21 Sep 2012 – A World Class Circus
Thu: what a wonderful afternoon at Cirque du Soleil, a Canadian entertainment company; self-described as a dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment. Based in Montreal, Quebec/Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, founded in Baie-Saint-Paul 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix.
This circus 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$810mil.
Each show is a synthesis of circus styles from around the world, with its own central theme & storyline. This year’s Amaluna is a touring show in Toronto until Nov. Story takes place on an island governed by goddesses. During a storm, a group of men are washed up on shore.
The queen’s daughter falls for one of the young men and the trials of their love are the elements composing this production.
Thank you cousin Yun for the best circus ever with upgrading of seats and a fantastic view. Nice to feel in awe to such captivating innocence of childhood…
The title Amaluna is the combination of two separate words. Ama which refers to mother in many languages and luna/moon and the moon is a symbol of femininity. This is a new production, thus only managed to find the 2 pix above to download from this new performance as no photography was allowed.
Time is a circus, always packing up and moving away – Ben Hecht
Originally intended to only be a one-year project, Cirque du Soleil was scheduled to perform in 11 towns in Quebec over the course of 13 weeks running concurrent with the third La Fête Foraine. The first shows were riddled with difficulty, starting with the collapse of the big top after the increased weight of rainwater caused the central mast to snap. Working with a borrowed tent, Laliberté then had to contend with difficulties with the European performers who were so unhappy with the Quebec circus’s inexperience, that they had at one point sent a letter to the media complaining about how they were being treated.
Thanks for stopping by and for the info. Sorry to hear about how the weather could bring down this big-top. But such is life and it is a reminder that we are all at the mercy of Mother Nature including Cirque de Soleil, as great as they are. But I would still highly recommend this circus if it may be the only circus one attends.
Pingback: The Greatest Showman – Here-There-Everywhere – This-That-Everything