Press Kit - Cirque du Soleil

DIRECTED BY DIANE PAULUSPress Kit

Show OverviewWritten and Directed by Diane PaulusShowAmaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governedby Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Theirqueen, Prospera, directs her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremonyin a rite that honours femininity, renewal, rebirth and balancewhich marks the passing of these insights and values from onegeneration to the next.For the first time at Cirque du Soleil, the cast of a show is 70%female and the band, 100%. “Amaluna is a tribute to the workand voice of women,” explains Director of Creation FernandRainville. “The show is a reflection on balance from a woman’sperspective,“ he adds. Show Director Diane Paulus says:“Amaluna is less about feminism and more about reconnectingto our world in a different way.”In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of youngmen lands on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story oflove between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor. Buttheirs is a love that will be put to the test. The couple must facenumerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacksbefore they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.The nameAmaluna is a fusion of the words ama, which refers to “mother”in many languages, and luna, which means “moon,” a symbol offemininity that evokes both the mother-daughter relationshipand the idea of goddess and protector of the planet. Amaluna isalso the name of the mysterious island where the story unfolds.1

The Acts(By alphabetical order)Aerial StrapsMiranda calls in the Valkyries to help herliberate Romeo. They fly out over theaudience on straps as they do battlewith Cali, suspended from the Carousel,a rotating set element high above them.This is flight in four dimensions, callingfor precision timing in addition to the skillsand physical strength it takes to moveat high velocity through 360 degrees.Cerceau and WaterbowlThe Moon Goddess appears to Mirandariding a Cerceau, bestowing her blessingwith a haunting song. Romeo watchesas Miranda plays in the waterbowl,discovering her own physicality andexpressing her sinuous sexuality as sheperforms a challenging hand-balancingroutine before diving and snaking throughthe water. He joins her in the water, wherethey innocently play and tentatively kissfor the first time.Chinese PoleRomeo tries to reunite with Mirandaby climbing up a pole in an exhibition ofsheer muscular strength and inventive,supple routine.Icarian Gamesand WatermeteorsA classic circus arts number involvingstrength, precision timing and sheeracrobatic skill, as performers spin glowingwater-meteors, take off from platformsof upturned feet, tumble above the ringthen land – all in unison.JugglingCali captures Romeo and imprisons himin the water bowl. To celebrate his victoryover his rival, he performs a juggling actwith balls that drop in ever greater numbersfrom the sky above.2ManipulationProspera brings Romeo and Miranda towitness the Balance Goddess creating aworld in equilibrium with a mobile madeof thirteen palm leaf ribs. An ode to balance,her movements are slow, deliberate andalmost meditative as she concentrates allher attention on this literally breathtakingstructure. And then she removes thesmallest piece, everything disintegratesand the young couple’s trials begin.

Peacock DanceRomeo wanders into the Enchanted Forestwhere he witnesses the bewitching danceof the Peacock Goddess in her dazzlingwhite dress – a performance that representsthe purity of love.StormProspera plays a dramatic cello solo tosummon a ferocious storm. Thunderand lightning erupt and a pair of artists– the God and Goddess of the Wind –perform an intense midair ballet on straps,coming together and parting, intertwiningtheir bodies and gliding through space invigorous, frenetic movements.TeeterboardFenced in, the young men launch themselveshigh into the air, twisting and turning ina playful high-speed attempt to escape– at first from gravity then from their prison.They pull off several seemingly impossiblefeats, like landing in a handstand on anotherperformer’s upturned palms or runningacross a mini-stage inclined at a steep angle.Tight WireFour artists representing lost lovers inPurgatory perform a complex and innovativetight wire act. Working simultaneously onfour wires they encounter each other headedin opposite directions, dance a tango inthe same direction, bounce into the air liketrampolinists and even walk the wire inhigh heels and ‘en pointe’ in ballet shoes.Uneven BarsThe captured young men help the Amazons– the fierce feminine force of the island –to present a fast-paced theatrical versionof the classic gymnastic routine.UnicycleTwo artists enter on unicycles wearinghoop skirts of gold, weaving in and outof each other’s paths like the wind as theyjoyfully pirouette, dance and thrill thepageant participants.3

The Main CharactersProsperaProspera is a shaman with magical powers,but she is very much driven by humanemotions. The welfare of her daughter isher most important concern. She knowsshe must let Miranda find love and makeher own way in the world, but she can useher powers to influence the way this comesabout, and she will always be a protectiveforce in her daughter’s life.MirandaMiranda is a girl on the brink of womanhood.She’s a romantic, full of fun, enthusiasms,dreams and mischief, who revels in thestimulating world of Amaluna with allof its rich traditions, culture and splendidflora and fauna.RomeoProspera has a hand in conjuring up thestorm that leads to the arrival of a groupof young men, and she influences theevents that bring their leader, the dashingPrince Romeo, and Miranda together.He is as hungry for true love as she is,but he doesn’t yet know how difficult thepath ahead will be.CaliHalf-lizard, half-human, all jealous, Cali hasknown Miranda all her life and althoughshe thinks of him only as a pet, he is in lovewith her. And he’s determined to preventRomeo from winning her.The Man Servantand the Nurse (clowns)Romeo’s manservant Jeeves arrives withthe young men and promptly falls headover-heelsin love with Deeda, Miranda’schildhood nurse. The feeling is mutual,and pretty soon they are starting a family.Moon GoddessThe Moon Goddess has a strong femalepresence in Amaluna. She uses herpowers sometimes to help and sometimesto hinder the young lovers in theirchallenge-filled quest for happiness.4

