I had the chance to see Kelly Clarkson perform in Macau, China at the Cotai Arena inside the Venetian casino on May 8, 2010. What an absolutely fantastic performer! I guess you could say I’m one of her fans now.

Of course I have heard her name for years and have seen bits of her performing on American Idol; and those many clips on YouTube. But to hear her live was really something. A great set of pipes. I marveled at her constant control between head and chest voice – her effortless floating up in the ether with light dancing turns, swooping down like the Red Baron to a beefy chest voice and back up again for some real gospel style runs up in the stars. Amazing.

Performing with her was a pretty hard hitting rock band, two backup vocalists and a DJ who would scratch records and serve up the occasional beat loop.

And even in Macau, it seems the whole audience (near capacity) knew all the words to her songs!

PROMO ON KELLY CLARKSON IN MACAU

American Idols very first winner Kelly Clarkson brings her ALL I EVER WANTED TOUR to the CotaiArena at The Venetian® Macao.

Now a certified pop sensation, Clarkson has sold more than 20 million albums since her debut in 2002. The US No.1 “All I Ever Wanted” is her most recent album, and she will perform all of her hits in Macau from Since Youve Been Gone, Because of You and My Life Would Suck Without You, to a few surprises such as covers from the likes of Kings of Leon and Patsy Cline to the White Stripes.

Clarkson says she cannot wait to get on the road and tour. When Im putting an album together, Im thinking about what I am going to want to perform on tour because I love touring. Im always thinking, what songs will be fun to sing? Its going to be a fun record to tour, she says.

Opening for Kelly Clarkson will be special guests Rubberband. Brace yourself for a high-energy concert at The Venetian® in May.

Conrad Askland, from Mount Vernon, WA USA, is currently living in Macau (SAR) China while working with the Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA show at the Venetian Macao. In Asia he has also performed in Shanghai, South Korea and Japan.

October 1, 2009 – 中国加油，中国万岁

Happy Sixty Year Anniversary to the People’s Republic of China!

It’s a four day holiday for the locals here in China. When locals have holidays it usually means that I work more; doing entertainment shows to accommodate the tourists.

China’s last 60 years has been bittersweet with a unified people exposed to both hard living and the largest economic boom in modern history. At the end of my blog post there’s a link to a great CNN article by Jaime FlorCruz that gives an overview of China’s 60 years as The People’s Republic of China.

I have posters of Mao Zhe Dong (Mao Tse Tong) in my Macau apartment. They are reproductions from the originals that call for united workers. I picked these up on a vacation to Beijing that included the typical tourist activities of climbing the Great Wall and visiting Tiananmen Square. Local Chinese and Macau residents that see the posters smile and are suprised I have them. I myself was surprised no one chastised me saying “Why do you have photos of Mao?”.

Mao Zhe Dong is loved and revered overall in China by my experience. I have asked many mainland Chinese what they think of Mao and the most common response is “50-50” or “both good and bad”. My perception is they recognize many problems but also recognize it is part of their history and the country is headed in a new direction. I have never heard a mainland Chinese person speak poorly or critically of Mao in private conversation.

While vacationing in Beijing I met a Chinese college student and she had asked me which locations I was visiting for my vacation. I mentioned Tiananmen Square and she said, “Why would anyone want to go there? It’s SO boring!”. I replied, “Well, you know, because of what happened there?”. She answered, “What happened there?”. She didn’t have any knowledge of the Tiananmen events of June 4, 1989. (You can read about those events here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiananmen_Square_protests_of_1989)

I was surprised by her response that she knew nothing of it and I chose to let the subject go. I’m here in China as a guest to work and in the process want to learn about their culture. I’m not here to project my culture onto theirs.

Recently I received an email from a Canadian friend that said, “China’s great to visit, but I think the US is a whole lot safer, and has a lot more opportunity.” I don’t know if that’s true.

Living in Macau (SAR) China and the strong influence of neighboring Hong Kong; I have the unique experience of being able to visit mainland China and have mainland Chinese friends while also having the progressive thinking and relative autonomy of Macau and Hong Kong residents. Macau and Hong Kong are now “Special Administrative Regions” as part of China. They will officially be integrated totally under China in 2050, but until that time retain local government and infrastructure. So in a way it’s like “China light”. I get to experience Chinese culture from a base that is very Western and comfortable for someone from the US.

What do locals think of the US? To my face people give a thumbs up when they learn I am from the USA. And the first question after that is usually “Do you like Obama?”. When I say “Yes!”, they smile and give a thumbs up.

Although in a Hong Kong taxi I was wearing an Aussie shirt and told him I was Australian when asked my home country. He was from VietNam. Told me about his escape from the country and the evil acts of Mao Zhe Dong’s brother. Then told me that the USA only wants war. “They only know war. It’s all they do.”

Many of the younger generation in China are dreaming of new opportunities and possibilities. Many ask me about how to navigate jobs and how to be an entrepeneur. Many ways of thinking in the West seem to be new to them. Or maybe it’s because of a great change in thinking between the generations. The older generation went through many great difficulties and were very used to fitting in and doing their part as part of a whole. The new generation has only known the great propulsion of the China economy and has heard first hand accounts of many friends who have had success during this opening to business in the West.

These are exciting times for China. Happy 60th Birthday to the People’s Republic of China, and many sincere thanks for letting me learn about your culture and to see first hand the development of your new era.

