============================================================================== ____ _ _____ _ ___ / ___|(_) _ __ __ _ _ _ ___ | ___|/ \ / _ \ | | | || '__|/ _` || | | | / _ \ | |_ / _ \ | | | | | |___ | || | | (_| || |_| || __/ | _|/ ___ \| |_| | \____||_||_| \__, | \__,_| \___| |_| /_/ \_\\__\_\ |_| The Cirque du Soleil Frequently Asked Questions Document & More ============================================================================== Version 3.4.0 -- Dec.15.2008 Copyright (c) 2001-2008 by Ricky Russo ============================================================================== -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [0] TABLE OF CONTENTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [General Index] [1] Introduction to the FAQ [2] Cirque du Soleil in General [3] Cirque du Soleil Spectacles (Shows) [4] Cirque du Soleil Musique (Music) [5] Cirque du Soleil Images (Video) [6] Cirque du Soleil Press (Books) [7] Questions about Disciplines [8] Cirque du Soleil Fan Communities [9] Credits and Fine Print [Expanded Index] [1] Introduction [1.1] About the FAQ [1.1.1] Obtaining the Latest Version [1.1.2] Revision History [1.2] About the Author [2] Cirque du Soleil in General [2.1] What is Cirque du Soleil? / How did it start? [2.2] What does "Cirque du Soleil" mean? [2.3] What makes Cirque du Soleil different? } [2.4] What does "Invoke, Provoke, Evoke" mean? [2.5] How can I contact performers? [2.6] Where do performers stay on tour? [2.7] How do I get a job with Cirque du Soleil? [2.7.1] How can I be a performer? [2.7.2] How can I join behind the scenes? } [2.8] When/what is the next show? [2.9] When is Cirque coming to my city? [2.10] How/when can I see a show/get tickets? [2.11] Where is the best place to sit? [2.12] Is there a Cirque du Soleil Club? [2.12.1] Official Clubs [2.12.2] Unofficial Clubs [2.13] What is "Le Rêve"? Is it a Cirque du Soleil show? [2.14] What is "Cheval"? Is it a Cirque du Soleil show? [2.15] What is "Les 7 Doigts de la Main"? Is it a Cirque show? } [2.16] What is "Cavalia"? Is it a Cirque du Soleil show? } [2.17] What is "Tohu"? How is it related to Cirque du Soleil? [3] Cirque du Soleil Spectacles (Shows) } [3.1] How many productions/shows are there? } [3.2] What are their productions? [3.2.1] What is a touring show? [3.2.2] What is a resident show? [3.2.3] what is a seasonal show? [3.2.4] what is an arena show? } [3.3] When did these productions premiere? [3.3.1] Why do some shows have two premiere dates? [3.4] Where has Cirque toured? [3.5] When can I see an act in rotation? [3.6] What acts can I expect to see on a particular date? Note: Items in the following section each have these sub-sections: 1) Theme 2) Creative Team 3) Acts/Performances [A] Touring Shows (Big Top & Arena) [3A.1] Le Grand Tour [3A.2] Le Magie Continue [3A.3] Le Cirque Réinventé [3A.4] Nouvelle Expérience [3A.5] Fascination [3A.6] Saltimbanco [3A.7] Alegría [3A.8] Quidam [3A.9] Dralion [3A.10] Varekai [3A.11] Corteo [3A.12] Koozå [3A.13] Cirque 2009 } [3A.14] Cirque 2010 [B] Resident Shows (Théâtre) [3B.1] Mystère [3B.2] "O" [3B.3] La Nouba [3B.4] Zumanity [3B.5] KÀ [3B.6] LOVE [3B.7] Wintuk } [3B.8] ZAIA } [3B.9] ZED } [3B.10] Criss Angel BELIEVE [3B.11] Elvis 2009 } [3B.12] New York City 2010 [3B.13] Kodak 2010 [3B.14] Dubai 2011 } [3B.15] Future Resident Shows } - Macao II (2010) } - Beijing 2010 } - London / Millennium Dome } - Moscow [C] Other Shows (Films & Specials) [3C.1] Journey of Man [Imax] [3C.2] Delirium [Arena Concert] } [3C.3] Fire Within [TV Series] } [3C.4] Solstrom [TV Series] [4] Cirque du Soleil Musique (Music) [4.1] When will ... be on CD? [4.2] What language is used in their music? [4.2.1] How can I obtain lyrics? [4.3] Who are the composers? [4.4] Who released/releases the music catalog? [4.4.1] How can I tell which label released what title? [4.5] What is available in the current music catalog? } [4.5.1] What is the SPARS code? [4.5.2] Are Cirque Volume 1 and 2 different? [4.5.3] Are Mystère and Mystère (Live) different? [4.5.4] What are the Extended CDs? [4.5.5] Why are there more than one Saltimbanco CD? [4.6] Album Particulars [4.6.1] Title Release Dates [4.6.2] Album Catalog Numbers [4.7] Aren't there Singles of Cirque Music out there? [4.8] Weren't some albums released in metal tins? [4.9] What are the "Tapis Rouge" vinyl mixes? [4.9.1] Which of these traks are available on CD? [4.10] What is that music from the series "Fire Within?" [5] Cirque du Soleil Images (Video) [5.1] When will a show be filmed/released on DVD/VHS? [5.2] Who released/releases the video catalog? [5.3] Curent Cirque du Soleil video catalog [5.4] Why is "La Magie Continue" listed at 90 min and 50 min? [5.5] Title Particulars } [5.5.1] Title Release Dates } [5.5.2] Title Catalog Numbers } [5.6] What Documentaries on Cirque have been produced? } [5.6.1] Which of these documentaries are available on VHS/DVD? [5.7] What is ... about? [5.7.1] ... Quel Cirque ... [5.7.2] ... Saltimbanco's Diary ... [5.7.3] ... Truth of Illusion: Alegría ... [5.7.4] ... Full Circle ... [5.7.5] ... Baroque Odyssey ... [5.7.6] ... Alegria: Le Film ... [5.7.7] ... In the Heart of Dralion ... [5.7.8] ... Inside La Nouba ... [5.7.9] ... Making of an Angel ... [5.7.10] ... Fire Within ... [5.7.11] ... Solstrom ... [5.7.12] ... Midnight Sun ... [5.7.13] ... KÀ Extreme ... [5.7.14] ... Lovesick ... [5.7.15] ... Mystery of Mystère ... [5.7.16] ... FLOW ... [5.7.17] ... A Thrilling Ride through Koozå ... } [5.7.18] ... LOVE: All Together Now ... [6] Cirque du Soleil Press (Books) [6.1] What books have Cirque du Soleil released? [6.1.1] What is an ISBN? [6.2] When were Cirque du Soleil calendar's produced, and by whom? [6.2.1] 1996 Graphique De France [6.2.2] 2003 Harry N. Abrams [6.2.3] 2004 Harry N. Abrams [6.2.4] 2007 (#1) Barnes & Noble "Poster Art" [6.2.5] 2007 (#2) Barnes & Noble "Desk Calendar" [6.2.6] 2007 (#3) Tide-Mark Press "Character Art" [6.2.7] 2008 Tide-Mark Press "Wall" Calendar } [6.2.8] 2008 Barnes & Noble "Wall" Calendar } [6.2.9] 2009 Silver Lining "Engagement" Calendar } [6.2.10] 2009 Silver Lining "Wall" Calendar [6.3] What is the "Cirque du Soleil" Book? [6.4] What is "Le Cirque du Soleil: La création d'un spectacle?" [6.5] What is "Wings?" [6.6] What is "O, Cirque at the Bellagio?" [6.7] What is "Varekai, Cirque du Soleil?" [6.8] What is "Parade of Colors?" [6.9] What is "20 Years Under the Sun?" [6.10] What is "Dreams of the Solo Trapeze?" [6.11] What is "Dans les coulisses du Cirque du Soleil"? [6.12] What is "The Spark"? [6.13] What is "The Best of Cirque du Soleil: Piano/Vocal/Chords"? [6.14] What is "The Cirque du Soleil Sticker Book"? [7] Questions about Disciplines? [7.1] What is "Adagio"? [7.2] What is a "Russian Swing"? [7.3] What is a "Korean Plank"? [7.4] What is a "Russian Bar"? [7.5] What is a "Washington Trapeze"? [7.6] What is "Contortion"? [7.7] What is "Banquine"? [7.8] What are "Chinese Poles"? [7.9] What is "Tissu"? [7.10] What is/who are "the Tribe"? [7.11] What is the "Spanish Web"? [7.12] What is "Cloud Swing"? [7.13] What is a "German Wheel"? [7.14] What is are "Diabolos"? [7.15] What is a "Rola Bola"? [7.16] What is "Slack Wire" / "Fil de Fer"? [7.17] What is a "Suspended Cradle"? [7.18] What is an "Aerial Cradle"? [7.19] What is "PowerTrack" / "FastTrack"? [7.20] What is/are "Bungee" / "Elastics"? [7.21] What is "Hand to Hand" / "Vis Versa" / "Vis a Vie"? [7.22] What is "Manipulation"? [8] Cirque du Soleil Fan Communities [8.1] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL MAILING LIST [8.1.1] What is the "Cirque du Soleil Group"? [8.1.2] What is the List/Group's Website? [8.1.3] How can I Subscribe/Unsubscribe/Post? [8.1.4] Does the "Cirque du Soleil Group" have RSS Support? [8.1.5] Who is the list owner/moderator? [8.1.6] How many people are part of this group? [8.1.7] What is Cirque Day? [8.2] LE GRAND CHAPITEAU [8.2.1] What is "Le Grand Chapiteau"? [8.2.2] What is Le Grand Chapiteau's Website? [8.3] FASCINATION! [8.3.1] What is "Fascination!"? [8.3.2] What is the Newsletter's Website? [8.3.3] How can I Subscribe/Unsubscribe? [8.3.4] Does "Fascination!" have RSS Support? [8.3.5] How many people are part of "Fascination!" [8.4] CIRQUE TRIBUNE [8.4.1] What is "Cirque Tribune"? [8.4.2] What is Cirque Tribune's Website? [8.4.3] Do I have to subscribe to "Cirque Tribune"? [8.4.4] Does "Cirque Tribune" have RSS Support? [8.4.5] What does "Cirque Tribune" offer? [8.4.6] How many people are part of "Cirque Tribune"? [8.5] CIRQUECON [8.5.1] What is "CirqueCon"? [8.5.2] How can I come to CirqueCon? [8.5.3] Where has CirqueCon been held? [8.6] CELEBRI! [8.6.1] What is "Celebri!"? [8.6.2] How can I come to "Celebri!"? [8.6.3] Where has "Celebri!" been held? [8.7] CIRQUEWIKI [8.7.1] What is "CirqueWiki"? [8.7.2] What is CirqueWiki's Website? [8.8] PREVIOUS COMMUNITIES [8.8.1] What was the Cirque du Soleil Webring? [8.8.2] What was the Group Discute? [9] Credits and Fine Print [9.1] Thank Yous [9.2] Copyright Notice ============================================================================== -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] INTRODUCTION -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1.1] About the FAQ This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is an unofficial Cirque du Soleil FAQ, written and researched by Ricky Russo. This document is copyrighted and should only be used in association with the rules laid down in the "Fine Print" section. This FAQ does, however, contain elements from the Cirque du Soleil FAQ found on their web site. This FAQ is not owned or endorsed by Cirque du Soleil. It is the sole creation of Ricky Russo and those who have helped with their suggestions. If you wish to add to this FAQ, please send your suggestions and/or additions to richasi@azlance.com. Thanks! [1.1.1] Obtaining latest Version The latest version of this FAQ can be found online at . It is currently available only in Text format. [1.1.2] Revision History The FAQ is revised sporadically when any new core information becomes available. It isn't always so, and I must apologize for that. 1.0.0 Jul.24.2001 1.4.0 Nov.01.2001 1.0.1 Jul.25.2001 1.5.0 Apr.10.2002 1.0.2 Jul.26.2001 2.0.0 Apr.23.2003 1.0.3 Jul.28.2001 2.5.0 Apr.01.2005 1.0.4 Aug.01.2001 3.0.0 Jun.17.2006 1.0.5 Aug.02.2001 3.0.5 Aug.10.2006 1.1.1 Aug.21.2001 3.1.0 Jan.01.2008 1.2.0 Sep.15.2001 3.2.0 Feb.15.2008 1.3.0 OCt.17.2001 3.3.0 Jun.03.2008 NOTE: Updates/Additions are denoted by a leading '}' mark. [1.2] About The Author My name is Ricky Russo, or some of you may know me as "Richasi". I reside in Orlando, Florida and as you may be able to guess, I love the Cirque du Soleil. I became aquainted with Cirque long ago through one of HBO's showings of Nouvelle Experience. I had not, however, ever seen a live show until La Nouba in the Summer of 1999. Since then I have rediscovered Cirque and have gone to see them all in some form or another. My love for Cirque du Soleil reaches far beyond me, and manifests itself through my involvement in the Cirque fan community. Below are the projects I have started and/or currently administer: o) "Le Grand Chapiteau" - My personal Cirque du Soleil Website; an archive of information. o) "Fascination! Newsletter" - A medium to release news and information about our favorite circus, and a venue to express reviews of all the Cirque's creations. o) "Cirque du Soleil Mailing List" - a Yahoo! Group discussion community. o) "The Cirque FAQ" - This very document you are reading now; answering as many pressing questions as possible. Partnerships: o) "CirqueWiki" - To have a more dynamic medium in which to display and explore the vast wealth of information relating to Cirque du Soleil. (Partnership with Jeff Tolotti at Cirque Tribune). o) "CirqueCon" - A Cirque du Soleil convention? Correct! A means to bring together the many fans of Cirque du Soleil. (Partnership with Keith Johnson, Lucy Valentine and Rich Alford). o) "Celebri!" - A small gathering of friends to celebrate Cirque du Soleil on tour in various geographical locations. (Partnership with Rich Alford). You can find out more about these (and others') projects in Section 8 of the FAQ. And, if you'd like to chat, you can reach me by email at: < richasi@azlance.com >. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL -- IN GENERAL -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [2.1] What is Cirque du Soleil? Cirque du Soleil is an Avant-Garde (meaning one that develops new or experimental concepts in the arts) circus troupe created in 1982 as "Club des Talons Hauts" or "The High-Heels Club". In June 1984, Cirque du Soleil officially came together in part by contributions and summons by the Québec government to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Jacques Cartier's (1491-1557) arrival. Today Cirque du Soleil is a powerhouse of performance art that defies definition. They are based in Montreal, Quebec -- Canada. [2.2] What does Cirque du Soleil mean? "Cirque du Soleil" is a French moniker and is translated to "Sun Circus" or more appropriately "Circus of the Sun". Hence, their sun logo, which is said to have been created by the troupe's founder, Guy Laliberté, while lying on a beach in Hawaii. [2.3] What makes Cirque du Soleil different? The difference between other circuses and Cirque du Soleil is simply that Cirque du Soleil has no animals in its shows. The acrobats are masterfully skilled. The entire show is themed, right down to elaborate costumes. And, the most important aspect of all is that the music is unique. These factors together make up the Cirque du Soleil experience. INVOKE. PROVOKE. EVOKE. [2.4] What does "Invoke, Provoke, Evoke" mean? INVOKE, PROVOKE, EVOKE is Cirque du Soleil's corporate mission by which they intend to "invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world." [2.5] How can I contact performers? The performers are quite busy as they train constantly, which leaves them little time to answer any correspondence. Unfortunately no email can be accepted for characters/performers directly by Cirque du Soleil; however, you can write at the following address: NAME OF PERSON - ARTIST SHOW THEY ARE IN C/O CIRQUE DU SOLEIL 8400 2nd AVENUE EAST MONTREAL, QUEBEC, H1Z4M6 CANADA Some Cirque du Soleil performers, artists and musicians have their own web sites and may answer email correspondance through them. [2.6] Where do the performers stay on tour? Unlike the circuses of the past, Cirque du Soleil performers do not stay in trailers, trucks or within the tent itself. Usually they are placed in various rooms in nearby hotels, and they arrive there via bus. [2.7] How do I get a job with Cirque du Soleil? [2.7.1] How can I be a performer? It takes skill and dedication to be part of the Cirque du Soleil house troup. Do you think you have what it takes? If so, the first step is sending Cirque du Soleil your profile - This is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the company! Send Cirque your CV, photo, and video/audio demos that showcase your unique talents, achievements and - most importantly - your personality! Hundreds of artists apply at Cirque each day; however, if Cirque du Soleil spots something special within you, you may be called to an open audition. If you are called up, you will be asked to impress them with your skills and artistic potential. It may take dozens of auditions over the span of many years before you are selected to appear in one of their productions, but if you're not picked right away, don't fret - keep trying! Find out more about Cirque du Soleils On-Stage casting at: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/casting/ default.htm > [2.7.2] How can I join the Cirque behind the scenes? As stated on Cirque du Soleil's Casting website: "At Cirque, it's not every employee who walks around balancing balls on their nose … but you never know! Joining our team of almost 2,400 employees means working in a relaxed environment, where social and cultural action is one of our everyday ambitions. In addition to offering competitive benefits and the possibility of developing a stimulating career, Cirque gives you the chance to apply your talents and your creativity to the production of artistic works that are unique in the world. Are you passionate, flexible and able to adapt well to changes? We would love to get to know you …" Find out the newest positions that Cirque du Soleil has to offer at their off-stage recruitment area: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/jobs/ offstage/recruitsoft.htm> [2.8] When is the next show/tour? Cirque du Soleil is a creative company and new creations are being created, performed and toured constantly. 1 to 3 new shows are being produced and premiering each year! Follow the details through the Fascination! Newsletter. See Section 8 of the FAQ for further details. [2.9] When is Cirque coming to my city? Cirque du Soleil generally visits a city every 1 to 2 years with a new tour, but its decision to set-up in a city depends on various marketing and demographic statistics. To find out when/if Cirque du Soleil is coming to your city, please visit the Cirque du Soleil official site at the following address: . Information on current show schedules and where the touring shows are currently located is available there. [2.10] How/when can I see a show/get tickets? Tickets to all shows can be purchased through a variety of means: at the local Cirque du Soleil Box Office (on tour), the theater box office (resident shows), or through Cirque du Soleil directly at www.cirquedusoleil.com. All tickets can be picked up through "will call" at the Cirque du Soleil Box Office, Theater Box Office or self-printed through Cirque du Soleil's website (where applicable) at time of purchase. Some tickets also have the option to be mailed to your home address. } Tickets typically go on sale a few weeks before the Grand } Chapiteau sets up stakes, so be sure to watch the Cirque du } Soleil ticket website (www.cirquedusoleil.com/tickets/) for } tickets going on sale in your area. [2.11] Where is the best place to sit? Where the best place to sit is varies widely amongst fans and general spectators alike. Many like the intimacy of a front-and-center experience, while others prefer to observe the spectacle from afar, and still others like to sit between sections, next to the sound-booth to hear exactly what the musical engineer is hearing. Whatever your preference, the rule of thumb is to avoid sitting behind a mast (in touring productions), sitting too far to the sides and tops (in both touring and resident productions) and in any other limited-viewing seat, as the view is... limited. [2.12] Is there a Cirque du Soleil Club? There are a variety of clubs (official and unofficial) associated with Cirque du Soleil. [2.12.1] Official Clubs There is currently only one official Cirque du Soleil club, Cirque Club, which was announced at the end of September 2001. You can find Cirque Club on the web at the following: < http://www.cirqueclub.com/ >. In the past, there has been another club associated with Cirque du Soleil and that was the Dralion Internet Club. The club was in operation at the beginning of the North American Tour of Dralion in 1999 and ceased its operations when Cirque Club began. The web site could be found at the following: and was filled with show information, music clips and other special items relating to Dralion only. [2.12.2] Unofficial Clubs There are currently no unofficial "fan clubs" surrounding Cirque du Soleil, but there are many fan-supported facets. You can find out more about these projects in Section 8 of this FAQ: o) Cirque du Soleil Mailing List o) Richasi's Le Grand Chapiteau o) The "Fascination! Newsletter" o) Cirque Tribune o) CirqueCon o) Celebri! o) CirqueWiki [2.13] What is "Le Rêve?" Is it a Cirque du Soleil show? No, while Le Rêve was created and directed by Franco Dragone, the mastermind behind many of Cirque du Soleil's productions through the years (1985-1998), and stars many artists from Cirque du Soleil shows, Le Rêve is not a Cirque du Soleil production. Le Rêve is a production of Créations du Dragone, Franco Dragone's own company, and you can find out more about Le Rêve and Franco's other past and upcoming productions at his website: < http://dragone.be >. [2.14] What is "Cheval"? Is it a Cirque du Soleil show? Cheval, meaning "Horse" in French, was a show directed by Gilles Ste. Croix, one of the founders of Cirque du Soleil (and even an early performer). The only tie to Cirque du Soleil is that he is directing the show. It has absolutely nothing to do with Cirque du Soleil. The production folded in 2003 due to budget concerns. It is no longer on tour or being produced anywhere. The production had a website: < http://www.chevaltheatre.com/ >. [2.15] What is "Les 7 Doigts de la Main"? Is it a Cirque du Soleil show? Les 7 Doigts de la Main is what happens when a group of Cirque du Soleil alumni decide to go it alone and spin off their own brand of theatrical circus show. Meaning "The 7 Fingers of the Hand" - a derivitive from a French expression about working in unison with desterity and coordination, is a masetpiece of theater, acrobatics, dance, performance art, multimedia and comedy set in a much more intimate and independent scale. But it is not a Cirque du Soleil show. The 7 Doigts are... Shana Carrol - veteran of the Pickle Family Circus and former Solo Trapeze artist in Satlimbanco. Sébastien Soldevilla - an accomplished sports acrobat who competed with the French National team and performed as a character, dancer, acrobat and solo-diaboloist with Saltimbanco. Samuel Tetreault - performed in Cirque Eloize's Orchestra show, the Pomp Duck and Circumstance cabaret, and as a solo hand- balancer in Alegría. Patrick Leonard - a former Canadian roller figureskating champion, performed in the San Francisco cabaret Teatro Zinzanni and with Cirque du Soleil in the German cabaret Pomp, Duck and Circumstance. Gypsy Snyder - also performed with the Pickle Family Circus, Teatro Zinzanni, Pomp Duck and Circumstance as well as Saltimbanco. Faon Shane - is a performer of many acrobatic disciplines; hand-to-hand, chair balancing, artistic cycling, vertical rope, trampoline and Korean Cradle. She is best known to Cirque fans as one of Quidam's Spanish Web artists. Isabelle Chassé - renowned contortionist featured in a quartet in Nouvelle Expérience and Saltimbanco and for her solo Aerial Contortion in Silk act in Quidam. Find out about Les 7 Doigts de la main at their website: < www.les7doigtsdelamain.com/ >. {Features text written by Wayne Leung, as published in the "Fascination! Newsletter"} } [2.16] What is "Cavalia"? Is it a Cirque du Soleil show? } } Created and produced by Normand Latourelle, one of the founders } of Cirque du Soleil (and with them up to 1990), it is a show } described by Mr. Latourelle himself