CostumesAmaluna costume designer Mérédith Caron has brought acompany of fabulous and eclectic characters to life through themagic of her creations. She imagined the world of the show –the mysterious island of Amaluna – as existing somewhere inthe Mediterranean as a true meeting place between East andWest, a distant land where ancient and modern times overlapand blend harmoniously, and several different eras and cultureshave seemingly melded into the same location.Her complex multidimensional costumes evoke a world of dayand night that is unquestionably contemporary, yet overlaidwith the spirit of the Elizabethan period and containing subtlereferences to the Orient and Scandinavia. “It’s the encounter ofhumanity, the glorification of the beauty of the human being,”she explains.The Amaluna costumes are a symbiosis between theatre andacrobatics. For Mérédith, the character and the costume areinseparable. “One calls out to the other. It is a communion, asymbiotic relationship,” she says. “But above all, it is the artistthat I dress.”To dress the artists, Mérédith has created “progressive”costumes with multiple configurations. Some of them put ona parade uniform for the more theatrical moments in the show,and performance costumes when they perform their act. Manyof the garments are equipped with pads and other removableparts – the wearers might, for example, remove the sleevesand keep their doublets on, or remove the doublets altogetherand perform in their shirts.Women with the right stuffAmaluna recreates a fabulous female mythology on stage.Inspired by Asia Minor, the corseted costumes of the Amazonwarriors are augmented with ponytails and high-heeledblack and red leather boots in a look that is more fantasy thanhistorical reality.The world of Amaluna is also populated by a layer of unrulyhalf-human, half-animal characters, freely inspired by theworld of Shakespeare’s Tempest. Lizards, peacocks and fairiesrub shoulders with each other.Denim – A contemporary materialand emblem of adolescenceThe choice of materials is as important to Mérédith Caron asthe lines of the garments. She has given denim doublets wornby the Boys who land on the island of Amaluna a distinctlyRenaissance look: The sleeves are slashed to reveal the lining,and the garments are embellished with an 18th century velvetflocking to create the impression of a contemporary jean jacket.Queen Prospera’s daughter Miranda, who is about to move intoadulthood in this remote environment, wears linen, cambricand distressed velvet – a selection that is highly reminiscent ofthe Italian Renaissance. Her costume expresses her enthusiasmand thirst for discovery.The meeting of the aesthetic and the acrobaticSome of the items are quite voluminous, but even thoughthey are also light, they are never allowed to impede the freemovement of the artists. The costumes with pink accents wornby the girls for the Icarian Games act feature removable tutusso as not to hinder their movements. The Renaissance-stylesleeves are open at the armpits to ensure their arms will havea full range of motion.The costumes of the two unicyclists are fitted with cages thathide their legs in a reference to the aesthetics of the SpanishGolden Age. The cages are made of perforated material to allowthe artists to see the unicycle seats. During their act the cagesbreak into two pieces, announcing the start of the storm afterwhich the budding love between Miranda and her suitor willbe tested.5

Raw talent and musicianshipThe musicians in Queen Prospera’s entourage are creaturesof the night who wear costumes that underline their strongpersonalities and their rock star aura with a really current look.Mérédith was inspired by the clothing styles of major figuresin the worlds of music, fashion and film such as k.d. lang ,Roy Orbison, John Galliano, Tim Burton and even a rock versionof the Village People. “You might well see girls in these kindsof clothes among the heterogeneous fauna of a bar in avantgardeBerlin, for example,” says Mérédith, “hence the linkbetween the costumes, the music and the decidedly rocksensibility of a show that celebrates beauty in all its guises.”Close-ups on the costumes• Queen Prospera wears a large golden mantle composed offour rectangles on which are printed in sublimation the coverimage of GAIA, the book of photographs taken in space byCirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. It shows a majesticcloud system captured at a distance of 350 km above theearth’s surface.• The peacock costumes are made up of 14 layers of heatpleatedmaterials trimmed in leather and stretch metallicfabric. The tails open out to a “fan” of eight feet withhydraulic pistons that compensate for their weight. Madein the same proportion to the performers’ bodies as thebird’s fans have to theirs, the tails are attached to the artistswith belts that hide the mechanisms under embroideredfeathers. The skeleton and leaves of the fans are made of thesame Fiberglass material used in the manufacture of fishingrods, and screen-printed metallic paper is glued to the leavesto recreate the iridescent look of peacock plumage.• For the Valkyries’ costumes in the Aerial Straps act, MérédithCaron was inspired by the oceans, above and below the surface.Shades of blue and green evoking Scandinavia mix with shadesof sky and sea to compose a soothing palette of sophistication.• The cages of the unicyclists’ costumes have a diameter ofalmost five feet and a height of two-and-a-half feet. Thematerials they are made of include Kevlar – a thermoplasticpolymer – and gold leaf.• The white dress worn by the artist performing the PeacockDance comprises a bustier and a skirt. The bustier is madeof stretch nylon tulle covered with white beaded lace andSwarovski crystals. The skirt is made of 65 yards of whitenon-stretch nylon tulle covered with silver lace and Swarovskicrystals. The dress has a total of 6,500 Swarovski crystals and325 silver lace additions. The tail features 12 two-meterpleated polyester voile panels with sunray pleats (bias-cutknife pleats, narrower at the top than at the bottom, producinga flared effect), printed with white peacock feather designs.• There are over 130 costumes in Amaluna, made up of nearly800 different items.6

