Varekai
Encyclopedia
Varekai is a Cirque du Soleil
touring production that premiered in Montréal
in April 2002. Its title means "wherever" in the Romani language
, and the show is an "acrobatic tribute to the nomadic soul".
The plot is based loosely on the Greek myth of Icarus
, who melts his wings after flying too close to the sun. Rather than drowning in the sea below him, in Varekai Icarus lands inside a lush forest, in which the creatures teach him how to fly again.
, set out to design the costumes to heighten the sense of risk and danger the artists face while performing their acts. The designs are an approach to give the traditional leotard
a new shape. Eiko drew inspiration from the natural world: plant life, reptiles, land animals, marine life, wind water, fire and wood, yet did so without being a literal interpretation. While there are over 130 costumes in the entire collection, over 600 elements combine to make the entire wardrobe of costumes, shoes, hats, and accessories. During the tour it takes a 250 hours a week to keep the costumes in a state usable for performance. This includes repairs, cleaning, pressing, repainting (shoes), ironing, and other related tasks.
One of the primary materials used throughout the wardrobe is lyrca, primarily for its ease of care, suppleness, and elasticity. Other materials used throughout include titanium rods, nylon sponge and other types of fire-retardant materials. La Toupie's costume, for example, is made from lycra, and the tentacles are made from polystyrene foam. In addition to textures and structures being created for the costumes, digital screen-printing was utilized for some pieces. The costumes for the Russian Swing act were inspired by volcanic eruptions. Pictures were taken, scanned, processed and then digitally screen-printed to give the characters their bright red, explosive appearance. The foliage seen on the heads and backs of some characters is made from crinyl and cristalette which are both extremely light-weight materials. Some of the translucent carapaces seen on some performers, including La Promise, is made from stretch netting mounted on a structure made of boning.
The only remaining original musician and the only cast/crew member to perform in everyone of Varekai's 3,270+ shows without missing a single performance is drummer Paul J. Bannerman.
Instruments used in the show include keyboards
, bass
, drums
, percussion
, violin
, and various wind instruments. There are numerous instrumental solos, with the violin, flute, and accordion among the instruments heard. When these occur, the musician comes into view, still hidden in the trees but slightly visible to the audience.
There are two distinct voices in the musical score. The primary voice belongs to a male singer called the Patriarch
. He is dressed in a dark purple outfit and sings to all but two of the acts. He portrays the emotion of each act with his facial expressions and arm and hand movements. He is almost always visible. He appears to watch over the other singer like a father figure, and occasionally interacts with the wind instrument musician whenever the musician has a solo. His range is from high tenor
to bass.
The other voice belongs to a young female singer called the Muse
. Her outfit is light purple. She is amazed by everything she sees but is normally shy and hides among the trees, almost unseen. She has two solos, where she shows herself to her fellow creatures and the audience. For seven other acts, she either blends with the Patriarch or sings a small part of the song. During these acts, she is either next to him or hiding among the trees. Her range is from low alto
to high soprano
.
During the triple trapeze act, there is a third voice, blending with the Patriarch. The voice belongs to the wind instrument musician, hidden in the trees behind the Patriarch.
, Violaine Corradi wrote the Varekai score, which was released as a CD on January 7, 2003. Rather than creating a literal soundtrack, Cirque du Soleil collaborated with Nitin Sawhney
to produce a CD with themes and sounds from Varekai but quite differently arranged. The CD features the vocals of the two original singers of Varekai, Zara Tellander and Mathieu Lavoie; however, the soundtrack also includes the vocals of world music artists Natacha Atlas
and Tina Grace, who were not in the production, simply featured on the album. Many of the CD tracks are dramatically different from their live counterparts.
In late 2003 Cirque du Soleil created an 'Exclusive Premium Edition' CD, which featured the original CD as well as a bonus CD and DVD containing 6 live tracks, two remixes, and 2 music videos.
Track listing:
Below are the live tracks, in order as they appear on the Exclusive Premium Edition bonus CD. Listed after each track title is the act associated with the track.
