I just got back from Cirque Du Soleil. Some friends took Anne and I to see the current show, which is called “Varekai.”
I guess there was some reality show about the making of this . . . installment? performance? spectacular?
Yeah. Let’s go with Spectacular. Because that’s what it is.
My god. These people are simply amazing. There was so much grace and beauty in this show, it was overwhelming. When the show was over tonight, and we walked back to the train to come home, I regretted all the times I could have seen the other Cirque shows when they were in Los Angeles, but decided to play GURPS or Magic or something else instead.
The performers I saw tonight are some of the most talented on the planet. They can make anything — even a fishing net — beautiful. As a matter of fact, they make it so beautiful, the word beautiful doesn’t come close to describing how beautiful it is.
If you get a chance to see this show, or “O” in Las Vegas (the only other Cirque show I’ve seen), sieze it. I promise you, you won’t regret it.
UPDATE: So many people have written to me with their own tales of beauty, and their own Cirque experiences, I’m going to open comments on this entry, so that hopefully I won’t be the only person who gets to share in their experiences.
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On September 12, 2001, I had the privilege of seeing Cirque du Soleil perform Dralion at Suffolk Downs in East Boston.
Everyone was still in shock from the terrible events of the preceding day.
The skies, usually buzzing like the air around a beehive (due to the venue’s nearness to Logan Airport), were empty of planes, except for the occasional military jet, which occasioned awed, nervous glances upward by those gathered outside the tent.
When the show was due to start, the troupe took to the stage and slowly stepped forward until they lined its perimeter. There they remained and observed a minute of silence before bowing, in unison, to the audience.
As long as I live, I’ll never forget that bow.
However bold, however dazzling, however spectacular the performance was (…and it was all that, and more), that single brief, sublime gesture will endure in my memory as the most poignant display of grace and compassion I’ve yet witnessed.
My partner and I had had our tickets for weeks, but weren’t sure whether, under the circumstances, the show would go on.
But on it went, and as it did, we who were gathered under that tent were afforded an all-too-brief reprieve from the horrors that were then unfolding.
The Cirque offered us a vision of a world in balance, of diverse cultures harmoniously coexisting, complimenting each other.
But it’s for that one impromptu, unchoreographed moment with which the show started–that one small, yet infinitely tender mercy–that I’ll always remember Cirque du Soleil.
Ok Ok just got back from the honeymoon in vegas and we went to two cirque shows. Zumanity and Mystere. Wow they are both so different and so good. Zumanity definately is a sexy and amazing show. The Mystere is just amazing by itself. We couldn’t get enough of the shows but ran out of time before we could get to “O”. Oh well next time i guess.
I’ve had the privillage of seeing every single CA performance of Cirque Du Soleil since I was old enough to go (minus the most recent, though hopefully that’ll soon change). Having grown up with it, I remember how dissapointed I was the one time I went to a “real” circus…because it of course could in no way compare to the beauty of Soleil. The show is so wonderfully artistic, it’s not just pure entertainment, but inspiring as well. I love the way they manage to work together color, lighting, movement, and music. It’s really almost like bringing to life a painting and adding a musical score. The music is another wonderful aspect. I don’t know what Varekai’s was like, but I’ve always loved all the scores of the past shows…in fact my mother has made it a point to buy them all on CD over the years. It’s the kind of thing I sit down and listen to when I need inspiration for something like drawing or writing. I’d say the music is probably just as moving as the show itself.
I envy your having seen O…I very much want to see that. Almost did last time I was in LV (for the star trek con in august actually) but we weren’t able to get tickets. Definitely need to see that sometime, I think water is one of the most fascinating and beautiful aspects of nature, so I can only imagine what they can do with a water-based show.
And now I’m going to cut this off here to avoid from rambling…but glad you got to experience the wonder that is Cirque Du Soleil, also glad ou opened this one up for comments. Your entries here are always a pleasure to read and it’s nice to have this chnce to be able to add my own input with something like this that I’ve had so much personal experience with.
-Chelsea, aka “that short blonde girl with the invader zim wallet who you may or may not still remember”
I recently went to Cirque du Soleil’s “La Nouba” show, which is in Orlando (FL) at Pleasure Island.
Absolutely stunning performance… beautiful… totally worth the ticket price ($50-80, I believe).
The “yo-yo girls” were superb. If you’re in the Orlando area, definitely check it out. 🙂
I was supposed to go see “O” in Vegas with our mutual friend Mykal on my birthday this past April. Then I was summarily disinvited from the festivities. But I’m not bitter or anything…
I’ve never had the privilege of seeing Cirque du Soleil live – I’ve only seen several of their shows on Bravo. Words don’t suffice, but they leave me a) proud to be a human, and b) wishing I were a better one.