The Michael Jackson Fan Fest is at Mandalay Bay from Dec. 3-14, 2011.
Round-the-clock guards are on duty for maximum security at the extraordinary priceless collection of Michael Jackson memorabilia on display at Michael Jackson Fan Fest in conjunction with the Las Vegas run of Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour” at Mandalay Bay. More than 600 pieces valued in the million$ have been curated from Michael’s possessions for the exhibit.
Many items have been kept hidden for years and are on show for the first time, so much so that Michael’s brother Jackie told me that he was seeing items he didn’t know the King of Pop owned: “He has some incredible costumes that I hadn’t seen before -- and seeing some of the collection, especially the chess set, made me want them!”
It is a truly staggering collection, and Jackie told me that it didn’t represent one-tenth of what Michael owned in warehouses scattered in Los Angeles. Michael’s mom, Katherine Jackson, and his three children Blanket, Paris and Prince Michael toured it privately just hours before the show’s premiere Saturday night.
Fans will recognize the “Billie Jean” diamond-encrusted glove, among a display case of 12 colored ones from the 1980s that face two other display cases packed with rhinestone-studded costume brooches and military-inspired insignia. Naturally, I was impressed by the two Rolls-Royces, one a 1999 Seraph stretch limousine with 24-karat gold touches and a 1963 blue Phantom 5 complete with wall-sconce lights. I didn’t see a chandelier, but I wouldn’t be surprised!
Thanks to contributing photographer Tom Donoghue, who was first in to shoot the collection for today’s amazing gallery, which includes every section and many of the items. It’s an incredible walk through the storied gates of Michael’s Neverland Ranch and then into his study with rare, first-edition historical books.
I pictured a studious pop superstar leafing through the precious pages of centuries gone by. The library, with its English fireplace setting, features the most impressive chess set I’ve ever seen -- it made me wish I was behind the camera again for an episode of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”
The playful side of Michael is on show, ranging from his collections of toy soldier figures to the ice-cream cart, popcorn stand, a Peter Pan-themed golf cart and bumper cars kept in the Neverland gardens. A lineup of his high scores on arcade games he played lines one side, and there are two exquisitely rare Disney dioramas from “Cinderella” and “Pinocchio.”
It’s an interactive exhibit, so fans have their photos taken at many of the film and music video sets -- and the Wii dance game. You can wander through the spaceship set used in “Scream,” sit on the throne he used in the Egyptian-themed set of “Remember the Time” or pose in front of the rocket plane from “Leave Me Alone.”
Michael never discarded any of the art, drawings and sketches that fans sent him, and there is an entire section of those. A 10-foot tall statue of Michael dominates the exhibit hall at Mandalay Bay Convention Center, and there is a bust of his hero, Walt Disney, on the fireplace mantle in the study.
There are dozens of concert wardrobe costumes, including several unique pieces, some finished, some incomplete, that designer Zaldy Goco, who fashioned for “Immortal,” worked on exclusively for Michael and the ill-fated This Is It London concerts that never materialized because of his death three days before cast and crew were due to fly to Britain. They are set out on either side of a mobile mechanical spider Michael was to ride in on for his entrance for the 02 Arena run.
This first-ever Michael Jackson Estate-authorized Fan Fest remains at Mandalay Bay through Dec. 14, while “Immortal” continues through Dec. 27. John Branca, co-executor, told me that discussions are continuing for the items to be seen again at another Fan Fest planned for Michael’s birthday next Aug. 29. He confirmed that some of the pieces will be incorporated with other memorabilia in a Jackson Museum planned for Mandalay Bay when the residency show opens in May 2013.
When “The Lion King” run ends Dec. 31, Mandalay Bay Theater will be shuttered for 15 months while it is transformed into Neverland awaiting start of the rehearsals for the show a year from now.
Tito and Jackie posed for photos at the exhibit. “I look at his belongings, and it hurts. We have all the wonderful memories of our brother, but this is all bittersweet,” Tito said. “He would have wanted his fans to share all of these private items,” Jackie added. “All of us teared up when they performed ‘Gone Too Soon’ at the ‘Immortal’ show. He did leave us far too soon. Michael would have given it a 10. It was the show he always wanted to do with Cirque.”
In a rare interview with “Access Hollywood,” Michael’s 14-year-old son Prince Michael said, “He would have loved this show. I think he’d be very proud that they made a show of his legacy. He admired the Cirque du Soleil people, especially the acrobats, because they can convey a story through their body and emotions through the way they act. I liked the ‘Thriller’ parts -- fun. It’s really cool when the jackets light up.”
Paris, 13, added: “He would have been proud, and he would have loved to be here to see it. All of the acts are just completely amazing and very creative. I love the gates of Neverland. When I first saw that, it brought tears to my eyes. It was amazing. I grew up in Neverland, and it’s just like bringing back memories.”
Prince and Paris told “Access Hollywood” that they are inspired by their father and plan to have entertainment careers. “Acting,” Paris said. “All possibilities are open for us right now,” Prince added.
Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 11:26 am
posted by Nimue on Thursday, December 8th 2011
Photos: ‘Immortal’ is Jamie King and Cirque’s loving tribute to Michael Jackson
Very interesting, King is not set yet for the residency show in Vegas and can be other person doing the show and will be a different show from Imortal tour.
Chris Angel is doing an interview in this one but the cut him.
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 11:28 am
posted by Nimue on Friday, December 9th 2011
This article does not say too much, but reminded me of Paris tweets about the Unicorn..
Tickets on sale now for New Orleans staging of Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour
To say that the late Michael Jackson inspired fierce dedication would be a massive understatement. Outside of Elvis Presley, it’s difficult to think of a celebrity who provokes such a powerful and passionate response from his or her fans. (Like Elvis, Jackson’s fans got to run the emotional gamut, throughout his career, of feeling entertained, awed, protective, weirded out, pitying and amazed again, and sometimes all at the same time.)
It’s a little too early to tell whether Jackson devotees will, postmortem, approach the fanaticism of the cult of Elvis. But the tributes to Jackson’s memory have flown fast and furious since his passing in June of 2009.
