Cirque du Soleil, Hangzhou Resident Show

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the show “X: The Land of Fantasy”.

It is impossible to not react when someone talks about Le Cirque Du Soleil, it is famous all over the world. Famous thank to its effects and amazing performers.

Unfortunately, because of the covid-19, all the shows have been suspended, but, on May 27th, Hangzhou’s show “The Land of Fantasy” declared its reopening, having the first performance after the coronavirus closure on June 3rd. Hangzhou’s show is the only Cirque Du Soleil resident show in Asia, and the only one active right now, all the other ones are suspended because of the epidemy.

Luckily, I have been able to enjoy the last June’s show, before a short break. The show is simply amazing, before "X: The Land of Fantasy," only three cities around the world had permanent shows of Cirque du Soleil: Las Vegas, Orlando, and Cancun. This show is an immersive performance that allows audiences to enjoy the thrilling performance, wonderful stage design and the imagined world that combines all elements.

After the incredible show I have been glad to meet few of the people working there, the girl that manages the music, two guys that literally move the theatre, another girl that manages the entire show and the timing of it, and an actor. All fantastic person that work hard every day to make sure that, first, nobody gets hurt, and then to make the show simply spectacular. Thanks to Geneviève D’Ortun we could enjoy a short backstage tour, in which you can see how many people work there, from designing costumes, to work with computers. 

Here I would like to quote parts of the interview to Geneviève D’Ortun by Rodrigo Ocaranza. 

“What job do you perform on the show?

During shows, I operate the playback system. On top of manipulating timecode, loops and all the usual playback, I underline the acrobatic acts with punches and swells on a MIDI keyboard. It’s a rather fun and unique show to do in some sections, the seating wagons rotate, therefore splitting the audience. During these parts, each side follows a distinct story supported by a different music track, so I must ensure that everything stays simultaneous. 

The performance is still in its first year, therefore it is constantly evolving. Acts are being tweaked: acrobatics can be added here and there while some parts get shortened… Since I got here in July 2019, I composed transition scenes, created contingencies, rearranged sections, and did a lot of editing in most of the acts. The interesting and challenging part of this job is to always use the original material by female Chinese composer Du Wei and modify parts keeping the utmost respect for her work. I also act as a musical director for the two live singers in the cast.

On any project, I am always looking for the conceptual meaning behind the sound environment, and I often find that special twist by recording unheard sounds that come directly from elements of scenography. Working like that enables me to create unique sound signatures for each project I compose for. For example, when I composed the sound environment for Horizon Vertical, a modern-dance-and-acrobatics-on-stilts performance, I asked the acrobats to come in the studio with their and shake them, scratch them… I also made big flutes out of them (basically, a stilt is a giant metal tube, like a flute) and recorded what sounds I could blow out of them. With these recordings I created stilts orchestra which I used to build the music. 

I love to experiment with new instruments and sounds, to explore the boundaries between acoustic and electronic sounds.

How is you experience working there been? 

As a foreigner in this project, the main challenge is communication. I am lucky to have a very kind translator to ease conversations with colleagues! Working for a gigantic Chinese company is certainly different from performing in underground contemporary events… nevertheless, it is interesting to take part in a radically different aspect of the music business.

How would you describe the music that you create?

I love to experiment with organic sounds. I am attracted to that tipping point where something cracks or becomes fragile, it makes me think as how we accept to expose our vulnerability when we reveal hidden parts of our soul.

What is your creative process like?

It is methodologically messy! When I compose for the stage, I’m always curious about how to conceptually translate the meaning of the act. I am drawn to record sounds from the props themselves, explore their unheard qualities with contact microphones, etc. I then create digital orchestras based on these props-instruments. It allows to give a specific project its unique sound signature.

What is one message you would give?

Music is vibration. Vibration has a direct effect on matter. As a musician, every time I put vibrations out there, I keep in mind the effects of my sounds: I deeply care about who receives them.”