Cirque du Soleil
Presents Dralion
Limited Engagement Begins June 24, 2003 in Hartford,
Connecticut on Market Street
 CIRQUE
DU SOLEIL has announced that for the first time ever it will raise its
state-of-the-art big top, the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau, in Southern
New England with its live production DRALION. The trademark blue-and-yellow
Grand Chapiteau will be located in Hartford, Conn. on Market Street at the
intersection of I-84 and I-91 (Northwest corner) for a limited engagement
beginning Tuesday, June 24, 2003.
Since its world premiere in Montreal in April 1999,
DRALION has been experienced by more than 3 million spectators in 26 cities
across North America. The Los Angeles Times said of Dralion, “In Cirque du
Soleil’s winning Dralion, fanciful creatures and a bit of self-parody infuse
the troupe’s acts with new life…entrancing as ever… impeccable.”
Suspended in time between the past and the future,
DRALION is a celebration of life and the four elements that maintain the
natural order: air, water, fire and earth. DRALION propels these four
pillars of the universe into a futuristic dimension, soaring to new heights
as it defies the laws of nature.
Fusing ancient Chinese acrobatic tradition with the
avant-garde approach of Cirque du Soleil, DRALION is Cirque du Soleil at its
purest: a dynamic performance that transcends the boundaries of the
imagination and leads us into a dreamscape with a new and sparkling
perspective.
Led by Creative Director GILLES STE-CROIX, the creative
team includes Director
GUY CARON, Costume Designer FRANÇOIS BARBEAU, Set Designer Stéphane Roy,
Lighting Designer Luc Lafortune, Composer VIOLAINE CORRADI, Choreographer
JULIE LACHANCE, Sound Designer GUY DESROCHERS, and Clown Act Co-Designer
MICHEL DALLAIRE.
 DRALION
features more than 55 artists from ten countries (Brazil, Canada, Chile,
China, France, Ivory Coast, Russia, Ukraine, United Kingdom and the United
States), including a house troupe of 37 Chinese acrobats. The
multi-talented performers present a variety of high-caliber acts including
teeterboard, ballet on lights, hoop diving, bamboo poles, juggling, single
hand balancing, double trapeze, skipping ropes and more. All acts were
specially created for DRALION. Clowns — without whom no circus is complete
— appear throughout the show, adding more than a touch of madness.
The breathtaking futuristic set is an immense
technological sculpture whose every component serves as an accessory to the
acrobats throughout the show. One of these components, hanging close to the
dome of the big top, is an aluminium structure made up of three rings, each
of which has a particular function. One ring, called "the sun", serves as
an acrobatic apparatus, another as a catwalk, while the third is used for
technical purposes and houses an enormous lantern. The metal wall acts as
backdrop and orchestra pit, in addition to being used by the artists during
the performance.
 The
costumes, created exclusively for DRALION, are in four colours representing
the elements: blue for air, green for water, red for fire and ochre for
earth. The iridescent colors of the costumes are reflected in the metallic
glints of a decor that comes straight out of the cinéma fantastique.
The DRALION score is a fusion of music from around the
world. The music borrows from more traditional sources, then bursts into an
electro-symphonic realm of a world yet to come. The wide range of
influences includes Hindu melodies and the sounds of instruments from
Andalusia, Africa, Central Europe and the West.
Cirque du Soleil gratefully acknowledges IBM, American
Electric Power and Bravo Network as corporate sponsors of the Cirque du
Soleil 2003 North American Tours. Our partners for Southern New England
are: Lite 100.5 WRCH and 96.5 TIC, Channel 3, Obie Media, CTnow.com and our
local partner Hartford New England's Rising Star.
Cirque du Soleil in 2003
Alegría North American Tour
Varekai North American Tour
Mystère presented at Treasure Island in Las Vegas
“O” presented at Bellagio in Las Vegas
La Nouba presented at Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando
Saltimbanco European Tour
Quidam Japan Tour
DRALION in SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND
Under the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau in Hartford,
Conn.
Located on Market Street at the intersection of I-84 and I-91 (Northwest
corner)
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 8:00 p.m.;
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.;
and Sundays at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
No performances on Mondays
Please note that only one performance will be held on
Thursday, June 26 at 8:00 p.m.
On Saturday, July 5, performances will be held at 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m.
TICKETS
Online at
www.cirquedusoleil.com or call the Admission Network at 1-800-678-5440
GROUPS
For group reservations for 20 adults or more call the
box office at 1-800-450-1480 or online at
www.cirquedusoleil.com.
For corporate hospitality events,
call 1-866-6CIRQUE or online at
www.group.sales@cirquedusoleil.com
PRICES
Prices range from $45.00 to $65.00 for adults and from
$31.50 to $45.50 for children.
For students (13 to 17 years) and senior citizens (65
plus), prices are from $40.50 to $58.50 weekdays only (Tuesday to Thursday
and Friday at 4:00 p.m.)
TAPIS ROUGE VIP EXPERIENCE
The Tapis Rouge VIP experience includes one of the best
seats in the house, refreshments, entertainment and access to the exclusive
Tapis Rouge suite one hour prior to show time.
The Tapis Rouge experience is available for $165 for
adults and $115 for children ages 2-12 (taxes included). Connect to
www.cirquedusoleil.com or call
the Admission Network at 1-800-678-5440
DRALION credits
Guide: Guy Laliberté; Director: Guy Caron; Director of
Creation: Gilles Ste-Croix; Costume Designer: François Barbeau; Set
Designer: Stéphane Roy; Lighting Designer: Luc Lafortune; Composer: Violaine
Corradi; Choreographer: Julie Lachance; Sound Designer: Guy Desrochers;
Clown Act Co-Designer: Michel Dallaire; Director of the Xinan Troupe and
Acrobatic Act Designer: Li Xi Ning.
Edited by Madelyn Miller
Back
to TravelLady Magazine |