The bonus CD also contains two tracks that are remixed versions of 'El Péndulo' and 'Emballa'. In addition, the DVD features two videos with nature and recording footage, recorded with the CD version of 'Patzivota' and 'Moon Licht'.
in the category "Outstanding Non-Fiction Program" (Alternative).
Cirque du Soleil released a film-adaptation of Varekai on June 14, 2003, and was directed by Dominic Champagne and Nick Morris. The filming took place in Toronto
during the show's tour.
, and moved on to its first European tour. At the end of 2007 the show had its European premiere in Antwerp, Belgium
. Varekai continues to perform in Europe, and began playing at London
's Royal Albert Hall
on 5 January 2010, marking the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil.
Varekai has been viewed by more than 6 million spectators around the world, and has reached many milestones to accomplish this.
Since Varekais première in 2002, it has had an extensive touring history as detailed below.
The following colorboxes indicate the region of each performance:
Europe North America South and Central Americas Asia/Pacific Oceania Africa
Québec, QC - From 27 June 2002 to 21 July 2002
Toronto, ON - From 1 August 2002 to 8 September 2002
Philadelphia, PA - From 19 September 2002 to 20 October 2002
San Francisco, CA - From 7 November 2002 to 29 December 2002
Atlanta, GA - From 6 March 2003 to 13 April 2003
New York, NY - From 24 April 2003 to 6 July 2003
Chicago, IL - From 17 July 2003 to 31 August 2003
Los Angeles, CA - From 12 September 2003 to 23 November 2003
Pomona, CA - From 4 December 2003 to 28 December 2003
San Diego, CA - From 18 March 2004 to 18 April 2004
Phoenix, AZ - From 29 April 2004 to 23 May 2004
Denver, CO - From 3 June 2004 to 11 July 2004
Boston, MA - From 25 July 2004 to 5 September 2004
Washington, DC - From 16 September 2004 to 24 October 2004
Dallas, TX - From 4 November 2004 to 12 December 2004
Austin, TX - From 24 February 2005 to 27 March 2005
Pittsburgh, PA - From 9 April 2005 to 8 May 2005
Baltimore, MD - From 19 May 2005 to 19 June 2005
East Rutherford, NJ - From 30 June 2005 to 31 July 2005
Columbus, OH - From 11 August 2005 to 11 September 2005
Hartford, CT - From 22 September 2005 to 16 October 2005
Charlotte, NC - From 27 October 2005 to 20 November 2005
St. Petersburg, FL - From 1 December 2005 to 31 December 2005
Portland, OR - From 14 March 2006 to 23 April 2006
Seattle, WA - From 4 May 2006 to 11 June 2006
Vancouver, BC - From 22 June 2006 to 23 July 2006
Sydney, AU - From 10 August 2006 to 29 October 2006
Brisbane, AU - From 9 November 2006 to 16 December 2006
Canberra, AU - From 15 March 2007 to 8 April 2007
Melbourne, AU - From 19 April 2007 to 24 June 2007
Adelaide, AU - From 5 July 2007 to 4 August 2007
Perth, AU - From 17 August 2007 to 7 October 2007
Antwerp, BE - From 25 October 2007 to 16 December 2007
Amsterdam, NL - From 29 February 2008 to 25 May 2008
Berlin, DE - From 6 June 2008 to 20 July 2008
Oberhausen, DE - From 31 July 2008 to 7 September 2008
Vienna, AT - From 18 September 2008 to 26 October 2008
Madrid, ES - From 13 November 2008 to 4 January 2009
Bilbao, ES - From 26 March 2009 to 3 May 2009
Lisbon, PT - From 15 May 2009 to 28 June 2009
Gijon, ES - From 9 July 2009 to 16 August 2009
Hamburg, DE - From 28 August 2009 to 4 October 2009
Moscow, RU - From 23 October 2009 to 13 December 2009
Manchester, UK - From 25 February 2010 to 21 March 2010
Munich, DE - From 1 April 2010 to 2 May 2010
Cologne, DE - From 13 May 2010 to 6 June 2010
Frankfurt, DE - From 17 June 2010 to 18 July 2010
Oostende, BE - From 29 July 2010 to 29 August 2010
Zurich, CH - From 17 September 2010 to 24 October 2010
Barcelona, ES - From 5 November 2010 to 2 January 2011
Seoul, KR - From 6 April 2011 to 29 May 2011
Manila, PH - From 22 June 2011 to 24 July 2011
São Paulo, BR - From 15 September 2011 to 27 November 2011
Rio de Janeiro, BR - From 8 December 2011 to 8 January 2012
Brasilia, BR - From 23 February 2012 to 18 March 2012
Recife, BR - From 30 March 2012 to 23 April 2012
Salvador, BR - From 3 May 2012 to 27 May 2012
Curitiba, BR - From 8 June 2012 to 1 July 2012
Porto Alegre, BR - From 12 July 2012 to 5 August 2012
Cirque du Soleil
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...
