's Quel Cirque, Part 10 of 12: "Thinking Big" A Special Series Celebrating Cirque's 35th Anniversary ------------------------------------------------------------ Today a consultant in creativity and event marketing, Jean David was one of the pioneers of Cirque du Soleil, where he led the marketing department for 15 years (from 1984-1999), introducing the magic of the Grand Chapiteau to the whole world. During his tenure, David distinguished himself through innovative methods by commercializing the Big Top and introducing its magic to other cultures on four continents. A man of vision but also a determined entrepreneur, Jean David acted as Vice President of Entertainment, Sales & Marketing at the WYNN Hotel in Las Vegas before moving to India for 18 months, where he led a pre-feasibility study for the creation of an innovative project: the Mumbai International Creative Center, an international resort centered around the theme of creativity. In his 2005 book - "Quel Cirque!" ("What a Cirque!") - David offered his views on leadership and revealed the innovative qualities that contributed to Cirque du Soleil's enormous success in marketing, management, creation and exploration. There was only one problem... it was written in his native French. Thankfully, David himself translated and web-published an English-language version of his book and we've collected the relevant Cirque-related chapters for this 12-part series. Jean David's "Quel Cirque" is a fantastic read and as Cirque du Soleil celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, we thought this would be the perfect year to share these texts with you. So, without further ado, Quel Cirque! # # # Cirque du Soleil had a lot riding on a successful return to the European market in 1995. Repeating the errors we made in 1990 was not an option. This time we had to get it right. The company had grown in maturity and experience over the years. We had far more means at our disposal. We’d take Europe by storm. It would be an extraordinary adventure. In 1994, we decided to set up a headquarters there. Several cities were considered: among them, London, Berlin, Munich, even Paris. Most of us would have opted for the latter, but we were in Europe to do business, and compared with other countries we were contemplating, France unfortunately didn’t offer the same advantages to foreign companies wishing to set up shop. Finally we chose Amsterdam. In fact, the tax people were the ones who convinced us. The Dutch government allowed the best tax breaks. We established a permanent division: Cirque du Soleil Europe. Holland also gave us access to a highly qualified, multilingual workforce, and Amsterdam turned out to be a fine city to live in. I applied for executive director of this fascinating project. I was eager for a new challenge. My wife was more than willing to move, and our two sons, aged five and seven, loved to fly. Unfortunately, my application was promptly turned down; there was another candidate, Danny Pelchat, a friend of mine, who had been with Cirque du Soleil from the very start. According to my bosses, they needed my marketing expertise for the entire operation. “Oh well,” I thought. “At least I tried.” I ended up spending a lot of time in Europe anyway. Guy specifically asked me to divide my time between the Montreal headquarters and the Amsterdam office until the project could fly on its own in Europe. So, for the next two years, I worked two weeks in Amsterdam and two in Montreal every month: a kind of intercontinental ping-pong! The first thing we did was to put together a management team: a little band of mercenaries. Actually they were management types drawn from the ranks of the company. They were real go-getters. An odd assortment perhaps, but highly motivated, passionate and, above all, determined. Europe had a great circus tradition. There were scores of companies from all nationalities. They’re mainly small local troupes performing under very basic conditions. Primarily catering to a family clientele, their shows are simple, charming, and unpretentious. Of course, France, Switzerland, Italy and Germany boast big circuses as well. Archaos, a nouveau cirque troupe from France was a sort of techno, Madmax–style circus. It targeted a clientele that I jokingly call hooligans. But the other circuses take a traditional approach emphasizing rigor, quality and professionalism. At the time, Roncalli from Germany was the biggest circus in Europe. It offered spectators a one-ring circus with animals and gave a great deal of attention to detail: it was a classic of its kind. We admired and respected all of these circuses. In a way they were our peers. We shared the same milieu, art and origins. The entertainment industry was well aware that we were offering a concept, a product unlike anything else. Our reputation was solidly established and the principal European actors feared our entry in their market. Yet, for the general public, we were unknown, mere foreigners. Confident in the originality and the strength of our product, we prioritised on two additional aspects that could set us apart from the competition: venue and marketing. By venue, I mean the site, the Grand Chapiteau, the big top, which we transported with us. In North America, we had a 2500-seat blue and yellow striped big top. It had a European look and a traditional form pleasing to North Americans. In Europe, on the other hand, there was a plethora of blue and yellow striped