as, "Cirque du Soleil with } horses." Publicity materials say that he had a long-standing } dream of doing a show involving horses, which came to pass } after being introduced to renowned French trainers (and } equestrian co-directors of Cavalia) husband and wife team } Frédéric Pignon and Magali Delgado. } } {Features text written by Keith Johnson, as published in the } "Fascination! Newsletter"} } } [2.17] What is "Tohu"? How is it related to Cirque du Soleil? } } Tohu, "La cité des arts du cirque" is a non-profit organization } founded by En Piste, a collective comprising several prominent } organizations in Canadian circus arts (most notably the } National Circus School and Cirque du Soleil). Membership in } Tohu represents a major aspect of Cirque du Soleil's social } and cultural action policy. } } Tohu aims to create a circus arts "city" in the province of } Québec as a unique means to centralize the creation, training, } production and performance of circus arts in the province and as } a major centre for the development of artists. } } The organization, founded in 1999, has taken root in Montreal's } Saint Michel district. Currently, the "city" is home to Cirque } du Soleil's International Headquarters and artists' residences } and l'École Nationale de Cirque (the National Circus School) } which opened a brand new, 7200 square meter facility in 2003 } directly across the street from Cirque's headquarters. } } To find out more about Tohu, the Chapiteau des Arts and upcoming } events and performances visit http://www.tohu.com. } } {Features text written by Wayne Leung, as published in the } "Fascination! Newsletter"} -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [3] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL SPECTACLES (SHOWS) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- [ ] GENERAL SHOW QUESTIONS ---------------------------------- [3.1] How many productions has Cirque produced? Depending on how you categorize them, since 1984, Cirque du Soleil has created, produced and staged 20 different productions to date, 11 of which are still performing today. [3.2] What are their Productions? [Touring Shows] [Resident Shows] o) Le Grand Tour (1984) o) Mystère (1993+) o) Le Cirque du Soleil (1985) o) "O" (1998+) o) La Magie Continue (1986) o) La Nouba (1998+) o) Le Cirque Réinventé (1987-1990) o) Zumanity (2003+) o) Nouvelle Expérience (1990-1992) o) KÀ (2004+) o) Fascination (1992) o) LOVE (2006+) o) Saltimbanco (1992-2006) o) Wintuk (2007+) } o) Alegría (1994+) o) ZAIA (2008+) } o) Quidam (1996+) o) ZED (2008+) } o) Dralion (1999+) o) Criss Angel BELIEVE (2008+) } o) Varekai (2002+) o) Cirque Elvis (2009) } o) Corteo (2005+) o) Cirque Kodak (2010) } o) Koozå (2007+) o) Cirque Dubai (2011) } o) Cirque 2009 (2009) } o) Cirque 2010 (2010) [Arena Shows] } o) Delirium (2006-2008) o) Saltimbanco (2007+) } o) Alegría (2009+) [Other Productions] o) Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man IMAX Film (1999) o) Alegría: Le Film (2000) o) Cirque du Soleil: Fire Within (2002) o) Cirque du Soleil: Solstrom (2003) [3.2.1] What is a touring show? A touring show is one that visits many cities and countries and is housed in a blue and yellow or white colored tent. The thing to remember here is TENT! There are exceptions; as an example: when shows visit London they are usually set up in the Royal Albert Hall, a Victorian-style performence venue. [3.2.2] What is a resident show? A resident show is that which is performed in a specially designated theater. Most of these theaters exist in partnership with MGM/Mirage Resorts in the United States } (Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, Criss Angel BELIEVE and } Elvis 2009) but there are other partnerships, such as: } Walt Disney World (La Nouba - consequently the first } free-standing theater built for Cirque du Soleil), Madison } Square Garden (Wintuk), Las Vegas Sands (ZAIA), Oriental Land } CO (ZED), Kodak Theater (Hollywood 2010) and Nahkeel (Dubai } 2010). Cirque du Soleil is also persuing partnerships for a } resident show in Shanghai and London. } } Due to the nature of resident productions, they are not } crafted to be presented under the big top or in the arena } setting. So you will never see these shows tour the globe. [3.2.3] What is a seasonal show? A seasonal show is one that is performed for a very limited time, usually for only one season. Wintuk is an example of a resident show that is also seasonal, as it is only performed from November through January. [3.2.4] What is an arena show? An arena show is one that is made specifically for and showcased directly in a stadium-like venue. These type of shows are akin to traveling concert tours, spending one to four nights in a specific location before packing up and moving on. Current arena } productions are: Delirium, Saltimbanco and Alegría (in 2009). [3.3] When did these productions premiere? The information is presented as follows: the premiere year, followed by the show title, its exact premiere date and the city in which it premiered. 1984: Le Grand Tour (Jun.16.1984, Gaspe) 1985: Le Grand Tour (May.14.1985, Montreal) 1986: Le Magie Continue (Apr.20.1986/May.18.1986, Sherebrook) 1987: Le Cirque Reinvente (May.07.1987, La Salle) 1990: Nouvelle Experience (May.08.1990, Montreal) 1992: Saltimbanco (Apr.23.1992, Montreal) 1992: Fascination (May.22.1992, Tokyo) 1993: Mystere (Dec.25.1994, Las Vegas) 1994: Alegria (Apr.21.1994, Montreal) 1996: Quidam (Apr.23.1996, Montreal) 1998: O (Oct.19.1998, Las Vegas) 1998: La Nouba (Dec.23.1998/Jan.28.1999, Orlando) 1999: Dralion (Apr.22.1999, Montreal) 2002: Varekai (Apr.24.2002, Montreal) 2003: Zumanity (Jul.31.2003/Sep.20.2003, Las Vegas) 2004: KA (Nov.26.2004/Feb.03.2005, Las Vegas) 2005: Corteo (Apr.21.2005, Montreal) } 2006: Delirium (Jan.26.2006, Montreal) 2006: LOVE (Jun.02.2006/Jun.30.2006, Las Vegas) 2007: Koozå (Apr.19.2007, Montreal) 2007: Wintuk (Nov.01.2007, New York City) } 2008: ZAIA (Jul.26.2008/Aug.28.2008, Macau) } 2008: ZED (Aug.15.2008/Oct.01.2008, Tokyo) } 2008: Believe (Sep.26.2008/Oct.31.2008, Las Vegas) } 2009: Cirque 2009 (Apr.23.2009, Montreal) [3.3.1] Why do some shows have two premiere dates? In the case of Le Magie Continue, Cirque du Soleil originally performed at Expo 86 in Vancouver before beginning their Canadian tour. Thus, the official start of the 1986 tour is May 18, 1986. } In the case of La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, ZAIA, Believe, and } ZED, Cirque du Soleil staged preview performances of these } productions before their official Grand Opening/Gala Premiere. } Therefore, public performances began on the first date, but an } official premiere celebration did on occur until the second. } NOTE: Cris Angel BELIEVE was scheduled to hold public previews } or have its "soft opening" beginning Sep.01.2008 with the } GALA Premiere on Sep.12.2008 before it was delayed. It was } delayed a second time by having previews begin on Sep.12.2008 } and the GALA on Oct.10.2008. [3.4] Where has Cirque toured? [Touring Productions] Saltimbanco } o) North American Tour } Apr.23.1992 - Dec.19.1993 } o) Japanese Tour } Mar.11.1994 - Sep.14.1994 } o) Montreal Special } Nov.02.1994 - Jan.08.1995 } o) European Tour I } Mar.09.1995 - Feb.01.1997 } Curtain Fell } o) Ottawa Special } Oct.13.1998 - Nov.08.1998 } o) Asia/Pacific Tour (Australia/Japan) } Jan.07.1999 - Nov.25.2001 } o) European Tour II } Feb.14.2002 - Jul.03.2005 } o) Latin American Tour } Aug.04.2005 - Dec.03.2006 } Curtain Fell / Went Arena Alegría } o) North American Tour I } Apr.21.1994 - Dec.30.1995 } o) Japanese/Hong Kong Tour } Mar.22.1996 - Dec.25.1996 } o) European Tour I } Mar.06.1997 - Feb.07.1999 } o) At Beau Rivage } May.20.1999 - Oct.02.2000 } o) Australia/Singapore } Oct.10.2001 - Apr.07.2002 } o) North American Tour II } Jun.12.2002 - Sep.26.2004 } o) Japanese Tour II } Oct.29.2004 - Nov.27.2005 } o) European Tour II } Jan.05.2006 - Aug.28.2007 } o) South American Tour } Sep.14.2007 - Sep.22.2008 } o) Asian Tour (Seoul/Taiwan/Dubai) Oct.15.2008 - 2009 Quidam } o) North American Tour I } Apr.23.1996 - Nov.27.1998 } o) European Tour I } Mar.04.1999 - Jan.06.2002 } o) North American Tour II } Feb.07.2002 - Dec.21.2002 } o) Japanese Tour } Feb.07.2003 - Apr.04.2004 } o) Asia/Pacific Tour } May.06.2004 - Dec.11.2005 } o) North American Tour III } Jan.19.2006 - Oct.22.2006 } o) Asia/Middle East } Jan.04.2007 - Aug.26.2007 } o) Mexican Tour } Oct.11.2007 - Mar.17.2008 } o) European Tour II } Apr.19.2008 - Present Dralion o) North American Tour Apr.22.1999 - Dec.14.2003 o) European Tour Jan.14.2004 - Jan.07.2007 } o) Japanese Tour } Feb.07.2007 - Jun.15.2008 } o) Australian Tour } Jul.17.2008 - Present Varekai o) North American Tour Apr.24.2002 - Jul.23.2006 o) Australia Aug.10.2006 - Oct.07.2007 o) European Tour Oct.25.2007 - Present Corteo o) North American Tour } Apr.21.2005 - Dec.28.2008 } o) Japanese Tour } Feb.04.2009 - 2010 Koozå o) North American Tour Apr.19.2007 - Present Cirque 2009 o) North American Tour Apr.23.2009 - [Resident Productions] o) in Las Vegas, Nevada: - Mystère / Treasure Island - "O" / Bellagio - Zumanity / New York, New York - KÀ / MGM Grand - LOVE / The Mirage } - Criss Angel BELIEVE / Luxor - Elvis 2009 / MGM City Center o) Others (inside USA) - La Nouba / Walt Disney World; Orlando, FL - Wintuk / Madison Square Garden; New York City, NY - Kodak 2010 / The Kodak Theater; Hollywood, CA o) Others (Outside USA) } - ZAIA / The Venetian; Macau, China } - ZED / Tokyo Disneyland; Tokyo, Japan - Dubai 2011 / ; Dubai, United Arab Emirates [Arena Productions] Delirium o) North American Tour Jan.26.2006 - Jul.01.2007 o) European Tour } Sep.13.2007 - Apr.19.2008 } Curtain Fell Saltimbanco o) North American Tour Jul.31.2007 - Present } Alegría } o) North American Tour } 2009 [3.5] When can I see an act in rotation? An act-in-rotation is one that rotates in when a primary or signature act of a particular show is unable to perform. This could be due to injury or scheduling; however, it is not generally known what act-in-rotation will appear and when before it is seen. [3.6] What acts can I expect to see on a particular date? Cirque du Soleil knows well in advance (generally) what acts will be presented in what show; however, this information is not public knowledge and is not known to a show's spectators. ---------------------------------- [A] TOURING PRODUCTIONS (BIG TOP) ---------------------------------- [3A.1] LE GRAND TOUR [3A.1.1] Theme To begin a history for Cirque du Soleil, one has to travel back more than 20 years to 1981. That year a new and exciting union was formed: "Club des Talons Hauts, Inc." (which means "the High-Heels Club"). This non-profit company was founded on principle alone: "to promote circus arts and street performers." And in doing so this new organization went on to produce Cirque du Soleil during its earliest performances at Les Echassiers de Baie St-Paul (1981-1983) and Fête Foraine de Baie St-Paul Le Rendez-vous des amuseurs publics (1982-1984) In June 1984, Cirque du Soleil officially came together in part by contributions and summons by the Québec government. Their name, meaning "Sun Circus" or "Circus of the Sun", was created by the troupe's founder: Guy Laliberté. Once armed with an identity, Cirque du Soleil came together to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Jacques Cartier's (1491-1557) arrival. For the festivities, Cirque du Soleil presented a very special show in Gaspé, the very same place Mr. Cartier's voyager took him so long ago as he desperately tried to find a land route through to the Orient. The show was a smash success and the artists, invigorated by its reception, took their creation on the road and visited a handful of cities nearby: Baie-Comeau, Baie St- Paul, Québec, Magog, Hull, and Sorel et Montréal. [3A.1.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Guy Caron Director of Creation Hélène Dubé Costume & Props René Dupéré Composer Lorraine Turpin Artistic Director Andre Caron Set Designer Jean Leduc Lighting Designer Serge Roy Studio Director Zygmunt Biegaj Trainer [3A.1.3] Acts/Performances o) Les Stagiaires o) Le Tango o) Les Enfants o) «Chatouille» o) Break Dance o) Aluna o) Handbalance o) La Ratatouille o) Juggling o) Tight Rope o) La Fanfafonie o) Denis Lancombe [3A.2] LE MAGIE CONTINUE [3A.2.1] Theme Following on the heels of their Grand Tour success (1984 and 1985 tours), Cirque du Soleil revamped their young show into Le Magie Continue. With a new title and attitude Cirque set off once again on a tour of their native homelands. This seasonal tour visited a handful of Canadian cities - eight in all. Cirque also had the distinction of being part of the festivities surrounding Expo'86 in Vancouver, representing their Canadian heritage and homeland. The magic and fantasy continued to follow them wherever they went propelling Cirque du Soleil to new heights in attendance and success. That success also allowed them to take risks - for the first time in Cirque history they extended an invitation to the Chinese government to have a team of its most talented acrobats take part. That invitation grew into the Spining Meteor performance and a life-long partnership with the Chinese arts. [3A.2.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Guy Caron Director of Creation Lorraine Turpin Artistic Director Jean-Yves Cadieux Costume & Props René Dupéré Composer Fernand Bernard Co-Composer Jean Neron Co-Composer Andre Caron Set Designer Luc LaFortune Lighting Designer [3A.2.3] Acts/Performances o) Cycles o) Equilibriste o) Trapeze o) Chair Balancing o) Tightrope o) Les Cyclones o) Hand-to-Hand o) Juggling o) Spinning Meteor o) Springboard In Rotation: o) Fire Breathing [3A.3] LE CIRQUE RÉINVENTÉ [3A.3.1] Theme Beginning in LaSalle in 1987 and ending in Paris in 1990, Le Cirque Réinventé (or "We Reinvent the Circus"), is the show that brought Cirque du Soleil into the limelight, creating nothing less than a phenomenon. Cirque banked its success on the North American West by performing outside their native Canada at the Los Angeles Festival in summer 1987. From there the show cross- crossed the North American Continent before picking up stakes and traveling across the pond to England and France. By today's standards the production is a simple one, without story or theme, but if you look hard enough you can see a simple thread, the beginnings of a tapestry. The theme centers around a small group of people, called Ordinary People. These people are dressed in everyday clothes, milling about and exchanging looks of amazement with the audience at where they have found themselves. They have been drawn into a realm of fantasy - not knowing whether they are dreaming or whether what they see is real. The truth is that these Ordinary People begin to respond to the forces of this realm, to let out the folly and playfullness buried deep inside them. And they begin to show us that this playfullness is inside of us as well. They begin to dance about... Joined by the Queen of the Night and her helpers (the Infants), she produces the atmosphere from which the transformed people play out their destiny. With the help of the ringmaster transformed into Ti- Claude, he will guide you towards your destiny. Our destiny. Le Cirque Réinventé has won many awards including - La Rose d'Or 1989, Montreux, Switzerland; Emmy Award 1989, United States; four Gemini Awards 1989, Canada; Ace Award 1990, National Cable Television Association, United States; Silver Medal 1990, and the 32nd New York International Film and TV Festival. [3A.3.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Guy Caron Director of Creation Michel Crête Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer Benoît Jutras Composer Debra Brown Choreograper Andre Caron Set Designer [3A.3.3] Acts/Performances 1987 Version o) Ringmaster o) Tower on Wheels o) Handbalancing o) Korean Plank o) Slack Wire o) Voltige (Aerial Acrobatics) o) Chair Balancing o) Trick Cycling o) What a Team! o) Conductor 1988 Version o) Chair Balancing o) Contortion o) Juggling o) Hand Balancing o) Korean Plank o) The Conductor o) Fil de Fer o) Trapèze o) Méchanique o) Bicyclette 1989/1990 Version o) Chair Balancing o) Bicycles o) Fil de Fer o) Hand Balancing o) Acrobatic Dance o) Juggling o) Rola Bola o) Korean Plank o) Angelo o) Trapèze [3A.4] NOUVELLE EXPÉRIENCE [3A.4.1] Theme Something new was always on the horizon for Cirque du Soleil, and the success of Le Cirque Réinventé lent its hand to an explosion of growth for Cirque du Soleil But, what Cirque did not know was how well the company would continue to grow. In June of 1989, Franco Dragone, Michel Crete, Dominique Lemieux, René Dupéré, Gilles Ste-Croix, Luc Lafortune and Deborah Brown sat down and began an adventure of creation and imagination. For months they toiled to create a show that featured new artists, a new theme and would be the biggest most theatrical piece yet produced by the troupe. When work was complete it was discovered they had a new Expérience to show the masses; and thus, Nouvelle Expérience was born. The show began its run in Montréal in May of 1990, and took off on a 19-month whirlwind tour of the North American continent. By the end of 1991, Nouvelle Expérience had been to dozens of cities in which 1.3 million people saw the show. Beginning November 1992, and lasting a year, Cirque du Soleil and Steve Wynn's Mirage Resorts signed an agreement that placed a Blue and Yellow big top on the grounds of the Mirage Resort where the show was staged until November 1993. What tale is behind Nouvelle Expérience? In a protected corner of the universe, in a kingdom all their own, exist a group of creatures called the "Flounes" or Angels (Cécile Ardail, Christophe Lelarge, Patrice Wojciechowski, David Lebel and Isabelle Chassé). The world of the "Flounes" is invaded by characters in red - the Devils - who are the spirit of disobedience. Life comes to their world and spreads like a virus, which they look upon candidly. Each performance is linked together by one long narrative. The "Flounes" keep the narrative going for the most part, but they too have help in the form of David Shiner, a one-of-a-kind master clown. During most of the spectacle, we see him trying on different emotions, hoping to find what it is he is looking for. [3A.4.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer Benoît Jutras Composer Debra Brown Choreograper Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Guy Desrochers Sound Designer [3A.4.3] Acts/Performances o) Contortion o) Antipodisme o) Korean Plank o) Film Scene o) Solo Trapeze o) Russian Bar o) Fil de Fer o) Trampoline o) Aerial Straps o) Balancing on Chairs o) Trapeze [3A.5] FASCINATION [3A.5.1] Theme "Welcome to our big top full of dreams," exclaimed Guy Laliberté in 1988, after the smashing success of Le Cirque Réinventé. He repeated this welcome four years later, only this time not in French or English but in Japanese. In 1992, Cirque du Soleil first visited the Land of the Rising Sun -- Japan. For the first time since Le Cirque Réinventé ventured to London to perform with Circus Knie, a Cirque du Soleil show was to be experienced outside of North America. The show was a limited engagement beginning in May of 1992 and concluding that September 1992, running exactly 118 times across nine Japanese cities. Like some of the older Cirque shows (1984/1985), Fascination remains one of the most illusive; hopefully, we can shed a little light on such a colorful world. Fascination is a combination of Le Cirque Réinventé (1987 – 1989) and Nouvelle Expérience (1990 - 1992), consisting of many of the acts featured in both. But that's where the likeness ends. The costumes were re-imagined and made brighter and more colorful. The casts of each were also merged, and the show itself had a different direction. The crew responsible for the show had old and new names alike. As for theme, the show (like Le Cirque Réinventé) begins with the Prologue. Masked people - Ordinary People - dressed in their ordinary everyday clothes. They mill about, uncertain where they are. Are they dreaming? Are they still in reality? Or somewhere in between? Regardless of where they find themselves, these people begin responding to a mysterious urge deep inside of themselves, a playful urge - full of folly. Then, out of a billowing white cloud the Queen of the Night (Michelle Rawlake) and the King of Fools (Stéphane Drouard) emerges, with their child-like helpers. They wave their hands (full of magic) and transform the Ordinary People in their dull ordinary gray clothes into whimsical, colorful acrobats. Color and movement fill the air as the Transformation (the second step in the opening of Fascination) is complete - dreams and fantasy can now be played out! Many familiar faces fill the stage as the show continues through the acts and performances. Like some of the older Cirque shows (1984/1985), Fascination remains one of the most illusive; hopefully, we can shed a little light on such a colorful world. [3A.5.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Roger Parent Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer Benoît Jutras Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Catherine Archambault Choreographer Allison Brierly Choreographer Wayne Hronek Clown Acts [3A.5.3] Acts/Performances o) Les Chaises o) Hand-to-Hand o) Contortion o) Trapeze Volant o) Fil de Fer o) Flying Man o) Trapeze Solo o) Rhythmic Gymnastics o) Korean Plank o) Bicycles [3A.6] SALTIMBANCO [3A.6.1] Theme The framework of Saltimbanco - the characters - like all human beings, are born with nothing. These are the Worms, at the very base of society. All similar in appearance yet different one from the other, they must with time adapt themselves to their environment. Thus, as the show goes on, they embody various types of social characters, hoping to one day accede to the rank of Baroque, a cast of visionaries. The Baroques constitute the most important family in the world of Saltimbanco. Armed with a deeply perceptive vision of the world and sleeping under bridges, the Baroques, throughout the fable, reveal the countless contradictions of our civilization where imagination has not yet taken power. Saltimbanco celebrates life. Created as an antidote to the violence and despair typical of the 20th century, this phantasmagorical show proposes a new vision of urbanity, overflowing with optimism and happiness. Saltimbanco is not linear; rather, it is a kaleidoscope, an adventure in which anything can happen. Saltimbanco has its own language-a soul expressed through the voice, the body and music. In 16th century Italy, the saltimbanco (from the Italian - saltare in banco - meaning literally to jump onto a bench) were performers who entertained crowds in the streets and piazzas. Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco is also a diversion. It transports the audience to another dimension - an urban environment where the differences between humans are multiplied. [3A.6.2] Creative Team Original Tour (1992-1997) Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer Restaged (1998-2006) Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Andrew Watson Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer François Bergeron Sound Designer André Hénault Mask Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Re-Designer Arena (2007+) Carmen Ruest Director of Creation Hélène Lemay Boleadoras Choreographer François Desjardins Sound Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Designer René Bazinet Clown Acts Creator & Acting Consultant [3A.6.3] Acts/Performances {Big Top Version} Act One: Act Two: o) Adagio Trio o) Russian Swing o) Chinese Poles o) Trapeze (Duo or Solo) o) Double Wire o) Hand-to-Hand o) Juggling o) Elastics/Bungee o) Boledoras In Rotation: Past Acts: o) Diabolo o) Vertical Rope o) Contortion o) Manipulation NOTE: Curtain Fell on Saltimbanco in Rio de Janiero, Brazil on December 10, 2006. This show is no longer performed live in its original configuration. {Arena Version} Act One: Act Two: o) Adagio Trio o) Russian Swing o) Chinese Poles o) Duo Trapeze o) Juggling o) Hand-to-Hand o) Boledoras o) Elastics/Bungee In Rotation: o) Trick Bicycle [3A.7] ALEGRIA [3A.7.1] Theme Power! The transformation of society over the centuries! Ancient monarchies evolving into contemporary democracies! The king, who rules by divine right; the president, elected by the people. Old age. Youth. These are a few of the themes and concepts which were woven together to create the characters that make up the world of Alegría. They include court jesters, minstrels, beggars, old aristocrats and children. They are joined by the clowns who alone have been able to resist the political upheavals and social transformations. Witnesses to the passing of centuries, they serve as the social commentators for Alegría. Alegría, a Spanish word for elation, exhilaration and jubilation, is a celebration of life. It is a spectacular production which evokes a time when fantasy and magic were integral parts of everyday life - a time when a person's world was his family, his village, and beyond was the great unknown. Alegría is a carnival, harkening back to the traveling family circuses which cris-crossed Europe not so long ago. In developing Alegría, Cirque du Soleil searched for a theme that would strike a chord with spectators everywhere and leave them with a lasting impression. What they saw in the world around them was uncertainty - a society in flux - in constant upheaval. They saw a world of contrasts - power and powerlessness, cruelty and kindness. They saw the irony of globalization, where a constantly shrinking world leaves individuals more isolated than ever before. They saw the irony of progress. A dictatorship falls in one part of the world only to be replaced by famine or war in another - as though the sum of evil and hardship in the world remains ever- constant. In this confusing, enigmatic world, one thing is clear. Through all change, uncertainty and hardship, the human spirit remains indomitable - relentless in the face of adversity. Alegría celebrates this strength. It is a rallying cry. Let us embrace change. Let our old habits and structures shake in their foundations. Together, let us build a brighter tomorrow. [3A.7.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer Guy Desrochers Sound Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Re-Designer [3A.7.3] Acts/Performances Act One: Act Two: o) Synchro Trapeze o) Flying Man o) Fast Track o) Russian Bars o) Fire Dance o) Contortion o) Hoops/Manipulation o) High Bar o) Strong Man o) Snow Storm In Rotation: Past Acts: o) Hand Balancing o) Shoulder-Pole Wire o) Juggling o) Aerial Cube o) Solo Trapeze o) Slack Wire o) Flying Man in Silk [3A.8] QUIDAM [3A.8.1] Theme Quidam: a nameless passer-by, a solitary figure lingering on a street corner, a person rushing past. It could be anyone, anybody. Someone coming, going, living in our anonymous society. A member of the crowd, one of the silent majority. One who cries out, sings and dreams within us all. This is the Quidam that Cirque du Soleil celebrates. Quidam marks a turning point in Cirque du Soleil's history. Unlike the troupe's previous shows, Quidam does not take spectators to an imaginary realm of fanciful, larger-than-life characters. Rather, it is an examination of our own world inhabited by real people with real-life concerns. In the words of its director, Franco Dragone - "We wanted this production to be more human. Like preceding productions, Quidam conveys emotion, but it is more raw and intense, more dramatic and personal. Quidam highlights our frailties and our anguish in the face of the new millennium that lies before us." The show emanated from a concern about growing alienation and loneliness in a world that, ironically, is devising ever-more ingenious ways of keeping people in touch with one another. The show depicts human suffering, but at the same time celebrates life. Quidam is about rediscovery - about giving new meaning to the mundane. [3A.8.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer Benoit Jutras Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer François Bergeron Sound Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Designer [3A.8.3] Acts/Performances Act One: Act Two: o) German Wheel o) Handbalancing o) Diabolos o) Spanish Webs o) Contortion in Silk o) Vis-à-vis (Statue) o) Skipping Ropes o) Cloud Swing o) Aerial Hoops o) Banquine In Rotation: Past Acts: o) Juggling o) Manipulation o) Hoops o) Aerial Straps [3A.9] DRALION [3A.9.1] Theme Dralion is an unprecedented fusion of ancient Chinese acrobatic traditions and the avant-garde approach of Cirque du Soleil. It is a contemporary collage of the original and the eclectic, the primitive and the post-modern. Dralion is a celebration of life and derives much of its inspiration from Eastern philosophy with its principles of perpetual discovery and harmony between man and nature. The show pays homage to the four elements - earth, air, fire and water - which take on human form and rule worlds defined by their individual vivid colors. Dralion is an extraordinary voyage through a futuristic dimension- a place without time, ruled by magical laws. Here, the iridescent colors of the costumes are reflected in the metallic glints of a decor straight out of the cinema fantastique. The musical score simultaneously borrows from traditional sources while entering an electro-symphonic realm of a new world. [3A.9.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Guy Caron Director François Barbeau Costume Designer Violaine Corradi Composer Stéphane Roy Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Julie Lachance Choreographer Guy Desrochers Sound Designer [3A.9.3] Acts/Performances Act One: Act Two: o) Hand Balancing o) Spirits o) Bamboo Poles o) Pas de Deux o) Juggling o) Hoop Diving o) Trampoline o) Skipping Ropes o) Double Trapeze o) Chinese Drums o) Ballet on Lights o) Dralions In Rotation: Past Acts: o) Foot Juggling o) Contortion with Bowls o) Aerial Hoop o) Teeterboard [3A.10] VAREKAI [3A.10.1] Theme Deep within a forest, at the summit of a volcano, exists an extraordinary world-a world where something else is possible. A world called Varekai. The sky lets go a solitary young man, and the story of Varekai begins. Parachuted into the shadows of a magical forest, a kaleidoscopic world imbued with fantastical creatures, a young man takes flight in an adventure both absurd and extraordinary. On this day at the edge of time, in this place of pure and undiluted possibility, begins an inspired incantation to a life rediscovered and to a newly found wonder in the mysteries of the world and the mind. The word Varekai (pronounced ver-ay-'kie) means "wherever" in the Romany language of the gypsies-the universal wanderers. Directed by Dominic Champagne, this production pays tribute to the nomadic soul, to the spirit and art of the circus tradition, and to those who quest with infinite passion along the path that leads to varekai. "Varekai is a furious, flamboyant celebration inspired by those artists who, every single day, no matter where the wind carries them, risk their life to challenge the laws of gravity, to jump and dance over the volcano," says Director Dominic Champagne. "To tell the old world that something else is possible." Varekai introduces an international cast of more than 50 artists representing 12 countries including Brazil, Canada, China, Georgia, Italy, Moldavia, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. Varekai emerges from an explosive fusion of drama and acrobatics. The impossible becomes possible in stunning displays of skill and power set against innovative music and otherworldly sets, interwoven with vivid choreography that speaks to all in the universal language of movement. The pendulum of time sweeps backward, paying tribute to the ancient and rare circus traditions of Icarian games, water meteors and Georgian dance. Varekai then catapults to the future with revolutionary twists on such acts as Russian swings, body skating and triple trapeze. [3A.10.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Dominic Champagne Director Andrew Watson Director of Creation Stéphane Roy Set Designer Eiko Ishioka Costume Designer Violaine Corradi Composer Michael Montanaro Choreographer Bill Shannon Choreographer Jaque Paquin Rigging Designer Nol Van Genuchten Lighting Designer François Bergeron Sound Designer Francis Laporte Projection Designer Cal McCrystal Clown Acts Designer (duos) Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Designer André Simard Aerial Acts Designer [3A.10.3] Acts/Performances Act One: Act Two: o) Aerial Net o) Body Skating o) Icarian Games o) Solo on Crutches o) Water Meteors o) Aerial Straps o) Triple Trapeze o) Juggling o) Georgian Dance o) Hand-Balancing o) Russian Swings In Rotation: Past Acts: o) Aerial Hoop o) Pas de Deux [3A.11] CORTEO [3A.11.1] Theme Corteo, which means "cortege" in Italian, combines the craft of the actor with the prowess of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a world of playfulness and spontaneity situated in a mysterious area between Heaven and Earth. Corteo is a grand procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The clown is Everyman, a cunning idiot, a colourful loser who shines a light on all that is difficult and beautiful in life. Corteo evokes the full spectrum of emotion and experience: love, friendship, pain, joy, wisdom, beauty, life and even death. Corteo, a timeless revel in which illusion teases reality. The cast of Corteo brings together over 50 artists from 14 different countries: Armenia, Belarus, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Italy, Kenya, Romania, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States. Corteo explores the circus arts in a way that is brand new to Cirque du Soleil. Once again, the very limits of acrobatics are challenged as Daniele Finzi Pasca lends his unique touch to Cirque du Soleil's spectacular performances. Corteo redefines the springboard, the Korean frame and the tightwire, and presents acts that are as original as they are innovative. The desire to surprise and move audiences is a big part of the inspiration behind Corteo. [3A.11.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Daniele Finzi Pasca Creator and Director Line Tremblay Director of Creation Jean Rabasse Set Designer and Decorator Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer Philippe Leduc Composer and Musical Director Maria Bonzanigo Composer and Musical Director Martin Labrecque Lighting Designer Jonathan Deans Lighting Designer Danny Zen Acrobatic Rigging Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer With Teatro Sunil: Hugo Gargiulo Acting Designer Antonio Vergamini Acting Designer Dolores Heredia Dramaturgical Analyst [3A.11.3] Acts/Performances Act One: Act Two: o) Chandeliers o) Paradise o) Trampoline Beds o) Duo Adagio o) Roue Cyr o) Ladder o) Tightwire o) Aerial Strap o) Juggling o) Tournik o) Korean Plank In Rotation: Past Acts: o) Acrobatic Duo o) Rhythmic Gymnastics [3A.12] KOOZA [3A.12.1] Theme Koozå, whose name is inspired by the Sanskrit word "koza," meaning "box," "chest" or "treasure," tells the story of a melancholy loner (The Innocent) in search of his place in the world and through his search we are taken on a journey through strength, fragility, laughter, turmoil and harmony. Koozå also represents a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil. Koozå is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil that combines two circus traditions - acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor. Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, Koozå explores themes of fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement. [3A.12.2] Creative Team David Shiner Writer and Director Serge Roy Director of Creation Stéphane Roy Set Designer Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt Costume Designer Jean-François Côté Composer Clarence Ford Choreographer Martin Labrecqu Lighting Designer Jonathan Deans Co-Sound Designer Leon Rothenberg Co-Sound Designer Rogé Francoeur Props Designer Danny Zen Acrobatic Equipment & Rigging Designer André Simard Acrobatic Performance Designer Florence Cornet Makeup Designer [3A.12.3] Acts/Performances: Act One: Act Two: o) Charivari o) Wheel of Death o) Contortion o) Juggling o) Solo Trapeze o) Chair Balancing o) Duo Unicycle o) Teeterboard o) Highwire [3A.13] CIRQUE TOUR 2009 [3A.13.1] Theme To Be Determined [3A.13.2] Creative Team Deborah Colker Director Chantal Tremblay Director of Creation Gringo Cardia Set Designer [3A.13.3] Creative Team To Be Determined ----------------------------------- [B] RESIDENT PRODUCTIONS (THEATER) ----------------------------------- [3B.1] MYSTÈRE [3B.1.1] Theme It is performance art without boundaries. Ballet without gravity. It is theatre without actors. It is Mystère, the surrealistic celebration of music, dance, acrobatics and comedy from the artists who hold the patent on imagination bending, Cirque du Soleil. Mystère is the story of the universe - a rich voyage from the dawn of time to the end of the millennium. Mystère is also mans journey from infancy to adulthood - his desire to understand the universe, his search for answers and his ultimate discovery that life itself is a mystery. Mystère is a celebration of life. From the genesis of the first life forms to the rise of human civilizations, the driving force has always been the vital spark of life, throbbing, struggling, reproducing, weaving through death and rebirth. From the infinitesimally microscopic to the infinitely vast, from the most majestic to the most terrifying, from the most fragile to the most powerful, all is the making of life. Mystère is a voyage to the very heart of life where past, present and future merge, and all our emotions converge. Mystère is the enigma of time, the bearer of hopes and dreams but also of tragedy. It is above all the remembrance of time past, memories of life unfolding, following its course and ultimately surviving against all odds. You may call it art. You may call it theatre. We call it Mystère. [3B.1.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Re-Designer [3B.1.3] Acts/Performances Current Acts: o) Aerial Cube o) Fast Track o) Chinese Poles o) Korean Plank o) Hand-Balancing o) Trampoline o) Hand-to-Hand o) High Bar o) Bungee/Elastics o) Taïko Past Acts: o) Manipulation o) Flying Trapeze o) Le Filet [3B.2] "O" [3B.2.1] Theme Beyond circus, beyond theatre, with "O" Cirque du Soleil has created an entirely original form of live entertainment. "O" pays tribute to the magic of the theatre - from the simplest street performance to the most lavish of operas - where anything is possible and where the drama of life plays itself out before our very eyes. "O" is a homage to the theatre, the place where we try to entertain all of humanity," says Dragone. "For it is in the theatre where humanity tries to understand itself." In creating "O", Cirque du Soleil imagined a spectacular production unlike any other show on Earth. After three years in development, they surpassed their own expectations by creating a truly magical oasis in the middle of the Nevada desert. The fantastic story of "O" centers around an unsuspecting theatre-goer named Giufa - our unwitting guide through this magical realm. When Giufa is chosen to give the show's opening speech, the curtain is suddenly swept away carrying him high up into the air. As his laughter echoes through the theatre, the stage dissolves to reveal an aquatic universe teeming with amphibious creatures and larger than life characters. The incredible adventure has begun. On the other side of the proscenium, Giufa is no longer a mere onlooker, but a witness, a conspirator, an actor in a world that changes constantly before his eyes. While Giufa guides us through "O", each spectator undertakes his or her own odyssey. "O" frees us to lose ourselves in a world without limits - where dreams are not only encouraged, but where they come true. [3B.2.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer Benoit Jutras Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer François Bergeron Sound Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Designer [3B.2.3] Acts/Performances o) Nage (Synchro Swimming) o) Cadre o) Duo Trapeze o) High Dive o) La Barge (Banquine) o) Washington Trapeze o) Bateau o) Contortion o) Fire o) Cerceaux (Aerial Hoops) o) Russian Swings [3B.3] LA NOUBA [3B.3.1] Theme "La Nouba" means "to party" and that is what Cirque du Soleil has produced. It is an unforgettable journey through the universe. La Nouba is the story of all stories, the site of all mysteries, where dreams and nightmares sleep side by side. La Nouba is memory, individual and universal. It beckons to us, challenges us to uncover passions we thought we'd lost long ago. Here, anything is possible. This world then contains two types of families: the colorful Cirques (circus people) and the Urbanites (faceless people). But as in fables, it is not so much this contrast as the interplay between these two groups which sparks our curiosity and feeds our imagination. From this encounter is born fear and ecstasy. From this encounter is born La Nouba. [3B.3.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Franco Dragone Director Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer Benoit Jutras Composer Michel Crête Set Designer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer François Bergeron Sound Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Designer [3B.3.3] Acts/Performances o) German Wheel o) Aerial Ballet in Silk o) Funambule (High Wire) o) Balancing on Chairs o) Diabolos o) Flying Trapeze o) Cycles (BMX) o) Power Track o) Aerial Cradle [3B.4] ZUMANITY [3B.4.1] Theme Zumanity [zü'man-eh-tee] is described as "an intense visit to a world where human inhibitions are both unveiled and discarded, where style and intense sensual passion share an uncommon stage." Cirque recently offered this definition of the word: "n. n. Neologism dating from 2003, contraction of the words "zoo" and "humanity." 1. A human zoo. 2. A new form of eroticism which blends dance movement, acrobatics and beautiful bodies with the sensual caress of the human voice and the pulse of exotic rhythms. 3. An exploration that awakens the most primal urges in human beings." [3B.4.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Dominic Chapagne Writer/Director René Richard Cyr Writer/Director Andrew Watson Director of Creation Thierry Mugler Costume Designer Stéphane Roy Set Designer Simon Carpentier Composer Debra Brown Coreographer Marguerite Derricks Coreographer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer Cal McCrystal Comedic Director Natcha Merritt Photographer/Projection Nathalie Gagné Make-Up Designer Jaque Paquin Rigging/Acrobatic Designer Normand Blais Props Designer Anna Liani Additional Music/Lyrics [3B.4.3] Acts/Performances Current Acts/Running Order: o) Extravaganza o) Dance on TV o) Wind o) 2Men o) Wassa o) Pom Poms o) Waterbowl o) Market o) Hoops o) Straps o) Castroses o) Knives o) Scotch Baggies o) Tissus o) Hand 2 Hand o) Midnight Bath o) Expressions o) Gentle Orgy o) Dislocation o) Finale Past Acts: o) Fire o) Acrobatic Pas de Deux [3B.5] KÀ [3B.5.1] Theme KÀ combines acrobatic performances, martial arts, puppetry, multimedia and pyrotechnics to illustrate the nature of duality. Created and directed by acclaimed theatre and film director Robert Lepage, the show applies the visual vocabulary of cinema to a live spectacle creating a vibrant narrative that conjures an entire empire on stage. KÀ tells the epic saga of separated twins-a boy and a girl-who embark on a perilous journey to fulfill their linked destinies. As the plot unfolds, danger lies in wait for them at every turn. Archers and spearmen hunt the twins relentlessly, as their quest takes them through a succession of challenging landscapes, from mysterious seashore through menacing mountains and foreboding forests. Cirque du Soleil Founder and CEO, Guy Laliberté, describes KÀ as "the most theatrical show we've ever done." It is scripted with a strongly defined almost cinematic narrative, with clearly identified characters and story arcs. The execution of that narrative called for more technologically advanced visual effects than Cirque du Soleil has ever attempted. "That's why I wanted Robert Lepage to write and direct the show. With his vast experience in theatre and film, his knowledge of the technology and his curiosity and innovative spirit, he was the only man for the job." The KÀ Theatre is an astonishing performance space, seating 1,951 guests. "The arrival of KÀ is the crown jewel in the renaissance of MGM Grand," says Gamal Aziz, MGM Grand president and COO. "Throughout our reinvention, we have strived for the best in dining, entertainment and service. With the unveiling of KÀ, MGM Grand is taken to a new level." The show's title, KÀ, is inspired by the ancient Egyptian belief in the "ka," an invisible spiritual duplicate of the body that accompanies every human being throughout this life and into the next. That concept is also reflected in the show's visual signature, which evokes the central theme of duality as personified by the twins and the symbolic use of fire. The logo is influenced by Asian iconography. [3B.5.