Some were tasteful and lovely, like his surprisingly intimate-looking funeral at Los Angeles’ huge Staples Center. Some were controversial, like the star-studded October 2011 event in Wales, which 35 Michael Jackson fan clubs rallied together to protest. (Ticket prices were high and information about charitable donations was vague; it was also scheduled, many felt insensitively, to take place during the manslaughter trial of Jackson personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray.) Some were perhaps a bit unusual. And some, like the Iowa state fair’s proposed Michael Jackson butter sculpture (it didn't actually happen), were just incredibly weird.
And one – a really big and dramatic one -- is coming to New Orleans.
Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, playing at the New Orleans Arena February 15 and 16, 2012, is a Cirque de Soleil production that features visual projections, dance, music and of course acrobatics.
The performance’s storyline seems to jump off from the idea of Jackson the strange and tender creature; press materials state that the show “takes place in a fantastical realm where we discover Michael’s inspirational Giving Tree – the wellspring of his creativity.” (Jackson as unicorn?)
I am starting to wonder about the UNICORN meaning...
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 11:31 am
posted by Nimue on Monday, December 12th 2011 @ 3:40 PM
Go Michael... you got it: Why Michael Jackson Is The Top Touring Act In America, Again
Sammy Davis, Jr. once said that “everything Michael Jackson does on stage is exactly right.” The King of Pop indeed left some big leather loafers to fill, but judging by the crowd’s reaction at MGM’s Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour is doing an admirable job.
“We have all done our best to make this a celebration of his essence in his absence,” musical director Greg Phillinganes told me shortly after the show’s debut. “His passion for humanity … his commitment to excellence, his flair for the big show, we’ve tried to incorporate all those factors.”
Immortal is the highest-grossing live show in the country for the second week in a row, bringing in just shy of $2 million per night in Vegas. That’s over half a million dollars more than the next-highest earner, Taylor Swift, according to concert data provider Pollstar.
It’s all the more impressive given that the Jackson show has been parked at the 8,500-seat Mandalay Bay Theatre for much of December; Swift has been playing arenas more than twice that size, as Immortal will soon be doing when resumes its trek across the North America. An international leg is set to follow in late 2012.
A joint venture between the Michael Jackson estate and Cirque du Soleil, Immortal opened in October and is already approaching $100 million in ticket sales. That should come as no surprise, given the extraordinary spectacle that audiences witness with each performance.
The show begins with a spotlight illuminating a mime clad in all white; his shell-toed sneakers and backwards hat make him look more b-boy than sad clown. As he cozies up to an image of Michael Jackson that fills a giant video screen at the back of the stage, the pictures melts away to reveal the band, and a troupe of dancers streams onto the stage.
The mime serves as a guide throughout the performance, starting with Jackson’s early years and the song “Have You Seen My Childhood.” There’s a miniature hot air balloon and a Jackson Five montage complete with dancers dressed as Marlon, Tito, Jermaine, Jackie and Michael–oversized afros included. As the show continues, a replica of the Neverland gates rolls out, followed by performers dressed as Bubbles the Chimp and some of the other animals that once resided in Jackson’s private zoo.
Next comes the “Smooth Criminal” segment. The screens behind the stage turn black-and-white, revealing a video of Jackson outsmarting a series of detectives as they try to track him down. All the while, tommy gun-toting dancers decked out in fedoras and pinstriped suits mimic and elaborate upon Jackson’s moves, culminating in a flurry of pyrotechnics and mock gunfire that leaves only one dancer standing.
Perhaps the most impressive is the scene that comes next. The surviving gangster rips off her white suit to reveal nothing more than a shimmering bikini–and proceeds to ascend a slim tube that extends 30 feet or so into the air. Upon reaching the top she launches into an aerial pole-dance, contorting herself into positions that would seem impossible even on solid ground. At some point, she manages to hold herself perpendicular to the structure, supported by nothing besides her own strength.
Pushing the boundaries of the human body are trademarks of Cirque du Soleil, and that’s one of the many examples in which Immortal lives up to its lofty expectations (There’s also a scene where one acrobat lifts a partner into the air using only a strap hanging from his mouth; in another, a green dancer folds herself into a pretzel-shape and walks on her hands).
There’s a bit of tongue-and-cheek humor, too: at one point, Michael Jackson’s trademark black loafers appear as Mini Cooper-sized characters, each manned by a single dancer.
Immortal features quite a few mashups of Jackson’s music, so it’s only fitting that the show ends with a parade of dancers hoisting flags that bear the combined symbols of various nations.
.
At any rate, the show has clearly passed the necessary tests in Vegas. Plans are already in the works to renovate the Mandalay Bay Theatre, which currently houses the Lion King, to accommodate a modified version of Immortal in time for a 2013 opening. If this month’s run is any indication, it should be a bonanza for MGM, Cirque du Soleil and the Jackson estate.
Though Jay-Z and Beyonce ducked out as the performers were taking their final bows on Saturday night, it’s clear that another superstar–Michael Jackson–will be staying in Las Vegas for quite some time.
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 11:33 am
posted by Nimue on Monday, December 19th 2011
Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour cast on 'X Factor' U.S. 2011 finale
"The X Factor" U.S. has not yet officially announced which performers will be featured on the show's first season finale (which Fox will televise in two parts on December 21 and December 22, 2011), but some news has already started to leak out about who will be the season-finale performers.
The latest update is that Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour (from Cirque du Soleil) will be featured in the season finale.
Celebrity journalist Robin Leach broke the news on his Twitter account when he posted this message on December 16, 2011:
Michael Jackson's Immortal has 3 dark days coming up so cast can do 3days filming with Simon Cowell Paula Abdul on X Factor
3 dark days coming up???? What does it mean?
Indeed, the show (which is in Las Vegas until December 27, 2011) has canceled performances on December 20, 21, 22 and 23
Four more shows canceled. Maybe the 3 dark days are not because the shows were canceled, since 4 shows were canceled.
The Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour was heavily promoted in the November 30, 2011 episode of "The X Factor" U.S., which had a Michael Jackson theme of the contestants singing songs that were originally performed by Jackson as a solo artist or as a member of the Jackson 5/The Jacksons. Several members of the Jackson family (Michael's mother, his three kids and three of his brothers) attended this "X Factor" show.
