Cirque du Soleil Inc.
Type	Private
Founded	1984
Founder	Guy Laliberté
Headquarters	Montreal, Quebec
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO
Industry	Entertainment
Employees	3,800
Divisions	Cirque du Soleil Images, Cirque du Soleil's Merchandising
Subsidiaries	Cirque du Soleil Musique
Website	www.cirquedusoleil.com

Cirque du Soleil (French for "Circus of the Sun", in English pronounced /sɜrk duː soʊˈleɪ/) is an entertainment empire that is famous for its reinvented circus shows. The term privately held company refers to ownership of a business company in two different ways first referring to ownership by non-governmental organizations and second An entrepreneur is a person who has possession over a company enterprise, or Venture, and assumes significant accountability for the inherent risks and the outcome Guy Laliberté (born September 2, 1959 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) is the founder and Chief executive officer of Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 Daniel Lamarre (born 1953 is a Canadian businessman He is the President and Chief Operating Officer of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil. A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" See also Entertainment (disambiguation and The Entertainer (disambiguation Entertainment is an activity designed to give people Employment is a Contract between two parties, one being the employer and the other being the employee. A division of a business entity is a portion of that business that operates under a different name A subsidiary, in business matters is an entity that is controlled by a bigger and more powerful entity A website (alternatively web site or Web site, a back-construction from the Proper noun World Wide Web) is a collection of Web pages French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada located in Saint-Michel, and founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier. Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Saint-Michel is a neighborhood in the Montreal Borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension. Baie-Saint-Paul ( 2006 Population 7288 UA population 4545 is a city in the Province of Quebec, Guy Laliberté (born September 2, 1959 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) is the founder and Chief executive officer of Daniel Gauthier (born July 7 1964 in Montreal Quebec) is a Canadian designer of over 100 Freeware TrueType fonts, and is based in ^[1]

Initially named Les Échassiers they toured Quebec in 1980 as a performing troupe and encountered financial hardship that was relieved by a government grant in 1983 as part of 450th celebrations of Jacques Cartier's discovery of Canada. Quebec (kwɨˈbɛk Jacques Cartier (December 31 1491&ndashSeptember 1 1557 was a French explorer who claimed what is now Canada for France ^[2] 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 recreate it as a "proper circus". The École Nationale de Cirque (also called National Circus School) is a professional Circus school located in Montréal, Québec, Canada No ring and no animals helped make Cirque du Soleil the modern circus ("Cirque Nouveau" / New Circus) that it is today. A circus is most commonly a traveling company of performers that may include acrobats, Clowns trained animals trapeze acts Hoopers, tightrope walkers ^[3] Each show is a synthesis of circus styles from around the world and has its own central theme and storyline which brings the audience into the performance by having no curtains, continuous live music and performers change the props. After critical and financial successes (Los Angeles Arts Festival) and failures in the late 1980s, Nouvelle Expérience was created with the direction of Franco Dragone that not only made Cirque profitable by 1990 but allowed it to create new shows. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Franco Dragone is a Belgian film and Theatre director. He is known for his work with Cirque du Soleil. ^[4]

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s Cirque expanded rapidly and went from one show with 73 employees in 1984 to currently 3,500 employees from over 40 countries doing fifteen shows touring every continent and have an estimated annual revenue exceeding US$600 million. The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been ^[2][5] 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 70+ million people who have experienced Cirque. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally ^[2] In 2000, Laliberté bought out Gauthier and with 95% ownership has continued to expand the brand. ^[6] Several more shows are in development around the world, along with a television deal, women's clothing line and perhaps in other mediums such as spas, restaurants and nightclubs. ^[7] Cirque's creations have been awarded numerous prizes and distinctions, including Bambi, Rose d'Or, three Gemini Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards. The Bambi is an annual television and media prize awarded by the German media company Hubert Burda Media. The Rose d'Or ( Golden Rose in English is a highly prestigious Television award given annually since 1961 at the Festival Rose d'Or in spring each year The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry Awards in Canada. The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American Primetime Television ^[8][9] In 2004, Interbrand's poll of brand names with the highest global impact ranked Cirque du Soleil as number 22. Interbrand, a division of Omnicom, is a branding consultancy Interbrand was founded in 1974 as Novamark by John Murphy, a former employee of Dunlop, in ^[10]

Contents 1 Company history 2 Retired Big Top Touring/Arena shows 2.1 Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil 2.2 La Magie Continue 2.3 We Reinvent the Circus 2.4 Nouvelle Expérience 2.5 Saltimbanco (Big Top Version) 2.6 Delirium (Arena show) 3 Big Top Touring shows 3.1 Alegría 3.2 Quidam 3.3 Dralion 3.4 Varekai 3.5 Corteo 3.6 KOOZÅ 4 Resident shows 4.1 Mystère 4.2 "O" 4.3 La Nouba 4.4 Zumanity 4.5 KÀ 4.6 LOVE 5 Arena Touring shows 5.1 Saltimbanco (Arena Version) 6 Seasonal resident show 6.1 WINTUK 7 Future productions 8 Other projects 9 Filmography 10 Legal issues 11 References 12 External links

Company history

Seeking a career in the performing arts, Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté toured Europe as a folk musician and busker after quitting college. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous Busking is the practice of performing in Public places for Tips and Gratuities. By the time he returned back home to Canada in 1979, he had learned the art of fire breathing. Safety While not a difficult skill to learn initially it is the most dangerous of all the fire arts and not just due to the obvious risk of serious burns Although he became "employed" at a hydroelectric power plant in James Bay, his job ended after only three days due to a labour strike. Hydroelectricity is electricity generated by Hydropower, ie the production of power through use of the gravitational force of falling water James Bay (Baie James is a large body of water on the southern end of Hudson Bay in Canada. Strike action, often simply called a strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal by Employees to perform work. He decided not to look for another job, instead supporting himself on his unemployment insurance. He helped to organize a summer fair in Baie-Saint-Paul with the help of a pair of friends named Daniel Gauthier and Gilles Ste-Croix. ^[4][6]

Gauthier and Ste-Croix were managing a performing artist's youth hostel named Le Balcon Vert at that time. By the summer of 1979, Ste-Croix had been developing the idea of turning the Balcon Vert, and the talented performers that lived there, into an organized performing troupe. Although the talent was plentiful, they lacked the funding to make their idea a reality. As part of a publicity stunt to convince the Quebec government to help fund his production, Ste-Croix walked the fifty-six miles from Baie-Saint-Paul to Quebec City on stilts. Quebec City ( French: Ville de Québec, or simply Québec) (kwɨˈbɛk or /keˈbɛk/ is the Capital of the Canadian province The ploy worked, giving the three men the money to create Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul. Employing many of the people that would later make up Cirque, Les Échassiers toured Quebec during the summer of 1980. ^[11][12]