MusicComposers Bob & Bill’s mission was to create a unique,raw sound for Amaluna, and to surprise by means of theunexpected.Guitars are very present and the overall sound is resolutelycontemporary. Bass, drums, cello, vocals, keyboards, percussionsupport the guitars in delivering a direct music withoutembellishment. “We wanted to unleash the power in the rawstate that artists and musicians bring to the stage,” explainBob & Bill. The musicians share the stage with acrobats attimes, which combines perfectly with the energy of the score.Amaluna is the first Cirque du Soleil show with an all-femalegroup of musicians. “We wanted to reflect the guts and intenseattitude of these musicians through the music itself,” they add.Bob & Bill are known for their ability to blur the lines betweengenres and styles to create an intricately woven visual style.“We created a sound for the show that would follow theemotional line of the acrobatic numbers,” they say. “Each acthas its own respiration and rhythm, its own arc – and the musicshould reflect this. The music is an extension of the soul of acharacter and an expression in sound of the show’s narrative.”7

Set DesignAmaluna director Diane Paulus is known for productions thatgo beyond the boundaries of a conventional theatrical settingto involve the audience in immersive environments.Scott Pask’s set creates a mysterious, verdant, enchanted islandwhose most important feature is a carefully crafted forest ofbamboo-like branches that both frame and surround the action.Taking his cues from the natural world, especially from forestsand plant life, Scott has created an environment that is bothimmersive and open, with plenty of space for dramatic ritualsand ceremonies as well as acrobatic performances.An Island ForestThe trees thrust upward from the circumference of theAmaluna stage and the Big Top’s tent poles to form an airycanopy. Upstage, the vegetation grows closer to the ground,forming a tunnel-like grotto.The branches and limbs of the canopy are unmistakablyengineered constructions, and the visual references to bambooare quite evident. It was important to Scott that the forestshould be seen to be hand-crafted, however there was noattempt to disguise its components as anything actually foundin nature – nothing has been given a patina to look like wood,for example. Yet the feeling of being in a real forest is palpable.The peacock feather decoration that occupies much of themiddle of the Amaluna stage is a significant emblematic motifthat is echoed in some of Mérédith Caron’s iridescent costumes.The peacock images in the show are inspired by the magnificentbird that accompanies Hera, the Greek goddess of women,marriage and fertility. Legend tells us that the protective “eyes”in its tail watch over women in all the stages of their lives.Light and ToneScott, who initially trained as an architect, regards the entirespace as more of an art installation than a stage set, and hehas used light to activate it and take the audience to otherplaces and evoke different emotional responses. During theintense drama of the storm, for example, the lighting casts theshadows of the branchlike canopy onto the surface of the BigTop to create a momentary feeling of heightened danger.The Water-bowl is a piece of acrobatic equipment thatdoubles as a dramatic set element. It resembles a giant, cleargemstone set in a ring of stylized organic shapes that resemblea vortex captured in time. As it interacts with the lighting,this “jewel” changes its appearance and aura, much like a realprecious stone.8

Wheels within WheelsThere are relatively few moving parts in the set design, andthat was a deliberate choice intended to add a certain eleganceto the performances by concentrating the audience’s attentionon the human performance. There are no visual effects in theAmaluna set, and the automated mechanical elements aredesigned to be inconspicuous – almost invisible – even thoughthey are in plain view.Circular sections of the stage revolve to ensure that the entireaudience can see each act from every angle, and that movementis matched by a circular scenic element above the stage:the Carousel – a custom-made ring that houses downwardfacinglighting clusters as well as anchor points for flyingacrobatic performers.At times stationary, at times moving, the Carousel can revolve insync with the stage, or counter-rotate in the opposite directionto give both the artists and the lighting maximum flexibilityand range of vertical and horizontal motion. It also allows aerialperformers to fly out over the heads of the audience, whichemphasizes the immersive concept of the set.Some Facts about Set ElementsThe Canopy:• There are 174 branches in 534 sections – 90 in the canopyand 84 upstage – making a total of 1.7 km or 1.05 miles.• There are three models of branches in the canopy and35 in the upstage.The Carousel and the Grid:• The 25-ft diameter Carousel weighs 6,000 lbs.• The Grid weighs 8,600 lbs and includes three acrobaticwinches, each able to lift loads up to 400 lbs at 10 feetper second.• The acrobatic winch in the centre of the Carousel can lift upto 1,000 lbs at 10 feet per second.The Water-bowl:• The Water-bowl is 5’5” tall, 7’3” in diameter, and weighs5,500 lbs when filled with water.The Chandeliers:• The six Chandeliers are made of aluminum tubes bent andpositioned to create the effect of a mobile with a span of14.5 ft.9