big tops. We also noted that most European reception tents were tiny. Circuses use these tents to check tickets and sell souvenirs and refreshments. Above all, they serve as a meeting place and the commercial center of the circus. We were looking for something to set us apart from our competitors. So we built a spectacular white big top, the Grand Chapiteau, along with a gigantic modernistic reception tent. The interior was magnificent: mounted on the two main masts were huge mechanized sculptures in the form of aviaries revolving overhead. Absolute works of art! The creator, set designer Michel Crête, did a magnificent job. Visitors were literally blown away as they entered the service tent. The site had a futuristic look with everything in white—tents, trucks and caravans. Passersby craned their necks trying to find out what was going on inside the Grand Chapiteau. The mere sight of our installations amazed people. It was the talk of the town. Of course, that was the purpose of the exercise! Marketing was the second component of our effort to rise above the others. In this domain, we combined an outstanding track record with extraordinary expertise. European traveling circuses tend toward the traditional. As a rule, they’re highly mobile. Their engagements last only a few days but they visit a large number of towns and villages. The nearly century-old practice of touring allows circuses to perform before sold-out audiences while cutting financial risks to a certain extent. Their advertising campaign consists mainly of plastering posters around town. It’s a tried and true method recognized by everyone, and the public in particular. Some circuses even advertise in the newspapers, often offering discount coupons. A little unsophisticated perhaps, but, we must admit, it works pretty well for them We had developed another approach in North America, a highly effective advertising campaign that mobilized all the media. For a new market, the company invested up to 10% of the total projected revenue, or even more, in advertising. For example, if the sell-out revenue for a city was expected to be $5 million, it pumped $500,000 into an advertising campaign, including media relations expenses. Compared with other types of shows, we always made very ambitious revenue projections for each city. In that respect, other circuses didn’t begin to compare. So we operated from a position of strength, with resources that allowed us to conduct advertising campaigns combining newspapers, television, radio, billboards, as well as posting in buses and on the streets. Our campaigns had an incredible impact on the public: they had never seen such a media blitz. But on the Old Continent, it seems form and protocol are everything. At least, that’s what’s some people tried to make us believe. Germany accounted for nearly half of our first tour. With a huge population of over 80 million people, it is a major market. Germans are a proud and articulate people, eager consumers of cultural products. They have been called the Americans of Europe. The German press is highly diversified: powerful national dailies, avant-garde magazines, brilliant journalists, a numerous and active regional press with the same obsession for detail, research, analysis and accuracy. So Germany became a reference point for the entire first operation. We set up a sort of brains trust of friends and business associates from the entertainment, recording and television industries. We asked the group to assess our strategies, give us insights on people’s lifestyles, and establish new contacts. At a meeting in Munich in 1994, the “sages” described the highly complex and sophisticated German media. They underlined the importance of securing a proper introduction to the principal editors, bureau chiefs and journalists. This phase of our entry into Germany had a decisive effect on the quality and extent of press coverage we could expect. For an operation like ours to succeed, our advisers were unanimous: we had to enlist a big German star, a celebrity from the entertainment community who knew the people who counted. We needed someone whose stature and credibility would enable us to obtain tangible results and excellent press coverage. The group was absolutely insistent about this recommendation. Guy bought into the idea and encouraged me to act promptly. But I wasn’t convinced. I just couldn’t see myself spending a few hundred thousand euros to hire a perfect stranger who had nothing in common with us. I understood the reasoning, but the idea didn’t jive with my sense of who we were. Yes, the German press was sophisticated, but all the same! Surely, we could do something better with the money. I returned to our Amsterdam offices to mull it over. Nevertheless I admired and respected the brains trust. Two key elements in their recommendations were indisputable. First, we needed to identify the key German media figures, recognize the decision-makers in each sector, and classify them according to their skills and credibility. In other words we had to put together a press list to meet our needs. One of our friends in Zurich, a PR agent in the cultural area, did business in Germany. We invited him to spend a couple of days in Amsterdam. For a few hundred euros, he helped compile a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers. That took care of the first point. The second point concerned the need for adequate representation with these media people and