USA - CIRQUE DU SOLEIL : O show at Bellagio

Cirque du Soleil  is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier.

Initially named Les Échassiers, they toured Quebec in 1980 as a performing troupe and encountered financial hardship that was relieved by a government grant in 1983 as part of the 450th anniversary celebrations of Jacques Cartier's discovery of Canada.

 Le Grand Tour du Cirque du Soleil was a success in 1984, and after securing a second year of funding, Laliberté hired Guy Caron from the National Circus School to re-create it as a "proper circus". Its theatrical, character-driven approach and the absence of performing animals helped define Cirque du Soleil as the contemporary circus ("nouveau cirque") that it remains today.

Each show is a synthesis of circus styles from around the world, with its own central theme and storyline. They draw the audience into the performance through continuous live music, with performers rather than stagehands changing the props. After financial successes and failures in the late 1980s, Nouvelle Expérience was created – with the direction of Franco Dragone – which not only made Cirque profitable by 1990, but allowed it to create new shows.

Ticket Price & Info (http://www.cirquedesoleil.com)

Reviews

Amazing colors, terrific acrobatics, so many talented folks in this show -- creative sets...you senses are stimulated from beginning to end. Loved the beauty of the water, lighting, costumes, it is really gorgious and entertaining. We felt it was well worth the ticket price.

We had seen the Cirque Msytere so were eager to see The O.

It lived up to our expectations of amazement and wonder. The bodies, acrobatics, dancing, costumes, music, choreography and sets were astounding.

We look forward to eventually seeing all of the Cirque shows.

Enjoyed O immensely, we were seated in the balcony front row, and I think you have to be a bit away from the action to enjoy Cirque shows, we had a great view. Whilst I felt it was not as spectacular as Le Reve or as good as Ka (which is my favorite Cirque show), I still thought it was a good and entertaining show. The price of tickets for the stalls is really expensive but if you get balcony seats and can get the front row you still have a fantastic view and it's a lot cheaper.

I have seen this show twice over a decade, same reaction. I am always amazed by the artistry and athletic abilities of the performers and the technical accomplishments. That said, what the audience sees in the first 30 minutes is what you get repeated for the rest of the show but with varying costumes & themes. Just does not work, for me. The "script" of sorts is ragged, does not flow well, and any 'shock' value wears thin as the show drags on. Nothing at all against the performers and techs, they are GREAT, but we paid about $380 total for 2 mediocre seats and did not get anywhere near our monies worth. It is sort of like "gaming" but done on a stage: It is the cost of the entertainment. In this case: excessive. I think "O" is highly over-rated; and there will not be a 3rd viewing by this audience member.