E S P L A N A D E L A N D R Y F R A N C E
Paris experiences the Cirque du Soleil’s magic of «Alegría»
When the Cirque du Soleil performed in 1990 at the Bouglione circus building, he got a slap in the face: Not so many people visited its show as expected. Probably for this reason the enterprice from Montréal came back again to the River Seine not before 16 years later – when he has already conquered irretrievably the rest of Europe. The return became a gigantic triumph: In 2005 «Saltimbanco» was celebrated for months in Paris. In 2007 «Alegría» (Spanish: joy of life) is the encore. Since the première 13 years ago is so far the most beautiful production of du Soleil was presented 4’000 times in 20 countries. Now also in Paris – finally.
The snow-white big top is located a little bit outside of Paris, in the northern suburb Saint-Denis. But the very complex arrival does obviously not keep the fastidious Parisians off their visit: The crowds flock to the square face to face the Stade de France. All of them recognize already during the entry that the show will become something special. The noblest materials are even noble enough to be used in the Grand Chapiteau. Also the tents’ architecture is full of atmosphere. Everyone knows that the Cirque du Soleil is no circus like other ones. (And the Parisians no audience like other ones.) Some minutes before the show begins the first visionary
creatures inspect their spectators. Serious grimaces of beautiful masks. They are the Old Birds, the «Vieux Oiseaux», «Alegría’s» main characters, who wander through the chair rows and take care resolutely for system among the higgledy-piggledy walking visitors. On stage ceremonial master Fleur keeps the discipline alive. He will have a lot to do within the scope of the performance: The artists teem of temperament!
At the Cirque du Soleil it is not only the artists’ perfection that makes the special of the show. It is more a symbiosis of difficult tricks and creative ideas, of costumes and masks, light and music. This basic receipt influences all performances – the excellent solo acts like the trapeze woman and the equilibrist or the impressive, big troups working on trampoline, Russian bar or the rare high bar. «Alegría» is a journey through
most different cultures: Maoris dance with the fire, Chinese deform their bodies, the Russian clowns are beautiful romantic, symbolic, loud and quite together. This production full of atmosphere is even completed by musette sounds of the brilliant live band and its singers: A Canadian programm with a Spanish name becomes a French cliché. Chapeau!
After Paris, «Alegría» will travel to Spain, the last station of its tour across Europe, and than leave to continent to Brazil. «Varekai», one of the latest du Soleil productions, is raring to go in return: In October the Europe première takes place in Antwerp.
Résumé: «Come un lampo di vita», like a light of life, is a lyric passage of the theme melody. Wie passend, denn «Alegría» ist einfach Lebensfreude pur. Das Kreativteam des Cirque du Soleil hat mit «Alegría» zweifelsohne eines der schönsten Spektakel unserer Zeit gestaltet. Einmalig schön, einmalig zeitlos, einmalig phantastisch. – Exzellent!
► Cirque du Soleil with «Alegría» in the season 2006/07 (through July 15, 2007). Esplanade Landy France (rue André Campra/close to Stade de France) • F 93210 Saint-Dénis • Internet:
www.cirquedusoleil.com • Phone: 08.92.70.78.10 (0,34 €/Min.) • RER: Stade de France (no métro station!)
► Further reviews at the review archives
Paris experiences the Cirque du Soleil’s magic of «Alegría»
When the Cirque du Soleil performed in 1990 at the Bouglione circus building, he got a slap in the face: Not so many people visited its show as expected. Probably for this reason the enterprice from Montréal came back again to the River Seine not before 16 years later – when he has already conquered irretrievably the rest of Europe. The return became a gigantic triumph: In 2005 «Saltimbanco» was celebrated for months in Paris. In 2007 «Alegría» (Spanish: joy of life) is the encore. Since the première 13 years ago is so far the most beautiful production of du Soleil was presented 4’000 times in 20 countries. Now also in Paris – finally.
The snow-white big top is located a little bit outside of Paris, in the northern suburb Saint-Denis. But the very complex arrival does obviously not keep the fastidious Parisians off their visit: The crowds flock to the square face to face the Stade de France. All of them recognize already during the entry that the show will become something special. The noblest materials are even noble enough to be used in the Grand Chapiteau. Also the tents’ architecture is full of atmosphere. Everyone knows that the Cirque du Soleil is no circus like other ones. (And the Parisians no audience like other ones.) Some minutes before the show begins the first visionary
creatures inspect their spectators. Serious grimaces of beautiful masks. They are the Old Birds, the «Vieux Oiseaux», «Alegría’s» main characters, who wander through the chair rows and take care resolutely for system among the higgledy-piggledy walking visitors. On stage ceremonial master Fleur keeps the discipline alive. He will have a lot to do within the scope of the performance: The artists teem of temperament!
At the Cirque du Soleil it is not only the artists’ perfection that makes the special of the show. It is more a symbiosis of difficult tricks and creative ideas, of costumes and masks, light and music. This basic receipt influences all performances – the excellent solo acts like the trapeze woman and the equilibrist or the impressive, big troups working on trampoline, Russian bar or the rare high bar. «Alegría» is a journey through
most different cultures: Maoris dance with the fire, Chinese deform their bodies, the Russian clowns are beautiful romantic, symbolic, loud and quite together. This production full of atmosphere is even completed by musette sounds of the brilliant live band and its singers: A Canadian programm with a Spanish name becomes a French cliché. Chapeau!
After Paris, «Alegría» will travel to Spain, the last station of its tour across Europe, and than leave to continent to Brazil. «Varekai», one of the latest du Soleil productions, is raring to go in return: In October the Europe première takes place in Antwerp.
Résumé: «Come un lampo di vita», like a light of life, is a lyric passage of the theme melody. Wie passend, denn «Alegría» ist einfach Lebensfreude pur. Das Kreativteam des Cirque du Soleil hat mit «Alegría» zweifelsohne eines der schönsten Spektakel unserer Zeit gestaltet. Einmalig schön, einmalig zeitlos, einmalig phantastisch. – Exzellent!
► Cirque du Soleil with «Alegría» in the season 2006/07 (through July 15, 2007). Esplanade Landy France (rue André Campra/close to Stade de France) • F 93210 Saint-Dénis • Internet:
www.cirquedusoleil.com • Phone: 08.92.70.78.10 (0,34 €/Min.) • RER: Stade de France (no métro station!)
► Further reviews at the review archives
5 
breathtaking | 4 very nice | 3 entertaining | 2 disappointing | 1 bad
breathtaking | 4 very nice | 3 entertaining | 2 disappointing | 1 bad
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