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Robert Lepage Creator and Director Guy Caron Director of Creation Mark Fisher Set Designer Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer and Arranger Jacques Heim Choreographer Luc Lafortune Lighting Designer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer Holger Förterer Interactive Projections Michael Curry Puppet Designer Patricia Ruel Props Designer Jaque Paquin Acrobatic Equipment/Rigging André Simard Aerial Acrobatics Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer [3B.5.3] Acts/Performances o) The Pagent o) The Blizzard o) The Storm o) The Flight o) The Deep o) Twin Brother Captivity o) The Archer's Den o) Forest People o) Wash-up on the Shore o) Slave Cage o) The Shadow Play o) The Battle Begins o) The Climb o) Aftermath Past Acts: o) Pillars o) Forest Jumping Between Poles [3B.6] LOVE [3B.6.1] Theme LOVE, the latest Cirque du Soleil creation, a co-production with Apple Corps Ltd., celebrates the musical legacy of The Beatles and is presented exclusively at The Mirage in Las Vegas. This joint artistic venture marks the first time that The Beatles company, Apple Corps Ltd., has agreed to a major theatrical partnership. The project was born out of a personal friendship and mutual admiration between the late George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. LOVE brings the magic of Cirque du Soleil together with the spirit and passion of The Beatles to create an intimate and powerful entertainment experience. It captures the essence of love that John, Paul, George and Ringo inspired during their astonishing adventure together. Using the master tapes at Abbey Road Studios, Sir George Martin and Giles have created a unique soundscape for LOVE. "We wanted to make sure there are enough good, solid hit songs in the show, but we don't want it to be a catalog of 'best of's'," said Sir George Martin. "We also wanted to put in some interesting and not well-known Beatles music and use fragments of songs. The show is a unique and magical experience." Dominic Champagne, who directed and wrote the original concept for the show, explained his vision for LOVE. "I wanted to create a Beatles experience rather than a Beatles story, taking the audience on an emotional journey rather than a chronological one, exploring the landscapes and experiences that have marked the group's history," said the director. LOVE is a Rock 'n' Roll poem, a magical mystery tour into the heart and soul of The Beatles music through an exploration of the aesthetic, political and spiritual trends of the 1960s. Inspired by the poetry of the lyrics, the creative team designed a series of scenes inhabited by colorful characters in extravagant costumes. The international cast of 60 channels a raw, youthful energy evoking the exuberant and irreverent spirit of The Beatles. High-energy fusions of urban, freestyle dance, aerial performance and fast-paced athleticism make LOVE a visual and musical feast. [3B.6.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide, Show Concept Creator Dominic Champagne Director, Writer & Show Concept Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation, Show Concept Chantal Tremblay Associate Director of Creation Jean Rabasse Theatre and Set Designer Philippe Guillotel Costume Designer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer Yves Aucoin Lighting Designer Francis Laporte Video Projection Designer Hansel Cereza Choreographer Dave St-Pierre Choreographer Guy St-Amour Acrobatic & Rigging Designer Daniel Cola Acrobatic Performance Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer Patricia Ruel Props Designer Michael Curry Puppet Designer Guest Creators: Geneviève Dorion-Coupal Choreographer Daniel Ezralow Choreographer Margie Gillis Choreographer Alexis Martin Dramaturge Consultant François Pérusse Comic Audio-clips Designer André Simard Aerial Acrobatic Designer For Apple Corps Ltd.: Sir George Martin Music Director Giles Martin Music Director Neil Aspinall Executive Producer [3B.6.3] Acts/Performances: o) Nowhere Land o) Strawberry Fields o) Because o) Parade o) Get Back o) Within You, Without You o) Glass Onion o) Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds o) Eleanor Rigby o) Octopus' Garden o) I Am the Walrus o) Lady Madona o) Rock'n Roll Run o) Here Comes the Sun o) Abbey Road o) Come Together o) Gnik Nus / Something o) Revolution/Back in the USSR o) The Benefit of Mr. Kite o) While my Guitar Gently Weeps o) Help! o) A Day in the Life o) Blackbird o) Hey Jude o) Yesterday o) Sgt Pepper (reprise) o) Jam Session o) All You Need is Love [3B.7] WINTUK [3B.7.1] Theme } Wintuk is an enchanting, whirlwind winter tale about a boy } named Jamie and his quest to find snow and adventure. Jamie } lives in a city where the arrival of winter has brought long } shadows and intense cold - but no snow! He interacts with a cast } of high-energy urban street characters, including acrobats, } dancers and talking lampposts. But when the snow does not } arrive, Jamie embarks on a journey to an imaginary North called } Wintuk with three companions - a female Shaman with magical } powers, the girl he has fallen head over heels for and a timid } young man called Wimpy, destined to discover his own courage. } Jamie’s goal: bring the snow back to where it belongs. } The adventurers journey to an imaginary Arctic - a world without } sunlight - where they encounter the rich culture of the People } of the North and extraordinary giant characters made of ice. } When at last the sun returns, they fly home on the wings of a } giant crane and generate a swirling snowstorm. } Bursting with the energy of the city and the broad sweep of } nature, Wintuk weaves thrilling acrobatics, dazzling ice giants } and memorable songs together in a touching story line that } resonates with the whole family. [3B.7.2] Creative Team Richard Blackburn Original Director Fernand Rainville Director, Director of Creation Patricia Ruel Set and Props François Barbeau Costume Designer Simon Carpentier Composer Jim Corcoran Songwriter/Lyrics Catherine Archambault Choreographer Yves Aucoin Lighting Designer Larivee Matthieu Lighting Designer Francis Laporte Projections Designer Jonathan Deans Sound Co-designer Léon Rothenberg Sound Co-designer Daniel Cola Acrobatic Performance Designer Guy St-Amour Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Eleni Uranis Make-up Designer Réné Charbonneau Puppetry Designer (Lampposts) Michael Curry Puppetry Designer (Dogs & Birds) [3B.7.3] Acts/Performances [2007-2008 Season] o) Aerial Straps o) Rola Bola o) Charivari o) Rag Doll o) Cyr Wheel o) Russian Bars o) Hoops o) Slack Wire o) Inner Tubes o) Swiss Balls o) Juggling } [2008-2009 Season] } } o) Charivari o) Innertubes } o) Slack Wire o) Cyr Wheel } o) Juggling o) Hoops } o) Rola-Bola o) Swiss Balls } o) Rag Doll o) Aerial Straps } o) Power Track o) Russian Bars [3B.8] ZAIA [3B.8.1] Theme ZAIA is about a young girl who journeys into space on a strange, yet familiar voyage of self-discovery. As she travels, she encounters the beauty of humanity and eventually brings it back with her to share with the inhabitants of earth. ZAIA presents a young girl’s perception of the stars and planets, space and infinity, all populated by a panoply of fantastic, literally out-of-this-world creatures. ZAIA is a show that highlights dance, movement and aerial acrobatics, soaring to the farthest reaches of space and human beauty. (Working Name: "Cosmos") [3B.8.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Gilles Ste-Croix SVP, Creative Content Gilles Maheu Writer and Director Neilson Vignola Director of Creation Guillaume Lord Set Designer Dominique Lemieux Costume Designer Violaine Corradi Composer & Musical Director Martino Müller Choreographer Jeff Hall Acrobatic Choreogpraher Rob Bollinger Acrobatic Performance Designer Guy Lemire Acrobatic Equipment & Rigging Axel Morgenthaler Lighting Designer Jimmy Lakatos Projection Designer Raymond Saint-Jean Projection Designer Steve Dubuc Sound Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer Leonid Leykin Clown Acts Designer [3B.8.3] Acts/Performances } o) City Scape o) Aerial Frame } o) Aerial Bamboo o) Hand to Hand } o) Chinese Poles on Globes o) Aerial Straps Duo } o) Dance of the Automatons o) Fire Dance } o) Rola Bola o) Trampo & X-Board [3B.10] ZED [3B.9.1] Theme ZED is a living poem, a timeless evocation that draws on the Tarot and its arcana, an imaginary world that conjures the vitality of the human condition and holds up a mirror to our true selves. The central, larger-than-life character Zed represents all of humanity in all its guises, from wisdom to folly, from discovery to adventure. Zed grows as he discovers the world on his journey of initiation. Through this undertaking the people of the sky and the people of the earth are trying to connect with each other; through Zed, they come together. The world of the arcana, in which ZED finds its inspiration, teems with life and vibrant characters, including the Great Goddess, The Fool, The Sphinxes and the Satyrs - all engaged in a lyrical odyssey to the heart of the human experience. (Working Name: "Zed") [3B.9.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Gille Ste-Croix SVP, Creative Content François Girard Writer and Director Line Tremblay Director of Creation François Séguin Set Designer Renée April Costume Designer René Dupéré Composer and Arranger David Finn Lighting Designer Debra Brown Choreographer Jean-Jacques Pillet Choreographer François Bergeron Sound Designer Scott Osgood Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Florence Pot Acrobatic Performance Designer Eleni Uranis Make-up Designer Serge Lamothe Playwright [3B.9.3] Acts/Performances } o) Batons o) Juggling } o) Bungee o) Banquine } o) Lassos o) Straps } o) Poles & Trampoline o) Hand-to-Hand } o) Solo Tissue o) Flying Trapeze } o) Wire o) Charivari [3B.10] Criss Angel BELIEVE [3B.10.2] Theme On his death bed, legendary magician and escape artist, Harry Houdini told his wife the following; "After my death, many people will claim that they are still able to communicate with me. If their claims are valid, they will be able to tell you a code word - that word is BELIEVE." CRISS ANGEL Believe will be a haunting exploration deep inside the inventive mind of mystifier Criss Angel as he hovers between the land of the living and a surreal world uniquely woven together by the distinctive imaginations of Criss Angel and Cirque du Soleil. Unlike traditional magic-themed shows, CRISS ANGEL Believe transcends any preconceived notion of what it means to be truly emotionally engaged by the arts of mysticism and illusion. Imagine a fantasy, an allegory, a highly theatrical tableau of mood, reverie and emotion set against a backdrop of dreamlike darkness and light. Criss Angel stars as a surreal, enigmatic Victorian Noble. Along a path of imaginative exploration, he encounters Kayala and Crimson, two women who represent different aspects of femininity, four bizarre Ushers, who will introduce the audience to the baroque theater of Criss's mind and a high-energy troupe of characters and dancers who mix a multitude of styles into a high-energy visual feast, punctuated by moments of grace and sensuality. The stunning illusions in CRISS ANGEL Believe will not be presented as stand-alone elements, but as interdependent components using heightened imagery, fantastical creatures and impossible feats of legerdemain, which will all be integrated into the dazzling, colorful fabric of the story. [3B.10.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Gilles Ste-Croix SVP, Creative Content Criss Angel Illusions Designer/Star Serge Denoncourt Director & Co-Writer Pierre Phaneuf Director of Creation Christiane Barette Associate Director of Creation Ray Winkler Set Designer Mérédith Caron Costume Designer Éric Serra Composer, Musical Director & Arranger Wade Robson Choreographer Jeanette Farmer Lighting Designer Francis Laporte Images and Projection Jonathan Deans Sound Designer Jaque Paquin Acrobatic Equipment & Rigging André Simard Acrobatic Performance Michael Curry Props & Puppets Designer Nathalie Gagné Make-up Designer [3B.10.3] Illusions Under wraps! [3B.11] ELVIS 2009 [3B.11.1] Theme In the same vain as The Beatles: LOVE, Cirque du Soleil will take audiences into the world of Elvis Presley through his collected works. [3B.11.2] Creative Team Vincent Paterson Director Armand Thomas Director of Creation Mark Fisher Set Designer Stefano Canulli Costume Designer Marc Brickman Lighting Designer Jonathan Deans Sound Designer Guy St-Amour Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Daniel Cola Acrobatic Performance Designer [3B.11.3] Acts/Performances To Be Determined } [3B.12] NEW YORK CITY 2010 } } [3B.12.1] Theme } } "A New Type of vaudeville show" } } [3B.12.1] Creative Team } } David Shiner Director } Serge Roy Director of Creation } Michel Granger Director of Production } } [3B.12.1] Acts Performances } } [3B.13] KODAK 2010 [3B.13.1] Theme } Cirque du Soleil will celebrate the golden age of Hollywood } and then some with this production scheduled to open summer } 2010 at the famous Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California. [3B.13.2] Creative Team [3B.13.1] Acts/Performances [3B.14] DUBAI 2011 [3B.14.1] Theme To Be Determined [3B.14.2] Creative Team } Michael Curry Director } Guy Caron Director of Creation } Bob Whelan Production Direction [3B.14.3] Acts/Performances To Be Determined } [3B.15] FUTURE RESIDENT SHOWS (POSSIBILITIES) } } This section contains what little information there is about future } resident shows by Cirque du Soleil. The information here may change } as projects change venues, are canceled or change. } } [3B.15.1] MACAO II (2010) } } Status: } Macao II was slated to premiere in 2010 at the next } Sands Macao resort slated to begin construction in } 2009; however, the downturn in the global economy } has postponed that project. Cirque du Soleil has } stated that the show creation is continuing, citing } "quality material" and is currently looking for } another venue. } } Theme: } To Be Determined } } Creative Team: } } René Simard Director } Serge Roy Director of Creation } Stéphane Roy Set Designer } Alan Hranitelj Costume Designer } Alain Lortie Lighting Designer } Michel Cusson Composer } Steve Dubuc Sound Designer } } [3B.15.2] BEIJING 2010 } } Cirque du Soleil is currently designing the Canadian Pavilion } concept at the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai; however, Cirque } has stated its desire to open the Asian market further with } a resident show, perhaps in Beijing, in the near future. } } [3B.14.4] LONDON / MILLENNIUM DOME } } Over the past few years Cirque du Soleil has been studying } the concept of placing a resident show in Europe, specifically } in London. The Millennium Dome project has come up in the past } and is currently undergoing a feesability study by Cirque. } } [3B.14.4] RUSSIA/MOSCOW } } On December 2, 2008, Cirque du Soleil announced a partnership } between its brand and the Russian Federation to develop and } produce "many forms of entertainment" in the Russian Federation, } which could include "big top and arena touring shows, special } events, media partnerships and eventually a permanent show." } Further information regarding the possibility of a resident } Russian show are not available at this time. } } } } } } } ----------------------------------- [C] OTHER SHOWS (Films & Specials) ----------------------------------- [3C.1] JOURNEY OF MAN [3C.1.1] Theme Journey of Man is Cirque du Soleil's first IMAX film production Presented in IMAX 3D Technology). Lasting approximately 38 minutes, this large screen presentation contains many of the best acts from many Cirque du Soleil shows, including: The Taïko, Bungee, the Cube Man, the Statue Act and Banquine. Each are assembled to tell the story, or the journey, of man -- from birth to old age. Cirque du Soleil Journey of Man is a breathtaking odyssey that follows the stages of human development from birth to maturity, with each stage presented by a Cirque du soleil act. The signature Cirque du Soleil celebration of color, light, music and costume combine with a backdrop of various natural and historical landmarks around the world, creating a triumph of artistry beyond compare. From the opening explosion of light and sound that represents the universe's formation, Cirque du Soleil Journey of Man leads us through the birth of the Universal Child as it travels from childhood, through adolescence and manhood, on to maturity. An awe-inspiring feast for the senses, incomparable artistry and stylish elegance make this an adventure of a lifetime. [3C.1.2] Creative Team Keith Melton Director Peter Wagg Producer/Co-Writer Andre Picard Producer Antoine Compin Co-Producer Charis Horton Co-Producer Reed Smoot Director of Photography Benoit Jutras Composer [3C.1.3] Acts/Performances o) Taiko o) Aerial Cube o) Synchro Swimming o) Hand-to-Hand o) Elastics/Bungee o) Banquine [3C.2] DELIRIUM [3C.2.1] Theme DELIRIUM is the quest for balance in a world that is increasingly out of sync with reality. It pushes the limit of arena performance through technical magnitude, human introspection and creative prowess. DELIRIUM is an urban tale, a state-of-the-art mix of music, dance, theatre, and multimedia. Pumped by this re-energized Cirque du Soleil rhythm, the DELIRIUM tour transports audiences into a universe of delirious sensory folly. For the first time in Cirque du Soleil history, lyrics have been created for the instrumental tracks and real words integrated in place of invented language, bringing to the music a fresh poetic dimension. The texts are in English, French, Spanish, Wolof and Portuguese. Robbie Dillon, who contributed texts for Cirque du Soleil's ZUMANITY, composed the English lyrics for DELIRIUM. In all, 20 of Cirque du Soleil's most memorable musical moments originally created by René Dupéré, Benoît Jutras and Violaine Corradi have been re-mixed by Quebec producer, composer and arranger Francis Collard, who deftly injects new life into these powerful classics. The result is a hyper-energizing urban tribal beat that explodes with electronic sounds, percussions and world rhythms. To heighten the musical experience, DELIRIUM is infused with acrobatic dances choreographed by Mia Micheals, as well as classic Cirque du Soleil feats including aerial, acrosport and hand balancing acts. [3C.2.2] Creative Team Guy Laliberté Guide Gilles Ste-Croix Director of Creation Michel Lemieux Creators, directors, multimedia Victor Pilon and scenic designers Francis Collard Musical Director/Producer Mia Michaels Choreographer Michel Robidas Costume Designer Alain Lortie Lighting Designer Yves Savoie Sound designer Anne-Séguin Poirier Props Designer Carmen Ruest Director of Creation Ian Tremblay Associate producer/Musical [3C.2.3] Acts/Performances DELIRIUM is a "Live Musical Event" therefore its performance Differs somewhat from other Cirque du Soleil productions. o) Aerial Hammock o) Aerial Hoop o) Hand-to-Hand o) Handbalancing o) Acrosport o) Aerial Ring o) Manipulation } [3C.3] FIRE WITHIN } } [3C.3.1] Theme } } "Fire Within" is a 13-episode reality television series } produced by Cirque du Soleil Images and the Canadian Broadcasting } Company (CBC), which aired on BRAVO, a United States artesian } cable network, throughout 2002 and 2003. The program is a behind- } the-scenes look at the creation and staging of Varekai, Cirque } du Soleil's 2002 production. It features promenant artists within } the Cirque, and the struggles they must go through in order to } be part of this particular show. It stars: Andrew Atherton, Kevin } Atherton, Ashley Beaver, Adrian Berinde, Gareth Hopkins, Raquel } Karro Oliveira, Michel Laprise, Louise Mercier, Oleg Ouchakov, } Olga Pikhienko, Stella Umeh, Boris Verkhovsky. } } [3C.3.2] Creative Team } } Lewis Cohen Director } Sylvia Wilson Producer } Martin Bolduc Producer } Marie Côté Producer } Vincent Gagné Producer } Arnie Gelbart Producer } } [3C.3.3] Episodes } } 01: "New Arrivals" } 02: "Behind Closed Studio Doors" } 03: "The Rise and Fall of the Trapeze" } 04: "Shooting Stars" } 05: "Christmas" } 06: "New Blood" } 07: "Pushing Acrobatics" } 08: "Moving On" } 09: "The Grand Chapiteau" } 10: "The Lion's Den" } 11: "Countdown to Premiere" } 12: "Opening Night" } 13: "The Aftermath and Departure" } [3C.4] SOLSTROM } } [3C.4.1] Theme } } A child in a sandbox. An architect at a construction site. A } high wire shimmering over an Italian piazza. Aliens performing } at a cosmic discotheque. All are touched by the solar wind, a } magical energy force that transforms everyday life into a playful } world blending fantasy with acrobatic performance. Since its } inception in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has delighted spectators in } more than 100 cities around the world. Now for the first time, } Cirque du Soleil presents Solstrom, a new and extraordinary } 13-part television series. } } SOLSTROM was a 13-episode variety series, specially themed } incorporating Cirque du Soleil signature and other circus acts } around a basic plotline. } } [3C.4.2] Creative Team } } Martin Bolduc Producer } Marie Côté Producer } Vincent Gagné Producer } } [3C.4.3] Episodes } } 01: "Wind of Romance" } 02: "Twin Winds" } 03: "Howling Wind" } 04: "Rockin Wind" } 05: "Once Upon a Wind" } 06: "Wind of Freedom" } 07: "Ghostly Wind" } 08: "Gone with the Winds" } 09: "Wind from the Past" } 10: "Wind of Imagination" } 11: "Wind of Life" } 12: "Wind of Courage" } 13: "Cosmic Wind" -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [4] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL MUSIQUE (MUSIC) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [4.1] When will .... be on CD? Most show music appears on CD (Cirque du Soleil no longer releases its content on Cassette) several months after the show's world debut. However, there isn't a set timeframe or release schedule for when a certain production's musical score will be available, or in what format it may be. [4.2] What language is used in their music? Cirque du Soleil shows feature a made-up language, Cirque du Soleil originally referred to it as "Saltimbanco Language" because it was made up for Saltimbanco. Today, this made-up vernacular is known as "Cirque Language", which fans have dubbed "Cirquish." The words have no literal meaning and therefore official transcripts of these lyrics are usually not available. There are some exceptions. [4.2.1] How can I obtain lyrics? Some of these imaginary language lyrics can be found in the song books for Mystère, Quidam, Saltimbanco and Alegría, unfortunately they are long out-of-print. English transltions and other lyrics for "Quidam" and "Let Me Fall" can be found in the "Quidam" CD Booklet. "Ombra," "Ballare," and "Miracula Æternitatis" can be found in the "Dralion" CD Booklet. The lyrics to "Alegría" are found inside the "Alegría" CD Booklet. And, the vocal pieces to "Varekai" found in the Sountrack (but not necessarily in the show) are found