httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn608_lamG0
A ZAIA fan has recorded their own rendition of the song NOI from the show, complete with photos from the Zaia theater performances and pics of the band. (Hey, I’m in those pics!). Chicago Rose who performs this song in the show with the cast says “I love it”. And I think it’s pretty darn cool too.
The Associated Press
Date: Tuesday Apr. 20, 2010 1:33 PM ET
LOS ANGELES — First the Beatles and Elvis, now Michael Jackson.
The acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil announced Tuesday that it will put on a live touring show featuring the songs of the King of Pop starting late next year.
That will be followed by a permanent production in Las Vegas in 2012 at a property owned by casino operator MGM Mirage.
The casino company did not say which venue will host the show.
Cirque and Jackson’s estate will each own 50 percent of the project and share equally in the cost of putting it on. The estate will also receive royalties from the use of Jackson’s music and other property.
And CNN.com:
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/04/20/michael.jackson.cirque/index.html?eref=edition
Los Angeles, California (CNN) — Cirque du Soleil and Michael Jackson’s estate have struck a deal to bring the late pop star’s music to the big tent starting next year.
The show will go on tour near the end of 2011, and a Las Vegas, Nevada, show will debut the following year, according to Cirque du Soleil President and CEO Daniel Lamarre.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVwRv7tnRcA
A montage of the clowns of Cirque Du Soleil. I see Dimitri Hatton here from our ZAIA Cirque show doing his Montgolfiere passage and “Mad Conductor” act. I’m sure that Onofrio Colucci is also in this video but I’m not sure which clown he is (formerly with “O” and Zaia, currently with ZED in Tokyo).
You’ll also see Brian Dewhurst from Mystere. I had the chance to see Mystere performed in Vegas several years ago and the pre-show antics of Dewhurst stand out in my memory as one of the highlights of the show. He is SO funny.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOA6q88PssE
Official Cirque Du Soleil TOTEM trailer. Opening May 2010.
TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.
TOTEM retrace le périple fascinant de lespèce humaine, de son état primitif damphibien jusquà son désir ultime de voler. Ses personnages évoluent sur une piste en forme de tortue géante, symbole dorigine de plusieurs civilisations anciennes.
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/totem
Cirque du Soleil has unveiled details about Totem, its acrobatic show inspired by the founding myths and legends of aboriginal cultures and slated to premiere in Montreal in April 2010.
Jerry Nadal (senior vice-president for resident shows of Cirque du Soleil): ‘We’re here for the long hall’ as reported April 7, 2010 in the Macau Daily Times. Full article posted here with link to original MDT article at end of post.
Castles Made of Sand
Music, Lyrics and Vocals by Karin Maria Andersson
Guitar and video by Olivier Milchberg
Macau (SAR) China, January 2010
This video has clips from the Cirque Du Soleil artists of ZAIA starting in Montreal, Canada from January 2008 during training (and lots of snow!) to late 2009 backstage, and during rehearsals for the show at the Venetian in Macau (SAR) China.
For us in the show the video is extremely emotional. Some of the people in this video are no longer with us in Macau. The time of ZAIA is one that all of us will remember and many of us will cherish. The experiences we had in China for many of us were not what we expected – they were experiences and adventures we could have never imagined; many good and some painful for each of us.
I normally don’t get seen in videos or promo photos – so thank you to Olivier for getting me in there several times. Fun to see the musicians and how all of our looks changed from the beginning in Montreal to the journey in China. As our composer told us: “You all look more shiny.” I would agree. Cirque and China have allowed us to shine.
I think this video will give a sense of closure to many of us for a slice of time we spent together – a “castle made of sand”.
I am personally moved by the video in a way beyond words. Thank you to Maria and Olivier for this truly precious gift of song….
*Update: A new audio version of this song:
https://www.last.fm/music/Feather+And+Down/_/Castles+Made+of+Sand
And a note from Olivier on this video:
A sad day today for our Cirque family. This is the first time a Cirque artist has died while rehearsing/performing their discipline. Here in Macau at the ZAIA show it’s very quiet today. Artists are thinking of the family and their pain, as I’m sure artists in other Cirque shows worldwide are also doing today.
The Canadian Press
Date: Saturday Oct. 17, 2009 8:18 PM ET
MONTREAL — A Cirque du Soleil performer, who fell off a trampoline during a training session Friday, has died of his injuries. The company said Oleksandr Zhurov (Sacha) died in a Montreal hospital Saturday.
Performers take part in the closing act during a Cirque du Soleil OVO pre-opening show for family, friends and members of the media Wednesday, July 29, 2009 in Quebec City. A Cirque du soleil performer was injured after a fall on Friday.
(Jacques Boissinot / THE CANADIAN PRESS) The Canadian Press Date: Friday Oct. 16, 2009 2:34 PM ET MONTREAL — A Cirque du soleil performer was rushed to hospital with head injuries Friday morning after falling off a trampoline. The 24-year-old performer was doing exercises for the world-famous circus when the incident happened.
Emergency-services workers say the man was unconscious when they arrived on the scene, and they rushed him to hospital. The performer’s condition in hospital is not yet known. The incident happened at a Montreal facility where the international troupe rehearses for shows. Cirque du soleil spokesmen were not immediately available for comment.
This is an interview by Keith Johnson (Seattle, Wa – USA) of “Cirque Fascination” with the music composer of Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA show, Violaine Corradi. I hope Keith will not mind me posting the full article here on my blog for three reasons:
As assistant bandleader for Zaia and in writing the string arrangements for the Hong Kong Symphony on the Zaia album – I’ve had the pleasure of working very closely with composer Corradi. Because of Violaine and Cirque’s influence, terms that are now part of my regular music vocabulary include “organic”, “cosmic”, “evoke”, “provoke”.
Thank you Keith for the wonderfully detailed article. Even being in the middle of all of it, I learned quite a bit from the article! And now for the Cirque music buffs – read and enjoy….
Lady Gaga performed in Macau at the Sands Venetian Casino (where I work with Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA show) as the final concert of her tour. There is an interview released by CNN here:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Music/08/25/lady.gaga/index.html?iref=intlOnlyonCNN
Lady Gaga attended our Cirque ZAIA show the night before her performance.