touring production that premiered in Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in April 2002. Its title means "wherever" in the Romani language
Romani language
Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy is any of several languages of the Romani people. They are Indic, sometimes classified in the "Central" or "Northwestern" zone, and sometimes treated as a branch of their own....
, and the show is an "acrobatic tribute to the nomadic soul".
The plot is based loosely on the Greek myth of Icarus
Icarus (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Icarus is the son of the master craftsman Daedalus. The main story told about Icarus is his attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax...
, who melts his wings after flying too close to the sun. Rather than drowning in the sea below him, in Varekai Icarus lands inside a lush forest, in which the creatures teach him how to fly again.
Set and technical information
The set, created by Stéphane Roy, includes four major components: the forest, stage, catwalk, and lookout. The forest consists of over 300 trees of which around 20 have grips allowing the characters to climb up. The heights of the trees range from 4.5 metres (14.8 ft) to 10.5 metres (34.4 ft). The stage itself is considered a clearing in the forest and is 12.8 metres (42 ft) in diameter and has five trap doors, two turntables, and one elevating platform. The catwalk is 30 metres (98.4 ft) in length and allows the characters to climb up and is capped with a lookout which is 7 sqm.- 65 container trucks are used to transport 1200 tonnes (1,181 LT) of set, costumes, and other equipment for the show.
Cast
The Varekai troupe consists of 56 performers, of which there are a few principal characters.- IcarusIcarus (mythology)In Greek mythology, Icarus is the son of the master craftsman Daedalus. The main story told about Icarus is his attempt to escape from Crete by means of wings that his father constructed from feathers and wax...
: After a tragic fall, Icarus lands in the midst of the strange forest. He is greeted by a family of survivors. This character performs an aerial contortion act in a net. - La Promise (or Betrothed): A strange, veiled creature who goes through a metamorphosis incarnate. She is betrothed to Icarus. This character performs a handbalancing act on a series of canes.
- Guide: He is in turn the spectre of the injured angel, the provocative sorcerer, the tamer of shadows, the guardian of fire, and a comic foil for the Skywatcher.
- Limping angel: A lame lover, the forlorn Limping Angel teeters on round-tipped crutches in a spasmodic dance.
- Skywatcher: Mad scientist and gifted inventor, he is the man of calls, the announcer of trials, the hunter of sounds and the tamer of the clouds. From him, Icarus learns to survive the fury of the volcanoes and the joy of new love.
- La Toupie
- Candide
Acts
Varekais acts comprise many acrobatic talents, ranging from aerial arts to Russian swing, among others.- Flight of Icarus: Icarus performs astounding dives and contortions in the net that holds him captive.
- Icarian games: Foot-juggling is one of the oldest circus arts disciplines. The bearer lies on his back and twirls the voltigeur on his feet.
- Water meteorsMeteor hammerThe meteor hammer , often referred to simply as meteor, is an ancient Chinese weapon, consisting at its most basic level of two weights connected by a rope or chain. One of the flexible or 'soft' weapons, it is referred to by many different names worldwide, dependent upon region, construction and...
: Three young acrobats twirl ropes with metal cups attached to the ends, simultaneously performing virtuosic acrobatic feats. - Triple trapezeTriple TrapezeA triple trapeze is a static trapeze with three trapezes on one bar. Therefore, there are four ropes connecting this trapeze to its frame or whatever it is hanging from. Performers specialize in synchronized tricks. One example of a triple trapeze act can be seen in Cirque du Soleil's show Varekai....
: On an elevated trapeze apparatus, four young women perform a series of striking acrobatic moves. - Georgian dance: This act takes its inspiration from the national dance of the LezginsLezginsThe Lezgians are an ethnic group living predominantly in southern Dagestan and northeastern Azerbaijan and who speak the Lezgian language.- Historical concept :While ancient Greek historians, including Herodotus, Strabo, and Pliny the Elder, referred...
, popular among many people in the Caucasus MountainsCaucasus MountainsThe Caucasus Mountains is a mountain system in Eurasia between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region .The Caucasus Mountains includes:* the Greater Caucasus Mountain Range and* the Lesser Caucasus Mountains....
. - Slippery surface: Darting and sliding on a specially designed surface, the artists fling and catch each other, creating an illusion of skating.
- Solo on crutches: Like a jointed puppet, the Limping Angel dances on crutches while background performers teeter on canes in a dance that reignites Icarus's desire to fly again.
- Aerial strapsAerial strapsStraps, also known as aerial straps, are a type of aerial apparatus on which various feats of strength and flexibility may be performed, often in the context of a circus performance. It is a cotton or nylon web apparatus that looks like two suspended ribbons...
: Suspended by wrist straps, two performers glide above the stage, performing original acrobatic moves. - JugglingJugglingJuggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
: A juggling virtuoso handles clubs, large balls, hats and ping-pong balls, manipulating them with his hands, his feet, his head and even his mouth. - Handbalancing on canesHandstandA handstand is the act of supporting the body in a stable, inverted vertical position by balancing on the hands. In a basic handstand the body is held straight with arms and legs fully extended, with hands spaced approximately shoulder-width apart...
: The performer achieves a variety of contortions and poses while balancing on a series of canes. - Russian swings: Propelled by two Russian swings, acrobats are hurled high into the air, alighting on their partners' wrists or on a landing canvas, sometimes even flying from one moving swing to the other.
Acts in rotation
- Aerial hoopAerial HoopThe aerial hoop is a circular steel apparatus suspended from the ceiling, on which circus artists may perform aerial acrobatics. The hoop sometimes has a hand loop and a bar across the top...
: Suspended high above the stage or flying through the air on a hoop, a young woman performs a series of movements displaying her flexibility and strength.
Retired acts
- Acrobatic pas de deuxPas de deuxIn ballet, a pas de deux is a duet in which ballet dancers perform the dance together. It usually consists of an entrée, adagio, two variations , and a coda.-Notable Pas de deux:...
: Two lovers dance and perform acrobatic stunts, showing their love, trust, and respect for each other.
Costumes
Varekais costume designer, Eiko IshiokaEiko Ishioka
is an Oscar-winning costume designer, known for her work in stage, screen, advertising, and print media, and has been called "Japan’s leading art director and graphic designer," though she now works primarily in New York City....
, set out to design the costumes to heighten the sense of risk and danger the artists face while performing their acts. The designs are an approach to give the traditional leotard
Leotard
A leotard is a skin-tight one-piece garment that covers the torso but leaves the legs free. It was made famous by the French acrobatic performer Jules Léotard ....
a new shape. Eiko drew inspiration from the natural world: plant life, reptiles, land animals, marine life, wind water, fire and wood, yet did so without being a literal interpretation. While there are over 130 costumes in the entire collection, over 600 elements combine to make the entire wardrobe of costumes, shoes, hats, and accessories. During the tour it takes a 250 hours a week to keep the costumes in a state usable for performance. This includes repairs, cleaning, pressing, repainting (shoes), ironing, and other related tasks.