within the "Varekai" CD Booklet. These songs are sung in French, English, Spanish, and Italian. Delirium features English lyrics with Cirque du Soleil musical tracks. [4.3] Who are the composers? Through the years a number of composers have created music for Cirque du Soleil productions, they are: o) René Dupéré o) Benoît Jutras .) Le Grand Tour .) Le Cirque Réinventé .) Le Magie Continue .) Fascination .) Le Cirque Réinventé .) Mystère .) Nouvelle Expérience .) Quidam .) Fascination .) "O" .) Saltimbanco .) La Nouba .) Mystère .) Journey of Man .) Alegría .) Alegria: Le Film .) KÀ } .) ZED o) Violaine Corradi o) Simon Carpenter .) Dralion .) Zumanity .) Varekai .) Wintuk .) Solstrom } .) ZAIA o) Jean-François Côté o) Philippe Leduc .) Corteo .) Solstrom .) Koozå .) Corteo o) Maria Bonzanigo o) Michel Cusson .) Corteo .) Macao II (2010) [4.4] Who released/releases the Cirque du Soleil Music Catalog? The first release of Cirque du Soleil music was a vinyl 45 from LE FANFAFONIE, Cirque's first band. The release featured two songs from the 1985 tour, which has never been re-released. Originally, Cirque du Soleil released its own music on LP, Compact Discs and Cassette Tapes through their own in-house label - Nâga - which was part of Cirque's "Le Groupe du Soleil" Services division. Nâga released "Cirque du Soleil" in 1987 and "Nouvelle Expérience" in 1990. An earlier release sporting a Cirque du Soleil record was the 1985 release of the Fanfafonie 45, a vinyl record containing but two songs from the 1985 Tour. In 1992, Cirque du Soleil music interests were released through the RCA/Victor label in the United States and Canada. The agreement with RCA/Victor ended in 2002. In 2002, Cirque du Soleil created its own music imprint called Cirque du Soleil Records/Musique and re-released the majority of their music catalog in association with BMG Canada. In 2004, Cirque du Soleil launched its own music label called Cirque du Soleil Musique, which they dedicated to the creation, production and marketing of music associated with current and future Cirque du Soleil productions, and to the creation of a new musical repertoire through the support and development of emerging artists. Cirque du Soleil Musique products are distributed by Zing Distribution in Canada and by RED Distribution in the U.S. Both are owned or affiliated with the Sony BMG music group. It is interesting to note that RCA/Victor and BMG Classics are also now part of the Sony BMG music conglomeration. [4.4.1] How can I tell which label released what title? This is often tricky to determine, as generally the album cover artwork, insert booklet contents and general packaging visuals did not change from label to label (although the recent incarnations by Cirque du Soleil Musique do sport visual changes), but differences can be discerned by examining the album's catalog number, located on the spine of the album or on the album's back cover. This number will generally be displayed in a string of letters and numbers, hyphenated into three sections: a prefix, a selection code (often also denoting the product number) and a suffix. The album's prefix helps determine the lablel and the suffix helps determine in what medium the album was released. All RCA/Victor releases are denoted with a Catalog Number prefix of 09026. Example: Mystère Live (09026-68596-2) Also note that the suffix (-2) denotes a Compact Disc release. There are also (-1) Vinyl and (-4) Cassette notations where applicable. An RCA/Victor Logo is also promanently displayed on the album visual. All BMG/CDS Musique releases are denoted with a Catalog Number prefix of 40000 or 74321. The suffix here is omitted as all releases were in Compact Disc format. A Cirque du Soleil Musique logo is promenantly displayed on the album back cover. All Cirque du Soleil Musique releases are denoted with a Catalog Prefix combination explained as follows: Prefix: C Cirque D du S Soleil M Musique C Core Music (Show Music) N New Music J Jewel Case D Digipak P Promo L Limited Edition Selection: 10 Canadian Release (Zing) 20 US Release (RED) xxx Product ID Suffix: -1 Vinyl -2 CD -4 Cassette Therefore, as an example, the Saltimbanco (2005) album is denoted: CDSMCJ-10005-2 in Canada and CDSMCJ-20005-2 in the United States accordingly. [4.5] What is available in the Cirque du Soleil's Music Catalog? [Currently Available] {Show Music} o) Saltimbanco (2005) o) Delirium o) Mystère (Live) o) Corteo o) Alegría o) LOVE (Capitol/Apple) o) Quidam o) Wintuk o) "O" o) Koozå o) La Nouba o) Dralion o) Varekai o) Zumanity o) KÀ {Specials} o) Le Best Of o) Solarium-Delirium o) Tapis Rouge: Solarium o) Alegria: Le Film o) Journey of Man [Out of Print] o) Fanfafonie 45 (LP) o) Saltimbanco (1994) o) Cirque du Soleil, Vol 1 o) Saltimbanco (Extended) o) Cirque du Soleil, Vol 2 o) Alegría (Extended) o) Nouvelle Expérience o) Quidam (Extended) o) Collection o) Varekai (Extended) o) Mystère [4.5.1] What is a SPARS code? } Some CDs are inundated with a 3-letter code known as the SPARS } code. SPARS, an acronym for Society of Professional Audio } Recording Studios, tells the consumer how the album was } recorded, mixed, transferred and mastered. "A" stands for Analog } and "D" stands for Digital. You'll find three (4) combinations } on some CD packaging from the late 80's through to the mid-90's: } } o) AAD: Analog recording and mixing; Digital transfer } o) ADD: Analog recording, Digital mixing and transfer } o) DDD: Digital recording, mixing and transfer } o) DAD: Digital recording, Analog mixing, Digital Master } } However, by the mid-90's, confusion surrounding what the code } meant lead to its widespread discontinuation. You may still } find the code on some CD's, including Cirque du Soleil releases } by the RCA/Victor label: } } o) Saltimbanco [DDD] } o) Nouvelle Experience [AAD] } o) Alegria [ADD] } o) Mystere [ADD] } o) Cirque du Soleil [ADD] } o) Mystere Live [DDD] } o) Quidam [ADD] } o) Collection [ADD] } o) O [DDD] } o) La Nouba [DDD] } o) Dralion [DDD] } o) Alegria: Le Film [ADD] [4.5.2] Are Cirque Volume 1 and 2 different? In 1987, Cirque du Soleil released the music for Le Cirque Réinventé on their own in-house label - Nâga - and titled the CD/LP release "Cirque du Soleil", as the show had yet been titled. In 1989, Cirque du Soleil released a second version of the show's music and subtitled the release "Volume 2" so as to avoid confusion between the two different albums. In 1992, when Cirque du Soleil music interests were released through the RCA/Victor label in the United States and Canada, only Volume 2 was selected; therefore Volume 2 is the more widely known issue. But to confuse matters, the RCA/Victor release did not include the "Volume 2" notation. To answer the question outright; yes both Cirque du Soleil Volume 1 and 2 are different. Volume 1 has a few selected tracks that were not remixed for Volume 2 and Volume 2 features a few tracks from Volume 1 remixed as the show evolved. Neither album is currently available in the Cirque du Soleil Musique label catalog. [4.5.3] Are Mystère and Mystère (Live) different? Before the Cirque du Soleil Musique releases in 2005, little confusion existed between these two titles; however, after the CDS Musique releases, one title was dropped -- "Mystère" -- and the other renamed -- "Mystère Live" to "Mystère" -- but the latter is still the live recording. To help clarify: In 1994, RCA/Victor released the studio recording of the production Mystère, entitled "Mystère." Two years later (in 1996), RCA/Victor released a live compliation of the show it entitled "Mystère Live." While both albums were distributed under the RCA/Victor and BMG/Cirque du Soleil Musique alliances, the original studio (1994) album was not selected for distribution under the Cirque du Soleil Musique label (created in 2004). Instead, Cirque du Soleil chose to rename "Mystère Live" to simply "Mystère" and change the album artwork. The studio recording featuring musical compliations by René Dupéré from the original debut of Mystère is no longer in production or available in the Cirque du Soleil Musique catalog. [4.5.4] What are the Extended CDs? In 2002, the BMG/Cirque du Soleil Musique alliance re-released three studio albums with two extra tracks apiece: Saltimbanco, Alegría and Quidam. All tracks were recorded live under the bigtop and tacked on to the original studio album masters without much fanfare. The extended editions were also released without the consent of the composers and have since been discontinued, but not necessarily due to any objections. [4.5.5] Why is there more than one Saltimbanco CD? Other than the original studio album (denoted "Saltimbanco (1994)") and the Extended edition album (denoted "Satlimbanco (Extended)"), one other commercially available album exists under the Saltimbanco moniker. Its official title is simply "Saltimbanco" but denoted (2005) because the album's music was remixed and re-released that year making it different from the original studio and limited Extended edition albums that have been previously released by either RCA/Victor or BMG/Cirque du Soleil Musique alliances. The "Saltimbanco (2005)" album is the only one currently in production and available. Consequently, there is one other Saltimbanco album in the Cirque du Soleil repertoire: "Saltimbanco Live in Amsterdam." The album is an employee issue CD, recorded live under the big top in Amsterdam 1996 through the sound board. Since it was never commercially available, the title is not considered a canon album in the Cirque du Soleil music catalog (listed above). [4.6] What are the particulars of each Album? [4.6.1] Title Release Dates Cirque du Soleil music is now available in countries around the globe. Each region has had their own CD releases, so for simplicity sake, the release dates listed below are the first time the album was released in Canada or the United States, delimited = Canada Release / US Release. [Nâga] (1985-1990) Fanfafonie 45 = Jan.01.1985 Le Cirque Reinvénté (1) = Nov.08.1987 Les Pengoins 45 = Nov.xx.1988 Le Cirque Reinvénté (2) = Jul.xx.1990 Nouvelle Expérience = Aug.09.1990 [RCA/Victor] (1992-2000) Saltimbanco = Oct.09.1992 (US) Nouvelle Expérience = Mar.23.1993 (US) Mystère = Mar.29.1994 / Nov.08.1994 Alegría = Sep.27.1994 / Oct.11.1994 Le Cirque Réinventé = Nov.08.1994 (US) Mystère Live = Aug 14.1996 / Nov.12.1996 Quidam = Jan.14.1997 (US) Collection = Oct.28.1997 / Mar.24.1998 "O" = Nov.19.1998 / Nov.24.1998 Alegria: Le Film = Mar.23.1999 / Feb.22.2000 La Nouba = Jun.22.1999 / Jun.29.1999 Dralion = Oct.26.1999 / Nov.09.1999 Journey of Man = May.02.2000 [BMG/CDS Musique] (2002-2003) Quidam (Extra Tracks) = Feb.19.2002 Saltimbanco (Extra Tracks) = Mar.19.2002 Alegría (Extra Tracks) = Jun.11.2002 La Nouba = n/a "O" = n/a Mystère Live = n/a Mystère = n/a Dralion = n/a Varekai = Nov.05.2002 / Jan.07.2003 Varekai (Split Track) = Dec.17.2002 Tapis Rouge (Solarium) = Sep.01.2003 Varekai (Bonus CD & DVD) = Oct.01.2003 [CDS Musique] (2004+) Varekai = Jul.20.2004 / Jul.27.2004 Alegría = Jul.20.2004 / Aug.03.2004 Le Best Of = Sep.21.2004 Tapis Rogue: Solarium = Oct.19.2004 Saltimbanco (2005) = Feb.17.2005 Zumanity = Mar.22.2005 Solarium-Delirium = May.17.2005 Quidam = Jun.14.2005 Dralion = Jul.12.2005 "O" = Aug.16.2005 / Sep.06.2005 La Nouba = Aug.16.2005 / Sep.06.2005 Mystère (Live) = Aug.16.2005 / Sep.06.2005 KÀ = Oct.18.2005 Delirium = Jul.25.2006 Corteo = Oct.03.2006 LOVE (Capitol/Apple) = Nov.21.2006 Wintuk = Nov.01.2007 } Koozå = May.01.2008 / Jun.24.2008 [4.6.2] Album Catalog Numbers Cirque du Soleil albums have been released throughout the world. Many of the world's releases share the same catalog numbers with their North American counterparts. There are exceptions; however, which is beyond the scope of this FAQ. The catalog numbers below represent the Canadian Release/Catalog Numbers for the Cirque du Soleil music collection: [Nâga] (1985-1990) Fanfafonie 45 = CIR-001 (Vinyl) Le Cirque Reinvénté (1) = CSCD-1187 (CD) = CS1987C (Cassette) = CS-1187 (Vinyl) Les Pengoins 45 = CS-1188 (Vinyl) Le Cirque Reinvénté (2) = CSCD-0790 (CD) = CS1990C (Cassette) = CS-0790 (Vinyl) Nouvelle Expérience = CSCD-0890 (CD) = CS1990C (Cassette) = CS-0890 (Vinyl) [RCA/Victor] (1992-2000) Note: all albums released by RCA/Victor except "Journey of Man" were released in both CD and Audio Cassette format. CD is denoted -2 and Cassette -4 at the end of the Catalog Number Suffix. Saltimbanco = 09026-61486-2/4 Nouvelle Expérience = 09026-61531-2/4 Mystère = 09026-62686-2/4 Alegría = 09026-62701-2/4 Le Cirque Réinventé = 09026-62523-2/4 Mystère Live = 09026-68596-2/4 Quidam = 09026-68601-2/4 Collection = 09026-68989-2/4 "O" = 09026-63358-2/4 Alegria: Le Film = 09026-63454-2/4 La Nouba = 09026-63502-2/4 Dralion = 09026-63559-2/4 Journey of Man = SK 89097 [BMG/CDS Musique] (2002-2003) Quidam (Extra Tracks) = 74321-91493-2 = 40000-504453-3 = BVCF-31117 (Japan) Saltimbanco (Extra Tracks) = 74321-91655-2 = BVCF-31076 (Japan) Alegría (Extra Tracks) = 74321-93442-2 Varekai = 74321-93928-2 La Nouba = 40000-504448-9 "O" = 40000-504451-9 Mystère Live = 40000-504452-6 Mystère = 09026-62686-2 Dralion = n/a Varekai (Split Track) = n/a Tapis Rouge (Solarium) = 40000-504640-7 Tapis Rouge (Solarium) = 40000-503654-5 Varekai (Bonus CD & DVD) = 40000-503805-1 [CDS Musique] (2004+) Varekai (+) = CDSMCx-10017-2 Alegría (+) = CDSMCx-10007-2 Le Best Of (+) = CDSMCx-10022-2 Tapis Rogue: Solarium (+) = CDSMCx-10019-2 Saltimbanco (2005) = CDSMCJ-10005-2 Zumanity = CDSMCJ-10023-2 Solarium-Delirium = CDSMCD-10021-2 Quidam = CDSMCJ-10010-2 Dralion = CDSMCJ-10016-2 "O" = CDSMCJ-10013-2 La Nouba = CDSMCJ-10015-2 Mystère (Live) = CDSMCJ-10009-2 KÀ = CDSMCJ-10024-2 } Delirium = CDSMCJ-10026-2 Corteo (CD Only) = CDSMCJ-10025-2 Corteo (w/Bonus DVD) = CDSMCL-10025-2 LOVE (CD Only) (*) = CDP-0946-3-79808-2-8 LOVE (CD/DVD) {CD} (*) = CDP-0946-3-79810-2-3 LOVE (CD/DVD) {DVD} (*) = C9-046-3-79810-9-2 Wintuk = CDSMCJ-10027-2 } Koozå = CDSMCD-10028-2 NOTE (*): LOVE is released through Capitol Records/Apple Corps and is not an official Cirque du Soleil Musique release. NOTE (+): Varekai, Alegría, Le Best Of, and Tapis Rogue: Solarium were originally released as a Digipak, thus the catalog number would have been CDSMCD-xxxxx-x; however, they have been reissued in Jewel Cases, so their catalog numbers are now denoted CDSMCJ-xxxxx-x. [4.7] Aren't there Singles of Cirque music out there? Yes, there are! Many of the CD singles have only been released in Europe, and therefore are hard to find in many other places around the world. The list below is by no means comprehensive, but has been assembled over the years through exhaustive searching online and cataloging what has appeared on online auction sites: o) Title: Alegría Catalog: BMG #74321-46703-2 Catalog: BMG #74321-47661-2 (Europe) Tracks: 1. "Irna" [4:48] 2. "Alegría" (Album Version) [5:49] The cover simply features the Alegría poster image from 1994, black background with the bird-mask. o) Title: Gamelan Catalog: BMG #BQP-85 Tracks: 1. "Gamelan" (Radio Edit) [3:11] The cover features the same cover as the "O" album. The CD itself features a pose from the contortion act. o) Title: Love Leaves Someone Behind Catalog #: Unknown Tracks: 1. "Love Leaves Someone Behind" [4:03] The cover features a black background with Giulietta from the poster posed over a red rose. The back features the meeting between Giulietta and Frac during a performance of the show. Frac is in an "old bird" costume, with its head piece removed. o) Title: Querer Catalog #: BMG #74321-48491-2 (1997-Europe) Catalog #: BMG #43214-84915-2 (1997-BMG Nederland BV-Holland) Tracks: 1. "Querer" [4:34] 2. "Jeux d'Enfants" [4:40] The cover features the Alegría band in a press photo on a blueish background. Each of the band members is holding their respective instruments. o) Title: Quidam Catalog: BMG #BQP-62 (1996-Canada) Tracks: 1. "Quidam" (Radio Edit) The cover features a picture from inside the Quidam tour programme -- a painting of a man whose head is covered by a bowler hat. o) Title: Quidam Catalog: BMG #64635-27432-1 (1999-Europe) Tracks: 1. "Quidam" (Radio Edit) 2. "Quidam" (Album Version) The cover features a picture from inside the Quidam tour programme -- a painting of a man whose head is covered by a bowler hat. o) Title: Stella Errans Catalog #: BQP-107 Tracks: 1. "Stella Errans" [4:37] The cover features a live shot of the Hand balancing act from Dralion. o) Title: Let Me Fall Catalog #: BMG #74321-60499-2 (Holland) Tracks: 1. "Let Me Fall" (Radio Edit) [3:36] o) Title: Child in His Eyes Catalog #: BMG #74321-67537-2 Tracks: 1. "Child in his Eyes" (Radio Edit) [3:40] 2. "Alegria" (New Arrangement) [4:20] The cover features a black background with Giulietta from the poster posed over a red rose. The back features the meeting between Giulietta and Frac during a performance of the show. Frac is in an "old bird" costume, with its head piece removed. o) Title: Kumbalawe Catalog #: BMG #74321-26040-2 (EU) Catalog #: BMG #74321-27393-2 (GER) Tracks: 1. "Kumbalawe" [5:34] 2. "Saltimbanco" [5:19] 3. "Pokinoi" [5:08] o) Title: Tzelma Catalog #: Unknown Tracks: 1. "Tzelma" [3:00] [4.8] Weren't some albums released in metal tins? Yes, Brisa, a German company, released special editions of the Cirque du Soleil music catalog in metallic tins featuring the album visuals at the time (which mirrored the RCA/Victor releases). Tins were released for the following albums: La Nouba, Quidam, Dralion, Mystère Live and "O". All of the tins were rectancular except La Nouba, which was circular. [4.9] What are the "Tapis Rouge" vinyl mixes? Cirque du Soleil Musique released a variety of dance music mixes on their label outside of North America, primarily in European markets. Many of these tracks were subsequently featured on the "Tapis Rouge Solarium" album as well as the later "Solarium-Delirium" remix album (not to be confused with the "Delirium" showtrack album.) The vinyl releases are as follows: o) Africa (Tapis Rouge Vol 1) CDSM001/CDSM-12001 (UK) A1. Africa (CottonBelly Remix) [4.35] A2. A Tale (Chilluminati Mix) [6:14] B1. Le Reveur (Thievery Corp Remix) [5:08] B2. Emballa (Llorca Remix) [5:46] o) Ombra (Tapis Rouge Vol 2) CDSM002/CDSM-12002 (UK) A1. Ombra (Afterlife Remix) [5:03] A2. Gamelan (Cantoma Remix) [6:02] B1. Africa (Banzai Republic Equator Bound) [6:12] B2. El Pendulo (Fenomenon Northern Comfort Mix) [4:32] o) Aborigenes Jam (Tapis Rouge Vol 3) CDSM003/CDSM-12003 (UK) A1. Vocal Mix (Francois K & Eric Kupper) [8:15] B1. Dub Mix (Francois K & Eric Kupper) [7:45] o) Emballa (Tapis Rouge Vol 4) CDSM004/CDSM-12004 (UK) A. Album Mix (Louie Vega feat. Jaffa) [6:23] B1. Ritual Mix (Louie Vega feat. Jaffa) [6:23] B2. Sun Dub (Louie Vega feat. Jaffa) [5:54] o) Kumbalawe (Tapis Rogue Vol 5) CDSM005/CDSM-12005 (UK) A. Release Mix (Roger Sanchez) [8:33] B. Release The Dub (Roger Sanchez) [7:47] o) Mer Noir/Africa (Tapis Rogue Vol 6) CDSM006/CDSM-12006 (UK) A. Mer Noire (Tiesto Remix) [8:55] B. Africa (Quicksound Remix) [8:55] [4.10.1] Which of these tracks are available on CD? You'll find the following tracks from the vinyl releases on three Cirque du Soleil Musique CD releases. Not all of the tracks released on vinyl made it to CD and thus are only available on that medium. All tracks listed are the same length as their vinyl counterparts unless otherwise noted: o) On the "Tapis Rouge: Solarium" album: - Africa (CottenBelly Remix) - Ombra (Afterlife Remix) - Gamelan (Cantoma Remix) - Africa (Banzai Republic Equator Bound) - El Pendulo (Fenomenon Northern Comfort Mix) o) On "Varekai (Bonus CD/DVD set)" album: - Emballa (Llorca Remix) o) On "Solarium-Delirium" remix album - Aborigenes Jam (Vocal Mix) [as 6:42] - Emballa (Album Mix) [as 6:22] - Kumbalawe (Roger Sanchez Release Mix) [as 7:51] - Mer Noire (Tiesto Remix) [as 6:44] - Africa (Quicksound Remix) [as 8:48] [4.10] What is that music from the series "Fire Within"? Ever since the series aired in both Canada and the US, one of the hottest topics concerning "Fire Within" has been the music used in the series. "Who did this song?" "That sounds like a Cirque song, but..." and "Where can I find it?" have all been posted to discussion boards at one point. Below is a brief run-down on the music by both Cirque du Soleil musicians and by selected guest artists used throughout the 13-episode series (information compiled by Keith Johnson and originally published in the "Fascination! Newsletter"): Cirque du Soleil Musique ------------------------ Written by Violaine Corradi Créations Méandres Inc. Cirque du Soleil Musique * "Abduction" (w/Hélène Dorion) - Episode 12 * "Amours 1" (w/Hélène Dorion) - Episode 7, 10 * "Avancée ouverture" - Episode 1, 8, 9, 12 * "Bamboo" - Episode 4, 5 * "Célébration 1" - Episode 6, 7, 12 * "Contrebasse" - Episode 12 * "Duduk" - Episode 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 * "Fall and Wings" - Episode 2, 10, 11, 12 * "Filet" - Episode 10, 11 * "Georgians" - Episode 8, 9, 10, 12 * "Gitans" - Episode 10 * "Icarians" - Episode 8, 9, 10, 12 * "Octavio Jug" - Episode 10 * "Olga" - Episode 11, 12 * "Music Box" (w/Hélène Dorion) - Episode 12 * "Parade des Musicos" - Episode 9, 10, 12, 13 * "Patzivota" - Episode 13 * "Rain One" (w/Tina Grace) - Episode 13 * "Slippery" - Episode 1 * "Stella Errans" - Episode 4, 13 * "Straps" - Episode 12 * "Swing to Swing" - Episode 12, 13 * "Triple Trapeze" - Episode 12, 13 * "Vova" (w/Hélène Dorion) - Ep 1,2,3,6,7,8,9,11,12 Written by Benoit Jutras Créations Méandres Inc. Cirque du Soleil Musique * "Hervé" - Episode 7 * "Isabelle" - Episode 5 * "Jeux d'Eau" - Episode 5, 8, 10, 13 * "Marelle" - Episode 10 * "Rivage" - Episode 10 * "Simcha" - Episode 5 * "Steel Dream" - Episode 10, 11 * "Terre Aride" - Episode 4, 8 Written by René Dupéré Créations Méandres Inc. Cirque du Soleil Musique * "Boléro" - Episode 6 * "Icare" - Episode 1-13 * "Ibis" - Episode 7, 8 * "Il sogno di volare" (w/Franco Dragone) - Episode 5 * "Méandres" - Episode 6, 7 * "Pokinoï" - Episode 6 * "Rideau" - Episode 5, 8, 9, 13 * "Taruka" - Episode 7 * "Valsapena" (w/Manuel Tadros) - Episode 6, 7 Créations Méandres Inc. Cirque du Soleil Musique * "Africa" - Traditional - Episode 12 * "Alegria Remix" - Written by Claude Amesse / Franco Dragone / Manuel Tadros / René Dupéré - Episode 7 Featured Artists ---------------- Written/Performed by Daniel Toussaint * "Damn Bouka" - Episode 8, 10, 13 * "Fire Music" - Episode 4 * "Love Theme" - Episode 5 * "Set Dance" - Episode 5 * "Osmose" - Episode 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 * "Stella's Dance" - Episode 4 Written by Jesse Dorsey JWD Publishing * "Artus" - Feautured in Episode 1, 3, 5, 7, 8 * "Marcus" - Episode 1, 8 * "Long Way" - Episode 2 * "Wrong Way" - Episode 2 * "Summer Assault" - Episode 9, 10, 13 Written/Performed by Jason Breckenridge/Tiago Conceição/Alexandre