What is Cirque du Soleil Varekai and Alegria about?
Intro
Its been around for decades. Montrealers can see it come and go. Circus and festivals are happening worldwide and are based on a long tradition of masterful entertainment and yet, the mystery remains. The Cirque du Soleil has risen to a mythical and epic statement in its field and is now considered a delicacy of entertainment.
Those tickets are not cheap and yet, millions continue to follow its journey. Said to be a unique experience that tickles all your senses, a Cirque du Soleil show should definitely be on your bucket list this year.
A bit of history
Famous Cirque du Soleil was founded by guy Laliberte and Daniel Gauthier in 1984 in the bay St-Paul area in Canada. One of the first-ever show to be produced was Saltimbanco and counted over 9000 representations and it put their genius on the map. What really makes Cirque du Soleil stand out from its competitors is the modern approach that is negotiated on stage.
The focus of the artistry is on the costumes and the ambiance and the physical performances, and the fact that to this day, Cirque du Soleil has never and does not plan to include animals to their programs.
From there, Guy Laliberté, in partnership with Franco Dragone, produced yet another spectacular show called Alegria. The scenery was said to be marvelous. Pushing the limits, the Alegria story showcased a theme of duality, hierarchy in a parallel universe where exotic creatures meet kings and mythical beings.
To this day, Cirque du Soleil has seen over 47 productions come and go through the decades and is now said to be worth over 1,37 Billion dollars. An amount that speaks loads to the quality and mastery behind
the giant that is the circus.
Enough about the past
The circus raised the bar by its quality of his genre, but this year, it is getting a big makeover and streamlining 5 new spectacles that will air as soon as June 29th if everything runs smoothly.
The first show Rebel will be performed in Andorra, Cirque du Soleil usual. Followed up by A fantastical world in China and Messi10 in Barcelona, it seems that Europe and Asia are the places to travel this year. Closer to home, a show with no name is to be up and running at Orlando’s one and only Walt Disney World resort.
But fear not, the Axel show, to be staged in an arena and performed on ice will be out on December 19th of this year in Montreal at the Bell Center only a few days to Christmas. The circus is presenting its performance on ice for the second time only. The first show produced on ice was Crystal, that premiered in December of 2017 featured four-time world champion Canadian figure skater Kurt Browning and four-time world medalist American ice dancer Benjamin Agosto.
Although Crystal is a touring show performed in over 80 different cities in Canada, the United-States and South America, it is still on and will be available in Latvia, Russia, Poland, Belarus and Ukraine in 10 cities. There is no confirmation that athletes before named Kurt Browning and Benjamin Agosto will be performing on Axel, the story of a young man who is passionate about arts and music. There is no doubt that the rendition of this particular spectacle will be whimsical as it is the 48th production given by Cirque du Soleil.
If you are more of a traditionalist, the circus as aired a vamped-up version of its beloved Alegria that you can see in Gatineau from August 1rst to September 1rst of 2019. And last but not least, an homage to a french spoken Quebecor band Les Cowboys Fringants is taking place in Trois-Rivière under the name Joyeux Calvaire which translates to a merry mess.
What are the different Cirque du Soleil shows?
Each show has a specific theme, the writing of each of the Cirque du Soleil universes are very well presented with all their artists, acrobats and musicians. Obviously each show brings with it different emotions and makes you travel in different worlds.
Saltimbanco
Grand Chapiteau (1992 – 2006)
Arena (2007 – 2012)
A mix of modern and traditional acrobatics with stunning musics. This tour was the longest in the company with more than 6,000 performances with 14 million viewers. This presentation has been around the world for more than 20 years.
Alegría
Grand Chapiteau (1994-2009)
Arena (2009-2013)
Grand Chapiteau (2019)
The inspiration of this show was for the strong emotions and a state of mind of the strongest. The theme has been the power and the mutation of this one. These are the foundation of this presentation. The characters evolve over the presentation and the universe is remodeled with the most unique music and sets. It is a journey in the epochs of kings, minstrels and aristocrats.
Varekai
Grand Chapiteau (2002-2017)
Arena (2013-2017)
The theme of this presentation is mainly nature. The forest, a volcano and a world that everything is possible. In this distant place where everything is possible and the enchanting music takes you to another world.
Viva ELVIS
Resident (2009 — 2012)
This show was the 7th of the Cirque du Soleil big tour list. Most of the presentations were in the famous city of Las Vegas at Nevada. This show brought life back to “King” Elvis Presley. A most majestic performance with very talented musicians. In addition to music, there were acrobats and dancers to honor the “King”. This event was able to vibrate all Las Vegas for 3 years.