One of the primary materials used throughout the wardrobe is lyrca, primarily for its ease of care, suppleness, and elasticity. Other materials used throughout include titanium rods, nylon sponge and other types of fire-retardant materials. La Toupie's costume, for example, is made from lycra, and the tentacles are made from polystyrene foam. In addition to textures and structures being created for the costumes, digital screen-printing was utilized for some pieces. The costumes for the Russian Swing act were inspired by volcanic eruptions. Pictures were taken, scanned, processed and then digitally screen-printed to give the characters their bright red, explosive appearance. The foliage seen on the heads and backs of some characters is made from crinyl and cristalette which are both extremely light-weight materials. Some of the translucent carapaces seen on some performers, including La Promise, is made from stretch netting mounted on a structure made of boning.
Music
The live music is performed by seven musicians and two singers. Composed by Violaine Corradi and directed by the bandleader/keyboard player, the music features many different genres and energies. Violaine combined the sounds of Hawaiian rituals, 11-century French troubadour songs, traditional Armenian melodies and gospel music with contemporary arrangements to create the sound of Varekai. While some songs are quiet and sorrowful others are more upbeat and exciting.The only remaining original musician and the only cast/crew member to perform in everyone of Varekai's 3,270+ shows without missing a single performance is drummer Paul J. Bannerman.
Instruments used in the show include keyboards
Electronic keyboard
An electronic keyboard is an electronic or digital keyboard instrument.The major components of a typical modern electronic keyboard are:...
, bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussion
Percussion instrument
A percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, violin
Violin
The violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, and various wind instruments. There are numerous instrumental solos, with the violin, flute, and accordion among the instruments heard. When these occur, the musician comes into view, still hidden in the trees but slightly visible to the audience.
There are two distinct voices in the musical score. The primary voice belongs to a male singer called the Patriarch
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
. He is dressed in a dark purple outfit and sings to all but two of the acts. He portrays the emotion of each act with his facial expressions and arm and hand movements. He is almost always visible. He appears to watch over the other singer like a father figure, and occasionally interacts with the wind instrument musician whenever the musician has a solo. His range is from high tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
to bass.
The other voice belongs to a young female singer called the Muse
Muse
The Muses in Greek mythology, poetry, and literature, are the goddesses who inspire the creation of literature and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge, related orally for centuries in the ancient culture, that was contained in poetic lyrics and myths...
. Her outfit is light purple. She is amazed by everything she sees but is normally shy and hides among the trees, almost unseen. She has two solos, where she shows herself to her fellow creatures and the audience. For seven other acts, she either blends with the Patriarch or sings a small part of the song. During these acts, she is either next to him or hiding among the trees. Her range is from low alto
Alto
Alto is a musical term, derived from the Latin word altus, meaning "high" in Italian, that has several possible interpretations.When designating instruments, "alto" frequently refers to a member of an instrumental family that has the second highest range, below that of the treble or soprano. Hence,...
to high soprano
Soprano
A soprano is a voice type with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music. In four-part chorale style harmony, the soprano takes the highest part, which usually encompasses the melody...
.
During the triple trapeze act, there is a third voice, blending with the Patriarch. The voice belongs to the wind instrument musician, hidden in the trees behind the Patriarch.
Album
Returning from her work with Cirque du Soleil's DralionDralion
Dralion is a touring production by the Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil. The show combines elements of traditional Chinese circus with Western contemporary circus, complementing the "East-meets-West" theme implied in the title — the name is a portmanteau of "dragon" and "lion"...
, Violaine Corradi wrote the Varekai score, which was released as a CD on January 7, 2003. Rather than creating a literal soundtrack, Cirque du Soleil collaborated with Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney
Nitin Sawhney is an Indian-British musician, producer and composer. His critically acclaimed work combines Asian and other worldwide influences with elements of jazz and electronica and often explores themes such as multiculturalism, politics and spirituality...
to produce a CD with themes and sounds from Varekai but quite differently arranged. The CD features the vocals of the two original singers of Varekai, Zara Tellander and Mathieu Lavoie; however, the soundtrack also includes the vocals of world music artists Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas is a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne" . Her music has been influenced by many styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae.Atlas began her career as part of...
and Tina Grace, who were not in the production, simply featured on the album. Many of the CD tracks are dramatically different from their live counterparts.
