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The Legend Lives On - Official Cirque du Soleil 'Immortal World Tour' Discussion

Cirque du Soleil's 'The Immortal World Tour' misses the energy, magic of Michael Jackson (review)

Cirque du Soleil has one of the most-bankable track records in the entertainment industry because it rarely misfires with its shows. But the French-Canadian circus company has a mess on its hands with the arena spectacle, "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour," which made stops in Eugene and Portland this week.

From a depressing opening sequence mourning the late pop star's lost childhood to a soulless finale about the sorry state of global ecology and human rights, the show lacks focus, and only occasionally touches the larger-than-life stage presence that Michael Jackson projected in his concerts.

Much of the problem with "The Immortal World Tour" is the uncertainty about what it's trying to be. It's neither a rock concert nor an avant-garde circus, and never entirely coalesces as a hybrid of the two art forms. Through big production numbers and more than 30 of Jackson's songs, the show tries to distill the essence of who the singer was. At his best, a Jackson performance could be pure energy. Yet Cirque never really gets the engine running.

At its world premiere last month in Montreal, it was clear the show still needed editing and technical tinkering, and Cirque has a long history of improving shows if they've gotten off to a rough start. If anything, the show is more ragged now. The stage has been stripped of a large, symbolic set piece representing a "tree of life," several pyrotechnic effects have been scuttled, and one of the animatronic puppets created by Oregon theatrical designer Michael Curry has disappeared. At the show's premiere, it floated through the arena in the basket of a large helium balloon, providing a bit of eloquence to the show's "Childhood" segment. Now the balloon carries only a glowing plastic heart, borrowed from a number later in the show, diminishing that song's visual surprise.

"The Immortal World Tour's" missteps are particularly hard to fathom since many of its creators and choreographers were regular collaborators with Jackson, and several of them were working on the "This Is It!" show that he was creating at the time of his death in 2009. If anyone should have been able to capture the soul and spirit of Jackson in a stage show, it was this team. Instead they've created a carnival that's as much of a head-scratching paradox as the scandal-plagued last decade of Jackson's life.

"The Immortal World Tour" does have a few moments that click. The production numbers "Smooth Criminal" and "Thriller" are high-spirited takes on Jackson's fascination with gangster and monster movies, and breath new life into both songs' dance steps. "Human Nature" is a visual stunner, with aerial dancers in illuminated costumes, representing stars in the cosmos. And a quintet of dancers portraying fans on a quest to discover Neverland Ranch offer a few laughs, particularly in a segment when they lip-sync a medley of Jackson 5 numbers.

When he was still alive, Jackson was a big fan of Cirque du Soleil, and regularly took his family to see the company's shows. It would seem a natural fit for Cirque to create a show honoring his musical legacy. Instead, "The Immortal World Tour" shows how big of a creative vacuum was created by his untimely death – one that's impossible for mimes, contortionists and acrobats to fill.

-- Grant Butler/http://www.oregonlive.com/performance/index.ssf/2011/11/cirque_du_soleils_michael_jack_1.html
 
I wish some people would understand that Michael Jackson is dead and that a tribute show from Cirque du Soleil is NOT a Michael Jackson concert, it's a tribute show.. It kills me that some people, just for the pleasure of trashing something MJ, are trying to use the fact that ''it misses MJ's energy''.. IT IS NOT MJ!

Geez... Just get over yourselves! Grrrrrr

Sorry guys... this has me raging... how come I'm a MJ fan and I can just enjoy and appreciate their work in a logical way, knowing that Michael won't be there and that it'll not be a MJ show... How come, as a fan, I can do that, and they can't...
 
Cirque du Soleil will bring the Immortal World Tour to Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland on November 5th, 2012. Tickets will be 89€.

Personal note: Happyhappyjoyjoy!!! :D
 
Laura.L.;3543462 said:
Cirque du Soleil will bring the Immortal World Tour to Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland on November 5th, 2012. Tickets will be 89€.