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 11:35 am
posted by Nimue on Tuesday, December 27th 2011
12/30-31: 'Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour' circus
LAS VEGAS - In "Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour," it takes the talents of 65 musicians, dancers and acrobats to fill the shoes of the deceased star.
OK, technically it takes two to animate the giant dancing shoes during a medley of "Beat It" and "Bad," and one more if you add MJ's glitter glove. But you get the idea.
Produced by Cirque du Soleil in collaboration with the Jackson estate, the arena tour visits US Airways Center in Phoenix on Friday and Saturday, Dec. 30-31, after a four-week run in Las Vegas. It marks another step in the evolution of the nouveau circus cum entertainment giant from Montreal.
"Obviously it's not a big top where you're very, very close and you can see the muscles as they flex on a performer. This is more about the spectacle, the grandeur," Cirque marketing exec Mario D'Amico says.
"This is a Michael Jackson rock show without Michael Jackson, and we've tried very hard to make you forget that Michael Jackson isn't there. We've tried to re-create his musical world."
And more than just his musical world. Before designing the show, the creative team -- headed by concert director Jamie King, who has worked for Madonna, Rihanna and Britney Spears -- toured Jackson's Neverland Ranch. Its animals inspired a pair of elephant puppets that rival those in "The Lion King," as well as a sensuous aerial pas de deux by a white and a black swan during "I Just Can't Stop Loving You."
Dazzling stunts and video effects fly fast and furious throughout the show. Dancers run in midair along a digital train for "Workin' Day and Night," a scantily clad acrobat works the world's tallest dancing pole for "Dangerous," and an army of robot soldiers tromp across the stage for "They Don't Care About Us." A medley of spooky tunes opens with a green-skinned contortionist imitating an alien hybrid of lizard and spider and climaxes with a troupe of mummies re-creating MJ's trademark moves from "Thriller."
In keeping with Cirque tradition, there are also recurring characters, including a quintet of clowns (one in a fat suit and Jackson's red leather jacket from the "Bad" era) and, serving as an MC of sorts, a limber pop-and-locker dressed in sparkling white.
That's Salah Benlemqawanssa, an award-winning French dancer of Moroccan descent, just one example of Cirque's dedication to finding top talents from around the globe.
"I never thought I would work like I am doing now," says Salah, who goes by his first name. "It is a lot of discipline. You have to be careful of your body. You have to eat good, you have to sleep good. It's really a high level of athletes, acrobats, dancers, singers -- everybody needs a discipline to take care of himself.
"Working with Cirque du Soleil is not easy, but after you do Cirque du Soleil, you can do anything."
Growing up, Salah was inspired by Jackson's innovative dance and choreography, and his message of global unity.
"The character they gave to me is one of the great challenges in my life, because it's not just dancing, it is a lot of emotion," he says. "Every day, every night, I give different emotions, but it's not fake, it's me. I have to give something from inside. For me, it's not acting. I really try to express what Michael wanted to say to people."
That kind of personal connection is shared by many of the artists involved with the show, including musical designer Kevin Antunes, who delved into Jackson's master recordings to create vocal tracks and sound effects to accompany the live band onstage.
"I remember the first 45 (record) that I ever saw was the Jackson 5. It could have been, like, 'Got to Be There,' " he says. "So I fell in love with that group since I was a kid. And then when I was in high school, I used to dress like Michael. I had the Jheri curl, the glove, the shirt. I had it all, before I could actually play keyboards and do all that stuff. ...
"There's never been another artist who has truly combined songwriting, music, production, dance, choreography, film, video. Michael Jackson is the reason MTV became what it was with 'Thriller.' There are so many different aspects of his career. He was a master, he was a student. That's why he's immortal."
Like tour director King, Antunes comes from the concert world. The two worked together on Madonna's Sticky & Sweet Tour, and Antunes has served as Justin Timberlake's music man dating back to 'NSync.
"I never put myself in a Cirque frame of mind, I put myself in a Michael frame of mind," he says. "I let Michael dictate where this music should go, and I think what ended up happening is Cirque adopted that philosophy.
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 11:39 am
posted by The Fairy on Thursday, December 29th 2011
This article is mostly about Celine Dion but also talks of the "Immortal" Tour.
Interesting is the comment about the hologram as we have talked before that it would be hard to see the difference between the real Michael and a hologram. Michael can perform back stage and appear only as a hologram and noone would know if it is an old recording. We had the talk when Janet was performing with the hologram of Michael but the pic of Celine Dion really shows how well this can be done
Superstar singer Celine Dion arrived back on the Strip on Tuesday to reclaim her title as Las Vegas box office champion just as Cirque du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson: the Immortal World Tour” cast and crew relinquished their reign and hit the road for Phoenix. Celine starts a run tonight through Aug. 19, skipping only April and May.
When Celine wrapped her previous run at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, she went out on top in August with 54 consecutive sold-out shows seen by 230,000 fans and was ranked the No. 1 box office show in North America -- described by Newsweek as “the biggest act since Elvis.”
“Immortal” moved into Mandalay Bay on Dec. 3 and before pulling up stakes Tuesday night was the touring show box office winner on Billboard and Pollstar for its monthlong stay here.
Now Celine, who enjoyed a Christmas family vacation in the snow and slopes of Utah, is set to shoot right back to No. 1 again, and her three remaining 2011 shows -- tonight, Friday and New Year’s Eve -- are sold out, with the box office booming for her 65 dates in 2012.
It was with military precision that “Immortal” ended its Mandalay Bay Events Center run last night, and early today its fearsome fleet of more than 45 semis, buses and vehicles for the 220-strong cast, crew, equipment, instruments, scenery and theatrical-rigging equipment rolled off the Strip for two performances Friday and New Year’s Eve in Phoenix.
Then it’s onto Boise and Denver next week and criss-crossing the United States before winding up Aug. 21 in Salt Lake City. “Immortal” then starts a minimum 2-year global tour of Asia and Europe and may well become the tour that never ends circling the globe. As the largest-ever rock road show, it carries 117 people in the production team, including 68 technicians; 90 people in the artistic team, including 65 performers; and 16 people in the touring management.
The permanent Michael Jackson show also by Cirque du Soleil is due to open May 2013 at Mandalay Bay in the theater that Disney’s “The Lion King” will vacate after its final show Friday night. Demolition for its complete makeover begins Monday.
Meantime, Celine’s triumphant return signals minor changes to her spectacular production with its 31 musicians. As we previously reported Dec. 19, she’s adding new gowns, costumes and numbers that, for now at least, mean the end of a Stevie Wonder hologram duet that’s being replaced with an Andrea Bocelli hologram with Celine for “The Prayer.”
Having seen the hologram effect, I go on record again saying it’s so brilliant, you really find it tough to see the difference between the real Celine and the Memorex version. I’m going New Year’s Eve and will report via Twitter @robin_leach.
Celine also is promising costume changes in her Michael Jackson tribute number and adding a new song to the rundown. We’ll post the fashion report, too, in our New Year’s Eve weekend wrap-up next week.
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 12:35 pm
posted by Nimue on Saturday, January 7th 2012
Quote :
Quote from mjmtc on Wednesday, October 6th 2010 @ 10:24
New Cris Angel poster: The man in the Mirror:
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 1:15 pm
posted by GailShaw on Sunday, January 8th 2012
Thank-you Nimue,
I tried to post the latest picture of Criss Angel,but it wouldn't work.
It is on Pearls twitter page.
Pearljr Pearljr Criss Angel's new promo poster features him as a MAN IN THE MIRROR-Once again related to Michael Joe-Watch "Alive" twitpic.com/83sctg
6 Jan
Well this is interesting,and we are aware that Michael attended Criss's BELIEVE show while in Las Vegas.I guess who better to help fine tune the art of ILLUSION than Criss Angel.
Cheers
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 1:16 pm
posted by Nimue on Monday, January 9th 2012
I fixed my post with new picture. I hope it shows now.
It is interesting the rabit again making shhhhh.. and the person behind the mirror.
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 1:19 pm
posted by Nimue on Tuesday, January 10th 2012
Backstage pictures: Feature: Behind the scenes with Cirque Du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson: The Immortal”
Reverb photographer Glenn Ross was given backstage access to shoot the hours of preparation before Friday night’s Denver premiere of Cirue Du Soleil’s “Michael Jackson The Immortal” world tour stop at the Pepsi Center.
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 1:21 pm
posted by Nimue on Sunday, January 15th 2012
Something interesting. Cirque has been doing TDRCAU flash mob at all the towns they go. Even other Cique the Soleil shows are doing the flash mob in malls and streets.
This is The Beatles LOVE troop:
The Mystere team:
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 1:23 pm
posted by Nimue on Thursday, January 26th 2012
Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson show: 'Immortal' but not immune The tribute to the late pop icon, which is coming to Staples Center, is not without controversy.
The inspiration for Cirque du Soleil's new show, "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour," began in the late 1980s when Michael Jackson hopped into a van (sans security) with his longtime attorney John Branca to see the French Canadianperformance troupe for the first time in Santa Monica.
FOR THE RECORD: The headline on an earlier online version of this article referred to the Michael Jackson-inspired " 'Immoral" show; this version corrects the reference to read "Immortal."
The mega-pop star was fascinated by the avant-garde circus and asked to meet the cast backstage, said Branca, who was named co-executor of Jackson's estate along with music executive John McClain in accordance with Jackson's 2002 will. Over the years, Jackson took his three children to Cirque shows and toured Cirque's home base in Montreal.
Branca said the estate — which is divided among Jackson's mother, Katherine, his children and charities — wished to pay homage to the performer after his death on June 25, 2009. Though the estate released the film of Jackson's concert rehearsals for a would-be comeback series, "This Is It," shortly after he died, Branca said they wanted to present Jackson's songs and dance legacy in a live setting. Given the performer's appreciation for Cirque, the idea for "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" was born several months after his death.
"We wanted to have a live show, because, as [Motown Recordsfounder] Berry Gordy said, 'Michael was the greatest entertainer that ever lived,'" Branca said recently over breakfast in Los Angeles. "We couldn't ever imagine having an impersonator, or a tribute show, because no one's Michael. That would just be unthinkable."
The glitzy spectacle pairs Jackson's tunes with Cirque's signature acrobatics, the singer's iconic dance moves and Jackson's voice and video imagery. The show will hit the Staples Center — the same venue that hosted Jackson's public memorial service — on Friday. Due to strong demand, two new dates for August 14 and 15 were recently added. The tour is directed by longtime Jackson collaborator Jamie King, with costumes by "This Is It" designer Zaldy Goco, dance numbers by 10 choreographers including Travis Payne, and musical design courtesy of Kevin Antunes.
Despite the talent and effort behind the show, not everyone is bedazzled with the production, or how Jackson's legacy is being handled.
"The show lacks focus, and only occasionally touches the larger-than-life stage presence that Michael Jackson projected in his concerts," wrote the Oregonian's Grant Butler last November, adding that the tour was "a carnival that's as much of a head-scratching paradox as the scandal-plagued last decade of Jackson's life."
And Jackson's siblings Randy and Jermaine had criticized family and the estate for supporting tributes to their brother such as the lavish "Michael Forever" concert last October in Wales, claiming it was ill-timed during the manslaughter trial of Jackson's physician Conrad Murray.
Katherine Jackson, however, ended up walking the red carpet the day "Immortal" opened in Montreal last October.
"There was a special artistic relationship between Michael and Cirque du Soleil," said Cirque President Daniel Lamarre, who hosted Michael Jackson in Montreal in 2002. "When John Branca came to Michael's mother, Katherine, to talk about the show, because there were so many companies interested, she said it was a no-brainer, that Michael wanted to work with Cirque du Soleil all his life."
Planning the production began in earnest in the fall of '09, when Branca got a call from Celine Dion's rep, saying Dion's husband, René Angélil, wanted to introduce the Jackson estate to Cirque co-founder and Chief Executive Guy Laliberte. Laliberte was in orbit, literally, as part of a space tourist program.