Although well received by audiences and critics alike, Les Échassiers was a financial failure. Laliberté spent that winter in Hawaii plying his trade while Ste-Croix stayed in Quebec to set up a nonprofit holding company named "The High-Heeled Club" to mitigate the losses of the previous summer. The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the In 1981 they met with better results. By the fall of 1981, Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul had broken even. The success inspired Laliberté and Ste-Croix to organize a summer fair in their hometown of Baie-Saint-Paul. ^[11]

This touring festival, called "La Fête Foraine", first took place in July of 1982. La Fēte Foraine featured workshops to teach the circus arts to the public, after which those who participated could take part in a performance. Ironically, the festival was barred from its own hosting town after complaints from local citizens. ^[13] Laliberté managed and produced the fair over the next couple years, nurturing it into a moderate financial success. But it was during 1983 that the government of Quebec gave him a 1. 5 million dollar grant to host a production the following year as part of Quebec's 450th anniversary celebration of the French explorer Jacques Cartier's discovery of Canada. Jacques Cartier (December 31 1491&ndashSeptember 1 1557 was a French explorer who claimed what is now Canada for France Laliberté named his creation "Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil. "^[14][4]

Retired Big Top Touring/Arena shows

Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil

Originally intended to only be a one-year project, Cirque du Soleil was scheduled to perform in eleven towns in Quebec over the course of thirteen weeks running concurrent with the third La Fēte Foraine. The first shows were riddled with difficulty, starting with the collapse of the big top after the increased weight of rainwater cause 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' inexperience, that they had at one point sent a letter to the media complaining about how they were being treated. ^[4]

The problems were only transient, however, and by the time 1984 had come to a close, Le Grand Tour du Cirque Du Soleil was a success. Having only sixty-thousand dollars left in the bank, Laliberté went back to the Canadian government to secure funding for a second year. Unfortunately, while the Canadian federal government was enthusiastic, the Quebec provincial government was resistant to the idea. It was not until Quebec's Premier, René Lévesque intervened on their behalf that the provincial government relented. ^[4]

La Magie Continue

After securing funding from the Canadian government for a second year, Laliberté took steps to renovate Cirque from a group of street performers into a "proper circus". The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. To accomplish this he hired the head of the National Circus School, Guy Caron, as Cirque Du Soleil's artistic director. The École Nationale de Cirque (also called National Circus School) is a professional Circus school located in Montréal, Québec, Canada The term art director is a blanket title for a variety of similar job functions in Advertising, Publishing, film and Television, the Internet The influences that Laliberté and Caron had in reshaping their circus were extensive. They wanted strong emotional music that was played from the beginning to end by musicians. They wanted to emulate the Moscow Circus' method of having the acts tell a story. The Great Moscow State Circus ( Большой Московский государственный цирк на проспекте Вернадского is an auditorium in Moscow Performers, rather than a technical crew, move equipment and props on and off stage so that it did not disrupt the momentum of the "storyline". Most importantly, their vision was to create a circus with neither a ring nor animals. The rationale was that the lack of both of these things draws the audience more into the performance. ^[15][4]

To help design the next major show, Laliberté and Caron hired Franco Dragone, another instructor from the National Circus School who had been working in Belgium. Franco Dragone is a Belgian film and Theatre director. He is known for his work with Cirque du Soleil. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those When he joined the troupe in 1985, he brought with him his experience in commedia dell'arte techniques which he imparted on the performers. Commedia dell'Arte ( Italian: "the comedy of artists" is a form of Improvisational theatre that began in Italy in the 16th century Although his experience would be limited in the next show due to budget restraints, he would go on to direct every show up to, but not including Dralion. Dralion (pronounced Drah-lee-on is a touring production of Cirque du Soleil. ^[4]

By 1986, the company was once again in serious financial trouble. During 1985 they had taken the show outside Quebec to a lukewarm response. In Toronto they performed in front of a twenty-five percent capacity crowd after not having enough money to properly market the show. Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Gilles Ste-Croix, dressed in a monkey suit, walked through downtown Toronto as a desperate publicity stunt. A later stop in Niagara Falls turned out to be equally problematic. The Niagara Falls are massive Waterfalls on the Niagara River, straddling the international border separating the Canadian province of Ontario Despite critical praise, both shows were a failure which put Cirque du Soleil 750 thousand dollars in debt. ^[4][16]

Several factors prevented Cirque from going bankrupt that year. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their Creditors Creditors may file a bankruptcy petition against The Desjardins Group, which was Cirque du Soleil's financial institution at the time, covered about two-hundred thousand dollars of bad checks. The Desjardins Group (or Mouvement des caisses Desjardins in French is the largest association of Credit unions in North America. Also, a financier named Daniel Lamarre who worked for one of the largest public relations firms in Quebec represented the company for free, knowing that they didn't have the money to pay his fee. Daniel Lamarre (born 1953 is a Canadian businessman He is the President and Chief Operating Officer of the world-renowned Cirque du Soleil. The Quebec government itself also came through again, granting Laliberté enough money to stay solvent for another year. ^[4]

We Reinvent the Circus

In 1987, after Laliberté re-privatized Cirque du Soleil, it was invited to perform at the Los Angeles Arts Festival. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West However, they continued to be plagued by financial difficulties. Laliberté and Gauthier took a gamble and went to Los Angeles, despite only having enough money to make a one-way trip. Had the show been a failure, Cirque would not have had enough money to get their performers and equipment back to Montreal. ^[17][4]

The festival turned out to be a huge success, critically and financially. The show attracted the attention of entertainment executives including Columbia Pictures, which met with Laliberté and Gauthier under the pretense of wanting to make a movie about Cirque du Soleil. }} Columbia Pictures Industries Inc is an American Film production and distribution company Laliberté was unhappy with the deal, claiming that it gave too many rights to Columbia who was only attempting to secure all rights to the production. He pulled out of the deal before it could be concluded and the experience stands out as a key reason why Cirque du Soleil remains independent and privately owned today. ^[7]