Personal note: Happyhappyjoyjoy!!! :D
Click to expand...

Happy for you!!

But.. OH NO!!! LOL I'm suppose to go to Helsinki in 2013 and wanted it to fit with the Cirque show... damn.. can't get there in 2012 (was supposed to be in 2012 but had to use my $$ for something else)

Aaarrgghhhh...

Well, still... happy for you :)
 
Laura.L.;3543462 said:
Cirque du Soleil will bring the Immortal World Tour to Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland on November 5th, 2012. Tickets will be 89€.

Personal note: Happyhappyjoyjoy!!! :D
Click to expand...

Do you know other European dates?
 
Carinemjj said:
Happy for you!!

But.. OH NO!!! LOL I'm suppose to go to Helsinki in 2013 and wanted it to fit with the Cirque show... damn.. can't get there in 2012 (was supposed to be in 2012 but had to use my $$ for something else)

Aaarrgghhhh...

Well, still... happy for you :)
Click to expand...

Ohh, you're coming to Helsinki, cool! :) For a vacation? To meet Silja? What a bummer that you won't get to see Immortal here, would've been a nice addition to your trip.

respect77 said:
Do you know other European dates?
Click to expand...


I'm afraid I don't, sorry. :/
 
Vienna and Hannover are now listed as 'coming soon' on the Cirque site. I didn't see them before. Maybe they'll start announcing Euro dates soon.
 
Laura.L. said:
Ohh, you're coming to Helsinki, cool! :) For a vacation? To meet Silja? What a bummer that you won't get to see Immortal here, would've been a nice addition to your trip.
Click to expand...

Yep, to meet Silja! :D I wished the show would come at the same time as me.. but oh well... can't always be that lucky!! :D
 
Gonetoosoon said:
I haven't read the whole thread (apologies) but does anyone know if the show is coming to Australia?
Click to expand...

Nothing is confirmed yet. Many people involved in the show said that after North American leg the show will go to Europe and Asia. I didn't hear anything about Australia, but it's called Immortal WORLD Tour so I'm sure it will come to Australia at some point. South America too.
 
This is nice, please update it it worked.
seems like for this location only -- Taco Bell Arena, Boise, Idaho



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A riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses audiences in Michael’s creative world and literally turns his signature moves upside down, Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil unfolds Michael Jackson’s artistry before the eyes of the audience. Aimed at lifelong fans as well as those experiencing Michael’s creative genius for the first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend generations.


***If you have any issues with the above ticket link please visit www.idahotickets.com(Click on Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour by Cirque du Soleil) or call our Box Office (Monday, 10:00am-7:00pm) 208-426-1766.***

http://tacobellarena.com/2011/cyber-monday-save-25-per-ticket-michael-jackson-the-immortal/




 
thrillerchild said:
I can't see that listed yet? :mello:
Click to expand...


That is strange. They were there when I posted about it and again later in the day because I went back to see if more cities had been added.
Now they're not listed at all. Must have been somebody updating the website in the background but accidentally changing the 'live' page.They were listed on the main tickets page but now they're gone!

Anyway, at least we now know that Hannover and Vienna will be receiving the show as well as Helsinki! :clap:
 
[h=4]Michael Jackson the Immortal World Tour over-the-top, worth the price of admission[/h]Posted by CRYSTAL STANFORD

11/18/11
9:41am​

By Crystal Stanford,


On Tuesday evening I attended my first-ever event at Matthew Knight Arena, yet another of Phil Knight's opulent multi-million dollar athletic facilities. Matthew Knight Arena cost an amazing $227 million to build, so it was only fitting that my first experience of it was the over the top, larger than life Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour, a show by Cirque du Soleil which reportedly cost $60 million to create.

I started the evening off with dinner up the street from Matt Knight Arena at Agate Alley Bistro. As I cruised south on Agate Street, I gazed at over a dozen semi-trucks parked on the street in front of Hayward Field, no doubt the mode of transportation for Cirque du Soleil's equipment. A couple weeks ago Cirque du Soleil announced that they were canceling their November 16th performance in Eugene, as well as other performances in Spokane and Portland due to unexpected difficulties associated with transporting the colossal show from one city to another. Seeing these semi trucks lining the street it was easy to see why.

Agate Alley Bistro was packed, and it all made sense when our hostess came around to ask if we wanted to sign up for the shuttle. Apparently, Agate Alley shuttles people from the restaurant to the arena for big events via the "Agate Alley Express." While the crowd in the restaurant made the dinner service a bit slow, the shuttle itself seemed to run smoothly and efficiently, and we arrived ten minutes before the show after a quick ride down Agate Street made rather interesting by a raucous group of 30-something drunk women.

I found my seats and the show began (ten minutes late). The opening act was a charming quintet of Michael Jackson look-a-likes attached to harnesses that propelled them to scale a digital screen made to look like a city wall, then a train. While this might sound rather elaborate, I've been to one other Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas, and I couldn't help thinking, "This is it?" It just wasn't big enough, especially for Cirque du Soleil in Nike Colosseum.

Almost as if Michael Jackson (R.I.P.) had read my mind, the act concluded with a background screen falling to reveal the "real" stage, effectively making the performance about five times bigger than it had originally appeared. The crowd was audibly awed. Suddenly I felt a lot better about the show.

And so it began: an hours long, over-the-top, larger-than-life, sensory overload. At any given point during the show, there were at the very least three or four amazing things you could choose to focus your attention on. The back-up band alone was entertaining enough, but all at once in front of them there might be a ballerina in a gilded tutu, a guitar soloist with a giant mohawk, a troupe of acrobats dressed like Oompa Loompas, a bunch of sparkly Dr. Seuss-like creatures dancing in unison, and a beautiful couple in spandex suits lit with LEDs swinging daringly from the ceiling. All of this to a dynamic Michael Jackson soundtrack.

It was a ridiculously lavish feast for the eyes and ears. Some of my favorite highlights of the show: An amazing cello solo by a beautiful woman in a metallic glitter bikini and thigh-high boots (bet you've never seen that before); "Christmas-light people" swinging from the ceiling (during their performance, the kid next to me screamed out "My eyeballs are vibrating! OWW!"); and a troupe of uber-talented dancers in light-up track suits break-dancing to "Billie Jean" (the best song of all time).

Throughout the show, I periodically found myself subconsciously expecting Michael Jackson to appear on stage, so as soon as I became conscious of it, I suddenly felt sad realizing that was impossible. While some critics have commented that they felt the show lacked heart, there were many moments where I found myself thinking about how complicated it must have been to be Michael Jackson. Especially during a later act while they played a young Michael Jackson singing "I'll Be There," I decided I kind of understood how Michael Jackson came to be the most famous eccentric the world over. How do you deal with being that talented and that famous that young?

I also thoroughly enjoyed being brought back in time with songs I'd adored as a kid, remembering the many moments I'd spent in front of a TV engrossed in yet another impossibly cool Michael Jackson music video: feeling distinctly uneasy from the sense of danger in "Beat It," emulating the dance moves from "Smooth Criminal" with my boy cousins, or feeling a frustrating sense of cosmopolitan inspiration listening to "Black or White" (frustrating because I was about six years old and couldn't really act on it.)

While there were a few things throughout the show that seemed out of place, superfluous, or gratuitous, the bottom line is that Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour is an impressive ode to the King, one that does justice to his complex character and illustrious music career. Definitely worth the expensive tickets.

​

 
Vegas loves a dead celebrity
Posted: Nov. 27, 2011 | 2:01 a.m.

Death takes a holiday in other cities maybe, but not Las Vegas. Death be not proud, and neither are we. Death becomes us.