Toruk – The First Flight
Arena (2015-2019)
This presentation is strongly inspired by the famous AVATAR film. The circus makes you travel in the majestic world of Pandora with their most talented acrobats and musician in the world. This presentation is a feast for all the senses. An unforgettable trip for all those who are happy to see this presentation.
Corteo
Grand Chapiteau (2005 — 2015)
Arena (since 2018)
The show called Corteo is one of the biggest event. The Cirque du Soleil is strongly inspired by the artistic works of a certain painter and more precisely by Adolphe Willette. The main actions are taken from the grace and power of their acrobats. The costumes of this presentation are most impressive and we can really see all the knowledge of these artists.
The music was composed by Philipe Leduc and Maria Bonzanigo, very talented composers. There is even a film adaptation of Corteo show that was released on April 11, 2006. This film has even been awarded the Gemini Award for the best editing, humor and variety.
Zumanity
Resident (since 2003)
Zumanity is a cabaret-style show by the famous Cirque du Soleil. This presentation is only in New York city. This show is about the sensual side of Cirque du Soleil or another side of it. The tour was created by René Richard Cyr and Dominic Champagne. Intended to be for mature adult audiences only since it has some erotic songs and dances.
Guy Laliberté said that the main reason to produce this show was to create something more riskier than before. We like to try new experiences, this show try to make you live something special. Mistress of sensuality, tissu star and other kind of dancer gonna make you dreams.
What is Cirque du Soleil Varekai about?
It is a touring production from the Cirque du Soleil. The first presentation was in Montreal. In 2002, this production was really popular and became one of the famous tour of the circus. The title Varekai means “acrobatic tribute to the nomadic soul”.
It seems Cirque du Soleil still succeeds to amaze the crowds and please everyone.
Whether by its novelty or by reviving old flames, the giant should be on everyone’s calendar for 2019. The music, costumes and the vocalists made this show so intense and special that it has been performing all around the planet for more than 15 years. The last tour was in Texas in December 2017. It was named the Farewell Tour.
This is only the beginning for Cirque du Soleil tour
there is about a 30th of a different kind of show in the world of the circus of the sun. Presentations like Nouvelle Expérience, “O”, Quidam, La nouba, Dralion or The beatles Love was really popular when the company as started.
A lot of other show was just as unique but last less as Zumanity, Koozà, Wintuk, Zaia, Zed, Criss Angel, Believe and Ovo. Many presentations are still in court and otherwise you can watch the shows on the internet or on DVD.
Cirque du Soleil Discography
It has released a lot of music album over the years. Each show is designed with a new music album. The first musical album was released on November 1, 1987. There are even remixes of some albums like Sep7imo Dia which was remodeled by Soda Stereo.
Over the years, many composers have been playing on Cirque du Soleil musical albums. René Dupéré was the first to design the first album. The music is conceived in several different languages in the same song. In the album Alegria, you can hear a mix of Spanish, Italian, English and French.
The circus music has even been produced in a number of films and programs around the world. The first time we heard it was in the famous circus film. The title of the film is Cirque du Soleil, a film that was released in 1985. The latest film that was designed with the company’s music is Volta, an adaptation of the Volta shows. This film was recorded in Montreal in 2017.
You can listen to Cirque du Soleil music on any popular internet platform. Youtube, spotify and others.
Is Cirque du Soleil kid friendly?
The shows are very popular with children, even when I was young to participate in a Cirque du Soleil show when I was 12 years old, it was fabulous. Shows like Luzia, Paramour, La Nouba, OVO and Toruk are popular with children. You can inquire at the customer service to find out if a particular show is suitable for children. Here is a list of all the toll free phones to contact Cirque du Soleil in your country.
How old do you have to be to see Zumanity?
Zumanity is a 90 minutes long show, without intermission. It is not for young audiences since it show some mature content. The theme is a seductive twist on reality and leaving inhibitions behind. Half burlesque and half cabaret, Zumanity is a night you will not forget. All the spectators must have 18 years or more. The presentation takes part at New York Hotel & Casino. The starting price for this show is 69$ USD. Le Cirque du Soleil offer some specials for the summer, you can save up to 30% on the tickets.
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This article is written by Catherine T. and modified by Nicolas D.
Updated: 2019-08-19