Cirque du Soliel Shows Love To The Mirage
“All you need is love…” sang the Beatles in one of their many hit songs, and Cirque du Soliel is hoping that sentiment holds true for their new show set to debut this summer at The Mirage. In a rare joint partnership with The Beatles’ Apple Corps Ltd., LOVE brings the magic and athleticism of Cirque du Soliel together with the timeless music of The Beatles into a show that’s said to be unlike anything Cirque has done before.
Former Beatles producer Sir George Martin and his son, Giles Martin, used master tapes from the original archive of Beatles recordings to put together the soundtrack for the show. So far, no one is saying which songs were picked for the show, but I’ve heard that some of the tracks may be un-released gems that were found during the mixing sessions. And yes, there will be a cd release for the show’s music, just as there has been for all other Cirque productions.
The cast of 60 Cirque performers will be utilizing aerial performances, extreme sports and freestyle dance to bring to life the lyrics of the songs chosen. Think of it as a blending of the free spirit vibe of the 60s and 70s with a modern-day update that includes skateboarders and urban dance moves.
Housed in the theater that formerly held Siegfried & Roy’s magic show, LOVE is presented as a theater-in-the-round experience, with the seating completely surrounding two diamond-shaped stages connected together with ramps extending through the audience to stage doors in four points of the theater. In essence, the performers will enter behind the audience and use the ramps to get to the stage, though, of course, there will still be acrobats descending from the ceiling. The theater will also use high-definition video projections and a panoramic surround sound system, giving the performance a somewhat interactive feel for those in attendance.
Preview performances for LOVE will run June 2 through June 29 and not only offer a chance to see the show at 25% off normal ticket prices, but are also a great way to get a feel for what goes into creating a show of this magnatude. During the previews, the creative team for the show will be fine tuning the performance and may occasionally interrupt the show to make adjustments based on audience reaction. Having seen previews for Cirque’s La Nouba show in Orlando years ago, I can tell you this can be as thrilling as seeing the final production.
Following the previews will be the grand premier of LOVE on June 30. Expected to be in attendance are Beatles members Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, as well as Yoko Ono, representing her late husband John Lennon. I’m betting that while they’ll be in the same theater, McCartney and Ono will be in separate areas since the two don’t even speak to each other. In fact, all decisions for the show were approved without any direct interaction between the two.
Tickets for the show, once it opens officially on July 2, will range from $69.00 – $150.00 and performances will be at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Thursday through Monday. The show will be dark on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
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The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil
Where: LOVE Theater
Time: 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Thursday – Monday; dark on Tuesday and Wednesday
Cost: $69.00 – $150.00
The Mirage
3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas NV 89109
702.791.7111
800.627.6667