Being behind the scenes at Cirque du Soleil is an incredible experience, it’s like walking through the doors of a sacred place. It is entering a dream of wonder, music, lights, colors and strange beings that defy the laws of gravity. The wish would be to steal a few secrets, but that’s impossible.
The group, born in Montreal in 1984 thanks to a former fire eater, the then 23-year-old Guy Lalibertè, who created a new way of enjoying live shows by bringing real sensory experiences to life, is a perfectly oiled machine and it There is no bushing insert between the gears, otherwise they will block them unstoppably. Everything is in the right place, each artist has a specific task, as do the technicians, make-up artists, costume designers and all the workers who work with surgical precision. It couldn’t be otherwise, because to have more than 100 people from 25 countries working on the show requires millimeter-perfect organization.
Everything is in turmoil at the Pala Alpitour, the details are being finalized for the debut of “Ovo”, the show of the famous and popular Canadian ensemble whose Italian tour will begin in Turin. The 23 trucks transporting the material arrived in the city a few days ago and in just 12 hours the technicians put together the impressive scenography that characterizes the magnificent show: 52 artists, including acrobats, musicians, singers and extras. The largest element is the wall attached to the back of the stage, 10 meters high and 18 meters wide. The artists climb on it, disappear and use it as a stage, platform and launching pad.
“Ovo” tells the universe of insects with the story of a bizarre glitter fly that bursts into a new colony with its egg on its back and throws it out of balance with its somewhat reckless love for ladybugs. A non-stop sequence of energy and movement with acrobatics that highlights the unique personalities and abilities of some species and explores the beauty of biodiversity with its contrasts and vibrancy. From the mighty crickets bouncing on trampolines to a hypnotic spider writhing in the web, from the wonderful butterflies to the fireflies, it is a show suitable for the whole family, also because there is no dialogue: The body speaks. The protagonists are the artists who are among the best professionals ever and who will take your breath away with their developments.
Live music plays a fundamental role and of the three Italians who are part of the company, two are musicians and one is a singer. Giovanni Montesano from Campania on electric bass and double bass and Carmine Ioana from Avellino on accordion, while the Roman Alessandra Gonzalez takes over the vocals. “I started working at Cinque du Soleil in 2010 when I was 21,” he says. Now I feel at home, also because I met my husband here, who is Canadian.”
The backstage adventure continues in the tailor shop. The costumes are made in the workshops in Montreal and individually adapted to each artist. There are two versions of most figures: the first, lighter and more functional, for acrobatic performances; the second, more detailed and heavier, for the ensemble voices. Then there are the accessories, huge shoes and headpieces with attention to detail, all hand-painted. “Ovo” will be repeated tonight at 8:30 p.m., tomorrow at 4:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.