Volta is a touring Cirque du Soleil production written and directed by Bastien Alexandre. It is the 41st Cirque du Soleil production since 1984 and is the 18th show under the Grand Chapiteau.[1] Volta premiered on April 20, 2017 in Montreal, OC.
The name Volta means "turn" or "a time" in Italian.[2] In literary terms, Volta is a rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought and/or emotion used throughout poetry.[3]
Synopsis[]
Volta is about a young boy named Waz who once was full of life and aspirations, but has recently fallen into the world of The Greys; the everyman of life. Seeing a chance of finding love and acceptance through fame, Waz becomes a contestant on The Mr. Wow Show. During his participation, Waz sets off on a journey of self discovery, hidden potential, and being your true self with the help of a group called The Free Spirits and reflecting on childhood memories.[4]
Inspiration for Volta came from the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of extreme sports.[1]
Set and Technical Information[]
The stage for Volta is a circular stage containing revolving plate on the outside of the ring. Inside the ring contains three slim hydraulic lifts that are able to raise as platforms from the stage and were used as platforms for the Trails Act. Above the stage is a bridge that spans across two of the tent masts weighing 5000 lbs (2,268 kg). The bridge can be raised and lowered and serves as a second stage.[1]
The cube used for Waz's room is a highly versatile mechanical device weighing 13007.27 lbs (5900 kg). The cube can move upstage and downstage. It has two movable LED panels made from 4 LED tiles which are used to project video content. The cube and the panels are powered by a 200-amp electrical source.[1]
The video content displayed on the two panels during the childhood memories scene were shot in a portrait-style vertical format using an digital Alexa XT camera paired with German-made Zeiss Vintage lenses to create soft, film-based textures.[1]
Inside the cube is decorated to look like Waz's bedroom. The wallpaper for the room is perforated with holes to let the two LED walls cool on it's flanks.[1]
The production's video control system is 100% interactive and can be triggered by a kick drum of voice.[1]
The stage, tent, and seating for Volta is packed up, transported, and carried in 74 semi trucks.[5]
Costume Design[]
Costume designer Zaldy Goco wanted to reflect the themes of alienation and self-realization of Volta through the costume work. The inspiration for the costumes working with different body types and working with textiles and colors.[6]
To represent the everyman, The Grey's costume has patchwork-type patterns and textures and covered in belts. The costumes mimic the bleakness of the landscape and blend with the stage.[1]
The Free Spirits costumes are designed to look traveled in. These costumes evoke handmade techniques such as macramé and crochet. Inspiration for the Free Spirits makeup comes from vibrant Hindu colors.[1]
Waz's headpiece contains approximately 1500 blue feathers.[1]
Characters[]
- Waz: A young boy who once had aspirations and full of dreams has slipped into the mundane everyman of The Greys. Waz becomes a contestant on the Mr. Wow Show in order to find acceptance and his true self. With the help of the Free Spirits and childhood memories, Waz goes on a journey to find his true self.[4]
- Mr. Wow: Executive producer, supreme judge, and star of The Mr. Wow Show. He has the power to veto any of The Judges decisions.
- Ela: A Free Spirit, Ela sees the untapped potential in others. She helps Waz on his journey of self discovery.[4]
- The Free Spirits: Once apart of The Greys, The Free Spirits have escaped the mundane day-to-day cycle.They strive to live in a world with no walls or barriers.[4]
- The Greys: The everyman who lives by a mundane day-to-day schedule. They are out-of-sync with their true selves and are always checking their cell phones and screens. The Greys come on to the Mr. Wow Show to become an instant celebrity, but fail to realize that they are putting on one falsehood for another.[4]
- The Judges: A group of adjudicators who presides and judges the contestants who participate in Mr. Wow's show. They along with Mr. Wow represent the collective judgement of society.[4]
Acts[]
Act One
- Opening
- Skipping Rope
- Interlude (Cyr Wheel / Contemporary Dance)
- Interlude (Precision Walking)
- Roller Skating / Hand To Hand on Unicycle
- Acro Lamp
- Flatland BMX / Ballet
- Swiss Rings / Bungee
- Trampowall
Act Two
- Acrobatic Ladders
- Shape Diving (Hoop Diving)
- Hair Suspension
- Contemporary Dance
- BMX on Ramps
- Finale
Music[]
The music for Volta was composed by Anthony Gonzalez from the French electronic band M83.[4] The music for Volta is inspired by synth-pop, dream-pop, electronic dance music, orchestral, and ambient shoegazing. The soundtrack for Volta was released on September 20, 2017 in digital format and streaming services.[7][8][9]
Vocalist[]
- Darius Harper - From April 20, 2017 (Montreal) to Present.