Creators’ BiographiesGUY LALIBERTÉGUIDE AND FOUNDERGuy Laliberté was born in Québec City in 1959. An accordionist, stilt-walker and fire-eater, hefounded Quebec’s first internationally-renowned circus with the support of a small group ofaccomplices. A bold visionary, Guy Laliberté recognized and cultivated the talents of the streetperformers from the Fête foraine de Baie-Saint-Paul and created Cirque du Soleil in 1984.Guy Laliberté was the first to orchestrate the marriage of cultures and artistic and acrobaticdisciplines that is the hallmark of Cirque du Soleil. Since 1984, he has guided the creative teamthrough the creation of every show and contributed to elevating the circus arts to the level ofthe great artistic disciplines.Cirque du Soleil has become an international organization, as much in terms of its makeup as inthe scope of its activities and influence. Guy Laliberté now heads an organization with activitieson five continents.In October 2007, Guy Laliberté entered into a second lifetime commitment by creating theONE DROP Foundation to fight poverty around the world by providing sustainable access to safewater. This new dream stems from the knowledge that the right to water is key to the survivalof individuals and communities all over the world and from the values which have been at theheart of Cirque du Soleil since its inception: the belief that life gives back what you have givenand even the smallest gesture will make a difference.In September 2009, Guy Laliberté became the first Canadian private space explorer. His missionwas dedicated to raising awareness on water issues facing humankind on planet earth. Underthe theme Moving Stars and Earth for Water, this first Poetic Social Mission in space aimed attouching people through an artistic approach: a special 120-minute webcast program featuringvarious artistic performances unfolding in 14 cities on five continents, including the InternationalSpace Station.Main Awards and DistinctionsIn 2011, Guy Laliberté was inducted into the Order of the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.In 2010, Guy was awarded his very own star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame.In the same year, the Quebec government honoured Guy by promoting him from Chevalier(a distinction granted six years earlier) to Officier as a member of the Ordre de la Pléiade.Université Laval (Québec) awarded an honorary doctorate to Guy Laliberté in 2008. The yearbefore, Guy Laliberté took the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for all three levels:Quebec, Canada and international. In 2004, he received the Order of Canada, the highestdistinction in the country, from the Governor General of Canada. The same year, he wasrecognized by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. In 2003,he was honoured by the Condé Nast group as part of the Never Follow Program, a tribute tocreators and innovators. In 2001, he was named a Great Montrealer by the Académie desGrands Montréalais. In 1997, Guy Laliberté received the Ordre National du Québec, the highestdistinction awarded by the Government of Quebec.10

A prolific actor and director, Fernand Rainville has been active on the Quebec cultural scene forover 25 years. He made his mark in the theatre world by directing over a hundred creative andrepertory theatre plays, both contemporary and classical, as well as large-scale variety showssuch as the bilingual production of Les Misérables (1990-1991), Légendes fantastiques (which ranfrom 1998 to 2007 and earned him the Quebec Tourism Prize) and Saka, an equestrian showperformed under a big top between 2007 and 2009.In television, Fernand has worked as Artistic Director for the show Le plaisir croît avec l’usage,which aired on Télé-Québec between 2001 and 2003.He was also responsible for the artistic direction of the opening ceremonies of the Outgames atMontreal’s Olympic Stadium in 2006. Fernand has been working with Cirque du Soleil on aregular basis since 2005. He was co-director for the opening ceremony of the Montreal 2005 – XIFINA World Championships, Director of the Cirque du Soleil pre-game show at the 2007 MiamiSuperbowl, as well as Director of Creation and Director of Wintuk, a show that ran seasonally forfour years at Madison Square Garden’s WaMu Theatre in New York. For ONE DROP, Fernanddirected the multimedia experience AQUA and, during Guy Laliberté’s journey into space in 2009,he assumed the role of Content Producer and Artistic Director for the Poetic Social Mission event,a show on water-related issues that was broadcast on television and the Internet.FERNAND RAINVILLEDIRECTOR OF CREATIONDIANE PAULUSDIRECTORDiane Paulus is the Artistic Director of the A.R.T. (American Repertory Theatre). Her recent workwith A.R.T. includes The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess, a new production adapted by Pulitzerprize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, and OBIE-winning composer Diedre Murray, playingon Broadway; Prometheus Bound, a new musical inspired by Aeschylus’s ancient Greek tragedy,written by Tony and Grammy Award-winner Steven Sater (Spring Awakening) with musiccomposed by Grammy Award-winning System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian; Death andThe Powers: The Robots’ Opera, a new opera by Tod Machover in collaboration with MIT MediaLab, which world premiered at l’Opéra de Monte-Carlo; The Donkey Show, a disco adaptationof A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which ran for six years Off-Broadway and toured internationally;Best of Both Worlds, and Johnny Baseball. Diane’s other recent theatre credits include the PublicTheatre’s HAIR (Tony Award for Best Revival) on Broadway and London’s West End.She has also directed Kiss Me, Kate (Glimmerglass Opera) and Lost Highway (ENO co-productionwith the Young Vic) and, as an opera director, The Magic Flute (Canadian Opera Company), Ilmondo della luna at the Hayden Planetarium in New York, Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, TurnOf The Screw, Cosi fan tutte, and the Monteverdi trilogy Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, L’incoronazionedi Poppea, and Orfeo at the Chicago Opera Theatre. Diane is a Professor of the Practice of Theatrein Harvard University’s English Department and was recently named one of the 50 MostPowerful Women in Boston by Boston Magazine. She is a recipient of an Honorary Doctoratefrom Boston Conservatory. This is Diane Paulus’ first collaboration with Cirque du Soleil.11