Read the CNN article “China 60 Years On: From Mao to Today” here:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/09/30/china.60years.preview/index.html

ZAIA cast June 2009 in the Green Room at the Venetian Macao (SAR) China.

Photo November 2008 at the ZAIA Theater – Venetian Macao.

Manchester United visited Cirque Du Soleil’s ZAIA Theater in Macau, China as part of their promotion for the new Manchester United Interactive Football Experience located at the Venetian Macao. Here is the photo of MU with the ZAIA cast (I’m on the far right in the top photo).

Update December 2008: Manchester United wins the World Cup!

Manchester United Interactive Football Experience comes to the Venetian Macao
Macau can now experience what it is like to be at Manchester United (MU), as Asia’s first interactive football experience, MU Experience is opened at The Venetian Macao, launched by two former United stars, Bryan Robson and Brian McClair, joined by Mr Stephen Weaver, President of Asian Region, Las Vegas Sands Corp.

“I think the Experience is superb, it really captures the spirit and the atmosphere of this great club. The amazing way in which they have used technology makes it really feel like you are in the United dressing room or lining up with the players in the tunnel.” said Robson, former MU captain who was the longest serving captain in the club’s history.

During MU Experience, fans will have the chance to experience the drama and excitement of the build-up to a match at MU, including hearing Sir Alex Ferguson’s voice, without having to travel to Old Trafford.

Roman Tomanov (at this stage 15 years old) performing at the straps in 2004 at the International Circus Festival in Budapest (Hungary) where he won the bronze medal.

He’s currently a member of Cirque du Soleil’s latest resident show “Zaia” based at The Venetian Macao

Here is my personal “Conrad update” post that I’ll keep stickied on the top of my blog until our Cirque show opens. Click the “Read the rest of this entry” link to read current status, or the rest of the blog for tidbits on our new Cirque Du Soleil adventure in Macau, China. Sorry, no details posted about the show until after Grand Opening.

For my Cirque and Macau friends here is a link for Macau Real Time Typhoon Status:
http://www.smg.gov.mo/e_index.php

Purchase ZAIA Tickets Online

2008

• Starting September 2008 – Running shows
• August 29 – Grand Opening!
• July 26 – Soft opening of show and grand Cirque party!
• July 25 – Official Dress Rehearsal
• July 13 – Second “Lion’s Den” with Guy LaLiberte. Friends and family only.
• July 6 – First “Lion’s Den” with Guy LaLiberte. Friends and family only.
• May 29 – Press conference and live performance excerpts for media. Name of our show is ZAIA. Read my post at Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA and also visit the Official Cirque Du Soleil ZAIA page.
• April 14 – Rehearsals resume in China at the new theater in the Sands Venetian.
• March 23 (Easter) – Whole troupe flies to Macau China! First three weeks we have off to find apartments and get settled. Then it’s serious rehearsal time to get the show on it’s feet.
• January 26 – Arrived in Montreal, Canada at Cirque Du Soleil headquarters to begin rehearsals for the “Macau I” show to open at the Sands Venetian in Macau, China fall of 2008.
• January 5 – Departure delayed three weeks.

ZAIA PRESS CONFERENCE – May 29, 2008 from Macau, China

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpYMbFbSlKY

ZAIA OFFICIAL CIRQUE DU SOLEIL TRAILER

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IquF826T2M

DESTINATION MACAU VIDEO REPORT – ZAIA

httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=BQ0lDbLBhkg

05/30/08 – Hong Kong Daily Apple newspaper article and photo
(Click for full size)

FAVORITE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE:

Let Me Fall – bungee from Saltimbanco
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=aOhb7uc8IGU
Cirque Du Soleil “Bungee” from the Saltimbanco spectacular, performed to Josh Groban’s collaboration for Cirque, “Let Me Fall” By Me. This is my favorite CDS video.
The Let Me Fall video captures to me the intangible beauty that Cirque Du Soleil is all about.

Mystere promo video
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=FlrsvPb8zF0

Cirque du Soleil – La Nouba – Acrobacia
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=U7tfyVbyD08

Cirque Du Soleil “O” video
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=lYaLLX_bF7c

Clip from Cirque Du Soleil’s 25th Anniversary
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=oKGBkc77sDw

Power Track act from Allegria
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=eP6AJXprOXc

httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=wdj-LC8jx7c

Quidam excerpt
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=TJNDPNIJDQY

Allegria – Cirque Du Soleil midnight sun
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=y8YjtozRX1o

Corteo cast 2006 behind the scenes
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=plhyxlxu1ns

Casting for Cirque Du Soleil
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=GKhh3vCmS7w

CDS – The Fire Within – The Making of a Cirque Show
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=mpjd4nKH9zI

Nightshift visits Cirque Du Soleil
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=2EXsMiZ_PNE

FAVORITE MACAU RELATED YOUTUBE VIDEOS:

An Introduction to Macau
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=eFY6OcF4NvQ

Destination Macau – The Macau Sands Venetian
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=1RN7WxA0uX8

Destination Macau – The Cotai Strip
httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=tAJ0mRyBVv0

“This will be the most comprehensive, the broadest hospitality entertainment complex that has ever existed”

University Students Climb the Macau Tower

httpv://youtube.com/watch?v=mWdSZS4yLSo

Top graphic is a Cirque Du Soleil show promo. Opening Summer 2008 at the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel.