Saltimbanco was a former touring Cirque du Soleil production written and directed by Franco Dragone. Saltimbanco ran from 1992 to 2006 in its original form, performed under a large circus tent called the Grand Chapiteau; its last performance in that form was in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December 10, 2006. A new adaptation of the show started touring North America on July 31, 2007, with its first stop in London, Ontario, Canada. The new version was staged in arenas with fewer performances in each city it visited. The new version closed at the end of 2012.
The show was described by Cirque du Soleil as a celebration of life. Its creators say they developed it as an antidote to the violence and despair prevalent in the 20th century.
Set & Technical Information[]
Costume Design[]
Characters[]
- The Urban Worms: The faceless masses, those who follow the status quo, never to risk, to express, to gain; They are anonymous beings confined by their daily routine, incapable of accepting or affirming their individually.
- The Multicolored Worms: The simplest of all, who follow their most primal urges and concerning themselves only with survival.
- The Cavaliers: The Cavaliers are the gentle protectors. They are calm and serene but could strike with great force if they needed to defend themselves or someone more vulnerable. With their lanterns, they light our path through the world of Saltimbanco.
- The Baroques: Defiant, rebellious, explosive, they are enlightened beings whose free spirits run wild. Each of them are unique and have a proper name, as : Baroque Dandy, Rose-Bonbon (also know as La Castafiore), Fiona, Big Guy, Popet to name a few.
- The Death: An ominous reminder of our own mortality, he challenges us to celebrate life, to experience the present as though we were taking our last breath.
- The Ringmaster: In his yellow jumpsuit with his fanciful green vest and cape, the Ringmaster struts proudly around the world of Saltimbanco. The Ringmaster likes to be the center of attention and often steals the show. The Ringmaster likes to believe he has great powers and he carries a scepter to prove it. But as everybody within the world of Saltimbanco knows, it is the Baron who holds ultimate control even if he is without true power.
- The Baron: The Baron is your ageless, timeless guide throughout the world of Saltimbanco. The Baron thinks he has power but really has no authority; at his most carefree, the Baron loves to party with the Baroques. And when he tears off his cape to reveal another side of his character - that of an erotic Satyr on the prowl - he shows that he's only the king of fools!
- The Dreamer: Dressed in a striped blue costume and with his long curly tail, the Dreamer is always ready for a nap. But since he is responsible for looking after The Child, he rarely gets the chance to doze off completely.
- The Punks: Children of the street, they are the crazy musicians in the world of Saltimbanco.
- The Songbird (La Belle): The singer, she reflects all human emotion. She is the ever-present town crier who expresses the soul of Saltimbanco. Her language is universal and her song reflects the atmosphere around her.
- The Blue Gypsy: Discreet but elegant, she sings alongside La Belle in the world of Saltimbanco. She is often seen alongside the Ringmaster who seems to like her sweet company.
- The Child: The Child moves freely between our world and the world of Saltimbanco, but watch out; he loves to play and won't hesitate to get you in on the act!
- Eddie: Eddie (in his distinctive red cap, black bow tie, striped shorts and suspenders, Eddie finds adventure in his own imagination.
- The Angels: They represent the stage of the ultimate acrobat, the Angels are the highest stage that the characters of the show can aspire. They perform the Bungee act, the final act of the show.
Acts[]
Act One
- Pre-Show: The Baroques interact with the audience.
- Opening: The Barron recites a poem as The Child appears on stage on a multicolored chair.
- Adagio: The Child and their parents perform an adagio trio act.
- Chinese Poles: The Multi-colored Worms perform on Chinese Poles.
- Catch (Clown Act): Eddy plays catch with the audience.
- Balancing on Canes: A artist balances on canes.
- Parade: The Child chooses to follow The Baron. This is a transition to the juggling act.
- Juggling: A juggler juggles on a staircase.
- Boleadoras: Two artists perform on drums and perform with boleadoras.
Act Two
- Musical Assembly: The Punks perform the song "Pocoleta" before the Russian Swing Act.
- Russian Swing: The Baroques perform on a Russian Swing.
- Solo Trapeze: An artist performs a solo trapeze act.
- The Death (Interlude): The Death scares The Ringmaster.
- Jungle/Cowboy (Clown Act): Eddy brings up an audience member on stage to explore a jungle and play cowboys.
- Hand to Hand: Two performers perform a hand to hand act.
- Reenactment (Interlude): The Ringmaster and The Dreamer try to reenact the Hand to Hand act.
- Bungee: Four aerialists performs a synchronized bungee act.
- Finale: The Child becomes a person of their own. The crew takes a final bow.
