Cirque du Soleil

The Canadian entertainment company, Cirque du Soleil, portrays itself as a vivid mix of circus arts and street entertainment. The Cirque du Soleil show has been running since the early 1980s – the company toured Quebec in 1980 under the name Les Echassiers, and then encountered financial hardship that was relieved by a government grant. Le Grand Tour de Cirque du Soleil was successful in 1984 and the founder, Guy Laliberte recreated the show as a proper circus.

Catching a Cirque du Soleil Show in Las Vegas

Love

Like most Cirque du Soleil shows, Love is a circus-like presentation featuring trapeze artists, gymnasts, and other expert performers at the Mirage, a great place to catch a casino show. This is a fantasy set to 90 minutes of Beatles music, remixed by the Fab Four’s original producer, Sir George Martin. There are 25 full songs in this Cirque du Soleil show, and, as is usual for casino shows, tickets for Cirque du Soleil Love are available online.

Ka

Ka is another Cirque du Soleil production, this time at the MGM Grand. It presents a clear-cut story, unlike the more abstract visuals presented by other Cirque productions – the first Cirque de Soleil show that moves away from the company’s usual format. More than one million tickets for Cirque du Soleil Ka have been sold since the show opened in February 2005.

Mystere

Mystere is another of Cirque du Soleil show, this time resident at Treasure Island in Vegas. It was the first show by the company which had its own theater, rather than touring with a circus tent. The focus of the show is the origins of life in the universe. It has enjoyed a highly successful and profitable run, and is still a top draw on the Strip, with most of the casino’s shows almost selling out the 1600-seat theater.

O

O is in permanent residence at the Bellagio since October 1998. Every member of the cast is SCUBA-certified, since this is a water-based show. This is the Cirque’s only aquatic show, and it features underwater acts such as synchronized swimming, as well as some above-water acts. The platform stage is versatile, and can rise and fall from the water without a wake because of the thousands of tiny holes drilled into its surface.

Zumanity

Cirque du Soleil unveiled Zumanity in 2003. It is a resident cabaret-style show at the New York New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Billed as the sensual side of the Cirque, this is their first adult-themed show. It is centered on erotic song, dance and acrobatics.

Criss Angel: Believe

Criss Angel, born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, is an American magician, illusionist, escapologist, and stunt performer. He teamed up with Cirque du Soleil to create Believe, a live casino show at the Luxor. The show opened to harsh reviews in October 2008, citing a confusing and boring theme, and a lack of the magic Angel is known for. Perez Hilton reportedly tweeted to his fans during an April 2009 performance that the show was “unbelievably bad,” and that he’d “rather be getting a root canal.”