In late 2003 Cirque du Soleil created an 'Exclusive Premium Edition' CD, which featured the original CD as well as a bonus CD and DVD containing 6 live tracks, two remixes, and 2 music videos.
- Aureus (Spoken word)
- Rain One (Interlude)
- Le Rêveur (Solo on crutches)
- Vocea (Flight of Icarus)
- Moon Light (Handbalancing on canes)
- Rubeus (Spoken word)
- Patzivota (Wedding interlude and setup for Russian swings)
- El Péndulo (Aerial straps)
- Gitans (Opening)
- Kèro Hiréyo (Triple trapeze)
- Infinitus (Spoken word)
- Lubia Dobarstan (Water meteors)
- Emballa (Juggling)
- Oscillum (Russian swings)
- Funambul (Cloud interlude)
- Resolution (not in show)
Below are the live tracks, in order as they appear on the Exclusive Premium Edition bonus CD. Listed after each track title is the act associated with the track.
- Célébration de l'Errance (Opening dance and finale)
- Trasparenza
- Was originally for the acrobatic pas de deux, but not for the aerial hoop.
- Euphoria (Icarian games)
- Sun Drum Fun (Body skating)
- Mutationis (Handbalancing on canes)
- Movimento (Georgian dance)
The bonus CD also contains two tracks that are remixed versions of 'El Péndulo' and 'Emballa'. In addition, the DVD features two videos with nature and recording footage, recorded with the CD version of 'Patzivota' and 'Moon Licht'.
Filmography
The experiences of the initial cast during the creation of the show were portrayed in the series, Fire Within (featured on the Bravo Network). The television show gave an intimate look into the struggles, joys, problems and tears the artists endured while creating the show. Fire Within won the 2003 Emmy AwardEmmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in the category "Outstanding Non-Fiction Program" (Alternative).
Cirque du Soleil released a film-adaptation of Varekai on June 14, 2003, and was directed by Dominic Champagne and Nick Morris. The filming took place in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
during the show's tour.
Tour
Varekai completed its first North American tour in Vancouver, Canada on July 23, 2006. It debuted in Australia in August 2006 and arrived in New Zealand in early 2007. Later that year, Varekai finished its Australian tour in PerthPerth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, and moved on to its first European tour. At the end of 2007 the show had its European premiere in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Varekai continues to perform in Europe, and began playing at London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's Royal Albert Hall
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
on 5 January 2010, marking the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil.
Varekai has been viewed by more than 6 million spectators around the world, and has reached many milestones to accomplish this.
- 1000th performance in Dallas, Texas, in 2004
- 1500th performance in Seattle, Washington, in 2006
- 2000th performance in PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Australia, in 2007 - 2500th performance in SevilleSevilleSeville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, Spain, in February, 2009 - 3000th performance in OstendOstendOstend is a Belgian city and municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It comprises the boroughs of Mariakerke , Stene and Zandvoorde, and the city of Ostend proper – the largest on the Belgian coast....
, Belgium, in August, 2010
Since Varekais première in 2002, it has had an extensive touring history as detailed below.