I speak, of course, of the city's penchant for resurrecting departed superstars, often making big money for their estates, without the inconvenience of them actually having to perform.

Helmed by impersonated Elvis, "Legends in Concert" has been a fixture for 28 years. In various forms, "The Rat Pack is Back" has been toasting the memories of Frank, Dean and Sammy since 1999, merely a year after we lost Ol' Blue Eyes.

Starting Saturday, Las Vegas hosts 33 performances of Cirque du Soleil's "The Immortal" tribute to Michael Jackson, with more than 246,000 tickets to push at Mandalay Bay Events Center.

That's only 17 short of the 50 "This Is It" concerts planned for London, which the frail Jackson was rehearsing when he died in 2009. If you believed the title, there weren't going to be any more. There was talk of more touring, but the Gloved One probably wouldn't have played Saskatoon or Salt Lake City like his globe-trotting Cirque substitute.
Jackson was a big Cirque fan, so perhaps he would have signed off on "The Immortal" and lived to see it, much the way Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr support "Love." Part of what makes that show special is that it's a de facto Beatles "reunion" with the interests of all four partners represented.

But Cirque du Michael certainly would have been more complicated with Jackson around.

In 2008, the Wall Street Journal reported Jackson might be coerced to play the Las Vegas Hilton, because its owners carried the papers on his Neverland ranch. The most probable scenario called for an ongoing "Immortal"-type revue that he could step into 20 or 30 times a year.

But it's hard enough to work around absent stars in "Viva Elvis" or "The Immortal." Most Hilton audiences would have felt they were getting the consolation prize if they knew a few lucky ticket holders would see the real deal.
Sadly, it's simpler this way.

However, we learned last week that "Viva Elvis" has been put on notice to probably close at the end of next year. Disappointing ticket sales motivated the request to ask Cirque to come up with something else.

Perhaps dead celebrity tributes belong on a short list of things -- such as prime rib and lounge acts -- that were better in the fun, cheesy Vegas of the 1980s than the classy new, respectable Vegas.

It's the literal versus the abstract. "Legends" impersonations of Michael and Elvis are silly but earnest expressions. Cirque's more high-minded ambitions can leave us feeling like someone skipped his own party.

"Viva Elvis" was a schizoid mix of biography and Borat; the movie foreigner adrift in the American heartland, struggling to impress. "Love" worked from the get-go because it used the Beatles' music and social history to create its own cohesive world.

When "The Immortal" launched in Montreal two months ago, it landed somewhere in the middle. We'll find out Saturday how it flows now.

But the checks will cash for the Jackson estate either way.

http://www.lvrj.com/living/vegas-loves-a-dead-celebrity-134553733.html
​
 
I have never seen Elvis or Beatles show so I don't know how it compares to Michael's that I did see.
 
Memefan said:
Michael Jackson the Immortal World Tour over-the-top, worth the price of admission

Posted by CRYSTAL STANFORD

11/18/11
9:41am​

By Crystal Stanford,


On Tuesday evening I attended my first-ever event at Matthew Knight Arena, yet another of Phil Knight's opulent multi-million dollar athletic facilities. Matthew Knight Arena cost an amazing $227 million to build, so it was only fitting that my first experience of it was the over the top, larger than life Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour, a show by Cirque du Soleil which reportedly cost $60 million to create.

I started the evening off with dinner up the street from Matt Knight Arena at Agate Alley Bistro. As I cruised south on Agate Street, I gazed at over a dozen semi-trucks parked on the street in front of Hayward Field, no doubt the mode of transportation for Cirque du Soleil's equipment. A couple weeks ago Cirque du Soleil announced that they were canceling their November 16th performance in Eugene, as well as other performances in Spokane and Portland due to unexpected difficulties associated with transporting the colossal show from one city to another. Seeing these semi trucks lining the street it was easy to see why.

Agate Alley Bistro was packed, and it all made sense when our hostess came around to ask if we wanted to sign up for the shuttle. Apparently, Agate Alley shuttles people from the restaurant to the arena for big events via the "Agate Alley Express." While the crowd in the restaurant made the dinner service a bit slow, the shuttle itself seemed to run smoothly and efficiently, and we arrived ten minutes before the show after a quick ride down Agate Street made rather interesting by a raucous group of 30-something drunk women.

I found my seats and the show began (ten minutes late). The opening act was a charming quintet of Michael Jackson look-a-likes attached to harnesses that propelled them to scale a digital screen made to look like a city wall, then a train. While this might sound rather elaborate, I've been to one other Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas, and I couldn't help thinking, "This is it?" It just wasn't big enough, especially for Cirque du Soleil in Nike Colosseum.

Almost as if Michael Jackson (R.I.P.) had read my mind, the act concluded with a background screen falling to reveal the "real" stage, effectively making the performance about five times bigger than it had originally appeared. The crowd was audibly awed. Suddenly I felt a lot better about the show.

And so it began: an hours long, over-the-top, larger-than-life, sensory overload. At any given point during the show, there were at the very least three or four amazing things you could choose to focus your attention on. The back-up band alone was entertaining enough, but all at once in front of them there might be a ballerina in a gilded tutu, a guitar soloist with a giant mohawk, a troupe of acrobats dressed like Oompa Loompas, a bunch of sparkly Dr. Seuss-like creatures dancing in unison, and a beautiful couple in spandex suits lit with LEDs swinging daringly from the ceiling. All of this to a dynamic Michael Jackson soundtrack.

It was a ridiculously lavish feast for the eyes and ears. Some of my favorite highlights of the show: An amazing cello solo by a beautiful woman in a metallic glitter bikini and thigh-high boots (bet you've never seen that before); "Christmas-light people" swinging from the ceiling (during their performance, the kid next to me screamed out "My eyeballs are vibrating! OWW!"); and a troupe of uber-talented dancers in light-up track suits break-dancing to "Billie Jean" (the best song of all time).

Throughout the show, I periodically found myself subconsciously expecting Michael Jackson to appear on stage, so as soon as I became conscious of it, I suddenly felt sad realizing that was impossible. While some critics have commented that they felt the show lacked heart, there were many moments where I found myself thinking about how complicated it must have been to be Michael Jackson. Especially during a later act while they played a young Michael Jackson singing "I'll Be There," I decided I kind of understood how Michael Jackson came to be the most famous eccentric the world over. How do you deal with being that talented and that famous that young?

I also thoroughly enjoyed being brought back in time with songs I'd adored as a kid, remembering the many moments I'd spent in front of a TV engrossed in yet another impossibly cool Michael Jackson music video: feeling distinctly uneasy from the sense of danger in "Beat It," emulating the dance moves from "Smooth Criminal" with my boy cousins, or feeling a frustrating sense of cosmopolitan inspiration listening to "Black or White" (frustrating because I was about six years old and couldn't really act on it.)

While there were a few things throughout the show that seemed out of place, superfluous, or gratuitous, the bottom line is that Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour is an impressive ode to the King, one that does justice to his complex character and illustrious music career. Definitely worth the expensive tickets.

​

Click to expand...


:wild:




kermit.gif
 
i am not interested in Viva Elvis, but i will try to see Love, just so i can compare with MJ's.

The reviews for Elvis weren't very good from the get go. With that being said, MJ unlike Elvis & the Beatles, has an international fan base. If Vegas is too crowded, they can move the show to London, Tokyo or wherever.
 
speaking of Elvis







By Mike Weatherford
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Posted: Nov. 23, 2011 | 4:59 p.m.
Updated: Nov. 27, 2011 | 9:13 a.m.


Every Elvis fan knows that before he became the king of Las Vegas in 1969, he famously disappointed it in 1956. It seems he has done so again.

MGM Resorts is likely to ask Cirque du Soleil to close its "Viva Elvis" at the end of next year and replace the Aria production with a new title, according to a company memo.