After Laliberte returned from space, Branca told him a permanent show in Las Vegas would be ideal, in the tradition of Cirque's Beatles "Love" show, but Laliberte persuaded Branca and McClain to expand beyond that, to a touring show at rock arenas. A permanent, more intimate, tech-heavy show in Las Vegas will open at Mandalay Bay in early 2013, as the tour winds down its global leg.
Still, the estate wanted to make sure the production was "a Michael show," said Branca, instead of, well, a circus.
"We said to Kevin, 'Listen, we don't want to hear any accordions in 'Beat It.' … It's gotta be Michael Jackson,'" Branca said. "We said to Jamie [King], 'We don't want any — and I don't want to insult anybody — French clowns dancing at a Michael Jackson show.'"
King's name topped the pack as director because he danced with Jackson on his '92 "Dangerous" world tour and had a background in pop and hip-hop. He wanted to include multiple forms of movement, including mime, which Jackson studied with Marcel Marceau.
Antunes hunkered down for a year listening to Jackson's master recordings before launching into rearranging the tunes. He decided to start "Thriller" with finger snaps and only Jackson's voice to show the layers of the song before exploding it into the traditional "Thriller" dance. He added a choir for extra oomph to Jackson's '96 "They Don't Care About Us," featuring oversized soldiers decorated with neon peace signs designed by Goco.
"That's the awesome moment of the show and it's truly epic. It's the Michael with a message and a meaning. It makes everyone get the chills," Antunes said. "For his family, his friends, his fans, there is a responsibility left up to me. This has been on the music side that we don't drop the ball."
Rehearsals started last summer in Montreal, and Jackson's brother Jackie visited them and "loved it," Branca said. In late summer, about 15 designated "super fans" were flown in to give feedback, and their input resulted in changing some of the music, Branca said.
"I wanted to create a show that Michael would have loved to create if he had created for Cirque," King said. "'Will You Be There' is one of my favorites in the show.... There are giant hearts that illuminate and light up. His essence appears. It's almost like he comes back to say, 'I love you, I'll always be here.'"
At the show's Las Vegas opening in December, Jackson's daughter Paris broke down and sobbed during the number, Branca said.
A representation of Jackson's spirit also moves through the show in the form of a hip-hop dancer named Salah Benlemqawanssa. He's dressed all in white, and moves fluidly in and out of numbers.
"When Michael passed, I went into a bit of autopilot, personally. I was on my way to his home when I found out," said Payne, who'd worked on the "This Is It" choreography. "The first thing out of my mouth was, 'This is not done, this is not finished.'"
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 1:26 pm
posted by Nimue on Sunday, January 29th 2012
On the date of the Pepsi accident (Jan 27) CDS makes to STAPLES CENTER:
Michael Jackson, The Immortal World Tour, Cirque du Soleil - Staples Center - January 27, 2012
Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour - Cirque du Soleil Staples Center January 27, 2012
Better than...This Is It in 3D
Of course there was a flash mob, superfans in zombie getup busting their best "Thriller" moves outside the Staples Center box office while the crowd filed in. This was a Michael Jackson show, after all. Last night, MJ was present, if in spirit only: like it says in the Bible, where two or three come together in the King's name, there is he with them.
The show kicked off in a subtle fashion, with just three dancers (one was the main "ghost of MJ" character, who later proved to be incredible) performing a video game-like dance sequence in front of an LED screen. Latecomers took their seats, and with that segment over we were ready to turn the place out.
But instead, the next number was set to "Childhood." Visions of a young Michael set against a Neverland backdrop were simultaneously an homage to his early days and a bit of a downer. Visually stunning, of course, because it's Cirque du Soleil, but oof, such a sluggish opening.
"Wanna Be Starting Something?" Yes we do, finally. With that song came uptempo beats and a packed stage. Morphing into a Jackson Five medley, boys in afro wigs the size of beach balls shimmied and shook quite like the original brothers.
There were colors everywhere. The choreography was out of this world and the technique impeccable. Michael Jackson had only the best dancers by his side, and this crew easily fit that mold.
But where were the acrobatics? At Cirque du Soleil, you expect some death-defying feats by at least 15 minutes in, but as of that point, we'd barely seen any.
That changed with "Dancing Machine," which took on a post-apocalyptic industrial theme, and finally gave us a bit of an aerial show. Nothing to write home about, though -- mostly just really elegant Tarzan-like swinging.
The dancers waded through "Ben," then kicked it through "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Smooth Criminal," which featured the first serious video tribute. Now, certain performances just shouldn't be reinterpreted, and "Smooth Criminal" is one of them. The original vision was simply too great. But this dance sequence definitely did it justice, and even worked in a few pyrotechnics.
Still, we couldn't help ourselves. Where were the trampoline flipturns and spinning wheels of death? We came to see some acrobatics, dammit, and it wasn't happening. We were beginning to think our time would have been better spent at Jumbo's Clown Room.
Then, as if Cirque were psychic, a pole appeared, and on it, a woman in a sequined bikini who apparently carries the strength of God in her thighs. Clearly she was put on this earth to blow our minds.
And then the star of the show -- a ghostly figure in a white sequined sweatsuit -- dropped our jaws a little further during a solo performance to "Another Part of Me." The man had no bones. He had no limits. He did things no human should be able to do. To watch him dance, even on his own, was worth the ticket price.
We got our contortionist fix during "Is It Scary," which led into the macabre "Thriller" sequence -- another homage to the video, rightfully so.
"Is It Scary"? Maybe a little bit.
After intermission, the acrobatics picked up a bit with a stellar aerial sequence featuring pixilated glowing human bodies. These are the kind of unimaginably fantastic visuals people look to Cirque to provide, and here, they delivered.
Robo-soldier dancers marched the crowd toward the end to the tune of "They Don't Really Care About Us," then smoothed things out with "Will You Be There." A fairly long encore followed, featuring a few more aerial tricks and a performance of "Black or White" that included every flag on earth and the spirit of global unity MJ was known for.
If you love Michael Jackson, or razor-sharp choreography, or '80s and '90s nostalgia in any way, you will love this show. It's a great way to revisit the King of Pop, because it invokes him, even if, to our dismay, there weren't as many back handsprings as we'd hoped.
The crowd: Families rocking sequined MJ jackets and single gloves.
