Cirque
du Soleil weaves
its magic in London for the first time
ever this summer. The first
stop on the Saltimbanco arena
tour is London’s John Labatt Center
from July 31 to August 5.
This summer, after 14 years of touring
the world with its big top and playing
to over 9.5 million spectators, Saltimbanco is
embarking on a tour of over 40 arenas across
Canada and the United States. The new tour
model will allow Cirque du Soleil to
bring its shows to cities unable to host
a big top, giving more people than ever
a chance to enjoy a Cirque du Soleil show
in their own town.
The show
Saltimbanco—from the Italian “saltare
in banco,” which literally means “to
jump on a bench”—explores
the urban experience in all its myriad
forms: the people who live there, their
idiosyncrasies and likenesses, families
and groups, the hustle and bustle of
the street and the towering heights of
skyscrapers. Between whirlwind and lull,
prowess and poetry, Saltimbanco takes
spectators on an allegorical and acrobatic
journey into the heart of the city.
Saltimbanco is a characteristic Cirque
du Soleil show inspired by the urban
fabric of the metropolis and its colorful
inhabitants. Decidedly baroque in its
visual vocabulary, the show’s eclectic
cast of characters draws spectators into
a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary
city where diversity is a cause for hope.
The production features 47 artists, about
fifteen of whom were part of the show’s
last big top tour. The cast hails from
Canada and 14 other countries.
An intimate arena setting
Restaging the show for the arena required
a number of modifications. The stage
on which the artists perform was raised,
and the sound and lighting were
adjusted to reflect the venue’s size
and the stage’s different position
within it. Saltimbanco can now
be presented to 4,000 to 5,000 spectators
every night with the same feeling of intimacy
as under the big top.
Cirque du Soleil
From the 20 or so performers that the company
featured when it all began in 1984, Quebec-based Cirque
du Soleil has become a leading provider
of quality entertainment with over 3,500
employees, including 900 artists, from
40 different countries.
Cirque du Soleil has thrilled
nearly 60 million spectators in over 100
cities on five continents. In 2007, the
organization will be presenting 15 shows
simultaneously around the world. Cirque
du Soleil has received such prestigious
awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi,
ACE, Gémeaux, Félix and Rose
d’or de Montreux. Its International
Headquarters are in Montreal, Canada.
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