Published: September 03, 2008 04:21 pm         

FAMILY: Cirque du Soleil comes to Buffalo

Most preconceived notions about the circus revolve around the likes of clowns, ringmasters and high-wire acts.

Not all of this has changed in modern times. But the circus atmosphere has been completely transformed.

Since reinventing the circus in the 1980s by mixing circus arts with street entertainment, vibrant costumes and original music, Cirque du Soleil has grown in nearly every possible way — scope, shows (18 different shows will be presented this year) and cultural impact included.

The circus rolls into Buffalo next week with Saltimbanco, Cirque du Soleil’s longest-running show. Saltimbanco, which toured for 14 years underneath a big top, has moved to arenas. HSBC Arena is next on the tour’s itinerary.

Most changes involved with shifting Saltimbanco to larger venues were technical, Saltimbanco senior artistic director Richard Dagenais said.

“Artistically, we didn’t change very much,” Dagenais said from Montreal during a recent phone interview. However, a double wire act was replaced with an athletic bicycle act due to the venue change.

Saltimbanco comes from the Italian “saltare in banco,” which literally means “to jump on a bench.” Like every Cirque du Soleil tour, this show has its own theme. In the case of Saltimbanco, it is to explore the urban experience.

“This is one of the reasons for our success,” Dagenais said. “We don’t repeat ourselves. We try to explore new creative avenues. We try to challenge our public, as well.”

Within the clowning, costumes, juggling and acrobatics of Cirque’s shows, there is depth and many metaphors, often drawn from the characters. In Saltimbanco, Merlin is described as “an ominous reminder of our own mortality” and Le Dormeur (The Dreamer) is said to live “between reality and illusion. He is like a clown, satirizing and poking fun at the world around him.”

There’s clearly more at work here than a few tricks and flips, but what is taken from the show depends on each audience member, as the circus works on different levels.

“I think it depends on what (expectations) people come in with,” Dagenais said. “We can get some very different interpretations of the show.”

That being said, there is plenty of time to merely marvel at the athletic spectacle of Saltimbanco. Acrobats jump from pole to pole, more than 25 feet above the stage. Performers swing and drop from bungee cords. Others are catapulted 30 feet into the air, before landing on ... each other.

“If you just want to be entertained, that’s a part of it, as well,” Dagenais said.

Dagenais himself is most entertained when watching the faces of the audience members.

“I look at the adults ... and it’s like they’re going back to their childhood,” he said. “The public is part of it. They leave everything at the door and allow themselves to be part of our world. They allow themselves to be amazed.”



IF YOU GO

* WHAT: “Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco”

* WHERE: HSBC Arena, 1 Seymour Knox III Plaza, Buffalo

* WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sept. 12, , 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, 1 and 5 p.m. Sept. 14

* MORE INFORMATION: Visit cirquedusoleil.com or hsbcarena.com



SALTIMBANCO FACTS

* Cirque du Soleil’s oldest touring show — its big-top run extended from 1992 to 2006; arena run started in 2007

* The acrobatic grid is 30 feet long and is suspended 45 feet above the stage

* The equipment on tour totals 180 tons; 12 53-foot trailers are used to transport the tour’s equipment

* More than 1,200 costume items travel from city to city

* It takes about 90 minutes for each artist complete his or her makeup