An artistic difference caused Guy Caron to leave the company in 1988. The disagreement was over what to do with the money generated by Cirque du Soleil's first financially successful tour. Laliberté wanted to use it to expand and start a second show while Caron wanted the money to be saved, with a portion going back to the National Circus School. An agreement was never met and Caron, along with a large number of artists loyal to him, departed. This stalled plans that year to start a new touring show. ^[4]

Laliberté sought out Gilles Ste-Croix as replacement for the artistic director position. Ste-Croix, who had been away from Cirque since 1985, agreed to return. The company went through more internal troubles, including a failed attempt to add a third man to the partnership, Normand Latourelle. This triumvirate lasted only six months before internal disagreements prompted Gauthier and Laliberté to buy out Latourelle. By the end of 1989, Cirque du Soleil was once again in a deficit. ^[4]

Nouvelle Expérience

Main article: Nouvelle Expérience

In that same year, Cirque attempted to revive one of their previous shows, Le Cirque Réinvente. Nouvelle Expérience was Cirque du Soleil 's 4th creation which begun staging in 1990. The attempt was abandoned after a weak critical reception. Laliberté and Ste-Croix instead created a new show based on the plans that had originally been drawn up by Caron before his departure. Originally intended to be called Eclipse, they renamed the show Nouvelle Expérience. ^[4]

Franco Dragone returned, albeit reluctantly. He was willing to return only if he had full creative control of the show's environment. One of the first things that he did was to remove the curtain that separates the artist from the audience. His reasoning was that this would make the artists and the audience both feel part of a larger show. Whereas in a traditional circus the artist could go past the curtain and drop his role, Dragone had created an environment where the artist had to remain in character for the full length of the production. ^[4]

Although Dragone was given full control over the show, Laliberté oversaw the entire production. He was in favor of Dragone's new ideas. Inspired by Jules Verne's "La Chasse au Météore", Dragone's concept for the show was that each of the performers were playing the parts of jewels spread around the Earth. Jules Gabriel Verne ( February 8 1828 &ndash March 24 1905) was a French Author who pioneered the science-fiction EARTH was a short-lived Japanese vocal trio which released 6 singles and 1 album between 2000 and 2001 ^[4]

Nouvelle Expérience turned out to be Cirque du Soleil's most popular show up to that point and would continue running until 1993. It spent one of those years at The Mirage Resort and Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. For the band see The Mirage (band The Mirage is a 3044 room Hotel and Casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip The Las Vegas Strip (also known as The Strip) is an approximately 4 mile (6 By the end of 1990, Cirque was profitable again and was prepared to start a new show. ^[4]

Saltimbanco (Big Top Version)

Main article: Saltimbanco

Created in 1992, Saltimbanco (big top version) was the first show in which Cirque du Soleil would narrow its focus to tell a very specific and themed story. Saltimbanco is the oldest major touring show of Cirque du Soleil at the time of its last performance having run from 1992-2006 Dragone was inspired by the way multiculturalism shaped the nature and direction of Cirque du Soleil and wanted the theme of this new show to be one of "cosmopolitan urbanism. The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified Urbanism is the study of cities &mdash their Geographic, Economic, Political, Social and Cultural environment " Laliberté stated that, "For me, Saltimbanco is a message of peace. In the 1990s, immigration was an issue, the mixing of cultures in cities, and Saltimbanco reflects that mix, with all of its personalities and colours. It's the challenge we have in today's world: respecting each other, living and working together, despite our differences. "^[18]

Idealistic or not, Saltimbanco, which come from the Italian saltare in banco, meaning literally "to jump on a bench", was well received. Italian ( or lingua italiana) is a Romance language spoken by about 63 million people as a First language, primarily in Italy. Featuring 47 artists, the cast has been assembled from the citizens of fifteen different countries. This is, to date, the longest running show that Cirque du Soleil has ever produced. It has run for fifteen years and has toured North and South America, Europe, Japan and the Asia-Pacific Rim. ^[19][18]

With Saltimbanco finished and touring in the United States and Canada, Cirque du Soleil toured Japan in the summer of 1992 at the behest of the Fuji Television Network. is a Japanese Television station based in Daiba, Minato Tokyo, Japan, also known as or CX. Taking acts from Nouvelle Expěrience and Cirque Réinvénte they created a show for this tour entitled "Fascination". Although Fascination was never seen outside of Japan, it represented the first time that Cirque had produced a show that took place in an arena rather than a big top. It was also the first that Cirque du Soleil performed outside of North America. ^[4]

On the first of February in 1997, Saltimbanco played its final show at London's Royal Albert Hall. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Royal Albert Hall is an Arts venue situated in the Knightsbridge area of the City of Westminster, London, England, best known However, the following year, the show was restaged and started a new three year tour throughout Asia and the Pacific. ^[20]

Delirium (Arena show)

Main article: Delirium (Cirque du Soleil)

Delirium is a Cirque du Soleil live music event with Live Nation. Delirium was a Cirque du Soleil live music event partnered with Live Nation (formerly known as Clear Channel Entertainment Live Nation Inc is a live Events company based in Beverly Hills California. Instead of being a standard touring show it is a multimedia/theatrical production that features remixes of existing Cirque music and reinterpretations of performances.

The show retired on April 19, 2008. Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

Big Top Touring shows

Alegría

Main article: Alegría

Alegría was a departure from the bright circus atmosphere seen previously in productions like Saltimbanco. Alegría ("joy" or "jubilation" in Spanish) is a Cirque du Soleil touring production created by Gilles Ste-Croix and originally directed Created for Cirque du Soleil's tenth anniversary, the concept for the show came to life over a dinner conversation between Franco Dragone, Show Choreographer Juan Isidro Casilla and Guy Laliberté. Franco Dragone is a Belgian film and Theatre director. He is known for his work with Cirque du Soleil. Guy Laliberté (born September 2, 1959 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada) is the founder and Chief executive officer of ^[21] Dragone wanted this show to be dark and heavy; "At one point," Dragone said "I was with Guy Laliberté at a restaurant in one of the Las Vegas casinos, and I told him the next show would be sad, heavy, really hard: ' Alegría! Alegría! Alegría!' It's Spanish for 'Joy! Joy! Joy!' Where I come from, it's what you say when you're in pain. It means life goes on. "^[4]

Costing more than three million dollars to produce, Alegría's main theme is about the abuse of power and the subsequent struggle for freedom. Alegría makes use of darker lighting and music than previous Cirque productions. The stage and the props use gothic arches and harsh angular designs to attempt to invoke a feeling of oppressiveness. See also Gothic art Gothic architecture is a style of Architecture which flourished during the high and late medieval period. ^[21][4]