- Camilla Bäckman - From April 20, 2017 (Montreal) to Present.
For more information on the songs featured in Volta, please visit Volta (Soundtrack).
Accidents and Incidents []
Further Information: Yann Arnaud
On March 17, 2018, veteran Cirque du Soleil performer Yann Arnaud fell 20 feet during the aerial straps performance in Tampa Bay, Florida.[10] As a result, Cirque du Soleil cancelled the two remaining performances in Tampa Bay, Florida and postponed the opening of Volta in East Rutherford, New Jersey.[11]
Touring Schedules[]
The following color boxes indicate the region of each performance:
EU Europe NA North America SA South and Central America AP Asia/Pacific OC Oceania AF Africa
2017 - 2018 Schedule
2017 Schedule
NA Montreal, QC - From April 20 to July 23, 2017 (Show Premiere)
NA Gatineau, QC - From August 3 to August 27, 2017
NA Toronto, ON - From September 7 to November 26, 2017
NA Miami, FL - From December 15, 2017 to February 4, 2018
2018 Schedule
NA Tampa, FL - From February 14 to March 18, 2018
NA East Rutherford, NJ - From April 19 to May 6, 2018
NA Uniondale, NY - From May 17 to July 1, 2018
NA Oaks, PA - From July 12 to August 19, 2018
NA Redmond, WA - From September 7 to November 4, 2018
NA San Francisco, CA - From Novmeber 15, 2018 to February 3, 2019
2019 Schedule
NA San Jose, CA - From February 13 to March 24, 2019
NA San Diego, CA - From April 3 to May 5, 2019
NA Chicago, IL - From May 18 to July 6, 2019
NA Washington, DC - From July 25 to September 29, 2019
NA Atlanta, GA - From October 10 to December 8, 2019
2020 Schedule
NA Los Angeles, CA - From January 18 to February 23, 2020
NA Costa Mesa, CA - From March 18 to April 19, 2020 (Grand Chapiteau Finale)
NA Denver, CO - From April 30, 2020 - June 7, 2020 - Cancelled
NA Portland, OR - From June 18, 2020 - August 2, 2020 - Cancelled
Gallery[]
Promotional
Performance
Videos[]
Trailers
Behind the Scenes
We Are Volta Series
Red Bull TV Series
Makeup Tutorials
Other Videos
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Press Releases. Retrieved from https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/press/news/2016/volta-tickets-on-sale-cirque-club
- ↑ Volta. Retrieved from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/volta
- ↑ (2019, June 4). Volta (literature). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volta_(literature)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Volta. Retrieved from https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/press/kits/shows/volta
- ↑ (2019, February 5). Tested: Behind the Scenes of Cirque du Soleil's Volta! Retrieved from https://youtu.be/-kdWUMA4Lqc
- ↑ (2017, February 6). VOLTA : Meet the Costume Designer: by Cirque du Soleil. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/rehxMqqY4Nk
- ↑ (2017, September 20). VOLTA by Cirque du Soleil. Retrieved from https://music.apple.com/ca/album/volta/1279445523
- ↑ (2017, September 20). VOLTA. Retrieved from https://open.spotify.com/album/1L8PXyahYzwSIcvmiKvZqP
- ↑ Volta by Cirque Du Soleil on Amazon Music. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/Volta-Cirque-Du-Soleil/dp/B075DKR63D/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=volta+cirque&qid=1567194329&s=gateway&sr=8-1
- ↑ Andone, D. (2018, March 19). Cirque du Soleil performer dies after fall during show in Florida. Retrieved from https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/18/us/cirque-du-soleil-performer-dies/index.html
- ↑ Kuperinsky, A. (2018, March 23). Cirque du Soleil postpones N.J. shows after death of performer. Retrieved from https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2018/03/cirque_du_soleil_postpones_nj_shows_after_death_of.html
External Links[]
| Touring & Resident Shows | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Touring Shows | |||||||||||||||||||
| Resident Shows |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Upcoming Shows | |||||||||||||||||||