When I was a kid, going to the circus meant seeing acrobats, jugglers, and a few clowns (whom I was scared of) and, if you were lucky, an elephant.
Cirque du Soleil performances take the concept of circus to an entirely different level.
I recently had a chance to catch an afternoon performance of Luzia under the big top on Coventry Road in Ottawa.
The theme of Luzia is guided by a mashup of the Spanish words luz (light) and lluvia (rain). The performance is also billed as a “Waking Dream of Mexico”, incorporating many Mexican motifs.
The first thing the audience is treated to is stunning visuals of a woman with butterfly wings and a metallic horse running together on a treadmill.
My first thought was, “How on earth did they pull that off?!”—a question that kept popping to mind throughout the show. It’s a brilliant fusion of imagination and engineering.
The next scene is even more spectacular: A group of acrobats wearing hummingbird costumes jump through hoops just 75 centimetres in diameter. The coolest part was the use of two giant treadmills, which made the spectacle even more thrilling.
Luzia is not all high-flying. One of the most impressive scenes is a lifeguard performing various feats of strength and balance, with much of his routine taking place 20 feet above the stage.
A tribute to Mexico wouldn’t be complete without a scene featuring soccer. I played a little back in my day, but nothing like this. The two young guys pulled off tricks I’ve never even seen in the World Cup.
Perhaps the most visually stunning moment is when a traveller searches for a drink of water. Cirque creates the visuals that mimic a rainstorm with changing images. I still can’t figure out how they did it. The scene ends with a group of percussionists and singers evoking a Day of the Dead procession.
There are too many great scenes to mention, but a few more standouts include a juggler who plied his trade backed by a live marimba band, and the contortionist Alexey Goloborodko. Regarded as one of the best in the world, he can twist his body into shapes that seem humanly possible.
Of course, the costume designs, sets and music were all impeccable.
In the end, words can’t capture Luzia—it’s truly something you have to experience firsthand.
Luzia takes place under the iconic Cirque du Soleil big top at 500 Coventry Road next to the St. Laurent Shopping Centre until October 18.
For more information on this all-ages-friendly show and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/luzia
Photo of juggler by Anne Colliard. All other images by OLM staff.
