Cirque de la Symphoniebegan playing dates in 2006, and has built to a substantial career with majorand minor orchestras in North America. It's easy to see why. The act apparentlychanges with each date. Forthe MSO appearance atroupe of four men and three women performed on and above the apron of thestage, in front of the orchestra.
A blond woman dressed inblack climbed a white rope 20 feet above the stage and did dazzlingchoreographed tricks to Saint-Saëns' Dansemacabre. A male aerialist dressed in white tights swung high above theaudience to Wagner's “Ride of the Valkyries.” The other acts included acharming Harlequin mime juggler, a woman aerialist on a high ring, an acrobaton two stylized stools doing a dizzying parade of poses, and a man manipulatinga giant metal-framed box. It was all artfully and gracefully done, with stylishEuropean flair.
In the showstopperfinale two gold-painted men presented slow-moving, seemingly impossiblecombinations of strength and acrobatics to a movement from Shostakovich'sSymphony No. 5. I just have three more words to add about Cirque de laSymphonie: Bring 'em back.