Random Notebook Dump: Hold on, is the Bubbles onstage a real chimp? No, no way. Wait, is he?
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 1:31 pm
posted by Nimue on Monday, January 30th 2012
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour European dates begin October 2012
By CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
MONTREAL, Jan. 30, 2012 -- Premiere performance at London's O2 Arena on October 12
MONTREAL, Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - The Estate of Michael Jackson and Cirque du Soleilannounced today that the European tour of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour™ will begin in October 2012 following its highly successful North American tour, which has thrilled more than 600,000 people since the October 2011 World Premiere in Montreal. This once-in-a-lifetime electrifying production combines the excitement and innovation of Michael Jackson's music and choreography with Cirque du Soleil's unparalleled creativity to give fans worldwide a unique view into the spirit, passion and heart of the artistic genius who forever transformed globalpop culture. Written and directed by Jamie King, the show includes more than 60 international dancers, musicians and acrobats.
The European tour of Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour will premiere inLondon at the O2 Arena on October 12, 2012 with a charity benefit as part of the opening night festivities. The tour will then travel to select cities in Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Swedenand Spain. Additional cities and dates will be announced in the coming months.
A riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses audiences in Michael's creative world and literally turns his signature moves upside down, Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour unfolds Michael Jackson's artistry before the eyes of the audience. Aimed at lifelong fans as well as those experiencing Michael's creative genius for the first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend generations.
THE IMMORTAL World Tour takes place in a fantastical realm where we discover Michael's inspirational wellspring of creativity. The secrets of Michael's inner world are unlocked—his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature.
The underpinnings of THE IMMORTAL World Tour are Michael Jackson's powerful, inspirational music and lyrics—the driving force behind the show—brought to life in Michael's own voice backed by some of the very musicians who accompanied him in concert with extraordinary power and breathless intensity. Through unforgettable performances Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour underscores Michael's global messages of love, peace and unity. This innovative reimagining of Michael's music, overseen by musical designer Kevin Antunes, can be found on the Epic Records release Immortal both in single disc and deluxe double disc.
Writer and Director Jamie King is a multiple Emmy Award® and MTV Video Music Award® nominee and has choreographed some of the most popular music videos and directed some of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time. For the past 12 years, he has served as Madonna's creative director, and most recently directed world tours for Rihanna, Celine Dion,Spice Girls and Britney Spears. King has worked with an array of superstars including Ricky Martin, Christina Aguilera, Mariah Carey, Shakira, George Michael, Elton John, Diana Ross andJennifer Lopez. This is Jamie's first show with Cirque du Soleil.
About Cirque du Soleil From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from more than 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over 40 countries on six continents. In 2012, Cirque du Soleil will present simultaneously 22 different shows around the world. For more information about Cirque du Soleil,visit www.cirquedusoleil.com For information about ONE DROP, please visit www.onedrop.org.
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 4:59 pm
posted by The Fairy on Tuesday, January 31st 2012
Supermodel in the making! Feline Paris Jackson shows off striking aqua eyes (but is still a child at heart with Goofy sweater)
By Amelia Proud and Nadia Mendoza
Last updated at 12:37 PM on 28th January 2012
It's not an easy feat to avert attention from global superstar Rihanna.
But Paris Jackson stole the singer's thunder last night with her incredibly striking aquamarine eyes.
The 13-year-old, who never got to see father Michael perform in concert, witnessed the next best thing last night at the Staples Centre in LA as she watched the premiere of The Immortal World Tour.
Film star in the making: Paris Jackson looked radiant as she attended The Immortal World Tour - Cirque Du Soleil's critically acclaimed tribute to her father Michael
The masterpiece is talented contortionists Cirque Du Soleil's critically-acclaimed tribute to the icon.
Neither Paris - nor brothers Prince, 14, and nine-year-old Blanket - ever saw Michael on stage as his death in June 2009 came before he was scheduled to embark on a mammoth 50-date tour.
Proud moment: Blanket looks unimpressed but Paris and Prince, in his Jacksons shirt, smile for the cameras
The trio already had a taster of last night's performance after seeing the company tease fans with a snippet at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Thursday at a ceremony to remember their father.
He never got the chance to commit prints of his hands and feet to the cement outside the legendary venue for posterity, so his progeny did it for him.
Paying homage: Rihanna wore an over-the-top leather suit that Michael would surely have loved
Looking sharp: But the megastar would be hard-pressed to moonwalk in those Louboutin heels
And teen pop sensation Justin Bieber also took to the stage to perform Rockin' Robin, giving a touching introduction before he burst into song.
The 17-year-old said: 'I don’t usually get nervous, but I’m kind of really nervous right now. Basically because Michael meant so much to me and I know he meant a lot to you guys as well.
'He was more than an entertainer. He was an inspiration the way he was kind, gentle and charitable.
Remembering: Tito Jackson, Jamie King and Marlon Jackson pose up together
Mixed emotions: Blanket looks less convinced by the event than his siblings
'That’s why I look up to him. People are going to remember him for his dancing and singing, but people have to remember him for being the man that he was.
He added: 'Everything I do, I look at Michael and I want to be as good as he was.'
And there were a host of other stars at the event to honour the Thriller singer, who died aged 50.
Fans: Singer and actress Brandy Norwood and her daughter Sy'rai Smith arrive
Preparing for the big night: Rihanna was casual in grey in Beverly Hills earlier in the day
Melanie Fiona also performed, while Smokey Robinson, Quincy Jones and Chris Tucker all made speeches.
And the children were not the only family members on hand, with Katherine, Tito and Jackie Jackson all showing up to the event to remember their son and brother.
The trio, who have appeared in the spotlight more since the death of their father, happily posed for pictures with the Cirque du Soleil team and the celebrity guests.
Paris certainly looks set to follow in her father’s footsteps, after recently landing a role in a movie.
She will play the heroine in fantasy picture Lundon's Bridge And The Three Keys, based on the young adult series by novelist Dennis H. Christen.