Award winning Scenic Designer, Scott Pask has designed a diverse range of productions, bothon Broadway and in London. His works for theatre, opera and dance include The Pillowman, withBilly Crudup and Jeff Goldblum (Tony Award for Best Scenic Design); A Behanding in Spokane,starring Christopher Walken, and A Steady Rain, with Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman.A long time collaborator of Diane Paulus, Scott has worked on many projects with her, mostnotably the award winning revival of HAIR on Broadway and in London, as well as The DonkeyShow. His numerous Broadway Scenic design credits also include Promises Promises, Pal Joey,Speed The Plow, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Vertical Hour, Urinetown, Take Me Out, NINEwith Antonio Banderas, La Cage Aux Folles, and The Coast of Utopia for which he won the Tony,Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Hewes Awards for Best Scenic Design.Most recently he designed the new hit musical The Book Of Mormon and won one of theproduction’s nine Tony awards for his design. He has also designed Peter Grimes at theMetropolitan Opera. His work has been exhibited at The Prague Quadrennial, The Bruce Museumof Science and Art, The Leslie Lohman Gallery, The Met Gallery, and is in the permanent collectionof the McNay Art Museum.Amaluna is Scott Pask’s first collaboration with Cirque du Soleil.SCOTT PASKSET AND PROPS DESIGNERMérédith Caron has made her mark in theatre, cinema, opera and circus, not just in Quebec butthe world over. With more than 175 collaborations under her belt, Mérédith is one of Canada’stop costume designers. She has worked with some outstanding directors, including PierreBernard, Serge Denoncourt, Robert Lepage, Martine Beaulne, René Richard Cyr, André Brassard,Daniele Finzi Pasca and Richard Monette at the prestigious Stratford Festival in Ontario.During her collaborations, Mérédith Caron has received many prestigious awards in Quebec,including a Gémeau, seven Gascon-Roux and two Masque awards. She has been teaching arthistory and costume design at the National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal for nearly20 years. She worked with Cirque du Soleil for the first time in 1988, when she designed costumesfor a project under development. Amaluna is now her third project with Cirque du Soleil afterCRISS ANGEL and Believe.MÉRÉDITH CARONCOSTUME DESIGNER12

Composers and arrangers Guy Dubuc and Marc Lessard (aka Bob & Bill) are well known for theirability to blur the lines between genres and styles. In 2003, they composed the music for SplinterCell (Pandora Tomorrow), a best-selling Ubisoft video game. They have also produced severalalbums, including Monica Freire’s Bahiatronica and Pink Floyd Redux, a collection of remixedsongs from the British cult band, as well as the soundtrack album for the Cirque du Soleil showKOOZA.In 2004, Bob & Bill supplied the musical direction and arrangements for the Cirque du Soleil showMidnight Sun, as part of the 25th anniversary celebrations of the Montreal International JazzFestival and the 20th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil. Three-time nominees for a Quebec musicindustry ADISQ award, the two sidekicks also created the music for several films and televisionseries, and composed the music for Director Robert Lepage’s production Pageant deCanotgraphie.In 2008, the duo launched their first album, Crime Report, a work combining electronic andorganic sounds. Bob & Bill worked many times with Cirque du Soleil to create the musicalarrangements for several special events. In 2009, they composed the music for TOTEM, directedby Robert Lepage. Two years later, they composed the music for the third chapter of Les Cheminsinvisibles (Le Royaume de Tôle) an urban cabaret performed in Quebec City in the summer of2011. Amaluna is therefore their third show as composers for Cirque du Soleil.BOB ET BILLCOMPOSERSFor over 25 years, Jacques Boucher has been creating sound environments for a number ofproductions from Quebec and beyond. Jacques also worked as a sound technician for variousQuebec artists, including Richard Séguin, Laurence Jalbert, Diane Dufresne and Bruno Pelletier.He went on to develop an expertise in sound design for musicals such as Dracula (2006) andlarge-scale events, including the mega-show 2000 voix chantent le monde, presented in QuebecCity in 2000, with over 2,300 singers on stage.In 2008, Jacques was asked to handle the sound for almost every event presented as part of thecelebrations for the 400th anniversary of Quebec City. As Sound Designer and Head of Sound, hedesigned sound for the Quebec Symphony Orchestra’s performance of the Symphonie des milleby Gustav Mahler, The Image Mill by Robert Lepage, for which he designed the impressive soundsystem spanning 1.2 km, and the special show presented by Cirque du Soleil. Jacques also worksas Sound Designer and Head of Sound for some Cirque du Soleil special events. After TOTEM, thisis the designer’s second Cirque du Soleil show.JACQUES BOUCHERSOUND DESIGNER13

