diary
From February 29, 2020
As of April 12, 2020
It’s one of the shows that has made Cirque du Soleil world famous. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first performance, the multinational acrobatics offers a modern and contemporary reinterpretation of "Alegría". This 2019 version, which debuted last April in Montreal, is presented from February 29 to April 12 in the Sam Houston Race Park in Houston.
Focusing on a class struggle after the disappearance of a king who left his people in uncertainty, the narrative of "Alegría", which plays on dualities and seeks to illustrate the passage from dark to light , is still present. The new staging is signed Jean-Guy Legault, who renewed without distorting the original staging of Franco Dragone.
For this new version of "Alegría", around fifty artists, under the direction of Daniel Ross, who was the stage manager of the old version, share the stage. Even though most of them were not part of the original show, some of them returned to the troop that made them grow. 25 years later, the Hawaiian artist Lisiate Tuione Tovo obviously still enjoys playing with fire while juggling his flaming sticks. Elena Lev, meanwhile, another artist from the original show, brilliantly devotes herself to a number mixing contortion and hula hoop.
" In a way, it is our mentors who guide us so that we go above and beyond to sublimate the original work. ", Underlines the Quebec artist Vincent Lavoie who joined the troupe for four years. " I was just ten years old when I watched the DVD of "Alegría" and I literally fell in love with this show, he remembers. It always gives me as much chills to tell myself that I was able to realize my childhood dream by being part of this iconic show today ".
By chaining hand-to-hand numbers, Russian bars, synchronized trapezoids or aerial straps, the renewed version of "Alegría" builds on most of the acrobatic feats that had made it successful. Other numbers, such as the cross wheel, have also appeared. " It’s a real pride to have been able to integrate the acrobatic apparatus that I created in this show "Welcomes Quebec artist Jonathan Morin, inventor of the cross wheel in 2005." I always tried to stand out and persistence ended up paying off. It’s a real life lesson ".
The beauty of the costumes, which have been completely redesigned, also adds another dimension to this new version of "Alegría". The soundtrack, which includes new arrangements signed Jean-Phi Goncalves from the original compositions of René Dupéré, also has a lot to do with it. Mixing electronic and rock soaring with acoustic and orchestral elements, the soundtrack of the show, which at the time had a worldwide success with in particular a nomination for the Grammy Awards, still provides as many emotions.
Finally, after two hours of performance, when the artists set off to greet their audience, the latter want more. Thus regenerated, "Alegría" has not lost its splendor and allows Cirque du Soleil to once again prove that it can easily transport its spectators into a magical and poetic world where everyone can marvel.
diary
From February 29, 2020
As of April 12, 2020