Music[]
Filmography[]
Touring Schedule[]
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
Arena Tour
1996-1997, 2003, 2007-2012 Schedule
1996 Schedule
EU London, UK (Royal Albert Hall)- From January 5, 1996 to January 28, 1996
1997 Schedule
EU London, UK (Royal Albert Hall)- From January 2, 1997 to February 1, 1997
2003 Schedule
EU London, UK (Royal Albert Hall)- From January 7, 2003 to February 6, 2003
2007 Schedule
NA London, ON - From July 31, 2007 to August 5, 2007
NA Ottawa, ON - From August 8, 2007 to August 12, 2007
NA Halifax, NS - From August 15, 2007 to August 19, 2007
NA St. John's, NL - From August 23, 2007 to August 26, 2007
NA St. John, NB - From August 30, 2007 to September 2, 2007
NA Syracuse, NY - From September 5, 2007 to September 9, 2007
NA Wilkes-Barre, PA - From September 12, 2007 to September 16, 2007
NA Greensboro, NC - From September 19, 2007 to September 23, 2007
NA State College, PA - From September 26, 2007 to September 30, 2007
NA Norfolk, VA - From October 3, 2007 to October 7, 2007
NA East Lansing, MI - From October 10, 2007 to October 14, 2007
NA Peoria, IL - From October 17, 2007 to October 18, 2007
NA Champaign, IL - From November 9, 2007 to November 10, 2007
NA Green Bay, WI - From November 13, 2007 to November 15, 2007
NA Madison, WI - From November 17, 2007 to November 19, 2007
NA Dayton, OH - From November 21, 2007 to November 25, 2007
NA Colorado Springs, CO - From November 28, 2007 to December 1, 2007
NA Denver, CO - From December 3, 2007 to December 13, 2007
NA Montréal, QC - From December 19, 2007 to December 30, 2007
2008 Schedule
NA Québec, QC - From January 3, 2008 to January 8, 2008
NA Chicoutimi, QC - From January 16, 2008 to January 19, 2008
NA Detroit, MI - From January 23, 2008 to January 27, 2008
NA Cleveland, OH - From January 29, 2008 to February 1, 2008
NA Memphis, TN - From February 20, 2008 to February 21, 2008
NA Charlottesville, VA - From February 26, 2008 to March 1, 2008
NA Little Rock, AR - From March 4, 2008 to March 6, 2008
NA Shreveport, LA - From March 8, 2008 to March 9, 2008
NA San Antonio, TX - From March 12, 2008 to March 16, 2008
NA Laredo, TX - From March 18, 2008 to March 19, 2008
NA Corpus Christi, TX - From March 21, 2008 to March 22, 2008
NA Wichita, KS - From March 26, 2008 to March 30, 2008
NA Omaha, NE - From April 2, 2008 to April 6, 2008
NA Des Moines, IA - From April 10, 2008 to April 13, 2008
NA Moline, IL - From April 15, 2008 to April 18, 2008
NA Cedar Rapids, IA - From April 23, 2008 to April 27, 2008
NA Albuquerque, NM - From May 14, 2008 to May 18, 2008
NA Boise, ID - From May 21, 2008 to May 25, 2008
NA Victoria, BC - From May 30, 2008 to June 1, 2008
NA Kelowna, BC - From June 4, 2008 to June 8, 2008
NA Kamloops, BC - From June 11, 2008 to June 15, 2008
NA Edmonton, AB - From June 18, 2008 to June 22, 2008
NA Saskatoon, SK - From June 25, 2008 to June 29, 2008
NA Regina, SK - From July 2, 2008 to July 6, 2008
NA Winnipeg, MB - From July 9, 2008 to July 13, 2008
NA Kansas City, MO - From July 16, 2008 to July 20, 2008
NA Newark, NJ - From August 7, 2008 to August 10, 2008
NA Toronto, ON - From August 13, 2008 to August 24, 2008
NA Hamilton, ON - From August 27, 2008 to August 31, 2008
NA Amherst, MA - From September 3, 2008 to September 7, 2008
NA Buffalo, NY - From September 10, 2008 to September 14, 2008
NA Trenton, NJ - From September 17, 2008 to September 21, 2008
NA Minneapolis, MN - From September 24, 2008 to September 28, 2008
NA Milwaukee, WI - From October 1, 2008 to October 5, 2008
NA Highland Heights, KY - From October 8, 2008 to October 12, 2008
NA Honolulu, HI - From October 30, 2008 to November 16, 2008
NA Prescott Valley, AZ - From November 20 2008 to November 23, 2008
NA Tucson, AZ - From November 26, 2008 to November 30, 2008
NA Oklahoma City, OK - From December 3, 2008 to December 7, 2008
NA Tulsa, OK - From December 10, 2008 to December 14, 2008
NA Hidalgo, TX - From December 17, 2008 to December 21, 2008
Grand Chapiteau Tour
1992 - 2006 Schedule
1992 Schedule
NA Montréal, QC - From April 23, 1992 to June 2, 1992 (show première)
NA Québec, QC - From June 13, 1992 to June 28, 1992
NA San Francisco, CA - From July 14, 1992 to August 16, 1992
NA San Jose, CA - From August 27, 1992 to September 27, 1992
NA Santa Monica, CA - From October 8, 1992 to December 20, 1992
1993 Schedule
NA Costa Mesa, CA - From January 30, 1993 to March 14, 1993