MATTHIEU LARRIVÉELIGHTING DESIGNERMatthieu Larivée came up with the ingenious lighting designs for several shows and artisticevents in Quebec and throughout Canada. His multidimensional approach and overall visionof the show has allowed him to participate in large-scale projects such as the show Le Petit Roy,directed by Serge Postigo, and Beladi - A night at the Pyramids, a unique show featuring singerChantal Chamandy and the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, performed in front of the Egyptianpyramids, which allowed Matthieu to emphasize the beauty of such majestic monuments.This international project earned him the MELDA (Middle East Lighting Design Awards) Awardin 2007 and recognition from his peers at the 2008 Parnelli Awards in Las Vegas.At the 2010 Gala de l’ADISQ, Matthieu was nominated as “Lighting Designer of the Year” forMusicMan, starring Gregory Charles, and again in 2011 for Roch Voisine’s Americana. Matthieunever hesitates to push the boundaries of his art, incorporating video technology and sceniceffects into his projects. For over ten years now, Matthieu Larivée and his Lüz Studio team havebeen responsible for the visual look of numerous concerts and events, including Canadian MusicWeek (2010 and 2011), Guy Laliberté’s Poetic Social Mission (an event that took place in 2009during his eleven-day journey into space on board the International Space Station), the ConcertsOSM éclatés, as well as the graphic design for the opening night of the Formula 1 CanadianGrand Prix in 2010. Matthieu has also worked with famous artists such as pianist Michel Legrandand singer Natasha St-Pier. Amaluna marks Matthieu’s second time taking part in a Cirque duSoleil show after Wintuk.KAROLE ARMITAGECHOREOGRAPHERKarole Armitage, director of Armitage Gone! Dance Company based in New York, was rigorouslytrained in classical ballet. Through her unique and acute knowledge of the aesthetic values ofBalanchine and Cunningham, she is seen by some critics as the true choreographic heir to thetwo masters of twentieth-century American dance. Known as the “Punk Ballerina,” Armitage isrenowned for pushing the boundaries to create works that blend dance, music and art.Following the premiere of the Watteau Duets, Mikhail Baryshnikov invited her to create a workfor the American Ballet Theatre, and Rudolph Nureyev commissioned a work for the Paris OperaBallet. She has collaborated with contemporary composers and worked with artists such as JeffKoons, Brice Marden and David Salle. She choreographed two Broadway productions (PassingStrange and Hair, which awarded her a Tony nomination), videos for Madonna and MichaelJackson and several films.She has set new works on companies that include the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow, Les Ballets deMonte Carlo, Ballet Naccional de Cuba and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre. Her companytours an extensive repertoire and creates site-specific works for festivals and venues worldwide.She has directed operas from the baroque and contemporary repertoire for prestigious houses ofEurope, including Teatro Di San Carlo in Naples, Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, the Lyric Opera inAthens and Het Muzik Theatre in Amsterdam. She also choreographed The Cunning Little Vixenfor the New York Philharmonic. Armitage was awarded France’s most prestigious award in 2009,Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. This is her first collaboration with Cirque du Soleil.14

Rob Bollinger was a competitive trampolinist at the age of 9 and partnered with his fatheron the invention of the double mini trampoline as his family owned a trampoline club in Illinois,where he grew up. He studied Business at Indiana University on a scholarship as a competitivespringboard diver. He won two national diving championships and qualified for the 1980 and1984 Olympics trials. He did not make the team on either occasion, and at first turned awayfrom the world of competitive sports. Rob tried his hand at a variety of jobs in aeronauticsand insurance, but always found the pull of acrobatics too strong to resist, so he went to workin diving shows in theme parks, which led him all over Europe.On his return to the United States he put his talents as a diver and trampolinist to work in filmand television as a professional stunt man, notably for Universal Studios. Rob joined Cirque duSoleil in 1993 during the creation of the first resident show Mystère as a coach and artist in theshow’s original house troupe. In 1997 he joined “O”, first as a coach, then as artistic coordinatorand eventually he was appointed the production’s artistic director. He also added the artisticdirection of Mystère to his responsibilities. This is Rob’s second Cirque du Soleil production asAcrobatic Performance Designer after ZAIA.ROB BOLLINGERACROBATICPERFORMANCE DESIGNERIn 1984, after some eye-opening encounters at Zingaro Circus (France), Fred left a career drillingfor oil to tap into circus arts. Among the first to graduate from the National Centre for CircusArts in Châlons-sur-Marne (France) as a flying trapeze porter, Fred was approached to becomea trapeze artist in the Cirque du Soleil show Nouvelle Expérience. Forced to leave the stagefollowing an injury, he became assistant to the show’s director and artistic director. He wenton to assume the role of Tour Artistic Coordinator. After a short stint in Europe, he returnedto Cirque du Soleil, taking his first steps in acrobatic equipment design for the shows Alegríaand Mystère.Working as Head Rigger and training circus technicians at Cirque du Soleil InternationalHeadquarters in Montreal, he then took up these duties on several touring shows between1997 and 2006. With the help of his circus friends, Fred co-founded the Nickel Chrome groupin Martigues in the South of France. As a member of this organization, which supports circusprojects, he acts as Tent Master/Head Rigger, Artistic Director, Designer or Trainer for circusprojects and companies all over the world. Working with Nickel Chrome and Théâtre Europe,he was also involved in the creation and development of the Janvier dans les Étoiles festivalin La Seyne-sur-Mer, France. This is Fred Gérard second collaboration with Cirque du Soleil showas Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer, after OVO.FRED GÉRARDACROBATIC EQUIPMENTAND RIGGING DESIGNER15

