2001
Canada
Cirque du Soleil: Alegria
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Comments: An enchanting fable.
Summary: Alegría was a departure from the bright circus atmosphere seen previously in productions like Saltimbanco. Created for Cirque du Soleil's tenth anniversary, the concept for the show came to life over a dinner conversation between Franco Dragone, show choreographer Juan Isidro Casilla and Guy Laliberté.[21] Dragone wanted this show to be dark and heavy. "At one point," Dragone said "I was with Guy Laliberté at a restaurant in one of the Las Vegas casinos, and I told him the next show would be sad, heavy, really hard: ' Alegría! Alegría! Alegría!' It's Spanish for 'Joy! Joy! Joy!' Where I come from, it's what you say when you're in pain. It means life goes on."[4] Costing more than $3 million to produce, the show's main theme is about the abuse of power and the subsequent struggle for freedom. Alegría makes use of darker lighting and music than previous Cirque productions. The stage and the props use gothic arches and harsh angular designs to attempt to invoke a feeling of oppressiveness.[21][4] Alegría has toured around the world, including a year in residence at the Beau Rivage resort in Biloxi, Mississippi.[21] Francesca Gagnon, who played the most famous "The White Singer" character, has twice been invited to reprise the Alegría title song at the Montreal Jazz Festival.[22] The music of Alegría has proven extremely popular and the show's soundtrack remains the best-selling Cirque du Soleil album to date.[23] |
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