Alegría has toured North America twice, Europe, Asia and Australia, and spent a year in residence at the Beau Rivage resort in Biloxi, Mississippi. ^[21] Its most famous 'White Singer', Francesca Gagnon, has twice been invited to reprise the Alegría title song at the Montreal Jazz Festival. Francesca Gagnon (born August 6, 1957) is a French-Canadian Singer and Theatre actress featured in Cirque Du Soleil's Alegría The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM (Eng Montreal International Jazz Festival also called the Jazz Fest, is the largest Jazz festival in the ^[22] The music of Alegría has proven extremely popular and the show's soundtrack remains the best-selling Cirque du Soleil album to date. Alegría ("joy" or "jubilation" in Spanish) is a Cirque du Soleil touring production created by Gilles Ste-Croix and originally directed ^[23]

Quidam

Main article: Quidam

Premiering in 1996, Quidam adhered to the trend of bringing darker shows to the big top, previously established by Alegría the year before. Characters Listed here in order of appearance during the show Zoé An average little girl Derived from the Latin word for "a nameless passerby", Quidam was Cirque du Soleil's ninth production and premiered in Montreal on April 23, 1996. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Events 215 BC - A temple is built on the Capitoline Hill dedicated to Venus Erycina to commemorate the Roman defeat at Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) Dragone's concept for this show is the imagination of a young and jaded girl named Zoe. Drawing heavily from surrealistic artwork, the performers in the show are the manifestations of her own daydreams. Surrealism is a cultural movement that began in the early-1920s and is best known for the visual artworks and writings of the group members ^[24]

Show designers Michel Crête and Franco Dragone wanted to find a new way of incorporating the acrobatic equipment onstage. One of the ways they did this in Quidam was to design an overhead rigging system that would allow the performers to enter and exit from above and across the stage. The system also allowed the ability to suspend cast members in the air using harnesses safely for extended periods of time. ^[4]

The show premiered in Montreal as Cirque du Soleil's new head office and training center was being inaugurated. Initial reviews were critical of Quidam, some suggesting that it "did not feel like Cirque du Soleil". Still, the production scheduled a three year tour of North America. By the time the one-thousand performance tour was finished, Denver, Houston and Dallas were added to the schedule and more than 2. The City and County of Denver (pronounced /ˈdɛnvɚ/ is the Capital and the most populous city of Colorado, in the United States 5 million people watched Quidam. After touring Mexico for 5 months (November 2007 - March 2008), Quidam went back to Europe, to start its second European tour in Lisbon, Portugal. The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. Lisbon (Lisboa liʒˈboɐ is the Capital and largest city of Portugal. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. With scheaduled dates in Spain, Belgium and the U.K.

Dralion

Main article: Dralion

The years of work had taken their toll on Cirque du Soleil's creative team. Spain () or the Kingdom of Spain (Reino de España is a country located mostly in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Dralion (pronounced Drah-lee-on is a touring production of Cirque du Soleil. After La Nouba, Franco Dragone and Michel Crête parted ways from the company. To fill the void they left for the creation of the next show, Guy Laliberté turned to his former artistic director, Guy Caron. Since his departure in 1988, Caron and Laliberté had remained friends and Caron was persuaded to leave the National Circus School to return to work with Cirque du Soleil on a new oriental-themed show. ^[4]

Rather than attempt to mimic Dragone's style, Caron decided to revisit the themes of Le Cirque réinventé. "I like a show that's full of energy, without gaps, that's full of strong acts, funny, with a big punch at the end" Caron explained. One of his obstacles was working with a team of performers that were almost entirely new to Cirque du Soleil, including a new set designer named Stéphane Roy who had worked with Laliberté and Gauthier back in Baie-Saint-Paul at the Balcon Vert youth hostel. Despite the new team, many people within the company were unenthusiastic about Dralion, alarmed at how much the atmosphere and style differed from Dragone's productions. ^[4]

Despite any misgivings, Dralion went on to be Cirque du Soleil's top-grossing touring show. The television filming of the show received a Primetime Emmy Award. The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American Primetime Television ^[9]

Varekai

Main article: Varekai

In 2002, Cirque du Soleil premiered Varekai, its first touring show in three years. Laliberté brought in fresh talent to direct this new show, a theater director named Dominic Champagne. Much like Caron directing Dralion three years earlier, Champagne found himself working with a fresh group of performers that had never worked for him before. Unlike Dragone's and Caron's intuitive approach to writing productions, Champagne scripted Varekai from start to finish. ^[4][25]

Varekai, which is a word from the Romany language which means "wherever", was conceptualized on the basis of mythology like many of the previous productions. Varekai is a Cirque du Soleil touring production that premiered in Montreal in 2002. The story is about the Greek myth of Icarus. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance Icarus ( Greek:, Latin: Íkaros, Etruscan: Vicare) is a character in Greek mythology. The story picks up where the myth leaves off, it tells the story of what happened to Icarus after he fell from the sky. He lands in the middle of a jungle at the base of a volcano where he must learn to fly again. ^[26]

Corteo

Main article: Corteo

Cortéo is a Cirque du Soleil touring production that premiered in North America in 2005. Corteo (pronounced) is a Cirque du Soleil touring production that premiered in North America in 2005. Cortéo, which means "a celebratory procession" in Italian, the show is about a clown who watches his own funeral taking place in a carnival-like atmosphere. A funeral is a Ceremony marking a person's Death. Funerary customs comprise the complex of Beliefs and practices used by a Culture to remember Carnival is a festival season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February and March Inspired by "The Grand Parade: Portrait of the Artist as Clown" on display at the National Gallery of Canada, in many ways Cortéo is a throwback to the older and more lighthearted Cirque productions like Saltimbanco. The National Gallery of Canada ( Musée des beaux arts du Canada) located in the capital city Ottawa Ontario, is one of Canada 's premier Art ^[4][27]

Directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, the founder of the Swiss clown troupe Teatro Sunil, Cortéo takes place on a pair of large divided and moving stages, each comprised of a large turntable which is 104 feet (32 m) in diameter. Each of these two stages is covered by a large curtain with a painting on it called the "Cortéo Procession". ^[27]

KOOZÅ

Like Cortéo, KOOZÅ is another show that goes back to Cirque du Soleil's older styles. Premiering in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on April 19, 2007, the show is heavily inspired by Middle Eastern culture and makes use of a large traveling tower on the stage called a "bataclan. Events 1012 - Martyrdom of Alphege in Greenwich London. 1529 - At the Second Diet of Speyer Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. " The bataclan moves over the course of the show and reconfigures the performing space. ^[28]

