Cirque du Soleil

Surely, you have heard people talking about Cirque du Soleil. If you have seen videos of its shows, you will know that they are extraordinary: the acrobatics performed by their artists are astonishing, and its different routines are very original. Bringing all of this together is the music that is specially composed for its shows, and the overall result is wonderful.

You must know, however, that this company is from Quebec, through and through. Founded in Quebec (Canada) in 1984, the quality of its shows explains the worldwide success that this company has had. Currently, they put on performances in several countries around the world. Recently, a Cirque du Soleil show (Joyà) was inaugurated in Mexico City, and in Paris, France, there is another new show.

Its official headquarters are located in Montreal, Quebec, and it's right there where I had the opportunity to attend one of its great shows. It's true that the tickets are a little bit expensive, but if you go as part of a group, you can buy them at a discounted price. And this was precisely what I did. I was lucky enough that someone included me in their group booking and I could go with them, therefore paying less. So, if you can do the same thing that I did or make a group of your own, don't hesitate in doing it. To buy your tickets, you can easily do it over the internet. Although, mind you, it's recommendable to buy them in advance.

Cirque du Soleil's 'grand chapiteau' (large, custom-designed tents)

The show, Totem

Le Cirque du Soleil ("Circus of the Sun" or "Sun Circus", in English) has countless shows in its repetoire and every single one of them is really extraordinary. I ended up having the opportunity to go to the show called "Totem": it tells the story of the evolution of humanity through time on the face of the earth. The acrobats perform different routines that are alternated with little comedic sketches. This show is composed of 14 acts in total, and lasts two and a half hours with a 30 minute interval.

This show was premiered in 2010, right here in Montreal. I had the good fortune of seeing it live in 2011, not even a year after its original premiere. Although, initially, there had been other Cirque du Soleil shows that had caught my attention more, I was left astonished by the show, Totem.

By the way, if I remember correctly, the artists do not use the spoken word at any point during the performance. That's to say, they don't talk: not because they are mute (neither because the cat got their tongues), but because everything is expressed through their bodies, the music, and the other theatrical props.

Sunset from Cirque du Soleil

One of the characteristics of Cirque du Soleil is that they don't use any performing animals during their shows. All of their show is an impressive mix of acrobatics, theatre drama, music and lights. You can really notice the amount of work and hours of dedication put into each and every show.

With regards to the musicalisation of the show, aside from being unedited music exclusively composed for the shows, it's performed live on stage. The singers and the musicians perform the show's music in perfect synchronisation with each routine. Personally, I really like the music from Cirque du Soleil. It's possible to buy their CDs or, taking the easier option, to listen to them on YouTube.

The wardrobing and the makeup are also things worthy of being mentioned: they are really original and very intricate. I remember one costume that was full of little mirrors like crystal balls in discos. The effect of the lights reflecting off of each costume was brilliant (literally! ). I also remember that in the first half of the show, some of the acrobats appeared with costumes that looked like the colours and skin of fish and amphibians. This was all rounded off with some magnificent makeup.

Every Cirque du Soleil show also comes with a gift shop and different promotional products (t-shirts, key rings, mugs, pencils, bags, etc. ) which you can purchase both before and after the show, and during the interval.

One of the masks on sale in the gift shop. I bought myself a Thermos flask with the Cirque du Soleil logo on it (after, I realised that it said "Made in China" on it... ). But oh well, I have my Thermos from the Cirque du Soleil, bought right here in Montreal.

I regret not taking any photos during the show, as I only have some of the exterior of the grand chapiteau. However, you can see videos from this show, like many of the others, on YouTube. If you have the opportunity to go to the Cirque du Soleil one day, don't even think about it for even one second. Their events programme won't always include the same set of shows, but each and every one of them is extraordinary anyway. It's definitely something magical - an incomparable experience.