Wherever the
Cirque raises its
Big Top - a grassy field on the outskirts of
Brussels,a football field in
Bogota,or a parking lot in
Moscow– the Cirque's '
Spectacle of the
Imagination' delivers breathtaking acrobatics,unforgettable costumes and music. But an incredible real life adventure-drama begins long before the show opens.
This one hour documentary puts our audience in the shoes and boots (and even the trapeze slippers) of the men and women who pick up, move, unpack and build the
Cirque de Soleil - from
Command Central in
Montreal, Quebec to all its venues around the world.
Cirque du Soleil is a
Canadian entertainment company. It is the largest theatrical producer in the world.
Based in
Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in
1984 by two former street performers,
Guy Laliberté and
Gilles Ste-Croix.
Initially named Les Échassiers ("The Waders"), they toured
Quebec in
1980 as a performing troupe. Their initial financial hardship was relieved in
1983 by a government grant from the
Canada Council for the Arts, as part of the 450th anniversary celebrations of
Jacques Cartier's voyage to
Canada. Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil was a success in 1984, and after securing a second year of funding, Laliberté hired
Guy Caron from the
National Circus School to re-create it as a "proper circus". Its theatrical, character-driven approach and the absence of performing animals helped define Cirque du Soleil as the contemporary circus ("nouveau cirque") that it remains today.
Each show is a synthesis of circus styles from around the world, with its own central theme and storyline.
Shows employ continuous live music, with performers rather than stagehands changing the props. After financial successes and failures in the late
1980s,
Nouvelle Expérience was created – with the direction of
Franco Dragone – which not only made Cirque du Soleil profitable by
1990, but allowed it to create new shows.
Cirque du Soleil expanded rapidly through the
1990s and
2000s, going from one show to 19 shows in over 271 cities on every continent except
Antarctica. The shows employ approximately 4,000 people from over 40 countries and generate an estimated annual revenue exceeding US$810 million. The multiple permanent
Las Vegas shows alone play to more than 9,000 people a night, 5% of the city's visitors, adding to the 90 million people who have experienced Cirque du Soleil's shows worldwide. In
2000, Laliberté bought out Gauthier, and with 95% ownership, has continued to expand the brand. In 2008, Laliberté split 20% of his share equally between two investment groups
Istithmar World and
Nakheel of
Dubai, in order to further finance the company's goals. In partnership with these two groups, Cirque du Soleil had planned to build a residency show in the
United Arab Emirates in
2012 directed by Guy Caron (Dralion) and
Michael Curry. But since Dubai's financial problems in
2010 caused by the
2008 recession, it was stated by Laliberté that the project has been "put on ice" for the time being and may be looking for another financial partner to bankroll the company's future plans, even willing to give up another 10% of his share. Several more shows are in development around the world, along with a television deal, women's clothing line and the possible venture into other mediums such as spas, restaurants and nightclubs. Cirque du Soleil also produces a small number of private and corporate events each year (past clients have been the royal family of Dubai and the
2007 Super Bowl).
The company's creations have received numerous prizes and distinctions, including a
Bambi Award in
1997, a
Rose d'Or in
1989, three
Drama Desk Awards in
1991, 1998 and
2013, three
Gemini Awards, four
Primetime Emmy Awards, and a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame.
- published: 23 Sep 2014
- views: 253749