This show was directed by David Shiner, who had previously worked as a clown in Cirque's production of Nouvelle Expérience. David Shiner (born September 13 1953) is an American Clown and actor He was another example of Cirque's trend of using new directors for each new performance. His past experience being a clown and working with the Swiss National Circus ("Circus Knie") are an influence on the lighthearted and whimsical nature of the KOOZÅ production. ^[29]

Resident shows

Mystère

Main article: Mystère (Cirque du Soleil)

On December 25, 1993, as Cirque was approaching its 10th anniversary, they unveiled a new show at the then-new Treasure Island Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Events 274 - Roman Emperor Aurelian Year 1993 ( MCMXCIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar) Treasure Island (also known as " ti " is a hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA with The Las Vegas Strip (also known as The Strip) is an approximately 4 mile (6 Mystère was a departure from their standard format much in the way that Fascination was. A deal was made between Cirque du Soleil and Steve Wynn, Treasure Island's developer, to grant permanent residency to Cirque's new show. Stephen Alan Wynn (born January 27, 1942 in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American Casino Resort developer It posed certain difficulties for the company, such as the need to set up a permanent infrastructure to meet the needs of its employees working in the Las Vegas area. ^[4]

Dragone's concept for Mystère was an exploration of the origins of life in our universe. The themes for the show are a conglomerate of multiple mythologies from multiple cultures. The music was quite different from Cirque's previously traditional style as well, relying on more "ethnic" music of Spanish, African and east European inspiration. ^[4]

The show represented Cirque's first attempt at moving from the big top into a theater setting. It was also the first time that Laliberté and Gauthier were forced to contend with a major business partner, Treasure Island. ^[4] The partnership led to difficulties and Steve Wynn was not initially optimistic about the show's chances for success, saying "You guys have made a German opera here. " Franco Dragone took Wynn's sarcasm as a compliment. Wynn remained unhappy with the dark and moody feel of Mystère and had even threatened to delay the opening of the show unless changes were made. Nevertheless, Mystère was successful and has remained at the hotel ever since. ^[30][31]

"O"

Main article: O (Cirque du Soleil)

At the Bellagio Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip, Cirque created its tenth production and second resident show. O (pronounced the same way as eau (French for Water) is a Cirque du Soleil show Bellagio is an AAA Five-Diamond Mobil Four-Starred rated luxury Hotel and Casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in the Paradise area Once again working with hotel entrepreneur Steve Wynn, Cirque du Soleil and Wynn financed a 100 million dollar theater within the hotel. As the company was getting more comfortable with theater productions, they wanted to create a show performed in the water, a concept not tried in a theater before. ^[4] "O", whose name comes from the phonetic spelling of the French word for water, took more than 400,000 man-hours of production and pre-production work to assemble. A phonemic orthography is a Writing system where the written Graphemes correspond to Phonemes the spoken sounds of the language French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people ^[32]

Many past practices were unable to be used in the production of "O". The costumes used by the performers were nearly 10,000 dollars each and needed to be made of material to resist the effects of the chlorine and bromide in the water. Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and A bromide Ion is a Bromine atom with charge of −1 Compounds with bromine in formal Oxidation state −1 are called bromides The makeup that had been used in past shows was also unsuitable for the performers being submerged in the tanks, a new waterproof formulation needed to be made before the show could be started. ^[4]

The 1,800 seat theater itself was centered around a 1. 5 million gallon tank of water for the performers to work in and around. It was built using a water pumping system that is as noiseless as possible to prevent any mechanical noise from detracting from the quality of the show itself. Twelve underwater speakers allow the performers in the water to hear and react to audio cues even when they are submerged. ^[33]

To support the needs of the performers who would be getting in and out of the water, A directed HVAC system was created for this theater to control the heat and humidity generated by the approximately 84 degree water. HVAC (pronounced either "H-V-A-C" or occasionally " H-vak " is an Initialism or Acronym that stands for " Heating Blowers were built into the stage to keep warm air circulating on the stage while a silent air movement system carried air at 55 degrees Fahrenheit underneath every seat in the theater. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 The combined systems keep both the performers and the audience at a comfortable temperature. ^[33]

La Nouba

Main article: La Nouba

Later that same year in Orlando, Florida, Cirque's third resident show was inaugurated at the Downtown Disney section of the Walt Disney World Resort. La Nouba is a Cirque du Soleil show which like most Cirque du Soleil shows is a circus-like performance featuring acrobats gymnasts Orlando is a major City in central Florida, USA and is the County seat of Orange County Florida. Walt Disney World Resort is the most visited and largest recreational resort in the world containing four Theme parks two Water parks twenty-three themed hotels In a partnership with Disney's former CEO Michael Eisner, Cirque created its first permanent freestanding theater to hold 1,671 attendees. A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator Michael Eisner (born March 7, 1942) was CEO of The Walt Disney Company from September 22, 1984 to September 30 160 feet (49 m) high and designed to resemble a white tower with metal turrets on the outside, the 70,000-square-foot (6,500 m²) interior is made to project the appearance and atmosphere of a travelling show's "Grand Chapiteau". ^[34][4]

Conceptually, Dragone and Laliberté decided to portray La Nouba as a fairy tale. A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional Story that may feature folkloric characters (such as fairies, enchantments]] often involving Assistant designer Michel Crête noted "We were at Disney, so we were influenced by a world of fables. " The set design is built to give the perception of an old attic where the performers tell the audience a story. ^[4] "La Nouba", which originates from the French phrase "faire la Nouba" which means "to party", contrasts stories through two groups of people, one colourful and the other monochromatic. ^[35]

The creative design team of Cirque du Soleil admits that La Nouba was rushed together. They had been working non-stop for years on the previous shows for the past several years and La Nouba was created under near-exhaustion. They countered this by attempting to instill more youth into the show, in both the themes and the age of the performers. ^[4]

Zumanity

Main article: Zumanity

In September of 2003, Cirque du Soleil unveiled Zumanity. This new production was a resident cabaret-style show at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Cabaret is a form of entertainment featuring Comedy, Song, Dance, and Theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue &mdash a Restaurant The Las Vegas Strip (also known as The Strip) is an approximately 4 mile (6 It is the first "adult-themed" Cirque du Soleil show, billed as "The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil" or "Another side of Cirque du Soleil". Created by Dominic Champagne, Zumanity is a departure from the standard Cirque format. Intended to be for mature adult audiences only, this show is centered around erotic song, dance and acrobatics. ^[4]