Respect: Paris, Prince, and Blanket put hands in cement during ceremony to honour their father on Thursday
Nimue
Posts : 1281 Join date : 2013-09-22
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 5:06 pm
posted by The Fairy on Tuesday, January 31st 2012
Motown Record's founder, Berry Gordy, once told me that he thought Michael Jackson was the single greatest performer in show business history. Not true, of course, but he can be excused for saying this since he discovered Michael and his brothers. Actually, his assistant, Suzanne DePasse, found this ragtag Jackson 5 ensemble in 1970 and brought them to Berry's attention. The rest is history. I happen to have been around at the time, since I was producing a movie about Billie Holiday called Lady Sings The Blues and it starred Diana Ross, whom Berry managed and loved. I remember that Gordy asked if I could find a movie script for the five young brothers to appear in; eventually I found one about a group of youngsters on tour in Europe and all of their adventures. Unfortunately, when Berry realized that he would have to share a producer credit with me, he walked away. (Ironically, on the last day of production of Lady, he paid me an inordinate sum of money for the right to claim an executive producer credit on the picture, which for various reasons he richly deserved.)
All of this flashed through my mind on Friday evening as I sat in my seat at the Staples Center waiting for the start of the Cirque du Soleil show, Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour. This is the third Cirque show I have seen recently, with Ovo opening last week at the Santa Monica Pier and Iris playing at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. The arena was packed with young (and older) people, children and families, black and white and in between. What then occurred was unprecedented, at least for me. I saw one of the most remarkable, exciting and unusual performances it has been my experience to observe in a long lifetime of seeing these shows. Quite simply, it was an all-in exhibition which encompassed all of the visual, musical, dance and acrobatic arts in one kaleidoscopic event that left me breathless and drained of emotion. I had intended to leave at half-time, but there was no way I could do so... I was riveted by what was happening in the arena... an unprecedented show-business spectacle, the like of which I might never see again. I just don't have the words to adequately express this spectacle... but I will try to find some way to communicate what a scintillating moment it was.
Sales of MJ merchandise was an expensive bonanza!
The Los Angeles Times recently described that Michael was mesmerized by the Cirque shows after he saw his first in the late 1980s. He later took his three children to see their shows and even toured their home base in Montreal in 2002. Several months after his death in June of 2009, his estate began planning for a live tribute... and Cirque was the natural venue for it. My Huffington Post readers will recall that I interviewed the founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberte, when he returned from traveling in space on the shuttle. It was Guy who suggested to Michael's mother, Katherine, that they do a world-traveling show rather than a Las Vegas permanent one, and she quickly agreed. It opened in Montreal last October and has already grossed several million. Eventually, a smaller tech-heavy show will open in early 2013 in a permanent space in Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay. military number The 'military' number utilizes several visual techniques to great effectiveness. Photo courtesy of Cirque.
The writer/director, a fellow named Jamie King, working with Cirque for the first time, must be the 'Einstein of Entertainment.' He had worked with Jackson as a dancer on the '92 Dangerous world tour. Somehow, he combined Michael's music and choreography with Cirque's creativity to give the audience a unique view into the passionate heart of the artistic genius who transformed our pop culture. More than 60 international dancers, musicians and acrobats were melded into a dazzling, electrifying two hours... a fusion of amazing visuals (think split screens of every size and dimension), a fantasy in which I felt fully immersed. Yes, there were fairy tales, magic, the fragile beauty of nature... but most moving for me were scenes of Michael as a young boy singing some of the songs for which he became famous. The message seemed to be of love, peace and unity. The only negative for me was the strobing intensity of the pulsating spotlights, which eventually became disconcerting.
This one-legged acrobat was amazing. Photo courtesy of Cirque.
The Jackson 5 number. Photo courtesy of Cirque.
I looked up Jamie King in Variety, and they called him "the Jerry Bruckheimer of tent-pole concert tours." He turns out to be a multiple Emmy winner and MTV video music award nominee, working for the past 12 years as Madonna's creative director, as well as with Celine Dion, Ricky Martin and Elton John. Sheer creative... genius? Possibly.
Neverland number. Photo courtesy of Cirque.
Dance ensemble. Photo courtesy of Cirque.
I do know that the show is returning to Staples on August 14th and 15th for the final U.S. performances before the world tour continues, and on January 30th I will be purchasing tickets for both nights on the Ticketmaster site or at 1-800-745-3000. I strongly suggest you mark your calendar and do the same... it will prove to be a seminal experience for you also.
Nimue
Posts : 1281 Join date : 2013-09-22
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 5:08 pm
posted by The Fairy on Wednesday, February 1st 2012
Ticket line frenzy as Michael Jackson circus comes to town Alistair Foster, Showbusiness Correspondent 30 Jan 20
Cirque du Soleil said it was "overwhelmed" by record demand today after tickets went on sale for its spectacular new Michael Jackson show.
Thousands of people logged on to the troupe's website to register for a "pre-sale" for The Immortal World Tour, which comes to the O2 Arena on 12 October.
The production, combining acrobatic routines by the troupe's performers with Jackson's dance moves - all set to the star's hits - is currently filling arenas in North America.
The show was put together by one of Jackson's former backing dancers and is a joint venture between the troupe and the late star's estate.
Jackson, who died in 2009 from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol, was a fan of the circus.
A spokesman for Cirque du Soleil said: "We have been overwhelmed by new members registering to buy tickets for the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour following the announcement this morning that the show will play The O2 Arena in London this October.
"The O2 Arena and Michael Jackson have a special significance given Michael had been due to play there [before his death]. The reaction to the show worldwide has been amazing and judging by reaction to tickets already, Michael's UK fans cannot wait to experience his music and dancing again."
The production recreates famous video sequences including those for Thriller and Smooth Criminal. It was written and directed by Jamie King, who went on to become a leading concert director after being a dancer on Jackson's Dangerous tour in 1992.
King said: "Michael was one of my greatest teachers and he taught me how to create the greatest live shows. Not only learning that from him but also being around him and watching him be a perfectionist. I think it is that fusion between Michael's world, the rock world and Cirque. Imagine the greatest dancers and the greatest costumes and the greatest performers, but taken to another level - as Michael would have imagined it if he had the opportunity to work with Cirque."
The show was backed by Michael's mother, Katherine, but his brothers Randy and Jermaine have criticised tributes to the late star.
