I saw my first Cirque du Soleil show in Toronto almost ten years ago. Immediately after skipping out of the Big Tip I declared to my family, “Cirque should be listed as one of the great Wonders of the World. Everyone should see one of these shows before they die or they simply haven’t lived!” Ever since that inspiring day I’ve had the opportunity to watch six other Cirque performances while traveling through Seoul, Macau and Las Vegas.
Cirque du Soleil was recently back in town pitching a tent in Toronto for the last leg of their Canadian tour of LUZIA. When I found out the production was inspired by Mexican magic and folklore I immediately invited my friend Karolyne to join me as my date. It’s as if the stars aligned right then and there: it would be Karolyne’s first Cirque experience (I was thrilled to watch her jaw drop) and she’d be departing next month to cover the Los Cabos International Film Festival. The evening offer a perfect primer for her upcoming adventures in beautiful Baja Mexico.
LUZIA takes Cirque fans to an imaginary Mexico, like in a waking dream, where light (“luz” in Spanish) quenches the spirit and rain (“lluvia”) soothes the soul. Freely inspired by Mexico, LUZIA is a poetic and acrobatic ode to the rich, vibrant culture of a country whose wealth stems from an extraordinary mix of influences and creative collisions – a land that inspires awe with its breathtaking landscapes and architectural wonders, buoyed by the indomitable spirit of its people.
The tableaux of LUZIA weave an intricate, contemporary mosaic that awakens your senses and transports you to a place suspended between dreams and reality. Featuring a cast of 44 performers from diverse artistic backgrounds, LUZIA surprises with acrobatic performances breaking down the barriers, such as integrating rain and water in into contemporary circus disciplines.
The audience squeals with glee as clown’s scuba dive through space, acrobats spin around a treadmill dressed as hummingbirds, lucha libre wrestlers swing 360 and a fiesta finale celebrates an epic Mexican feast.
I’ve had the opportunity to travel through much of Mexico with highlights including beach party in Playa del Carmen, epic temple at Chichen Itza, quaint colonial streets in Merida, decadent dining in Mexico City and posh resorts perched over the Pacific in Cabo. LUZIA’s unique homage to Mexico is the highlight of the show which allowed me to easily relive my fondest taco and tequila sloshed dreams.
After the show as we tip toed out of the Big Top Karolyne chirped, “I loved how the production recalled the textures of Mexico – from the tin Milagros to the embossed leathers. Not to mention the use of colour. Mexico is such a vibrant country and LUZIA really captured it all!”
