2001

THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA

On February 2, 2001, Daniel Gauthier, longtime President of Cirque du Soleil, took his final bow from the organization which had for so long possessed his heart and filled his days. A show in true “Cirque style” was put together by the employees and artists and it paid tribute not only to Daniel, but also bore witness to the remarkable history of Cirque born of the relationship, both creative and entrepreneurial, between Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier. Thus, the final page was turned on Volume I of Cirque du Soleil. But, Volume II was already in the works. In October 1999, the first conceptual meeting regarding a new form of entertainment was held in the small community of St-Marc-sur-Richelieu, around the table a select group, led by Guy Laliberté, who peered into the mists on the future. What is the entertainment of the future and how can Cirque du Soleil be at its forefront? Lyn Heward, President and COO of the Creative Content Division, answers the question:

The entertainment of the future will break-down the barriers between the theatre, television, film, multimedia, computers and the “real life” of people. We will no longer be spectators, but participants in a multitude of “experiences” which seek to stimulate our imagination, mind and body. The entertainment of the future will touch every aspect of our lives, from transportation to shopping, from sleep to exercise, from the environment to the workplace. This is Cirque du Soleil’s new playground! In the coming months and years you will no doubt hear much more about our forays into the wide world of entertainment and the expanded role that performers will play in each and every venture!

However, Volume II is prefaced by a renewed commitment to our creative core; each new project, be it a show, a film, a commercial product, a record, a shop… must be fueled by the creative process which has become synonymous with the Cirque du Soleil brand. We will continue to produce the “Cirque-style” touring and resident shows which have become our flagships around the world. We will continue to audition and cast performers from a multitude of disciplines and from countries around the world. We will hone their skills in our Montreal Studio and they will experience the fiery passion of our creative process under the bigtop and in specially designed theatres. But, our creators and designers, both new and old, will be given opportunities to explore and create on another plane, expanding our notion of entertainment and exploiting media which seventeen short years ago were merely an inventor’s dream.

Of course, these new entertainment ventures will necessitate the development of relationships with partners who have refined business acumen in a variety of fields and a strong desire to support our creative process and live in the cyclone of our dream, partners who are prepared to take the same risks which we must take daily to give entertainment a new edge. I am sure that all of this sounds a little mysterious: what does it mean? What form will it take? Where will it take place? This is all part of an intense long term plan which balances our immediate need to create and produce Cirque-branded shows, as well as supporting the ones currently in distribution, and our urge to expand into new creative horizons, multimedia, merchandising and retail, hospitality, tourism and "wonderment" of every sort.

Boiled down: Cirque was going to do things differently. The style that Franco Dragone championed – an approach that promoted spontaneity over rigidity – goes by the wayside. New shows begat new directors and creative teams, no one show from this moment on is created by the same group of people. And those who come into the Director’s fold already have a plan: each show is now scripted from beginning to end, fostering a loss of that special je ne sais quoi in the process. Now it seemed as if Cirque du Soleil was an entertainment company rather than an artistic one. Perhaps a better comparison would be a symphony, with its resident conductor providing base and guest conductors taking the orchestra and audience off in new directions.

KEEP ON KEEPING ON

On October 30th, Cirque du Soleil released its entire show catalogue onto DVD: La Magie Continue, Le Cirque Réinventé, Nouvelle Expérience, and Saltimbanco as well as Journey of Man and Baroque Odyssey (the 10th Anniversary documentary). A few days later, "Cirque du Soleil presents: Alegría", a special 90-minute television production of its signature show, premieres on TV. And, by year’s end, 6 million people or more will have attended a Cirque show worldwide.

2000

2002