For any art director / designer, Cavalia, the French Canadian equestrian/acrobatic show (based in Montreal), is a visual feast. Cavalia was created by Normand Latourelle of "Cirque de Soleil" fame and features some of the best trained and pampered horses (stallions and geldings) anywhere. Add to this trick riders and acrobats who do amazing feats on a multi-acre dirt "stage," with bigger-than-IMAX high-definition background projections – from Easter Island to waterfalls, Iceland, the steppes of central Asia, to the African desert in all four seasons - including a rain and thunderstorm sequence. Audiences are swept away in a worldwide tour: an Odyssey. The tent alone is an amazing feat – reportedly the largest in the world at 10 stories high – with seating for 2,000 people.
"O D Y S S E O"
I saw Cavalia for the first time here in Feb. 2011, and it was spectacular. The show returned to nearby Burbank in April, even better than 2011 with all-new sets, imagery and theme – "Odysseo." And new this year, a ridiculously talented troupe of acrobats from New Guinea enthralls the audience with spectacular athleticism and skill. Music, performed live by a small ensemble, is a blend of native sounds from around the world, with lyrics in French. Everyone, and especially those who work in creative fields, will appreciate the artwork and the fantastic performers. Aerialists, musicians, equestrians. Exotic costumes and makeup. Scenic design like no other. And those gorgeous horses….
G R A N D E L I B E R T E
My favorite part of the show was the opening sequence – six Arabian horses wander onto the stage, guided by a single trainer. The "Grande Liberté" is performed unbridled, and is simply beautiful. These four-legged charmers are the gorgeous stars of the show. The other sequences are breathtaking – from jumping to trick-riding. The finale began simply, with a single dressage rider and horse, and then grew to include the entire company – cavorting in a lake that filled the stage with 80,000 gallons of water. Inspired!
Following a six-week run in Burbank, the show is returning home to Montreal and scheduled to open in mid-May. You can experience some of this amazing show on http://www.cavalia.net. I can't wait until it returns!
Click on the link below for a dramatic preview:
http://www.cavalia.net/en/odysseo/videos