NA New York, NY - From March 30, 1993 to June 6, 1993
NA Toronto, ON - From June 18, 1993 to July 11, 1993
NA Chicago, IL - From July 28, 1993 to August 29, 1993
NA Boston, MA - From September 9, 1993 to October 3, 1993
NA Washington, DC - From October, 14 1993 to November 7, 1993
NA Atlanta, GA - From November 18, 1993 to December 19, 1993
1994 Schedule
AP Tokyo, JP - From March 11, 1994 to September 11, 1994
NA Montreal, QC - From November 2, 1994 to January 8, 1995
1995 Schedule
EU Amsterdam, NL - From March 9, 1995 to April 13, 1995
EU Munich, DE - From May 19, 1995 to July 9, 1995
EU Berlin, DE - From July 21, 1995 to September 3, 1995
EU Düsseldorf, DE - From September 15, 1995 to October 17, 1995
EU Vienna, AT - From November 10, 1995 to December 17, 1995
1996 Schedule
(Saltimbanco played in the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK during this time)
EU Hamburg, DE - From February 8, 1996 to March 10, 1996
EU Amsterdam, NL - From April 5, 1996 to May 19, 1996
EU Stuttgart, DE - From May 31, 1996 to July 14, 1996
EU Antwerp, BE - From July 26, 1996 to September 1, 1996
EU Zurich, CH - From September 13, 1996 to October 20, 1996
EU Frankfurt, DE - From November 11, 1996 to December 22, 1996
1997 Schedule
(Saltimbanco played in the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK during this time)
1998 Schedule
NA Ottawa, ON - From October 14, 1998 to November 1, 1998
1999 Schedule
(Saltimbanco played in the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK during this time)
OC Sydney, AU - From January 7, 1999 to March 7, 1999
OC Melbourne, AU - From March 18, 1999 to May 16, 1999
OC Brisbane, AU - From May 28, 1999 to July 8, 1999
OC Adelaide, AU - From July 21, 1999 to August 25, 1999
OC Perth, AU - From September 9, 1999 to October 17, 1999
AP Singapore, SG - From November 25, 1999 to January 8, 2000
2000 Schedule
AP Hong Kong, HK - From January 25, 2000 to March 19, 2000
NA Portland, OR - From May 11, 2000 to June 25, 2000
NA Seattle, WA - From July 6, 2000 to September 3, 2000
AP Tokyo, JP - From October 12, 2000 to January 28, 2001
2001 Schedule
AP Fukuoka, JP - From February 9, 2001 to April 8, 2001
AP Nagoya, JP - From April 20, 2001 to June 3, 2001
AP Osaka, JP - From June 10, 2001 to September 9, 2001
AP Yokohama, JP - From September 20, 2001 to November 25, 2001
2002 Schedule
EU Amsterdam, NL - From February 14, 2002 to April 14, 2002
EU Barcelona, ES - From April 26, 2002 to May 26, 2002
EU Vienna, AT - From July 10, 2002 to August 4, 2002
EU Brussels, BE - From September 4, 2002 to October 19, 2002
EU Madrid, ES - From October 31, 2002 to December 26, 2002
2003 Schedule
(Saltimbanco played in the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK during this time)
EU Bilbao, ES - From February 26, 2003 to April 6, 2003
EU Geneva, CH - From April 18, 2003 to May 25, 2003
EU Cologne, DE - From June 5, 2003 to June 29, 2003
EU Oostende, BE - From July 24, 2003 to August 17, 2003
EU Zurich, CH - From September 19, 2003 to October 26, 2003
EU Valencia, ES - From November 28, 2003 to December 21, 2003
2004 Schedule
EU Seville, ES - From January 16, 2004 to February 22, 2004
EU Lyon, FR - From March 5, 2004 to April 18, 2004
EU Milan, IT - From April 29, 2004 to June 6, 2004
EU Gijon, ES - From June 25, 2004 to July 31, 2004
EU Frankfurt, DE - From August 20, 2004 to September 25, 2004
EU Rome, IT - From October 7, 2004 to October 31, 2004
EU Lille, FR - From November 25, 2004 to December 26, 2004
2005 Schedule
EU Manchester, UK - From January 6, 2005 to January 27, 2005
EU Birmingham, UK - From February 24, 2005 to March 13, 2005
EU Paris, FR - From April 8, 2005 to July 17, 2005
NA Monterrey, MX - From August 4, 2005 to September 11, 2005
NA Mexico City, MX - From September 22, 2005 to November 6, 2005
NA Guadalajara, MX - From November 17, 2005 to January 1, 2006
2006 Schedule
NA Mexico City, MX - From January 13, 2006 to February 5, 2006
SA Santiago, CL - From March 15, 2006 to April 22, 2006
SA Buenos Aires, AR - From May 5, 2006 to June 11, 2006
SA São Paulo, BR - From August 3, 2006 to October 22, 2006
SA Rio de Janeiro, BR - From November 2, 2006 to December 10, 2006 (Grand Chapiteau Finale)
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
Characters[]
Performance[]
References[]
External Links[]
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