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Alegria Company: Venue:
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Alegria = Excitement In 1984, an astonishing troupe of performers staged their first major production in Quebec, Canada. Over the next 3 years, this innovative fusion of circus art, street entertainment and acrobatics takes North America and Canada by storm. Their tent, which initially housed an audience of 800, grows to a 2,500 seat Chapiteau by 1990, as they venture into Europe and UK, spellbinding audiences as they go.
Ten years later, Cirque du Soleil have seven productions running concurrently, in all corners of the globe. Close to 30 million people worldwide have witnessed a Cirque Du Soleil masterpiece, and more than 500 artists are performing nightly, across all shows. In 1999, Saltimbanco embarked on an Asia Pacific tour, delighting audiences for the first time in Australia and New Zealand and in 2001, they have returned with Alegria.
Alegria has already wowed audiences in Sydney and Melbourne, Brisbane is about to witness the magic of this unique circus in their own mini-village - The Grand Chapiteau. With climate control and a capacity of 2,500 audience members, this state of the art big top employs a maintenance team of 5 in each venue alone! Alegria features an international cast of 56 with an age range of 9 to 59 hailing from over 40 different countries Worldwide, with such diverse talents as Synchro Trapeze, fire dancing, acrobatics, contortion, and aerial high bar. >>>
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The 2 ½ hour spectacle, employing spectacular sets, fairy-land type costumes and a magical original music score, is written and directed by Franco Dragone, who has been at the creative heart of Cirque du Soleil since its inception in 1985. Alegria, a Spanish word which means elation and jubilation, is a partially political theatrical performance, featuring court jesters, minstrels, clowns, beggars, aristocrats and children to portray themes of social change through the centuries. Of course, there's also a fair measure of high-flying aerobatics, spectacular displays of tumbling and acrobatics as well as some fire-eating and contortion.
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Grand Chapiteau has been transformed into the King's court, complete with
a drawbridge, spiral staircases and castle type effects. Audiences are
treated to dazzling light beams reflecting off a mesh cyclorama, as well
as a unique soundtrack mastered by With each and every part of Alegria a mystifying and intense experience in itself, Brisbane audiences would have to be mad to not brave the cold this August to witness an internationally renowned spectacular. Karen Bennett Send us your feedback on this article or anything else in The Blurb |
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Rene Dupere which alternates between jazz, pop, tango and others, recreating
an atmosphere of travelling minstrels with it's use of percussive and
acoustic instruments. Another musical point to note: The song 'Alegria'
from the production was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1996, and the
soundtrack went double platinum in Canada.