The inspiration to create Zumanity came from multiple sources. Laliberté had been offered the chance to create two new shows in Las Vegas, and wanted something completely new and original rather than multiple similar shows that would cannibalize off of each other's sales and audiences. Another reason was that the New York-New York Hotel and Casino wanted to make their entertainment appear more "trendy". The hotel liked the concept of a more adult Cirque du Soleil performance. ^[4]

Laliberté admits that the biggest reason to produce this show was the chance to create something with riskier subject matter. He was interested in the idea of creating a show that explored human sexuality, something that was at complete odds from the other more family-oriented Cirque shows. Generally speaking human sexuality is how people experience and express themselves as sexual beings "Our previous shows have all been family-oriented and 'politically correct. ' Laliberté said, "which is great. But we're human beings, we won't hide it. We're a bunch of happy campers. We like to live new experiences. Zumanity deals with some of those experiences. "^[4]

KÀ

Main article: KÀ (Cirque du Soleil)

After Steve Wynn sold his Mirage Resorts to MGM in 2000, Laliberté received a call from Terry Lanni, CEO of the MGM Mirage. Stephen Alan Wynn (born January 27, 1942 in New Haven, Connecticut) is an American Casino Resort developer Mirage Resorts was an American corporation that owned and operated hotel-casinos Lanni had been eager to capitalize on the previous successes of Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas and offered to fund the production of two more shows. The first was Zumanity. ^[36]

Directed by Canadian theatre veteran Robert Lepage, KÀ's drew heavily on martial arts for its inspiration. Robert Lepage, OQ (born December 12, 1957 in Quebec City) is a playwright actor and film The story centers around the adventures of a pair of imperial twins. Unlike most Cirque productions, the story of KÀ was more concrete and linear, more narrative and less abstract. ^[36] First premiering in November of 2004 at the MGM Grand, KÀ became Cirque's fourth resident show in Las Vegas, Nevada. The MGM Grand Las Vegas is a hotel casino located on the Las Vegas Strip, which opened as a Hollywood themed resort It was also the largest and most expensive production the company had created to date. By the time it had been completed, KÀ had cost more than 220 million dollars, of which more than 30 million was in costumes and 135 million was the theater itself, the bill for which was paid entirely by the MGM Grand. ^[37][38]

LOVE

Main article: LOVE (Cirque du Soleil)

The show is based at The Mirage, Las Vegas and consists of panoramic sound and visuals along with a cast of 60 international artists. Love is a 2006 theatrical production by Cirque du Soleil which combines the re-produced and re-imagined music of The Beatles with an interpretive circus-based For the band see The Mirage (band The Mirage is a 3044 room Hotel and Casino resort located on the Las Vegas Strip Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally Born from a personal friendship and mutual admiration between the late George Harrison and Cirque founder Guy Laliberté, LOVE brings Cirque du Soleil together with the musical legacy of The Beatles through their original recordings. George Harrison, MBE (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001 was an English rock Guitarist Singer - Songwriter, Author The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 Using the master tapes at Abbey Road studios, Sir George Martin and his son, Giles Martin have created a soundscape of The Beatles music for LOVE. Sir George Henry Martin CBE (3 January 1926 is a British record producer arranger and Composer. Giles Martin (born 9 October 1969) is an English Record producer, Songwriter, and Multi-instrumentalist. A soundscape is a Sound or combination of sounds that forms or arises from an immersive environment.

Arena Touring shows

Saltimbanco (Arena Version)

An arena version of the retired big-top show which travelled the world from April 1992-December 2006. It is currently touring in different arenas across North America, travelling to regions who have never had a Cirque du Soleil show visit such as Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Idaho.

Seasonal resident show

WINTUK

Main article: WINTUK (Cirque du Soleil)

Performed at the WaMu Theater in New York City's Madison Square Gardens and will run for ten weeks each winter from 2007-2011. Wintuk (pronounced win-took; amalgamating the English word " Winter " with Inupiaq Phonetics) is a semi-permanent and seasonal residency The City of New York Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG, and known colloquially as The Garden, has been the name of four Arenas in New York City. Wintuk is a family-based and specifically-themed semi-permanent residency show about a young boy living in a large, snowless city waiting for the first snowfall that never comes. With the help of four other companions in search of their place in the world, they will journey to an imaginary Nordic country of Wintuk, where they experience the rich culture of the Northern peoples and bring back snow to the city in a snowstorm. ^[39]

Previews for the 2007 season was presented from November 1–November 4, 2007 and the official inaugural season ran from November 6, 2007–January 6, 2008. Events 996 - Emperor Otto III issues a deed to Gottschalk Bishop of Freising which is the oldest known document using the name Ostarrîchi Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1066 - Harold Godwinson is crowned King of England. 1205 - Philip of Swabia becomes King 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[40]

Future productions

• June–September 2008: Cirque du Soleil will have a daily parade spectacle called The Awakening of the Serpent to be performed for the duration of Expo 2008 in Zaragoza, Spain. Expo 2008 was an International exposition held from 14 June to 14 September 2008 coordinated by the Bureau of International Expositions Zaragoza, also called Saragossa in English, is the capital city of the Zaragoza province and of the autonomous community and former

• ZAIA: Held at the Venetian Macau Hotel-Casino Resort on the Cotai Strip in Macao, China, this show as written and directed by Québécois theater/film director Gilles Maheu; ZAIA – derived from the Greek word, "life" – follows the journey of a young girl travelling in space on a strange but familiar trip of self-discovery. The Venetian Macao is a Renaissance Venice -themed luxury hotel and casino resort in Macau, China owned by the Las Vegas Sands corporation The Cotai Strip is the name of the casino and tourism project at the Cotai District Macau, inspired by the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas Nevada For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National A Québécois or Quebecois (pronounced) or in the feminine Québécoise (pronounced) (plural Québécoises) is a native or resident of the As she travels, she encounters the beauty of humanity through an assortment of fantastical characters and events and then brings it back to share with the rest of Earth. ^[41] Preview performances are to begin on July 26, 2008 and the Gala Premiere on August 28, 2008. Events 657 - Battle of Siffin. 811 - Battle of Pliska; Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 475 - The Roman General Orestes forces western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos to flee his Capital 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[42]

• ZED: Cirque will premiere a new resident show at the Tokyo Disney Resort. is a Theme park and vacation resort located in Urayasu, Chiba, Japan, just east of Tokyo (Coordinates) Film director François Girard creates a show surrounded by the titular character, drawn on the Tarot and its arcana that holds up a mirror to ourselves and the human condition through a variety of other characters as he unites the divisions between the people of the sky and Earth. François Girard (born January 12, 1963) is a Canadian director and Screenwriter particularly noted for his innovative film The tarot (also known as tarocchi, tarock or similar names is typically a set of seventy-eight cards comprised of twenty-one trump cards, one ^[43] Preview performances are to begin August 15, 2008 while the official Grand Opening is October 1, 2008. Events 778 - The Battle of Roncevaux Pass, at which Roland is killed 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

• Criss Angel BELIEVE. A new permanent show at The Luxor Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, featuring Criss Angel. Cirque du Soleil is working with Criss to fuse his signature illusions and artistry with acrobatics, dance, puppetry, music and poetry to tell a story. ^[44] Preview performances begin September 1, 2008 with the official Grand Opening on September 12, 2008. Events 462 - Possible start of first Byzantine indiction cycle. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common

• October 19, 2008: Cirque will perform a special one-night, one-time event as a closing ceremony performance for the La Francophonie Summit and part of the celebrations marking Quebec City's 400th anniversary at the Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Canada. Events 202 BCE - The Battle of Zama results in the defeat of Carthage and Hannibal. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common La Francophonie is an international organisation of French-speaking countries and governments and in French, the community of French-speaking peoples Colisée Pepsi ( English: Pepsi Coliseum; formerly the Colisée de Québec -- Quebec (City Coliseum) is a multi-purpose indoor arena Quebec City ( French: Ville de Québec, or simply Québec) (kwɨˈbɛk or /keˈbɛk/ is the Capital of the Canadian province Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page ^[45]

• 2008: A new television series has been announced by Initial (a sub company of Endemol, the makers of Big Brother) in a 3-year contract. Endemol is a television production company based in the Netherlands, with Subsidiaries and Joint ventures in 23 countries including the United Big Brother is a Reality television show where in each series a group of people live together in the Big Brother House isolated from the outside world but continuously The hour-long programs may be filmed in the O2 Centre in London. The Millennium Dome, often referred to simply as The Dome, is the original name of a large Dome -shaped building originally used to house ^[46]

• April 2009: Cirque du Soleil has announced there will be a new touring show (working title: Cirque 2009) to be directed by renowned Brazilian choreographer/dancer Deborah Colker. Deborah Colker (born 1961 (? in Rio de Janeiro) is a worldwide famous Brazilian Dancer and Choreographer.

• 2009 A second residency show in Macau will be launched at a yet-to-be constructed hotel-casino that according to sources is a reinvention of the variety show, created and directed by René Simard. ^[47]

• November 2009: The Elvis Presley Projects. CKX, Inc., the company that owns the rights to Elvis Presley's name, likeness, and music publishing has signed an agreement to have Cirque create Elvis-themed permanent shows and multimedia presentations. CKX Inc ( is a company founded on February 7 2005 that owns and develops entertainment content and Intellectual property. This production is slated for Las Vegas' Project CityCenter currently under construction. CityCenter is a mixed-use complex on 76 acres (308 hectares currently under construction by MGM Mirage on the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas Nevada. ^[48] The Elvis Presley Projects will include additional touring and permanent shows, along with "Elvis Experiences" (interactive multimedia exhibits). One touring Elvis show is planned for Europe/Asia in 2008, with one "Elvis Experience" outside the United States. One new Elvis Presley Project will open each year from 2009-2015. ^[49]

• 2010:
  • A new Cirque show will debut at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, California with a movie-themed show for the millions of tourist who flock to Hollywood Boulevard each year. The Kodak Theatre is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland retail dining and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood Los Angeles California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest The show will run for ten years and will take a six-week break during the city's Academy Award season. "The Oscar" redirects here for the film see The Oscar (film. ^[50]
  • Cirque has signed a major partnership with key Persian Gulf real estate developer company Nakheel to create a residency show at the Atlantis, The Palm Resort currently under construction on The Palm, Jumeirah in Dubai with an initial 15-year deal for a new and original show scheduled to perform in late 2010 and directed by Guy Caron (Dralion) and Michael Curry^[51]
  • Cirque will co-create the Canada Pavilion in association with the Government of Canada at Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China. Nakheel (نخيل palms or palm trees) is a Real estate developer in Dubai and creator of several Land reclamation projects including the Atlantis the Palm is a resort on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The Palm Jumeirah is an Artificial island created using Land reclamation by Nakheel, a company owned by the Dubai government Dubai (in دبيّ,) is one of the seven emirates and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE The Canadian Government, formally Her Majesty's Government in Canada, is the Federal government of Canada. Expo 2010 will be held in Shanghai, China and is a scheduled World Expo in the grand tradition of international Fairs and expositions Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million China ( Wade-Giles ( Mandarin) Chung¹kuo² is a cultural region, an ancient Civilization, and depending on perspective a National ^[52]

Other projects

Current Projects

• A Taste of Cirque du Soleil, a special 30-minute performance on the Constellation and Summit Celebrity Cruises cruise ships. Celebrity Cruises is a Cruise line founded in 1989 by the Greek Chandris Group. Included on these ships is The Bar of the Edge of the Earth, a dream-like bar/lounge/disco. ^[53]
• Cirque du Monde, a social action project designed to reach marginalized youth. ^[54]
• Revolution, a lounge concept designed for The Mirage resort in Las Vegas in which the Cirque cast members perform to the music of The Beatles. The Beatles were a pop and rock band from Liverpool, England formed in 1960 ^[55]
• Cirque du Soleil Collection, a ready-to-wear women's clothing line. ^[56]

Past Projects

• 74th Academy Awards (March 24, 2002), Cirque du Soleil created a five minute performance for the category of special effects at the 74th Academy Awards. Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The 74th Academy Awards, honoring the best in film for 2001, were held on March 24 2002, for the first time at the Kodak Theatre in They spent four months creating the show featuring 11 acts from a variety of Cirque shows. Each of the acts were choreographed and themed to their equivalent movie by re-creating the special effect scene featured in the film on stage while playing clips on a large screen behind the performances. ^[57]
• Soleil de Minuit/Midnight Sun (July 11, 2004), a special one-night event in Montreal celebrating the 20th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil and the 25th anniversary of the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (FIJM (Eng Montreal International Jazz Festival also called the Jazz Fest, is the largest Jazz festival in the ^[58]
• Reflections in Blue (July 16, 2005), a unique one-night water show in Montreal on as part of the opening ceremonies for the 2005 World Aquatics Championships. Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 2005 World Aquatics Championships or the XI FINA Championships were held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from July 16 to July 31 ^[59]
• Pre-Game Show (February 4, 2007), at Super Bowl XLI. Events 211 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus dies leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. professional American football, the Super Bowl is the Championship game of the National Football League (NFL Super Bowl XLI was an American football game played on February 4 2007 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, a suburb of Produced by David Saltz. ^[60]

Filmography

Cirque du Soleil Images creates original and innovative products for television, video and DVD and distributes its productions worldwide. In each of its projects, Cirque du Soleil Images aims to reflect the image and spirit of Cirque du Soleil's shows.