Patricia Ruel has contributed to the success of a myriad of plays, television shows and specialevents, both in Quebec and abroad. Her track record includes over 50 productions as PropsDesigner and a dozen as Set Designer. Patricia has received two Théâtre Denise-Pelletier awardsfor her sets for Révizor, directed by Reynald Robinson, in 2003, and Edmond Dantès, directedby Robert Bellefeuille, in 2004.In 2011, she received a Gémeau award in the “Best Set Design: all variety categories, magazines,public affairs, sports” category for the end-of-year special Bye Bye 2010, aired on SRC. She hasworked with various theatre directors, including Robert Lepage, Dominic Champagne andFernand Rainville. She has also worked on several projects for Cirque du Soleil, including KÀ, TheBeatles LOVE and Viva ELVIS as Props Designer and Wintuk and Banana Shpeel as Set Designer.PATRICIA RUELPROPS DESIGNEREleni Uranis joined Cirque du Soleil in 1989 as Assistant to Costume Designer DominiqueLemieux. She then worked on various shows, where she was responsible for materials research,fittings and artistic quality control. She then designed costumes for the show Pomp Duck andCircumstance, performed in Hamburg (Germany) from 1997 to 1999. In 2002, she workedalongside world-renowned designer Thierry Mugler to design the costumes for Zumanity.In 2004, Eleni Uranis’ career took a sharp turn when she joined the Cirque du Soleil make-upworkshop, where she would see her ideas brought to life by the artists of Dralion. Between2004 and 2006, Eleni Uranis assisted Make-up Designer Nathalie Gagné with several showsand, in 2005, she designed the make-up for Reflections in Blue, the show Cirque producedfor the opening ceremonies of the XI FINA World Aquatic Championships. With Amaluna,Eleni is designing the make-up for her sixth Cirque du Soleil production after Dralion, Wintuk,ZED, Banana Shpeel and Zarkana.ELENI URANISMAKE-UP DESIGNER16

Village on WheelsCirque du Soleil’s mobile village includes the Big Top, one large entrance tent, artistic tent, kitchen, school, offices, warehousesand more. Completely self-sufficient for electrical power, the site relies only on a local water supply and telecommunication facilitiesto support its infrastructure.The Site• The site takes 8 days to set up and 3 days to deconstructand includes the installation of the Big Top, the VIP Rougetent, entrance and artistic tents, box office, administrativeoffices, and a kitchen and dining area for the cast and crew.• A total of 65 trucks transport close to 2,000 tons ofequipment that Amaluna carries around. A few of thesetrucks are used as storage spaces and workshops.• 6 generators (350 kilowatts) provide electricityto the Big Top and the entire set-up.• The Big Top, the artistic tent and the VIP Rouge tent areclimate controlled.The Entrance Tent• A large entrance tent holds the box office, merchandise,food and beverage counters.The VIP Rouge Tent• The VIP Rouge tent hosts up to 250 guestsand is available for private functions.The Artistic Tent• The artistic tent includes a wardrobe area,dressing rooms, a fully equipped training areaand a physio-therapy room.The Big Top• Conceived by a team of Canadian engineers, the canvaswas produced by a French company who specializes insails and big tops: Les Voileries du Sud-Ouest.The Kitchen• The kitchen is the heart of the village – not only does itserve between 200-250 meals per day, six days a week itis also the meeting place for cast and crew alike.• The canvas for the tent and its 11 tunnels weighapproximately 5227.3 kg.• The Big Top stands 19 meters high, 51 meters in diameterand is supported by four masts, each 25 meters tall.• The Big Top seats more than 2,600 people and requires ateam of approximately 85 people to raise it.17