institutions. Six months before, we had hired a press attaché, Andrée Deissenberg. A young woman in her early twenties, she had dual citizenship (French and American) and spoke fluent French, English and German. She was a graduate of the Université de Paris, and the Cirque du Soleil was her first real job. At the time, she admits, she was very shy, but her intelligence allowed her to overcome this slight handicap. As far as I’m concerned, she embodied many of Cirque du Soleil’s essential values and qualities: youth, originality, innocence, multiculturalism, and a promising potential. So we assigned her to make the initial contact with the German media. She was well prepared and I was convinced she would succeed. A few weeks later, she visited the editorial rooms of the biggest German, Austrian and Dutch dailies and magazines. Everywhere she went, she was a hit, never failing to earn an enthusiastic response. She was a terrific representative. There was real synergy between her personality, the company, the show and our approach to the European market. Of course, Andrée didn’t go to the media with empty hands. She even offered some of them an incredible press junket. In the fall of 1994, we gave a few dozen journalists, photographers, directors, and television people the opportunity to get to know Cirque du Soleil at our expense. The weeklong trip took them to Montreal to visit company headquarters, and especially to see Saltimbanco, the show that we hoped would conquer Europe. It was being presented in preparation for the major tour. Then our guests were flown to Los Angeles to take in Alegria on Santa Monica Pier. Finally, they were off to Los Vegas, to see Mystère; playing to sold-out audiences since 1993, the show was permanently located at Treasure Island Hotel. The junket could have been dubbed Operation Knockout… Everyone on the trip came away stunned by the world of Cirque du Soleil. They’d never seen anything like it. It all added up to a dazzling media campaign. Our futuristic venue and innovative marketing campaign mirrored the show’s quality and originality. The campaign generated tremendous energy and enthusiasm. Some dailies and magazines even ran articles praising our marketing operations. More important, the tour’s bottom line fully met our expectations; the results were extraordinary. Considering the frenzy of activity surrounding our European tour preparations and the many things that had to be put in place for a successful operation, Guy Laliberté advised me to “Go easy.” He thought we should avoid making a lot of noise and alarming people (other circuses, for instance). We didn’t want to be seen like a big North American company arriving on the continent and hustling everything under the sun … He urged me to keep a low profile. I shared his concern and promised to give the matter special consideration. I did point out that we couldn’t hide our record of achievement from the press and the public. Besides we were in a development phase, and the costs for the whole operation were exorbitant and the financial objectives were equally high. No one on the management team wanted a deficit. Guy absolutely agreed with me on that point. So I thought we had to put our best foot forward. Ironically, not long after, once everything was in place, I came up with the name “The Bulldozer Tour.” My European marketing strategy took account of the fact that the continent was laying the groundwork for unification. Negotiations, projections and debates had been the media’s daily bread for years. The countries concerned were preparing for a new status; they were about to give birth to one big Europe. It was the fulfilment of a dream. The negotiations were sending waves of exhilaration and excitement through every sector of society. Something extraordinary was happening. At the close of the century, people were witnessing a pivotal moment in history. It was in this context that I put in place our marketing operation. It occurred to me that we must take advantage of the repositioning of the continent. And why couldn’t we? It was just a matter of perspective. In Europe, the time and the events were providing a magnificent opportunity that was well within our grasp. We would position ourselves as one of the advantages offered by the new Europe: a world- class show from Cirque du Soleil, a forward-looking company setting up a Pan-European tour network. Cirque du Soleil would reap the benefits from the current of change sweeping the continent. We had encountered a similar situation on our first visit to Atlanta in 1991. The city had just been awarded the Olympic Games. Buoyed by the authorities and the media, the public was basking in the feeling that Atlanta had arrived as an international city. News of our coming was somehow associated with the new status by some opinion leaders in the world of culture and the arts. The local media quickly bought into the idea and people saw our arrival as a foretaste of the cultural events that the city would host during the Olympics… We could hardly have asked for better strategic positioning. We played to sold-out audiences. ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 19, Number 10 (Issue #189) - October 2019 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2019 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., All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. { Oct.11.2019 } =======================================================================