Desilets * "11.11" - Episode 9, 10, 11 * "Desert" - Episode 9 * "Happy Dog" - Episode 4, 13 * "Livin' Flow" - Episode 1, 3 * "On veut ton corps" - Episode 1 Written by Stephan Durand and Ariel Engle Performed by Moufette * "Chew Your Heart" - Episode 6 * "Face the Sun" - Episode 9 * "Little Forest" - Episode 7 * "When Will it Be" - Episode 7, 9 * "Ghost" - Written/Performed by Jorane Avalance - Sound Publishing - Tacca Musique/DKD - Episode 2,3,8 * "Hello" - Written and performed by Bullfrog - Bullfrog Productions - Ropeadope Records - Episode 3 * "Immemory" - Written by Robin Rimbaud - Performed by Scanner - Published by Big Life Music - Sulphur Records UK - Episode 4, 11 * "Installation" - Written by Akufen - Force Inc. - Episode 9 * "Love Rack" - Written and performed by Tony Babinski - The Foxglove Concern - Episode 3, 4 * "Love Shack" - Written by Pierson/Schneider/Strickland /Wilson - EMI BLACKWOOD MUSIC INC. (BMI) - Episode 2 * "Mire Jaka / Borki" - Written by Erasmo Treglia - Performed by Acquaragia Drom - Finisterre - Episode 2 * "Multipass" - Written by Steve Beaupré - Force Inc. - Episode 9 * Music from "Nemesis" - Written and Performed by Scanner - Episode 13 * "Pineapple" - Written by M. Graca and S. Tremblay - Performed by Miguel Graca - Beyond Music - Bombay Records - Episode 4 * "Plug in Time (Post War Mix)" - Written/Performed by Walken - JWD Publishing -Episode 1, 3, 4, 8 ,9, 10, 11 * "Quand les hommes vivront d'amour" - Écrite par Raymond Lévesque - Gracieuseté de Patricia, Semi Société - Episode 5 * "Reverse Psychology" - Written by James Sobers - Performed by Bullfrog - Bullfrog Productions - Ropeadope Records - Episode 4 * "Sonnenlicht" - Written by Robin Rimbaud - Performed by Scanner - Published by Big Life Music - Sulphur Records UK - Episodes 2, 11 * "Târgul de Oameni" and "Cazuta de Mâine" - Written and performed by Adrian Berinde - Episode 5 * "Think" Written by Theodore White and Aretha Franklin - Fourteenth Hour Music Inc. - Episode 1 * "Ussa Sa" - Performed by Acquaragia Drom - Finisterre - Episode 4, 5 * "Who Needs It?" - Written/performed by Bernie Berns - Episode 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [5] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL IMAGES (VIDEO) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [5.1] When will .... be on video? Cirque du Soleil used to have a credo that as long as their shows were still performing live you would never see them on Video. This promise was broken when Quidam was filmed in Amsterdam and later released. Since then, most of their current productions (sans the permanent shows Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ and LOVE) have made their way to DVD and VHS. [5.2] Who released/releases the Cirque du Soleil video catalog? In the 1980's, Cirque du Soleil's television productions were overseen by Telemagik, an in-house production company, and released independently. Telemagik filmed and/or released the documentaries: "Quel Cirque", "Saltimbanco's Diary", "Illusion of Truth: Alegria," "Full Circle," and "Baroque Odyssey," as well as the shows: "Le Magie Continue," "Le Cirque Reinvente," "Nouvelle Experience," and "Saltimbanco." With the filming of Cirque du Soleil: Quidam in Amsterdam a new partnership with Sony Home Entertainment was born (first through the Columbia/Tri-Star label, which re-released all of the Cirque's catalog to DVD, but more recently with the general "Sony Home Entertainment" brand. Each new release since Quidam's filming is done through Cirque du Soleil's in-house production company: Cirque du Soleil Images (or CDSi for short). They have gone on to produce the filming of Cirque du Soleil visual interests since 1999. [5.3] What is Cirque du Soleil's current video Catalog? There are currently many Cirque du Soleil productions available for purchase to view at home. Some have been released in the past while others are new releases. This list showcases what titles are currently available. All titles may not be available in all regions. Each title is delimited by its name, the year in which it was filmed, in what location it was filmed and its running time: [Productions] o) La Magie Continue (1986, Toronto) - 90 min/50 min o) Cirque Réinventé (1989, Montréal) - 56 min o) Nouvelle Expérience (1991, Toronto) - 78 min o) Saltimbanco (1994, Atlanta) - 78 min o) Quidam (1999, Amsterdam) - 90 min o) Dralion (2000, San Francisco) - 89 min o) Alegría (2001, Sydney) - 90 min o) Varekai (2002, Toronto) - 112 min o) La Nouba (2004, Orlando) - 90 min o) Corteo (2005, Toronto) - 110 min } o) Koozå (2007, Toronto) - 120 min [Documentaries] o) A Baroque Odyssey (1994, Montréal) - 56 min o) Inside La Nouba (2000, Orlando) - 45 min o) KÀ Extreme (2005, Las Vegas) - 46 min o) Lovesick (2006, Las Vegas) - 97 min o) The Mystery of Mystère (2007) - 80 min o) FLOW: A Tribute to "O" (2007) - 80 min o) A Thrilling Ride Through Koozå (2007) - 47 min } o) All Together Now (2008) - 84 min [Out of Print Documentaries (VHS Only)] o) Quel Cirque! - 22 min o) Saltimbanco's Diary - 22 min o) Illusion of Truth: Alegría - 22 min o) Full Circle: The Making of Quidam - 22 min [Special Films/Television Series] o) Alegria: Le Film (1998) - 90 min o) Journey of Man (2000) - 41 min o) Fire Within (2002) - 390 min o) Solstrom (2004) - 585 min o) Midnight Sun (2004, Montreal) - 95 min Note: These productions were also released in VHS format, but have since been discontinued: Le Magie Continue, Le Cirque Réinventé, Nouvelle Expériencé, Saltimbanco, Quidam, Dralion, Baroque Odyssey, Inside La Nouba, Quel Cirque, Saltimbanco's Diary, Illusion of Truth: Alegría, Full Circle: The Making of Quidam, Alegria: Le Film, and Journey of Man. The following were also released in VideoCD (VCD) format in select Asian markets: Cirque Réinventé, Nouvelle Expérience, Saltimbanco, Quidam, Dralion, and Baroque Odyssey. The following title was also available in LaserDisc (LD) format: Le Cirque Réinventé. [5.4] Why is "La Magie Continue" listed at 90 minutes and 50 minutes? In 1988, Cirque du Soleil made "Le Magie Continue" available for purchase on VHS in its full 90-minute run-time. This VHS was available for $29.95. Unfortunately, and it is unclear why, Cirque du Soleil considered it necessary to cut-down the show for it's DVD release. It is also not clear if a full version of this show will ever be released to DVD, but considering its age and the missing footage being only a curiosity to fans, the full recorded version of "Le Magie Continue" will probably never see the light of day again. [5.5] What are the particulars of each Title? [5.5.1] Title Release Dates [Telemagik] (1986-1996) La Magie Continue = 1988 Le Cirque Réinventé (VHS) = 1990 Le Cirque Réinventé (LD) = 1990 Nouvelle Expérience = 1992 Saltimbanco = 1994 Quel Cirque! = n/a Saltimbanco's Diary = n/a Illusion of Truth: Alegría = 1994 A Baroque Odyssey = 1994 Full Circle: The Making of Quidam = 1996 [Cirque du Soleil Images] (2001+) {VHS} La Magie Continue = Oct.30.2001 Cirque Réinventé = Oct.30.2001 Nouvelle Expérience = Oct.30.2001 Saltimbanco = Oct.30.2001 Quidam = Nov.09.1999 Dralion = Jan.23.2001 Alegría = Apr.xx.2002 Varekai = Oct.07.2003 Baroque Odyssey = Oct.30.2001 Inside La Nouba = 2000 Alegria: Le Film = Mar.14.2000 Journey of Man = Oct.30.2001 {VCD - Asian Markets} La Magie Continue = Oct.30.2001 Cirque Réinventé = Oct.30.2001 Nouvelle Expérience = Oct.30.2001 Saltimbanco = Oct.30.2001 Quidam = Oct.30.2001 Dralion = Oct.30.2001 Baroque Odyssey = Oct.30.2001 Journey of Man = Oct.30.2001 {DVD - Region 01: USA/Canada} La Magie Continue = Oct.30.2001 Cirque Réinventé = Oct.30.2001 Nouvelle Expérience = Oct.30.2001 Saltimbanco = Oct.30.2001 Quidam (Old Cover) = Nov.09.1999 Quidam (New Cover) = Feb.06.2001 Dralion = Jan.23.2001 Alegría (CDSi) = Apr.xx.2002 Alegría (Sony) = Oct.07.2003 Varekai = Oct.07.2003 La Nouba = Nov.02.2004 Corteo = Apr.11.2006 } Koozå = Baroque Odyssey = Oct.30.2001 Inside La Nouba = Nov.19.2001 KÀ Extreme = 2005 Lovesick = May.30.2006 } The Mystery of Mystère = Sep.01.2007 } FLOW: A Tribute to "O" = Sep.01.2007 } A Thrilling Ride/Koozå = Dec.13.2007 } All Together Now = Oct.21.2008 Journey of Man = Oct.09.2001 Alegria Le Film = Mar.14.2000 Fire Within = Nov.02.2004 Solstrom = Apr.26.2005 Midnight Sun = Feb.06.2005 {DVD - Region 02: Europe} Quidam = Dec.12.2000 Dralion = Jan.28.2002 {DVD - Region 02: Japan} Saltimbanco = Feb.07.2003 Quidam = Feb.07.2003 Dralion = Feb.07.2003 Alegria = Oct.29.2004 Journey of Man = Oct.29.2004 La Nouba = Feb.09.2005 Fire Within = Feb.09.2005 Varekai = Oct.13.2005 Solstrom = Oct.26.2005 {DVD - Region 03: Taiwan} Taiwan ------ Corteo = May.01.2006 Lovesick = Jul.07.2006 Journey of Man = Apr.18.2005 Dralion = Apr.14.2005 Varekai = Apr.11.2005 Quidam = Apr.11.2005 Journey of Man = Feb.11.2004 Dralion = Feb.11.2004 Varekai = Jan.02.2004 Saltimbanco = Jan.02.2004 Cirque Reinvente = Jan.02.2004 Baroque Odyssey = Jan.02.2004 La Magie Continue = Jan.02.2004 Nouvelle Experience = Jan.02.2004 Experience the Magic = Jan.02.2004 {DVD - Region 03: Philapines} Magie Continue = 2002 Cirque Réinventé = 2002 Nouvelle Expérience = 2002 Saltimbanco = 2002 Quidam = 2002 Dralion = 2002 Journey of Man = 2002 Baroque Odyssey = 2002 {DVD - Region 04: Australia} Quidam = Apr.18.2000 Dralion = Jul.11.2001 Varekai = Feb.11.2004 Saltimbanco = Jul.14.2004 Journey of Man = Jul.14.2004 Alegria = Feb.23.2005 Fire Within = Feb.23.2005 Solstrom = Jul.13.2005 Midnight Sun = Oct.05.2005 La Nouba = Oct.13.2005 [5.5.2] Catalog Number [Telemagik] (1986-1996) La Magie Continue = n/a Le Cirque Réinventé (VHS) = n/a Le Cirque Réinventé (LD) = VCI #VC651D Nouvelle Expérience = MM211 Saltimbanco = 9433 Quel Cirque! = n/a Saltimbanco's Diary = n/a Illusion of Truth: Alegría = 9451 Full Circle: The Making of Quidam = 201Q01A A Baroque Odyssey = n/a [Cirque du Soleil Images] (2001+) {VHS} La Magie Continue = 07207 Cirque Réinventé = 07209 Nouvelle Expérience = 07210 Saltimbanco = 07208 Quidam = 04224 Dralion = 06139 Alegría = 502460 Varekai = n/a Baroque Odyssey = n/a Inside La Nouba = 04224 Alegria: Le Film = OVED687VHS Journey of Man = 05060 {VCD - Asian Markets} La Magie Continue = 3-600LB-6289 Cirque Réinventé = n/a Nouvelle Expérience = 3-600LB-6291 Saltimbanco = n/a Quidam = 3-600LB-6292 Dralion = 3-600LB-6298 Baroque Odyssey = 3-600LB-6290 Journey of Man = 3-600LB-6297 {DVD - Region 01: USA/Canada} La Magie Continue = 07071 Cirque Réinventé = 07073 Nouvelle Expérience = 07074 Saltimbanco = 07070 Quidam (Old Cover) = 04225 Quidam (New Cover) = 04225 Dralion = 06105 Alegría (CDSi) = 502461 Alegría (Sony) = 01754 Varekai = 01720 La Nouba = 09054 Corteo = 14253 } Koozå = 509941 Baroque Odyssey = 07075 Inside La Nouba = none KÀ Extreme = CDS1DD20-0001 Lovesick = n/a } The Mystery of Mystère = 508747 } FLOW: A Tribute to "O" = 508746 } A Thrilling Ride/Koozå = 509122 } All Together Now = 509992-17067-90 (Apple) Journey of Man = 07069 Alegria Le Film = OVED687DVD Fire Within = 8403 Solstrom = 10843 Midnight Sun = n/a {DVD - Region 02: Europe} Quidam = GVD010 Dralion = CDR29404 {DVD - Region 02: Japan} Saltimbanco = TSDD-27265 Quidam = TSDD-29380 Dralion = TSDD-29404 Alegria = TSDD-35005 Journey of Man = TSDD-29407 La Nouba = TSDD-39171 Fire Within = TSDD-35839 Varekai = TSDD-34928 Solstrom = TSDD-2325 {DVD - Region 03: Taiwan} Taiwan ------ Corteo = CTE-12141 Lovesick = CTE-12057 Journey of Man = CTE-12058 Dralion = CTE-12059 Varekai = CTE-12056 Quidam = CTE-12032 Journey of Man = KCTD-2105 Dralion = KCTD-2114 Varekai = KCTD-2113 Saltimbanco = KCTD-2107 Cirque Reinvente = KCTD-2110 Baroque Odyssey = KCTD-2111 La Magie Continue = KCTD-2108 Nouvelle Experience = KCTD-2109 Experience the Magic = KCTD-2112 {DVD - Region 03: Philapines} Magie Continue = 07071-MNWS Cirque Réinventé = 07073-MNWS Nouvelle Expérience = 07074-MNWS Saltimbanco = 07070-MNWS Quidam = 04225-MNWS Dralion = 06105-MNWS Journey of Man = 07069-MNWS Baroque Odyssey = 07075-MNWS {DVD - Region 04: Australia} Quidam = n/a Dralion = n/a Varekai = n/a Saltimbanco = n/a Journey of Man = n/a Alegria = n/a Fire Within = n/a Solstrom = n/a Midnight Sun = n/a La Nouba = n/a [5.6] What Documentaries have been produced about Cirque du Soleil? Cirque du Soleil has produced a variety of documentaries for Television over the years: o) Quel Cirque o) Saltimbanco's Diary o) The Truth of Illusion: Alegría o) A Baroque Odyssey o) Full Circle: The Making of Quidam o) Journey of Man: Behind the Scenes o) In the Heart of Dralion o) Inside La Nouba o) Making of an Angel o) Run Before You Fly o) KÀ Extreme o) Through the Curtain, an In-Depth look at Corteo o) Lovesick o) A Look at Cirque du Soleil o) Mystery of Mystère o) FLOW: A Tribute to the Artists of "O" o) A Thrilling Ride through Koozå } o) LOVE: All Together Now [5.6.1] Which of these documentaries are available on VHS/DVD? [Not Available] .) Quel Cirque .) Saltimbanco's Diary .) Run Before you Fly [Released as Stand-Alone Products] {Out of Print} .) Illusion of Truth: Alegría (VHS) .) Full Circle: The Making of Quidam (VHS) .) Journey of Man: Behind the Scenes (VHS) {In Print} .) A Baroque Odyssey (VHS/DVD) .) Inside La Nouba (VHS/DVD) .) KÀ Extreme (DVD) .) Lovesick (DVD) .) Mystery of Mystère (DVD) .) FLOW: A Tribute to the Artists of "O" (DVD) .) A Thrilling Ride through Koozå (DVD) } .) LOVE: All Together Now (DVD) [Released as a DVD "Special Feature"] .) In the Heart of Dralion - Dralion DVD .) Making of an Angel - Varekai DVD .) Through the Curtain - Corteo DVD (and Corteo CD Bonus) .) A Look at Cirque du Soleil - Midnight Sun DVD [5.7] What is ... about? [5.7.1] ... Quel Cirque ... "Quel Cirque" is a 1991 look at the creation and staging of Nouvelle Experience. It was produced for Television, and it is not clear whether this was ever released to VHS. [5.7.2] ... Saltimbanco's Diary ... "Saltimbanco's Diary" was produced in 1992 as a behind-the-scenes featurette into the making and staging of Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco. It is not clear whether this title was ever released to VHS. [5.7.3] ... The Truth of Illusion: Alegría ... "Truth of Illusion: Alegria" is a 1994 production to support the release of Cirque du Soleil's 10th Anniversary show, "Alegría." Like its predicessors, the 22-minute production is a behind-the- scenes look at the making of the show. From the Back Cover: As a documentary, Alegría "The Truth Of Illusion" is not just a collage of peeks at Le Cirque's world. It tells a story, an adventure in which the suspense starts slowly, then builds up steam and hurtles at a breathtaking pace towards its happy ending. It's a human story, the tale of a noble and fearless team that knows that people are waiting for it all over North America... and perhaps all over the world. [5.7.4] ... Full Circle ... "Full Circle: The Making of Quidam" is simply that, a 1996 peek into the creative process behind the making of Quidam. Come in under the Big Top for a behind-the-scenes look a the making of Cirque du Soleil's ninth creation, which critics have described as "the most dramatic, the most esthetic and perhaps the most melancholy show in the history of this marvellous circus" (La Presse, Montreal). Full Circle shows you the making of Quidam from its very beginnings to its triumphant finish. Join Franco, Oleg, Debra, Samuel, Dominique and all of Quidam's other creators and performers as they practice, experiment, innovate and explore. From costume fittings to character improvations, from music full of imagery to acts that have to be perfect, you will be there as the show takes form. Share their dream. Join their quest for a magical show in Quidam: Full Circle. {Back Cover} [5.7.5] ... Baroque Odyssey ... "Baroque Odyssey" is a historical retrospective, celerbrating Cirque du Soleil's 10th Anniversary. It showcases Cirque's history and their productions up to and through 1994's Alegria. The original VHS version of the program (released by Telemagik) is slightly different than subsequent releases. There is also an all-French version of this program, which also differs somewhat from its English counterpart. [5.7.6] ... Alegria: Le Film ... "Alegria: Le Film" is a 1999 effort by director Franco Dragone and Cirque du Soleil to turn the plot line of its 1994 show, Alegria, into a movie. The movie is loosely based on the attitude and feeling of the show and may of the show's acts can be seen in the movie. The film was released to lack-luster reviews. It is, however, a very unique perspective on the themes surrounding Alegria and a nice art-house film. It stars Rene Bazinet, Mako, Frank Langella, Julie Cox, and Clipper Miano. [5.7.7] ... In the Heart of Dralion ... A retrospective on the creation of Cirque's 1999 production: Dralion. [5.7.8] ... Inside La Nouba ... A 45-minute video presentation of La Nouba, an inside look into the production staged at the Walt Disney World WestSide theater. The title also features "In The Heart of Dralion", a making of vignette of Dralion. [5.7.9] ... Making of an Angel ... A retrospective on the creation of Varekai, Cirque's 2002 production. [5.7.10] ... Fire Within ... "Fire Within" is a 13-episode reality television series produced by Cirque du Soleil Images and the Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC), which aired on BRAVO, a United States artesian cable network, throughout 2002 and 2003. The program is a behind- the-scenes look at the creation and staging of Varekai, Cirque du Soleil's 2002 production. It features promenant artists within the Cirque, and the struggles they must go through in order to be part of this particular show. It stars: Andrew Atherton, Kevin Atherton, Ashley Beaver, Adrian Berinde, Gareth Hopkins, Raquel Karro Oliveira, Michel Laprise, Louise Mercier, Oleg Ouchakov, Olga Pikhienko, Stella Umeh, Boris Verkhovsky. Director: Lewis Cohen, Producer: Sylvia Wilson, Martin Bolduc. {Back Cover} [5.7.11] ... Solstrom ... A child in a sandbox. An architect at a construction site. A high wire shimmering over an Italian piazza. Aliens performing at a cosmic discotheque. All are touched by the solar wind, a magical energy force that transforms everyday life into a playful world blending fantasy with acrobatic performance. Since its inception in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has delighted spectators in more than 100 cities around the world. Now for the first time, Cirque du Soleil presents Solstrom, a new and extraordinary 13-part television series. {Back Cover} SOLSTROM was a 13-episode variety series, specially themed incorporating Cirque du Soleil signature and other circus acts around a basic plotline. [5.7.12] ... Midnight Sun ... Co-produced by Amèrimage-Spectra and Productions Conte IV, a subsidiary of Cirque du Soleil Images, Midnight Sun features 150 circus artists, entertainers and street performers, as well as over 100 singers and musicians. All these artists came together on July 11, 2004, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Festival International de Jazz de Montrèal and Cirque du Soleil's 20th birthday by performing in a magnificent show on the main stage of the Festival International de Jazz de Montrèal. [5.7.13] ... KÀ Extreme ... The Story of the Creation of KÀ - an Epic Journey! See what lies behind this theatrical adventure by plunging into KÀ Extreme! The documentary explores the journey of a remarkable production by following the show's evolution from early rehearsals through to its first public performance. KÀ Extreme exposes the unique creative process and demonstrates how a team of creators managed to turn inspiration into reality! {Back Cover} [5.7.14] ... Lovesick ... Dare to enter the sensual world of LOVESICK, an adult-themed, reality-based drama that explores the eccentric lives lead by Sin City's most provocative performers. Filmed over two years and set in Las Vegas during the creation of the cabaret-style production. ZUMANITY, ANOTHER SIDE OF CIRQUE DU SOLEIL', LOVESICK discloses the disturbing reality of the talented and entrancing artists who put their flesh and audacity centre stage to create this edgy new show. Meet Alex, the flirtatious Cuban stripper; Joey, the sassy but endearing New York City drag queen; Laetitia, the elegant and ambitious British dancer; Jonel, the audacious debutant; Andrew, the Director of Creation; and Spymonkey, the spontaneous clown quartet'all of whom will challenge their own limits and be forced to redefine their identities. Sexy, poetic and intensely erotic, LOVESICK slips inside a startling universe where men dress up as women, brides perform in staged orgies, and love affairs are exposed under the show's glaring spotlights. {Back Cover} [5.7.15] ... Mystery of Mystère ... Cirque du Soleil presents Mystery of Mystère! A captivating Documentary on Mystère, the critically acclaimed theatrical Production playing at the Treasure Island in Las Vegas! Meet world renowned anthropologist Philippe Frey, geneticist David Suzuki, physicist Fred Alan Wolf and astrophysicist Trinh Xuan Thuan as they boldly explore The Mysterey of Mystère through each of their fascinating and distinctive scientific field of Expertise. {Back Cover} [5.7.16] ... FLOW ... Cirque du Soleil presents FLOW, a poetic immersion into the Depths of "O" and over the meandering Colorado River! A Metaphorical musing of human presence on the blue planet is raised as the artists of "O" express and explore the intimacy they share with the four elements: Fire, Air, Earth and Water. {Back Cover} [5.7.17] ... A Thrilling Ride through Koozå ... A captivating documentary that looks at the creative process of Koozå, the latest and critically acclaimed touring show from Cirque du Soleil. Embark on a journey that starts at the humble Beginnings of some of Cirque's creative pioneers as they share Their personal voyage - and a few revealing anecdotes - that highlight the multiple stages of the creation of a live show. Meet the clowns and acrobats that bring Koozå to life as these audacious performers discuss their experience and share a few insights into this daring acrobatic show - from studio rehersals to the big top raising, to the world premiere in Montreal! {Back Cover} } [5.7.18] ... LOVE: All Together Now ... } The documentary details the story behind the unique partnership } between The Beatles and Cirque du Soleil that resulted in the } creation and 2006 launch of LOVE, the stage production still } playing to packed houses at The Mirage in Las Vegas, and the } experimental Beatles soundscape album of the same name which } garnered two Grammy Awards for producers Sir George and Giles } Martin. The film is dedicated to the memory of Neil Aspinall, } former CEO of Apple Corps and an Executive Producer of the DVD. } } "All Together Now" faithfully recounts how the LOVE project } came into being, borne from the personal friendship between } George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte. } George saw how the twin talents of The Beatles' music and the } artistry of Cirque du Soleil's artistry and could be fused into } something new and totally original. {Back Cover} -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [6] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PRESS (BOOKS) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [6.1] What books have been released about Cirque du Soleil? Besides its own show programme books, there have been at least nine (9) books or publications released about Cirque du Soleil over the years; they are: o) "Cirque du Soleil" (1994) o) "La création d'un spectacle - Saltimbanco" (1996) o) "Wings" (1999) o) "O, Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio" (2001) o) "Varekai, Cirque du Soleil" (2003) o) "Parade of Colors" (2003) o) "20 Years Under the Sun" (2004) o) "Dreams of the Solo Trapeze" (2004) o) "Dans les coulisses du Cirque du Soleil" (2005) o) "The Spark" (2006) o) "The Best of Cirque: Piano/Vocal/Chords" (2007) o) "Cirque du Soleil Sticker Book" (2008) Cirque du Soleil has also produced calendars, although not regularly, in 1996, 2003 and shortly for 2007. [6.1.1] What is an ISBN? ISBN stands for the International Standard Book Number, and it's a uniquely assigned number to identify a book. According to Wikipedia, the ISBN system was creaetd in the United Kingdom in 1966 and is generally 10-digits long (although originally it was 9-digits long.) On January 1, 2007, all ISBN numbers are 13-digits long to corespond to globlal standards. The original ISBN was broken up into four sections, denoted thusly: xx-xxxx-xxx-x. The first two numbers were referred to as the "Group," meaning the Country of Orgin; the second set of 4 numbers referrs to as the "Publisher;" the thrid set of 3 numbers is the number assigned to that book's title; and the last digit is a checksum character. The Globlal ISBN-13 is broken up into five sections, denoted thusly: xxx-xx-xxxx-xxx-x. The first set of 3 numbers is called a "GS1 Prefix," and is either 978 or 979; the second set of 2 digits is the "Group," or Country Code; the third set of 4 digits referrs to the book's "Publisher;" the fourth set of 3 digits is the number assigned to that book's title; and the last digit is a checksum character. You will see books listed here with their original 10-digit ISBN number and their current ISBN-13 number. [6.2] When were Cirque du Soleil calendar's produced, and by whom? Sporatically, Cirque du Soleil has released a calendar product featuring images or pictures from their productions. The product releases are as follows: o) 1996: Graphique De France (Wall) o) 2003: Harry N. Abrams (Wall) o) 2004: Harry N. Abrams (Wall) o) 2007 (#1): Barnes & Noble "Poster Art" (Wall) o) 2007 (#2): Barnes & Noble "Desk Calendar" (Desk) o) 2007 (#3): Tide-Mark Press "Character Art" (Wall) o) 2008: Tide-Mark Press (Wall) } o) 2008: Barnes & Noble (Wall) } o) 2009: Silver Lining "Engagement" Calendar } o) 2009: Silver Lining "Wall" Calendar [6.2.1] 1996 Graphique De France Type: Wall Calendar UPC: 9-781591-493869 ISBN-10: 15-6149-386-4 ISBN-13: 978-15-6149-386-9 Dimensions: 12" x 12" (unfolding to 24" high x 12" wide) SRP: $10.95 USD The calendar features illustrations of Cirque characters and acts in watercolor on paper: o) January - Saltimbanco - Double Tightrope o) February - Cirque Réinventé - Acrobatic Dance o) March - Alegría - Contortionists o) April - Saltimbanco - Musicians o) May - Alegría - Fleur o) June - Alegría - Synchro Trapeze o) July - Saltimbanco - The Baron o) August - Alegría - Synchro Trapeze o) September - Mystère - Hand To Hand o) October - Saltimbanco - The Worms o) November - Saltimbanco - Chinese Pole Act o) December - Alegría - Tamir [6.2.2] 2003 Harry N. Abrams Type: Wall Calendar UPC: 9-780810-97684-9 ISBN-10: 08-1097-684-6 ISBN-13: 978-08-1097-684-9 Dimensions: 12" x 12" (unfolding to 24" high x 12" wide) SRP: $12.95 USD Designer Heather Zschock has assembled mostly well- known images from the "current" shows for the 13 months of the calendar (which includes January 2004). o) Jan: Saltimbanco - "The Sleeper" (Guennadi Tchijov) o) Feb: La Nouba - Diabolo Girls o) Mar: Alegría - Russian Plank Troupe with Big Tamir o) Apr: La Nouba - The Chair Balancer (Vasily Demenchukov) o) May: Mystère - Character (Sébastien Coin) o) Jun: Mystère - Moha Samedi and his puppet friend o) Jul: La Nouba - The Bird (Elena Day) o) Aug: "O" - Comet on horse o) Sep: Dralion - Yao the Fire Element with flag o) Oct: Quidam - A leaping Karl/Fritz/Target o) Nov: "O" - A group of Zebras o) Dec: "O" - One of the many background characters o) Jan 2004: Mystère - The Palmiers [6.2.3] 2004 Harry N. Abrams Type: Wall Calendar UPC#: 9-780810-97950-5 ISBN-10: 08-1097-950-0 ISBN-13: 978-08-1097-950-5 Dimensions: 12" x 12" (unfolding to 24" high x 12" wide) SRP: $12.95 USD / $19.94 CAN o) Sep - Dec 2003:- La Nouba - The Red Pierrot o) Jan: Varekai - Olga in silver in mid balance o) Feb: La Nouba - The Fast Track crew with Le Titan o) Mar: Alegría - Big & Little Tamir o) Apr: Quidam - Boum Boum o) May: Saltimbanco - The Ringmaster and the Blue Dreamer o) Jun: Mystère - The "Red Bird" o) Jul: O - Aurora, face half submerged o) Aug: Alegría - The Black and White Singers o) Sep: Dralion - The Four Elements (Young) o) Oct: Mystère - The Mephisto Stilt Demons o) Nov: La Nouba - The Male Singer o) Dec: Saltimbanco - The Young Child [6.2.4] 2007 (#1) Barnes & Noble "Poster Art" Cirque du Soleil 2007: Poster Art from 1984-2006 Type: Wall Calendar - "Poster Art" Calendar Published by: Barnes & Noble Calendars, June 2006 Designed by: Ziga Design, LLC UPC#: 9-780760-781449-01495 ISBN-10: 07-6078-144-3 ISBN-13: 978-07-6078-144-9 SRP: $14.95 USD / $19.95 CAD You'll recognize the "Poster Art" calendar by its dark blue cover montage of three easily identifiable Cirque du Soleil characters: a Nymph from Alegría (top center), the Lizard from Varekai (middle left), and the Green Bird from La Nouba (bottom right). The first two pages contain poster art and monthly panels for the last four months of 2006. The rest of the book unfolds normally with one monthly panel per page and a different poster-art image accompanying. Each month is also complimented with a caption about the show it depicts. o) Sep/Oct 2006: Le Cirque du Soleil / Le Magie Continue o) Nov/Dec 2006: Cirque Réinventé / Nouvelle Expérience o) Jan: Saltimbanco - 2005 "Green" Poster o) Feb: Mystère - 2005 "Firebird" Poster o) Mar: Alegría - 2005 "Nymph" Poster o) Apr: Quidam - 2002 "Blue Sky & Brick" Poster o) May: "O" - 1998 "Original" Poster o) Jun: La Nouba - 2005 "Green Bird" Poster o) Jul: Dralion - 1999 "Original" Poster, tinted Red o) Aug: Varekai - 2005 "Lizard" Poster o) Sep: Zumanity - 2003 "Original" Poster o) Oct: KÀ - 2004 "Original" Poster o) Nov: Corteo - 2005 "Original" Poster o) Dec: Delirium - 2005 "Original" Poster [6.2.5] 2007 (#2) Barnes & Noble "Desk Calendar" Cirque du Soleil 2007: Engagement Calendar Type: Desk Calendar - "Desk Calendar" Published by: Barnes & Noble Calendars, July 2006 UPC#: n/a ISBN-10: 07-6078-143-5 ISBN-13: 978-07-6078-143-2 SRP: $14.95 USD / $19.95 CAD Features an all-black cover with Boum-Boum, a chacter from Cirque du Soleil's Quidam, on the cover. [6.2.6] 2007 (#3) Tide-Mark Press "Character Art" Type: Wall Calendar - "Characters" Calendar Published by: Tide-Mark Press, June 2006 UPC: n/a ISBN-10: 15-9490-232-1 ISBN-13: 978-15-9490-232-1 SRP: $13.95 USD / $18.95 CAD The cover features three female Aerial Hoop artists from Cirque du Soleil's Quidam. o) Jan: Yao & Gaia (Dralion) o) Feb: Old Birds, Flying Man and Nymphs (Alegría) o) Mar: Noriko, Slave & Archer (KÀ) o) Apr: Zebras, Washington Trapeze & Swimming ("O") o) May: Aerial Hoops, German Wheel & Aviator (Quidam) o) Jun: Moha Samedi, Firebird & Korean Plank (Mystère) o) Jul: Russian Bars, Handbalancing & Fire (Alegría) o) Aug: Barge, Hoops & Swimming ("O") o) Sep: Chandeliers & Planche (Corteo) o) Oct: Russian Swings, Icarus, Triple Trapeze (Varekai) o) Nov: Chinese Poles, Baroques, Tightrope (Saltimbanco) o) Dec: Green Bird, Walker & PowerTrack (La Nouba) [6.2.7] 2008 Tide-Mark Press Type: Wall Calendar Published by: Tide-Mark Press, June 30, 2007 UPC: n/a ISBN-10: 15-9490-342-5 ISBN-13: 978-15-9490-342-7 SRP: $13.15 USD Features the Zebra characters from "O" on the front cover, with various characters from "O" on the inside. [6.2.8] 2008 Barnes & Noble "Wall" Calendar Type: Wall Published by: Barnes & Noble Press, Jun.xx.2007 UPC: n/a ISBN-10: 07-6079-138-4 ISBN-13: 978-07-6079-138-7 SRP: $19.95 USD Features the Red Bird, Tamir and Boum-Boum characters from "Mystère", "Alegría", and "Quidam" respectively on the front cover with various characters across all Cirque shows on the inside. [6.2.9] 2009 Silver Lining "Engagement" Calendar Type: Engagement Published by: Silver Lining Books, Jun.12.2008 Designed by: Genevieve Bastien UPC: n/a ISBN-10 -- 14-3510-479-X ISBN-13 -- 978-14-3510-479-2 SRP -- $14.95 USD [6.2.10] 2009 Silver Lining "Wall" Calendar Type: Wall Published by: Silver Lining Books, Jul.11.2008 Designed by: Genevieve Bastien UPC: n/a ISBN-10: 14-3510-760-8 ISBN-13: 978-14-3510-760-1 SRP: $14.95 USD [6.3] What is the "Cirque du Soleil" Book? For Cirque du Soleil's Tenth Anniversary (in 1994), Cirque du Soleil produced and released a book covering their history up to that point. The book features words, pictures and illustrations by: Sylvie Drake, Vincent Robert, Adam J. Bezark, Veronique Vial, and Helene Dufresne. o) Hardcover: 144 pages o) Dimensions: 0.5 x 9.8 x 11.0 inches o) Publisher: Rizzoli, Nov.15.1993 o) ISBN-10: 08-4781-793-8 o) ISBN-13: 978-08-4781-793-1 o) SRP: $40.00 USD o) Paperback: 144 pages o) ISBN-10: 2-980-34931-3 o) ISBN-13: 978-2-980-34931-7 [6.4] What is "Le Cirque du Soleil: La création d'un spectacle"? This book, the only one not printed in English, is a behind-the- scenes look at the creation of Saltimbanco. It also features a historical look at Cirque du Soleil's previous tour stops and lists the number of awards they have won through 1996. o) Author: Julie Boudreault o) Hardcover: 204 pages o) Publisher: Nuit blanche, Jun.10.1996 o) ISBN-10: 29-2105-356-X o) ISBN-13: 978-29-2105-356-3 o) SRP: n/a [6.5] What is "Wings"? The full title of this book is: "Wings: Backstage with Cirque du Soleil" and it features the photography of Veronique Vial. From the inside cover: Wings presents the work of Veronique Vial, Parisian-born photographer who, for years, has been candidly documenting Cirque du Soleil, the world renowned circus of mystery and illusion. Cirque du Soleil is dedicated to bravely reinventing the circus and to introducing popular audiences to the rich history of this medieval performance medium. Over the previous decade the company has performed for millions of people throughout the world. Taken while on tour and behind the scenes, Vial's photographs show a more personal side of the circus performers as they prepare themselves for the "big top." Vial's photographs reveal all the pageantry and spirit for which this band of performers has come to be recognized, while giving us an intimate view of the diverse personalities that have made this troupe so famous. Eighty-three photographs are sumptuously reproduced in this superbly illustrated and beautifully designed book. o) Hardcover: 151 pages o) Dimensions: 0.8 x 10.0 x 12.5 inches o) Publisher: Tondo Books/Arena Editions, Jul.1999 o) ISBN-10: 18-9204-110-3 o) ISBN-13: 978-18-9204-110-4 o) SRP: $35.00 USD [6.6] What is "O, Cirque du Soleil at Bellagio"? This book features photography from Veronique Vial, one of Cirque du Soleil's fabulous photographers. You'll also discover technical details of Cirque du Soleil's theater at Bellagio. o) Hardcover: 136 pages o) Dimensions (in): 12.3 x 9.8 x 0.7 o) Dimensions (cm): 31.2 x 25 x 1.2 o) Publisher: PowerHouse Books o) Release Dates: - Jul.01.2001 (US/Canada/Japan) - Dec.01.2001 (Europe) o) ISBN-10: 15-7687-094-4 o) ISBN-13: 978-15-7687-094-5 o) SRP: $45.00 USD [6.7] What is "Varekai: Cirque du Soleil"? This is a book featuring photography from Veronique Vial in relation to Cirque du Soleil's Varekai. The book also includes behind-the-scenes pictures, as well as, notes discussing the plotline and acts within the show. o) Hardcover: 144 pages o) Dimensions (in): 13.4 x 10.4 x 0.8 o) Dimensions (cm): 33.3 x 26.7 x 2.3 o) Publisher: Harry N Abrams o) Release Dates: - Feb.18.2003 (Canada) - Apr.1.2003 (US) - Apr.1.2003 (Japan) - Jun.1.2003 (Germany) o) ISBN-10: 08-1094-442-1 o) ISBN-13: 978-08-1094-442-8 o) SRP: $35.00 USD [6.8] What is "Parade of Colors"? "Parade of Colors" is a children's story book created by Cirque du Soleil. Through dazzling photographs from all eight shows (at the time of publication) and imaginative verse, young readers are introduced to every color of the rainbow. Meet the Baron, the Nostalgic Old Birds, the Angels, the Water Nymphs, the Bronx, the Urban Worms and more. o) Author: Patrisha Grainger o) Hardcover: 40 pages o) Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 11.4 x 0.5 o) Dimensions (cm): 27.9 x 22.9 x 1.3 o) Publisher: Harry N Abrams o) Release Dates: - May.27.2003 (Canada) - Sep.01.2003 (US) - Oct.01.2003 (Germany) - Dec.01.2003 (UK, France) o) ISBN-10: 08-1094-515-0 o) ISBN-13: 978-08-1094-515-9 o) SRP: $15.95 USD [6.9] What is "20 Years Under the Sun"? From the Inside Cover: Published to celebrate twenty years of the international phenomenon that is Cirque du Soleil, this is the first retrospective of the circus and theater experience that has beguiled and bewitched audiences worldwide. This is the story of Cirque du Soleil - its origins, its struggles, and its victories -- told by the artists themselves. In a chronological survey, in words and in pictures, ranging from the first modest official performance in 1984 in the small Quebec town of Gaspé to an entertainment powerhouse in 2004 with a host of touring companies around the world as well as resident showcases in Orlando, Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada, this book charts a brilliant journey of creativity and imagination, of challenge and adventure. Lavishly illustrated with more than three hundred photographs, "20 Years Under the Sun" covers all the Cirque du Soleil productions, including the nine currently running. Moreover, it details Cirque du Soleil's transformation and innovation of the circus experience, and it reveals the thoughts and dreams of the creative personnel, and how those dreams came to life on the stage. For all who have seen at least one of Cirque du Soleil's dazzling performances or for those who simply want to discover what the fuss is all about, "20 Years Under the Sun" captures the magic on the printed page with the visual brio and enchantment that the company is famed for. o) Author: Tony Babinski o) Hardcover: 352 pages o) Dimensions (in): 11.6 x 10.1 x 1.6 o) Dimensions (cm): 28.6 x 25 x 3.4 ENGLISH VERSION: o) Publisher: Harry N Abrams, Nov.1.2004 o) ISBN-10: 08-1094-636-X o) ISBN-13: 978-08-1094-636-1 o) SRP: $50.00 USD / $75.00 CDN / 29.95 (Pound) FRENCH VERSION: o) Publisher: Editions Hurtubise HMH Ltee, Oct.06.2006 o) ISBN-10: 28-9428-738-0 o) ISBN-13: 978-28-9428-738-5 [6.10] What is "Dreams of the Solo Trapeze"? The book's full title is "Dreams of the Solo Trapeze: Offstage with the Cirque du Soleil". From the Inside Cover: Enter a world unlike any other, where a dozen languages are spoken and scores of disciplines perfected -- or invented; intimate and inscrutable, artistic and athletic, courageous and committed: the private world of the performers in the Cirque du Soleil. And of the hundreds of artists the Cirque employs, none is more fascinating than Olga Sidorova, who ran away from Siberia at age fourteen to follow her dreams to fly. When Mark Schreiber met her in March 2002, she inspired his own global odyssey, following the European Tour of Saltimbanco, assisting her after knee surgery at the Cirque's training studio in Montreal, even helping a pair of contortionists apartment hunt in Las Vegas. Along the way she unraveled her life story, and introduced him to many other cast members, who revealed their histories and passions, including a juggling prodigy, twin trapezists, a veteran acrobat whose family fled from Cambodia, a clown from Harlem, and an Olympic gymnast. Dreams of the Solo Trapeze: Offstage with the Cirque du Soleil is not one book but many: non-fiction novel, biography, cultural history, travel narrative, and love story. Its aim is to discover and pay tribute to these magnificent artists in a manner that reflects the Cirque's own spontaneousness, originality and daring. o) Author: Mark Schreiber o) Hardcover: 317 pages o) Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.2 o) Dimensions (cm): 23 x 16 x 3 o) Publisher: Canal House o) Release Dates: - Dec.20.2004 (US) - Jan.01.2005 (Canada) - Jan.30.2005 (Japan/Europe) o) ISBN-10: 09-7546-640-2 o) ISBN-13: 978-09-7546-640-7 o) SRP: $19.95 USD [6.11] What is "Dans les coulisses du Cirque du Soleil"? Jean Beaunoyer traces the portrait of this exceptional Québécois company (and those who built it) from its modest beginnings to international successes of today. This is a French-Language only look at Cirque du Soleil; an English version is not available. o) Author: Jean Beaunoyer o) Paperback: 222 pages o) Dimensions (cm): 22.6 x 15.2 x 1.4 o) Publisher: Québec Amérique, Sep.01.2005 o) ISBN-10: 27-6440-242-2 o) ISBN-13: 978-27-6440-242-9 o) SRP: $19.95 CDN [6.12] What is "The Spark"? The full title of this book is "Cirque du Soleil The Spark: Igniting the Creative Fire That Lives Within Us All" in English and "cirque du soleil: Réveiller La créativité" in French. The book was created by Lyn Heward (former President and COO of Cirque du Soleil's Creative Content Division) and written by John U. Bacon. From the Inside Cover: An inspiring tale about the power of creativity and the imagination of Cirque du Soleil. Creativity and innovation are widely recognized as essential to success in business and so many aspects of our lives. For over two decades, Cirque du Soleil has been a world renowned laboratory of creativity, enthralling audiences by fusing dazzling acrobatics, staging, choreography, and music, along with beautiful costumes and technical effects, to inspire and create magical, almost otherworldly theatrical experiences. In "The Spark", Cirque's former President of Creative Content, Lyn Heward, invites readers inside the world and ideas of Cirque du Soleil through the story of an ordinary man searching for meaning in his work and life. Like so many other people in their careers, sprots agent Frank Castle has lost the passion he once had for his job. But a chance encounter with an inspiring Cirque du Soleil director takes him inside Cirque du Soleil to meet the arists, managers, designers, and technicians who create, shape, and perform in their acclaimed shows. As the story unfolds, the artists reveal surprising secrets about the sparks that ignite their creativity -- from the pressure of deadlines and the exhilara- tion that comes from risking it all, to the chance encounters and everyday occurrences that have changed the way they live and work. As Frank comes to discover, everyone one of us is creative -- wherever we work or whatever our job title is -- but it's up to us to tap into that powerful force. As "The Spark" makes clear, there is no single formula for creative success -- each of us must unlock the power of our imagination in our own way. An inspiring tale that draws on behind-the-scenes stories from the most creative people in entertainment as well as some out-of-this-world Cirque du Solel magic, "The Spark" is an unparalleled guide on how to make creativity a part of everything you do. o) Creator: Lyn Heward o) Author: John U. Bacon o) Hardcover: 144 pages o) Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.7 inches o) Publisher: Currency/Doubleday, Apr.11.2006 o) ISBN-10: 03-8551-651-7 o) ISBN-13: 978-03-8551-651-8 o) SRP: $19.95 USD o) eBook: 144 pages o) Publisher: Currency/Doubleday, Apr.11.2006 o) ISBN-10: 03-8551-762-9 o) ISBN-13: 978-03-8551-762-1 o) SRP: $17.95 USD o) Audio CD (unabridged) o) Dimension: 5 x 5.7 x 1 inches o) Publisher: RH Audio, Apr.11.2006 o) ISBN-10: 07-3932-451-9 o) ISBN-13: 978-07-3932-451-6 o) Price: $19.95 (US) / $27.95 (CDN) o) Paperback: 160 pages [Not Yet Available] o) Dimensions: n/a o) Publisher: Doubleday Canada, Oct.12.2010 o) ISBN-10: 03-8566-212-2 o) ISBN-13: 978-03-8566-212-3 o) SRP: n/a FRENCH VERSION: o) Paperback: o) Publisher: Logiques, Apr.01.2006 o) ISBN-10: 28-9381-969-9 o) ISBN-13: 978-28-9381-969-3 o) SRP: 19.95 CDN [6.13] What is "The Best of Cirque du Soleil: Piano/Vocal/Chords"? Arranged For Piano & Guitar With Chords & Chord Frames. 