Fast FactsAMALUNA• Amaluna world-premiered in Montreal on April 19, 2012.During its first year, the show will visit few cities acrossCanada, such as Quebec City, Toronto & Vancouver until theend of year 2012. Then, it will travel to United States for 2013.• Amaluna marks Diane Paulus’ first collaboration with Cirquedu Soleil, a renowned theatre director from New York.• For the first time at Cirque du Soleil, the cast of a show is70% female and the band, 100%.Cast and Crew• The cast of Amaluna comprises 52 artists. The crew iscomposed of 12 employees in the Artistic management team,10 in Public services, 12 in Tour services and 30 employees inthe Technical department.• All 120 of the cast and crew represent a total of 17 countries:Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Colombia, Finland,France, Greece, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Spain, Switzerland,Ukraine, United Kingdom, and the United States.• Additionally touring with the cast and crew are over 20 officialaccompanying members (husbands, wives, and children). For agrand total of 145 on the road!• The tour relies on local suppliers for many essentials suchas food, bio-diesel fuel, dry ice, machinery, food & beveragesfor patrons, banks, delivery services, recycling, and wastemanagement – thereby injecting significant money intothe local economy. However, due to the use of electricitygenerators; the structure is fully self-sustainable with theexception of connecting water/sewerage andtelecommunications in each city.• During an engagement in a city, over 150 people are hiredlocally for a variety of jobs including ticket takers, ushers,janitors, receptionists, etc. Box office ticket sellers, corporatehospitality hosts, ushers, food and beverage attendants,merchandising sales staff, kitchen attendants and prep-cooks,janitors and a receptionist are hired in each market. We alsoemploy over 100 local labourers to assist with the site set-upand tear down.• The kitchen employs 1 touring kitchen manager and 3 cooks.• Two performance medicine people (one performancemedicine supervisor and one therapist travel with the tour.• Although you will generally hear French and English spokenon-site, many other languages are spoken: Chinese, Spanish,Russian, Greek, Japanese and more.18

Cirque du Soleil at a GlanceFrom a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organizationproviding high-quality artistic entertainment. The companyhas 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists fromclose to 50 different countries.Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over fortycountries on six continents. Cirque du Soleil InternationalHeadquarters are in Montreal, Canada.For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visitwww.cirquedusoleil.comThe missionThe mission of Cirque du Soleil is to invoke the imagination,provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of peoplearound the world.The creation of Cirque du SoleilIt all started in Baie-Saint-Paul, a small town near QuébecCity in Canada. There, in the early eighties, a band ofcolourful characters roamed the streets, striding on stilts,juggling, dancing, breathing fire, and playing music. Theywere Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul (the Baie-Saint-PaulStiltwalkers), a street theatre group founded by GillesSte-Croix. Already, the townsfolk were impressed andintrigued by the young performers – including Guy Lalibertéwho founded Cirque du Soleil.The troupe went on to found Le Club des talons hauts (theHigh Heels Club), and then, in 1982, organized La Fêteforaine de Baie-Saint-Paul, a cultural event in which streetperformers from all over met to exchange ideas and enliventhe streets of the town for a few days. La Fête foraine wasrepeated in 1983 and 1984. Le Club des talons hauts attractednotice, and Guy Laliberté, Gilles Ste-Croix and their croniesbegan to cherish a crazy dream: to create a Québec circusand take the troupe travelling around the world.In 1984, Québec City was celebrating the 450 th anniversaryof Canada’s discovery by Jacques Cartier, and they neededa show that would carry the festivities out across theprovince. Guy Laliberté presented a proposal for a showcalled Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun), and succeeded inconvincing the organizers. And Cirque du Soleil hasn’tstopped since!A FEW STATISTICS• In 1984, 73 people worked for Cirque du Soleil. Today,the business has 5,000 employees worldwide,including more than 1,300 artists.• At the Montréal International Headquarters alone,there are close to 2,000 employees.• More than 100 types of occupations can be foundat Cirque.• The company’s employees and artists represent closeto 50 nationalities and speak 25 different languages.• More than 100 million spectators have seen aCirque du Soleil show since 1984.• Close to 15 million people will see a Cirque du Soleilshow in 2013.• Cirque du Soleil hasn’t received any grants fromthe public or private sectors since 1992.

In 2013, Cirque du Soleilwill present 19 differentshows around the world:TOURING SHOWS IN ARENASEuropeEurope/Middle East/AfricaTOURING SHOWSUNDER THE BIG TOPNorth America/EuropeEurope/Japan/AsiaSouth AmericaEurope/South AmericaEuropeAustraliaNorth AmericaNorth America

TMRESIDENT SHOWSTreasure Islandin Las VegasBellagioin Las VegasNew York-New YorkHotel & Casinoin Las VegasWalt Disney World ® Resortin Orlando, FloridaMGM Grandin Las VegasThe Miragein Las VegasLuxorin Las VegasARIA Resort & Casinoat CityCenterin Las VegasMJ 2013 at Mandalay Bayin Las VegasCirque du Soleil, Sun Logo, Alegría, Dralion, Quidam, Varekai, Corteo, KOOZA, OVO, TOTEM, Amaluna, Mystère, “O”, Zumanity – the Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil, La Nouba, KÀ, Zarkana, are trademarks owned by Cirque du Soleil and used under license. Thetrademark LOVE is owned by The Cirque Apple Creation Partnership and used under license. The Beatles is a trademark owned by Apple Corps Limited. The trademarks CRISS ANGEL and Believe are owned by Criss Angel and used under license. Michael JacksonTHE IMMORTAL World Tour is a trademark owned by Cirque Jackson I.P., LLC. Trademarks used under license. The Michael Jackson name, image, likeness and associated trademarks and logos are owned by Triumph International, Inc. and used under license.© 2010 Cirque Jackson I.P., LLC.

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