It would be the first of Cirque's seven Las Vegas titles to close since the opening of "Mystere" in 1993. Ticket sales suggest Las Vegas showgoers are losing their infatuation with Elvis Presley -- or at least Cirque's version of his music -- for the first time since he bombed at the Frontier in '56.

"All of us at Cirque du Soleil are saddened that we may have to bring 'Viva Elvis' to the end of its journey. However, we respect the decision of our partner as ticket sales have not met expectations," Daniel Lamarre, Cirque's president and chief executive officer, wrote in a memo to the cast and crew of the show, which was released after a backstage meeting Wednesday afternoon.

"We will now take the appropriate time to focus on redeploying as many of the show's employees as possible, when the time comes, and evaluating next steps for exploring the many possibilities for creative content," Lamarre added.

The announcement changes previous plans to take the show down for an extended period next winter for substantial changes that would shift the focus from Presley biography to Cirque acrobatics. Now, the show will close only from Feb. 4 to 11, but it will still incorporate the "banguine" acrobatic act from "Zed," another Cirque closing in Japan.

"Elvis" will undergo "some artistic changes but not a full revamp," said Renee-Claude Menard, the show's senior director of public relations.

Lamarre's memo noted that nearly 900 performances have drawn close to 1 million guests since the Presley tribute opened with the hotel in late 2009 (with its formal grand opening in February 2010). "Like you, I am proud of our work on this show and understand that this is simply a business decision," he wrote.

"Viva Elvis" is produced in partnership with CKX Inc., owners of the Presley estate. The title, which drew mixed to negative reviews, was said to be more creatively restricted -- by the estate -- than Cirque's "Love" venture with The Beatles.
http://www.lvrj.com/neon/-viva-elvis-likely-to-close-in-2012-134432593.html?ref=593
 
hardly been in this thread so could someone link to any youtube footage from the actual shows? thanks
 
billyworld99 said:
speaking of Elvis

By Mike Weatherford
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Posted: Nov. 23, 2011 | 4:59 p.m.
Updated: Nov. 27, 2011 | 9:13 a.m.


Every Elvis fan knows that before he became the king of Las Vegas in 1969, he famously disappointed it in 1956. It seems he has done so again.

MGM Resorts is likely to ask Cirque du Soleil to close its "Viva Elvis" at the end of next year and replace the Aria production with a new title, according to a company memo.

It would be the first of Cirque's seven Las Vegas titles to close since the opening of "Mystere" in 1993. Ticket sales suggest Las Vegas showgoers are losing their infatuation with Elvis Presley -- or at least Cirque's version of his music -- for the first time since he bombed at the Frontier in '56.


http://www.lvrj.com/neon/-viva-elvis-likely-to-close-in-2012-134432593.html?ref=593
Click to expand...

Yikes!! I think people are moving on from Elvis. His fans are old now...and the younger generation has no connection to him. He doesn't have a Thriller video that is played every single year...he only lasted this long because his estate managers were skewed business people (and one can't forget the race factor). Elvis wasn't a songwriter. He wasn't a dancer. He was just a singer and a bad actor.

I wonder what impact, if any, this might have on MJ's permanent show...? That's why I believe MJ fans should do whatever they can to support these official ventures....If we want MJ to remain in the forefront of the scene for decades to come. Enough of this boycott, bs.

That being said, I am still not sure Vegas is the best place for an MJ show...MJ was international...and Vegas...well...Vegas is local. The recession has hit Vegas real hard...and only our grandparents still think highly of Las Vegas.
 
Last edited:
Memefan said:
Yikes!! I think people are moving on from Elvis. His fans are old now...and the younger generation has no connection to him. He doesn't have a Thriller video that is played every single year...he only lasted this long because his estate managers were skewed business people (and one can't forget the race factor). Elvis wasn't a songwriter. He wasn't a dancer. He was just a singer and a bad actor.