20 selections from various Cirque Du Soleil productions. Also includes 4 pages of full color photographs designed by Cirque Du Soleil. A must for all fans! Contents: O, Pageant, Mio Bello Bello Amore, Kunya Sobe, If I Could Reach Your Heart, Love Dance, Nostalgie, Liama, L'Innocent, Querer, Alegria , Pokinoi , Triangle Tango, Kumbalawe, Quidam, Ombra, Gamelan, Let Me Fall, Alone, Time Flies. o) Editor: Alfred Publishing o) Paperback: 120 Pages o) Dimensions (in): 11.7 x 9.4 x 0.4 o) Dimensions (cm): 29.7 x 23.9 x 1 o) Publisher: Alfred Publishing Company, July.26.2007 o) ISBN-10: 07-3904-786-8 o) ISBN-13: 978-07-3904-786-6 o) SRP: $19.95 CDN [6.14] What is "The Cirque du Soleil Sticker Book"? o) Author: Dorling Kindersley o) Paperback: 16 Pages o) Dimensions (cm): 27.9 x 21.6 x 0.2 o) Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd. o) Release Dates: - Mar.25.2008 (CAN) - May.xx.2008 (UK) o) ISBN-10: 07-5663-806-2 o) ISBN-13: 978-07-5663-806-1 o) SRP: $7.99 CDN -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [7] QUESTIONS ABOUT ACTS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [7.1] What is "Adagio"? The dictionary defines the word "Adagio" to mean slow, or slowly. But more common in the Cirque world, "Adagio" refers to its Italian meaning: Movement. Put the two together, and you have an act that presents a slow, beautiful movement of bodies. Performed with two or more patrons, the Adagio act is a special one. An "Adagio" performance can be seen in Saltimbanco. [7.2] What is a "Russian Swing"? The "Russian Swing" is an interesting apparatus. It can be wood or metal, and it has the ability to catapult a performer 30 plus feet in the air. Swinging in a pendulum-like motion, the Russian swing is powered by one or two people riding "in the back". It appears to be a simple playground-like swing -- hence its name. Cirque features this apparatus in three of its shows: Saltimbanco, "O", and Varekai. [7.3] What is a "Korean Plank"? A "Korean Plank", or teeter-totter, is a wooden apparatus that is used exactly like a teeter-totter, which is why most people do not know what the device is called. Using an array of catchers and launchers, performers can gain great heights using this apparatus. The Korean Plank has been seen in many Cirque du Soleil productions -- including Le Cirque Réinventé, Nouvelle Expérience, Mystère and Corteo and is a traditional circus act. It originated in Korea, hence its name. [7.4] What is a "Russian Bar"? The "Russian Bar" is an apparatus that appears to be nothing more than a slender padded plank. Think of it as an extended 2x4 piece of wood that is covered with copious amounts of padding, similar to a gymnastics balance beam held aloft. With two holders (at each end of the bar, having it rest upon their shoulders) its nimble and flexible nature allow performers to be thrust into the air, gaining great heights. Complete concentration is needed for this apparatus, and you can see Cirque du Soleil pull this off, quite nicely, in a variety of its shows. This includes: Nouvelle Expérience and Alegría. [7.5] What is a "Washington Trapeze"? A "Washington Trapeze", as it is called, differs from a regular Trapeze apparatus in that steel cables are used instead of Rope. This design allows for a pendulum motion -- it is this design that differentiates a "Washington" Trapeze from a normal one. There is also a small, round holder for the artists head, where he or she can balance upon it hands free. The Washington Trapeze is featured in "O" and is a beautiful piece. [7.6] What is "Contortion"? "Contortion" is a discipline where an acrobat or gymnast can contort, or distort, their body into interesting shapes. Very flexible, these artists can touch their head with their feet as well as other... eye catching positions. "Contortion" has been a staple in many circus performances as far as history can record. Even today, contortionist can still amaze. And, Cirque has placed these artists in many of their shows, including: Le Cirque Réinventé, Nouvelle Expérience, Fascination, Alegría, and in many other performances in the majority of Cirque's creations. [7.7] What is "Banquine"? "Banquine" is an Italian acrobatic tradition which goes as far back as the Middle Ages. It is a combination of gymnastics and ballet. The literal definition of the word in Russian is "To Bend". We've seen the Italian acrobatics at work in: Quidam and Journey of Man. [7.8] What are "Chinese Poles"? Something that has taken the acrobatic world by storm was originally something a little mundane. The original purpose of the art of Chinese Poles was used by the Chinese to get over your enemy's walls. For Cirque du Soleil, the "Chinese Poles" performance displays strength and sense of focus. Two poles are featured for a normal Chinese performance, but for Cirque, they use four. These poles are fixed in a certain arrangement. And, depending on the performance, four or more people can climb, walk, crawl, cling, jump and slide down the poles. This routine can be seen in: Saltimbanco and Mystère. [7.9] What is "Tissu"? "Tissu", or more commonly known as Aerial Ballet in Silk, is a discipline where performers use a swatch of silk sheets or "tissu" (floor to ceiling) and perform a ballet with them. The performance is usually a slow aerial ballet. Sometimes contortion is involved. Usually, however, the Aerial Ballet is an elaborate dance in which the performer intertwines himself or herself within the silk "tissu". It is a demanding practice and is quite beautiful to watch. Some performers actually take a hold of the silk and fly. Cirque has displayed this discipline many times in their productions. Including: Nouvelle Expérience (a form of), Quidam, "O", La Nouba and Dralion. Mystère also has a form of this type of performance during the Cube Act. [7.10] What is/who are "The Tribe"? "The Tribe" is a race of beings who have brought the beat of the Japanese drum, called Taïko, to Cirque du Soleil. They perform nightly in Mystère. Actually, "The Tribe" is the name to the performers headed up by Pierre Dubé, who created the Taïko performance for Mystère. Cirque du Soleil thanks Kodo, a Taïko group from Sado Island, Japan for their guidance in the art of Taïko. The technique has also been seen (limited) in Saltimbanco. [7.11] What is the "Spanish Web"? The "Spanish Web" is a discipline where an acrobat performs acts of agility and strength using nothing but a rope. Usually performed solo, this discipline has been modified by Cirque du Soleil for Quidam. For Cirque, the act is performed in a group. [7.12] What is "Cloud Swing"?" For Quidam, Cirque du Soleil married the disciplines of Trapeze and Spanish Web to create this unique performance. A single performer swings on the rope like a trapeze, and leaps abound to showcase spectacular acrobatics, diving and twisting. [7.13] What is a "German Wheel"? The "German Wheel" was developed in 1926 by an Austrian named Otto Feick and became a gymnastic exercise in Germany. The wheel had been used in the circus for many years but was nothing more than a gymnastic routine. In 1989, Hyacinthe Reisch created an act for the Wheel and the disipline that we know now was born. The "German Wheel" is nothing more than two metal hoops joined by cross-tubing at various points. Artists using the German Wheel swing around the outside, and roll and twist the apparatus while inside it. You can see the act in Quidam and La Nouba. [7.14] What are Diabolos? The Diabolo is a Chinese Yo-Yo - A child's toy that has been brought into the theatrical world of Cirque. The Yo-yo consists of two sticks linked by a single string whereby a wooden spool is slid, juggled and tossed into the air. The Diabolo's are performed in a set of 4 and are usually performed by girls (for Cirque). You can catch this discipline in Quidam and La Nouba. [7.15] What is "Rola Bola"? "Rola Bola" is a cryptic term for an act featuring a table, a roller and a board. Each are tailored to the performer's dimensions but do come in predetermined sizes. The board (or plank) is set atop the roller and the performer stands atop it performing whatever the show calls for -- usually juggling and balance. The Rola Bola was featured in the 1989 version of Le Cirque Réinventé. [7.16] What is "Slack Wire" / "Fil de Fer"? "Slack Wire" is similar to "Fil de Fer" which means Wire in French. The Wire in normal performances is taut. In "Slack Wire", it is a loose wire. It creates a little intrigue to the performance. Both disciplines have their wires close to the ground, so no nets are used. "Slack Wire" was featured in Early Cirque shows like: Le Magie Continue and Le Cirque Réinventé. Regular "Fil de Fer" performances can be seen in Nouvelle Expérience. [7.17] What is a "Suspended Cradle"? The "Suspended Cradle", or "Cadre" is a cradle or apparatus suspended from a cable or wire. For Cirque du Soleil, a grid- like structure is suspended above the water in "O", where such an apparatus is featured. [7.18] What is an "Aerial Cradle"? Similar in definition to the "Suspended Cradle", simply, an "Aerial Cradle" is a cradle apparatus suspended in the air - where an act of strength usually takes place upon it. The "Aerial Cradle" is a product of the traditional circus. An act using such an apparatus is featured in La Nouba. [7.19] What is "PowerTrack" / "FastTrack"? The terms "FastTrack" and "PowerTrack" are easily interchangeable for Cirque du Soleil. They mean virtually the same thing. The apparati are nothing more than a long set of trampolines, usually built right into the theater floor. This allows a performer to reach amazing speeds on this elongated overlapping trampoline. Three shows currently sport the "PowerTrack" -- Mystère, Alegría and La Nouba. [7.20] What is/are "Bungee" / "Elastics"? A stunt sport turned art form is what the "Bungee" and/or "Elastics" really is. By using elements of the bungee (think bungee jumping) and a trapeze bar, upper body strength is showcased. Timed perfectly and performed to wonderful music, the "Bungee" and/or "Elastics" performance is truly "ballet without gravity". First seen in Cirque's 1992 production Saltimbanco, it migrated to Mystère and was featured in the IMAX production: Journey of Man. [7.21] What is "Hand to Hand"/"Vis Versa"/"Vis a Vie"/"Body2Body"? All those fancy words (and others such as Statue) basically describe one thing: Hand Balancing. Only here, the term is defining a duo act. Sometimes a man-to-man, sometimes a man-and- woman duo perform. Great acts of strength, concentration and stamina surround these performances. You can catch them in a myriad of Cirque productions going all the way back to Le Grand Tour, La Magie Continue, Le Cirque Réinventé, Saltimbanco, Mystère, Journey of Man, Zumanity (in Body2Body) and Corteo. [7.22] What is "Manipulation"? "Manipulation" is a generic term given to an act that is... a bit slight of hand? An act so named usually involves manipulating something, be it a ball or some other piece of equipment. A special form of Manipulation was created especially for Mystère by Michael Moschen in 1993. Featuring 3 men using strangely curved metal apparati, they "manipulated" large white balls using the apparati. Two of the three men went on to perform in Quidam, but have since left. Mystère and Quidam were the only two shows ever to have this specific performance. "Manipulation" can also be given possibly to the Chinese art of Umbrella Juggling. Performed by women, these skillful artists actually use their bare feet to manipulate an open umbrella. They juggle it about, toss it in the air and spin it with their toes. This type of performance has been seen in Nouvelle Expérience and Dralion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [8] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL FAN COMMUNITIES ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [8.1] CIRQUE DU SOLEIL MAILING LIST [8.1.1] What is the "Cirque du Soleil Group"? The Cirque du Soleil mailing list was launched in the Summer of 1999 on a now-defunct service called OneList with the hope of providing a venue for Cirque du Soleil fans to unite in discussion. The service later became eGroups; today you know it as Yahoo! Groups. While the hosting service has changed, the purpose of its creation has not: the list is centered around the discussion of Cirque du Soleil's acts, music, productions and performers. [8.1.2] What is the List/Group's Website? < http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cirquedusoleil > [8.1.3] How can I Subscribe/Unsubscribe/Post? Send an email directly to the following addresses to subscribe, unsubscribe or post a message to the group: Subscribe: < cirquedusoleil-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: < cirquedusoleil-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > Post: < cirquedusoleil@yahoogroups.com > [8.1.4] Does the "Cirque du Soleil Group" have RSS Support? Unfortunately, no. However, you can receive each day's post in a daily digest. To receive the daily digest, visit the front page < http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cirquedusoleil/ > and select that you wish to "Edit My Membership." Next, under "Message Delivery," select "Daily Digest" and you're all set. [8.1.5] Who is the list owner/moderator? The owner of the Cirque du Soleil Yahoo! Group is Ricky Russo ("Richasi"), who also owns/administers the "Fascination! Newsletter" and "Le Grand Chapiteau". The Group was originally started on July 12, 1999 by Jen Cassity; Ricky Russo ("Richasi") assumed moderation duties of the list on March 5, 2003 who continues to administer the group today. [8.1.6] How many people are part of this group? There are over 1100 registered users on the list. [8.1.7] What is "Cirque Day"? The fans of Cirque du Soleil from the Yahoo! Groups Cirque list decided to dedicate a day to the company and its performers. The date is July 7th and is celebrated by immersing oneself in the music and beauty of Cirque du Soleil. [8.2] LE GRAND CHAPITEAU [8.2.1] What is "Le Grand Chapiteau"? "Le Grand Chapiteau" began on June 17, 1999 as "L'Information de Cirque", a Cirque du Soleil Web Archive. Since then it has flourished as one of the premiere sites to learn about the avant-garde Cirque du Soleil. You'll find sections on each of the Cirque's productions, its music, its video releases and much, much more. "Le Grand Chapiteau" is a production of Richasi's Domain, and is owned/operated/administered by Ricky Russo ("Richasi"). [8.2.2] What is Le Grand Chapiteau's Website? < http://www.richasi.com/Cirque/ > [8.3] FASCINATION! [8.3.1] What is "Fascination!"? Fascination! was created by Ricky Russo (Richasi) and Yuki Nakano (Yuki, from Japan) on August 1, 2001 with the hope by forging together many facets of the Cirque du Soleil fandom already found online: the Yahoo! Groups Mailing List and the Cirque du Soleil Webring (which is now defunct), and by providing our own club page and newsletter, the ultimate fan experience could be created. Today, the very heart of "Fascination!" is the newsletter of the same name. From its debut on September 1, 2001 until October 15, 2005, it was a static text-based publication released monthly to a mailing list of subscribers. Today, the "Fascination! Newsletter" is a more dynamic, web-published medium, available fully on the World Wide Web. "Fascination!"features news, rumors, history, reviews, personal reflections and just about everything else under the sun related to Cirque du Soleil. While "Fascination!" is no longer a monthly publication, they continue to maintain their affiliation with Yahoo! Groups to facilitate the distribution of "Communiqués" (notifications of new Featured Articles posted to the Fascination! Website) and of their "Quarterly Compendium" (a collection of postings to the Fascination! Website for a three-month period in a polished, newsletter-esque package.) Since November 2001, "Fascination!" has been solely run by Ricky Russo ("Richasi") with support from Keith Johnson, Paul Roberts, Jen Waldman, T. Clay Buck, Rich Alford and Wayne Leung. [8.3.2] What is the Newsletter's Website? < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ > The "Special Notices" mailing list can be found at: < http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CirqueFascination >. [8.3.3] How can I Subscribe/Unsubscribe? Send an email directly to the following addresses to subscribe or unsubscribe from the "Special Notices" list: Subscribe: < CirqueFascination-subscribe@yahoogroups.com > Unsubscribe: < CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com > [8.3.4] Does "Fascination!" have RSS Support? The software behind "Fasination!" on the web does support Really Simple Syndication (RSS) protocauls. See your browser's News settings on how to set up a Fascination! RSS channel. [8.3.5] How many people are part of "Fascination!" Since "Fascination!" has become a more dynamically distributed publication, the exact numbers of people we reach are not known. There are, currently, 1000 people signed up for the "Special Notice" list at Yahoo! Groups, as of this version of the FAQ. They reside from all over the world: The United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South America and Asia. [8.4] CIRQUE TRIBUNE [8.4.1] What is "Cirque Tribune"? Cirque Tribune is a fan-created web-based Discussion board dedicated to Cirque du Soleil's many wonderful creations. It was created to provide fast, easy access to the latest information about Cirque du Soleil. Through their forum, news and features, they hope to bring interesting current news to fans, and to inspire a community. Cirque Tribune was started after the closure of Cirque Discute, a Cirque du Soleil Web-Based Discussion Board. Cirque Tribune is currently owned/administered by Jeff Tolotti with assistance from Danielle Wall, Taylor Jeffs, Jeremy Ramsey, Albert Tsai, and Roderick Mariano among others. [8.4.2] What is Cirque Tribune's Website? < http://www.CirqueTribune.com/ > [8.4.3] Do I have to subscribe to "Cirque Tribune"? You do not have to subscribe or sign up with Cirque Tribune in order to read its messages and posts; however, in order to take part in the discussion you will need to register a user name and password. [8.4.4] Does "Cirque Tribune" have RSS Support? Many of Cirque Tribune's posts are also available through the Really Simple Syndication (RSS) protocals. See your browser's News settings on how to set up a Cirque Tribune RSS channel. [8.4.5] What does "Cirque Tribune" offer? Cirque Tribune has a wonderful array of features to satisfy the Cirque du Soleil community. Besides the Discussion Forum, Cirque Tribune has an enormous Music database, which lists the singers and musicians from previous and current productions, and the songs that accompany each act. There's also the "Database," which lists previous and current performers of the Cirque -- what show they were/are in, their birthdate, where they are from and what disciplines they performed in the show. [8.4.6] How many people are part of "Cirque Tribune"? As of this version of the FAQ, 560 people are registered with Cirque Tribune. [8.5] CIRQUECON [8.5.1] What is "CirqueCon"? On Saturday, May 22, 2004, 30-plus fans of Cirque du Soleil came together in Vancouver from across North and Central America to celebrate the return of Quidam, which had just delighted audiences in Japan. From that moment CirqueCon was officially born. The story of its genesis is somewhat more complicated, suffice it to say, two individual groups decided to band and make the trip together. Add in a little folly from Cirque du Soleil and viola! CirqueCon came to be through the efforts of three people: Jeff Tolotti, Keith Johnson and Ricky Russo ("Richasi"). Today, CirqueCon is brought to you by: Keith Johnson, LouAnna Valentine, Ricky Russo ("Richasi"), and Rich Alford. [8.5.2] How can I come to CirqueCon? Visit the CirqueCon website for further details on past, present and future endeavors: < http://www.CirqueCon.com/ > [8.5.3] Where has CirqueCon been held? 2004: Vancouver, for Quidam's Farewell 2005: Montréal, for Corteo's Premiere 2006: Las Vegas, for LOVE's Premiere 2007: Orlando, to experience La Nouba } 2008: Tokyo, for ZED's Premiere } 2010: Hollywood, for Kodak 2010's Premiere [8.6] CELEBRI! [8.6.1] What is "Celebri!"? From the Italian "to celebrate," Celebri! is a coming together of friends to celebrate Cirque du Soleil in various geographical settings. By supporting a small reunion multiple times a year, Celebri! desires to ensnare the jubilant, ecstatic, and euphoric feelings that well up inside each avid Cirque du Soleil fan and nurture that festivity into a joyous and wonderful occasion with friends and fellow fans alike! So join us for Celebri! in a region near you - we announce the city and our timetable and all you have to do is set your itinerary and join us! Celebri! Is a partnership between Ricky "Richasi" Russo and Rich Alford. [8.6.2] How Can I attend a "Celebri!"? Visit the Celebri website for further details on past, present and future endeavors: < http://www.celebri.org/ > [8.6.3] Where has "Celebri!" been held? o) Celebri!: NYC - "Au Noveau Yorque" Where: New York City, New York (USA) What: Cirque du Soleil's Wintuk & More! When: Nov.09.2007 - Nov.12.2007 o) Celebri!: SFO - "Koozå Palooza" Where: San Francisco, California (USA) What: Cirque du Soleil's Koozå & More When: Nov.30.2007 - Dec.02.2007 o) Celebri!: SEA - "un funerale a Seattle!" Where: Seattle, Washington (USA) What: Cirque du Soleil's Corteo When: May.02.2008 - May.04.2008 } o) Celebri!: LAS - "'beLIEve' it!" } Where: Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) } What: Cirque du Soleil's BELIEVE and More } When: Sep.12.2008 - Sep.14.2008 } } o) Celebri!: ICN - "Viva L'Alegría!" } Where: Seoul, South Korea } What: Cirque du Soleil's Alegría } When: Nov.16.2008 } } o) Celebri!: YUL - } Where: New York City (USA) & Montreal, QC, canada } What: Cirque du Soleil's Koozå & Cirque 2009 } When: Apr.22.2009 - Apr.26.2009 [8.7] CIRQUEWIKI [8.7.1] What is "CirqueWiki"? The Cirque Wiki, for the lack of a better name, is a partnership between Cirque Tribune and Le Grand Chapiteau/Fascination. By bridging two powerhouse fan-oriented destinations, and by using the dynamic software behind Wikipedia, they hope to provide the best resource for Cirque du Soleil information on the web. CirqueWiki was officially launched on May 20, 2006. [8.7.2] What is CirqueWiki's Website? < http://www.CirqueTribune.com/Wiki/ > [8.8] PREVIOUS COMMUNITIES Over the course of history there have been many Cirque du Soleil fan communities. Many of them are still active or open; however, the following are communities that no longer exist: The Cirque du Soleil Webring and Group Discute (www.cirqueforum.com) [8.8.1] What was the Cirque du Soleil Webring? The Cirque du Soleil Webring was created on January 7, 2000 by John Lewis (a.k.a. Erlking) with one goal in mind: to connect the fans of Cirque du Soleil together. On October 16, 2001, the Webring became a production of Richasi's Domain/ Communicore Enterprises and became a unit of The "Fascination! Fan-Club." A few short months later, the WebRing unit of the club was shuttered. The original Cirque du Soleil Webring is no longer in operation. [8.8.2] What was the Group Discute? Group Discute at www.CirqueForum.com had its debut in early 2003 and was the first attempt to create a fan-run web-based discussion board. Unfortunately the server was plagued with stability issues and the domain name was lost. An attempt to resurrect the discussion board was abandoned and the failure of Group Discute lead to the creation of "Cirque Tribune", which continues to flourish today. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [9] CREDITS AND FINE PRINT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [9.1] Thank Yous A big thank you goes out to Cirque du Soleil for producing an array of wonderful creations. Without them, this FAQ could not be a reality. There'd be nothing to ask about! Without their imagination, this would truly be a dark world. A very special thank you to Keith Johnson for his many suggestions, support and critique. [9.2] Fine Print The Cirque du Soleil FAQ is Copyright (c) 2001-2008 by Ricky Russo and is a production of Richasi's Domain/Communicore Enterprises. No part of this document may be distributed unless it remains intact and unaltered. No revisions can be made to this FAQ without authorization. Otherwise, this FAQ is public domain. You can distribute it and own many copies of it. Cirque du Soleil and its creations are Copyright (c) Cirque du Soleil, Inc. / Créations Méandres, Inc. This FAQ is not in any way affiliated with Cirque du Soleil. Please respect the copyrights and trademarks of Cirque du Soleil and the FAQ owner. If you do not... I will hunt you down and... give you a talking to :) {end}