The following colorboxes indicate the region of each performance:
Europe North America South and Central Americas Asia/Pacific Oceania Africa
2002 schedule
Montréal, QC - From 24 April 2002 to 16 June 2002 (show première)Québec, QC - From 27 June 2002 to 21 July 2002
Toronto, ON - From 1 August 2002 to 8 September 2002
Philadelphia, PA - From 19 September 2002 to 20 October 2002
San Francisco, CA - From 7 November 2002 to 29 December 2002
2003 schedule
San Jose, CA - From 16 January 2003 to 23 February 2003Atlanta, GA - From 6 March 2003 to 13 April 2003
New York, NY - From 24 April 2003 to 6 July 2003
Chicago, IL - From 17 July 2003 to 31 August 2003
Los Angeles, CA - From 12 September 2003 to 23 November 2003
Pomona, CA - From 4 December 2003 to 28 December 2003
2004 schedule
Costa Mesa, CA - From 16 January 2004 to 7 March 2004San Diego, CA - From 18 March 2004 to 18 April 2004
Phoenix, AZ - From 29 April 2004 to 23 May 2004
Denver, CO - From 3 June 2004 to 11 July 2004
Boston, MA - From 25 July 2004 to 5 September 2004
Washington, DC - From 16 September 2004 to 24 October 2004
Dallas, TX - From 4 November 2004 to 12 December 2004
2005 schedule
Houston, TX - From 6 January 2005 to 13 February 2005Austin, TX - From 24 February 2005 to 27 March 2005
Pittsburgh, PA - From 9 April 2005 to 8 May 2005
Baltimore, MD - From 19 May 2005 to 19 June 2005
East Rutherford, NJ - From 30 June 2005 to 31 July 2005
Columbus, OH - From 11 August 2005 to 11 September 2005
Hartford, CT - From 22 September 2005 to 16 October 2005
Charlotte, NC - From 27 October 2005 to 20 November 2005
St. Petersburg, FL - From 1 December 2005 to 31 December 2005
2006 schedule
Miami, FL - From 20 January 2006 to 26 February 2006Portland, OR - From 14 March 2006 to 23 April 2006
Seattle, WA - From 4 May 2006 to 11 June 2006
Vancouver, BC - From 22 June 2006 to 23 July 2006
Sydney, AU - From 10 August 2006 to 29 October 2006
Brisbane, AU - From 9 November 2006 to 16 December 2006
2007 schedule
Auckland, NZ - From 5 January 2007 to 18 February 2007Canberra, AU - From 15 March 2007 to 8 April 2007
Melbourne, AU - From 19 April 2007 to 24 June 2007
Adelaide, AU - From 5 July 2007 to 4 August 2007
Perth, AU - From 17 August 2007 to 7 October 2007
Antwerp, BE - From 25 October 2007 to 16 December 2007
2008 schedule
London, UK - From 5 January 2008 to 17 February 2008Amsterdam, NL - From 29 February 2008 to 25 May 2008
Berlin, DE - From 6 June 2008 to 20 July 2008
Oberhausen, DE - From 31 July 2008 to 7 September 2008
Vienna, AT - From 18 September 2008 to 26 October 2008
Madrid, ES - From 13 November 2008 to 4 January 2009
2009 schedule
Seville, ES - From 29 January 2009 to 15 March 2009Bilbao, ES - From 26 March 2009 to 3 May 2009
Lisbon, PT - From 15 May 2009 to 28 June 2009
Gijon, ES - From 9 July 2009 to 16 August 2009
Hamburg, DE - From 28 August 2009 to 4 October 2009
Moscow, RU - From 23 October 2009 to 13 December 2009
2010 schedule
London, UK - From 6 January 2010 to 14 February 2010Manchester, UK - From 25 February 2010 to 21 March 2010
Munich, DE - From 1 April 2010 to 2 May 2010
Cologne, DE - From 13 May 2010 to 6 June 2010
Frankfurt, DE - From 17 June 2010 to 18 July 2010
Oostende, BE - From 29 July 2010 to 29 August 2010
Zurich, CH - From 17 September 2010 to 24 October 2010
Barcelona, ES - From 5 November 2010 to 2 January 2011
2011 schedule
Taipei, TW - From 20 January 2011 to 6 March 2011Seoul, KR - From 6 April 2011 to 29 May 2011
Manila, PH - From 22 June 2011 to 24 July 2011
São Paulo, BR - From 15 September 2011 to 27 November 2011
Rio de Janeiro, BR - From 8 December 2011 to 8 January 2012
2012 schedule
Belo Horizonte, BR - From 19 January 2012 to 12 February 2012Brasilia, BR - From 23 February 2012 to 18 March 2012
Recife, BR - From 30 March 2012 to 23 April 2012
Salvador, BR - From 3 May 2012 to 27 May 2012
Curitiba, BR - From 8 June 2012 to 1 July 2012
Porto Alegre, BR - From 12 July 2012 to 5 August 2012