I wonder what impact, if any, this might have on MJ's permanent show...? That's why I believe MJ fans should do whatever they can to support these official ventures....If we want MJ to remain in the forefront of the scene for decades to come. Enough of this boycott, bs.

That being said, I am still not sure Vegas is the best place for an MJ show...MJ was international...and Vegas...well...Vegas is local. The recession has hit Vegas real hard...and only our grandparents still think highly of Las Vegas.
Click to expand...

I think Cirque can definitely learn from the experience with Viva Elvis and try to understand why the show does not repeat the success of Beatles' Love.

One of the reasons of Viva Elvis' disapponting commercial performance may be diminishing interest in Elvis. It's true that his fans are aging. But, it may have to do with the quality of the show itself. Cirque has its own fanbase. One doesn't need to be an Elvis fan to buy a ticket to see Viva Elvis. If the show is good, it'll attract people. I believe the key is to make the show entertaining to both fans and non-fans. Actually, it'll be even more meaningful if non-fans can come out of the show entertained and amazed, so they will start to leran more about Michael. Some of the reviews of Immortal are promosing. It seems non-fans enjoy the show too.

I also am not sure if Vegas is the most ideal place for the permanent show. For my own selfish reason, I wish they can stage the show in New York or even in London. I don't think Vegas is that cool. I've been to Vegas once and have no desire to go again, except to go to see the permanent show.
 
From the reactions of hardcore Cirque fans to me it seems they don't really like these shows where Cirque-like acrobatic is replaced with dancing. So learning from those past experiences I don't know why didn't they put more acrobatics in the MJ show, so that it would attract and please both MJ and Cirque fans.
 
love is magical said:
I also am not sure if Vegas is the most ideal place for the permanent show. For my own selfish reason, I wish they can stage the show in New York or even in London. I don't think Vegas is that cool. I've been to Vegas once and have no desire to go again, except to go to see the permanent show.
Click to expand...

Yeah, and at least wouldn't all permanent Cirque shows be in one city and compete with each other. They could have one in LA, one in NY, one in London etc.
 
respect77 said:
From the reactions of hardcore Cirque fans to me it seems they don't really like these shows where Cirque-like acrobatic is replaced with dancing. So learning from those past experiences I don't know why didn't they put more acrobatics in the MJ show, so that it would attract and please both MJ and Cirque fans.
Click to expand...

I also think non-fans and hardcore Cirque fans seem to enjoy the Cirque-style arobatic more so than the dancing. To some, watching the dancing routines without Michael is like watching some backup dancers. When my mom and I watched the DWTS performance, she's amazed by the acrobats, while I focused on the dance routine. Lol...
 
With preplanned military precision, a fearsome fleet of more than 45 semis, buses and vehicles for the 220-strong cast, crew, equipment, instruments, scenery and theatrical-rigging equipment of Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour” spectacular will roll onto the Strip early this week. It will take some 14 hours to set up the largest-ever rock road show for Saturday’s glittering gala premiere, which kicks off the near monthlong run at Mandalay Bay.

More Cirque executives and show creators in the celebration convoy will arrive to join festivities for the first-ever and only Estate-authorized Michael Jackson Fan Fest, with memorabilia and authorized items from Neverland curated especially for the history-making 24-day, twice-nightly run. In all: 117 people in the production team, including 68 technicians; 90 people in the artistic team, including 65 performers; and 16 people in the touring management. An additional 75 Las Vegas workers will be hired as local crew.

Ahead of the Las Vegas extravaganza, which features 32 of Michael’s hits in each 2-hour performance, I flew to Cirque’s world headquarters in Montreal for the show’s world premiere in October. I can tell you it is absolutely amazing, riveting and extraordinarily entertaining -- unlike anything you’ve ever seen before in an arena touring concert. The legend not only lives on, but also will live forever!