Its creations have been awarded numerous prizes and distinctions, including two Gemini Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award for Cirque du Soleil Fire Within (in 2003) and three Primetime Emmy Awards for Cirque du Soleil Presents Dralion (in 2001). The Gemini Awards are annual television broadcasting industry Awards in Canada. The Primetime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American Primetime Television

Year	Title	Notes
1991	Quel Cirque	A look into the creation of Nouvelle Experiénce. Out of print.
1992	Saltimbanco's Diary	A behind-the-scenes featurette on the making of Saltimbanco. Out of print.
1994	A Baroque Odyssey	A 10-year anniversary retrospective.
1994	The Truth of Illusion	Documentary about the production Alegria. Out of print.
1996	Full Circle: The Making of Quidam	A behind-the-scenes look at the making of Quidam
1998	Alegría	Film adaptation directed by Franco Dragone. Alegría ("joy" or "jubilation" in Spanish) is a Cirque du Soleil touring production created by Gilles Ste-Croix and originally directed Franco Dragone is a Belgian film and Theatre director. He is known for his work with Cirque du Soleil. This film was based loosely on the touring show.
2000	Journey of Man	A compilation of acts from various Cirque shows including Mystère and Quidam. This movie was shot in wide format and released at IMAX theaters. IMAX (short for Image MAXimum is a Film format created by Canada 's IMAX Corporation that has the capacity to display images of far greater size and
2000	Inside La Nouba: From Conception to Perception	Highlights of the show and interviews with creators.
2003	Fire Within	A 13-episode inside look into the creation and production of Varekai shown on Bravo. Bravo is a Cable television network owned by NBC Universal. It is currently seen in more than 80 million homes and was the first service dedicated to film drama
2003	Whatever 'Stie	A Parody of Varekai show acted by the technical crew only for the actual artists (actors) DVD. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is
2004	Midnight Sun	Festival International de Jazz de Montrèal on July 11, 2004, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Festival International de Jazz de Montrèal and Cirque du Soleil's 20th birthday. Events 911 - Signing of the Treaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte between Charles the Simple and Rollo of Normandy. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "
2004	Solstrom	A 13-episode series using various acts from Cirque du Soleil and other productions shown on Bravo. Solstrom is a Cirque du Soleil television show production in thirteen 45-minute episodes from 2003 Bravo is a Cable television network owned by NBC Universal. It is currently seen in more than 80 million homes and was the first service dedicated to film drama Each episode has a different theme.
2005	KÀ Extreme	A documentary which explores the production of KÀ by following the show’s evolution from early rehearsals through to the first public performance.
2006	Lovesick	Filmed over two years and set in Las Vegas during the creation of the cabaret-style production, Zumanity.
2007	FLOW	A homage to the artists of "O" that provides an in-depth documentary of the Las Vegas aquatic extravaganza.
2007	The Mystery of Mystère	A documentary on Mystère, the critically acclaimed theatrical production playing at the permanent location at the Treasure Island Resort.
2007	A Thrilling Ride through KOOZA	A short documentary filmed during the creation period of Kooza.
2007	KÀ	Filmed exclusively for German national TV channel, ZDF.
2008	All Together Now	A documentary about the making of Love. ‘All Together Now’ is a feature-Length documentary that chronicles the making of The Beatles’ “ LOVE ” by Cirque du Soleil Love is a 2006 theatrical production by Cirque du Soleil which combines the re-produced and re-imagined music of The Beatles with an interpretive circus-based [61]

Legal issues

In November of 2003, a U. S. federal discrimination complaint was filed against Cirque du Soleil by Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund on behalf of gymnast Matthew Cusick. Lambda Legal (Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund is a United States Civil rights organization that focuses on gay men, Lesbians bisexuals ^[62] The allegation was that in April of the previous year, they fired Cusick because he tested HIV positive. Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Cusick had not yet performed, but had completed his training and was scheduled to begin working at "Mystere" just a few days after he was terminated. Even though company doctors had already cleared him as healthy enough to perform, Cirque alleged that due to the nature of Cusick's disease coupled with his job's high risk of injury, there was a significant risk of him infecting other performers, crew or audience members. ^[63]

The complaint was filed at the Los Angeles office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC is a federal agency charged with ending employment discrimination Cusick stated that his HIV status in no way interfered with his ability to perform and he had been cleared by Cirque's own doctors twice before his termination. Cirque du Soleil in turn said that they had several HIV-positive employees, but in the case of Cusick, the risk of him spreading his infection while performing was too high to take the risk. ^[64]

After learning about the complaint, an additional complaint was filed on Cusick's behalf by the San Francisco Human Rights Commission. The City and County of San Francisco is the fourth most populous city A Human Rights Commission is a body set up to investigate and protect Human rights. Their complaint stemmed from the issue that the City of San Francisco bans contracts (or in this case land leases) to discriminatory employers. ^[65]

Although Cirque du Soleil's position remains that this is a safety issue, not a discrimination issue, they settled with Cusick on 22 April 2004. Events 1500 - Portuguese Navigator Pedro Álvares Cabral becomes the first European to sight Brazil. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The terms of the settlement include that the company would initiate a companywide antidiscrimination training program and alter its employment practices pertaining to HIV-positive applicants. In addition, Matthew Cusick received $60,000 in lost wages, $200,000 in front pay, $300,000 in compensatory damages and Lambda Legal received $40,000 in attorney fees. In Law, damages refers to the money paid or awarded to a Claimant (England Pursuer (Scotland or Plaintiff (US following a successful ^[64][62]

References

External links

• Official site
• Official Global Site
• The Cirque Club
• Cirque du Soleil Casting - Apply online!
• One Drop Foundation
• Cirque du Soleil Official Boutique
• Video Sample Clip from Alegría

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