It took more than 9,000 hours to create the props and puppets used in “Immortal,” including the 6-foot-tall elephants inspired by Elizabeth Taylor’s gifts of Baba and Gypsy to Michael. Twelve video projectors are used on the screens, and the cast changes in and out of 252 costumes, which have thousands of individual pieces.

Four special highlights you daren’t miss: the one-legged hip-hop dancer who will baffle and thrill with his unique acrobatic skills in tandem with twin dancing sensations Larry and Laurent Bourgeois; the sonic rainforest created for the “Ben” number with all the different animal sounds created by Taiko drums; you don’t just hear the string section in “Childhood” in normal stereo -- the entire orchestra spreads out through the audience, as do the dancers in their robes for the emotionally heart-stopping “Will You Be There” holding blinking hearts with 275 lights that change colors on their costumes to merge into a sky-bound constellation; and also give a little extra applause to my friend Tina Guo, the sexiest electronic cellist on Earth who will knock out the audience.

In Canada, I interviewed the creative and genius musical team for “Immortal,” and all this week leading up to Saturday’s debut, we’ll feature those conversations here daily at VegasDeLuxe.com. Then be sure to obtain your copy of the Las Vegas Sun’s “Immortal” special edition on Saturday. In this series, you’ll read about Jamie King, director; Chantal Tremblay, director of creation; Greg Phillinganes, musical director; Kevin Antunes, musical designer; Michael Curry, props and scenic designer; Mark Fisher, set designer; Olivier Goulet, projection and video content designer; Zaldy Goco, costume designer; and Martin Labrecque, lighting designer.

“Immortal” is the world’s largest Michael Jackson theatrical show, and Cirque, who last week announced the surprise 2012 closing of its Elvis Presley show “Viva Elvis” here at Aria, has a $100-million bet riding on the King of Pop’s success. It will be a full year after “Immortal” moves on from Las Vegas to continue its global 4-year tour before a second and permanent Michael Jackson show residency -- and Neverland-themed nightclub -- by Cirque opens at Mandalay Bay’s Lion King Theater, which closes here Dec. 31 for the 12-month makeover. After the expected shuttering of “Viva Elvis,” Michael’s show will then be the seventh Cirque show on the Strip.

Michael’s love affair with Cirque began in the late 1980s when he went to its tent show in Santa Monica, Calif., with lawyer John Branca, who serves as the Estate’s co-executor today. “I'll never forget it. We drove to Santa Monica together -- no bodyguards -- and sat there in the front row,” John told me. “Michael was dazzled, and backstage after the show he wanted to meet all the performers. It was a very passionate evening. He became a huge Cirque fan.”

Michael, who saw every Cirque show here more than once, visited Cirque headquarters in Montreal in 2004 and had many talks about working with the French-Canadian performing troupe on a show in which he would star. Cirque President and CEO Daniel Lamarre said, “Just as Michael was ahead of his time, we had to be ahead of our time with this show. Not only have we used all the technology there is, but we have developed new technologies to create a breakthrough as Michael did when he was touring.”

Every creative person on the “Immortal” team that I spoke with told me that right from the first day of rehearsals, they all felt that Michael was still with them in spirit, not only watching over the production but also that this was the show he would have blessed and wanted himself.

Creator, writer and chief choreographer Jamie King told me: “Our performers are honored, inspired yet humbled in maintaining his legacy and preserving what he left behind for the world to enjoy. They feel Michael is here in every way. As much of an emotional roller coaster ride it has been, they are proud to be a part of it.

“Michael has been the guiding hand in all of this, and he would have definitely signed off on it, as well. The entire show is generated from his lead vocals, from the master recordings, and so he’s with us every night. There are elements that bring him back to life. This has become the tour he couldn’t do.”

First up today, we have our conversation with Michael’s brothers Marlon, Tito and Jackie, and their verdicts on “Immortal.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.


http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/nov/28/michael-jackson-immortal-world-tour-and-fan-fest-r/
 
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