King said the controversies that shrouded the singer's life have not been included in the show, adding: "I made a creative decision to not really go there with dark times of Michael, because that wasn't the best way to honour him.
"For me this show needed to be a celebration of the man, his legacy, what he really gave to the world - how he inspired and influenced the world."
Tickets are available now at cirqueclub.com and go on general sale on Friday.
Nimue
Posts : 1281 Join date : 2013-09-22
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 5:18 pm
posted by Nimue on Wednesday, February 1st 2012
Quote :
Quote from mjmtc on Tuesday, January 31st 2012 @ 11:27 PM
Supermodel in the making! Feline Paris Jackson shows off striking aqua eyes (but is still a child at heart with Goofy sweater)
By Amelia Proud and Nadia Mendoza
I noticed that during the ceremony and I wondered why..
Quote :
Quote from mjmtc on Tuesday, January 31st 2012 @ 11:27 PM
The 13-year-old, who never got to see father Michael perform in concert, witnessed the next best thing last night at the Staples Centre in LA as she watched the premiere of The Immortal World Tour.
That is not true, Prince and Paris where at 30th aniversary concert, and also they were at the opening of CDS in Montreal last year..
Quote :
Quote from mjmtc on Tuesday, January 31st 2012 @ 11:27 PM Film star in the making: Paris Jackson looked radiant as she attended The Immortal World Tour - Cirque Du Soleil's critically acclaimed tribute to her father Michael
The masterpiece is talented contortionists Cirque Du Soleil's critically-acclaimed tribute to the icon.
Looking at this picture I see Michael's eyes, not the color but the expression as in Dangerous.
Quote :
Quote from mjmtc on Tuesday, January 31st 2012 @ 11:27 PM Mixed emotions: Blanket looks less convinced by the event than his siblings
Again this guy, "the spirit of Michael", as I said before he is always close to the children, specially Blanket.
Quote :
Quote from mjmtc on Tuesday, January 31st 2012 @ 11:27 PM
She will play the heroine in fantasy picture Lundon's Bridge And The Three Keys, based on the young adult series by novelist Dennis H. Christen. Respect: Paris, Prince, and Blanket put hands in cement during ceremony to honour their father on Thursday
Again, behind Blanket...
Very interesting quote in this other article:
Quote :
"The O2 Arena and Michael Jackson have a special significance given Michael had been due to play there [before his death]. The reaction to the show worldwide has been amazing and judging by reaction to tickets already, Michael's UK fans cannot wait to experience his music and dancing again."
They made it sound like Michael will performe again. Interesting this show is set for happening after the AEG trial/hearing in the Katherine lawsuit.
Nimue
Posts : 1281 Join date : 2013-09-22
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 5:19 pm
posted by Nimue on Wednesday, February 1st 2012
Did Jackie say "Michael really enjoyed????" at 2:19. It seems also that someone said "Michael is here", but I am not sure..
Nimue
Posts : 1281 Join date : 2013-09-22
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 5:22 pm
posted by The Fairy on Thursday, February 2nd 2012
Cirque Du Soleil Michael Jackson show has everything but Jackson
"Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour" by Cirque du Soleil has just about everything a Michael Jackson tour could have, except, of course, Jackson.
And there's not even a stand-in for the late King of Pop.
"No one will be playing Michael Jackson, though you will hear Michael Jackson's voice," says Tara Young, artistic director for the tour. "That is quite enough. Nobody else could be Michael … but there will be characters in support of the many characters in his life."
Young says Cirque du Soleil is presented with a particular challenge because of Jackson's death. žœ
"We don't speak of his passing," she says. "He's not with us now, but we're all here doing this. Because we hear Michael's voice, he is a presence in the show and, for audience members, that's enough."
"Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour" is described as a one-of-a-kind celebration of the singer, as only a flashy, signature outfit such as Cirque du Soleil can provide.
"It's a feast for the eyes," Young says. "We do groundbreaking things on the stage, things the audience is seeing for the first time. It's like Thanksgiving dinner, where you're so excited for everything that's on the table. That's how this is."
The Montreal Gazette said the show is a "dazzling, fast-paced spectacle for people with short attention spans, flitting from one song to the next, seldom settling down with one for a whole number."
Entertainment Weekly said "Michael Jackson's life and work were epic and, yes, at times bizarre. Indeed, that's also how to describe the latest Cirque du Soleil show."
Young, perhaps, is seeing something more emotional.
"I see people in the audience missing him," she says. "I see people crying, people up on their feet and people saying thank you for doing this. They feel like they had an experience."
Many of Jackson's fans, particularly younger ones, never got to see him perform save for the concert film "Michael Jackson's This Is It," which makes this eye-popping visualization of his work even more of a draw.
"You're going to see a full-on celebration honoring Michael Jackson, a totally unique experience combining dancers, acrobats, strap artists and contortionists, and live musicians who played with Michael Jackson," Young says.
Greg Phillinganes, who played keyboards and synthesizers on the "Thriller" album, is among the many notables on the tour. Others are writer and director Jamie King, Madonna's creative director for the past decade; costume designer Zaldy Goco, head designer for what would have been Jackson's "This Is It!" tour; and choreographer Travis Payne, associate producer on "Michael Jackson's This Is It."
Young says that if the tour has a thread, it's about presenting a journey through Jackson's life through music. But rather than worry about a thread, she insists, "just sit back and enjoy the spectacle, the overall joy from the stage."
Fans will experience such familiar hits as "Man in the Mirror," "Beat It," "Smooth Criminal," "Human Nature" and, of course, "Thriller," along with Jackson 5 hits.
It's a show Jackson would probably have loved.
"Michael Jackson was a fan of Cirque from the early shows," Young says. "He really loved what Cirque du Soleil did. And Cirque du Soleil greatly respected Michael Jackson."
Jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold finds Jackson show a thriller
No amount of touring with artists such as Maxwell, Erykah Badu, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg and Mary J. Blige could prepare St. Louis-bred trumpeter Keyon Harrold for his latest gig.
Harrold, a jazz artist by nature, is touring with Cirque du Soleil's "Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour," which comes to Scottrade Center next week.
He's one of two horn players in the 12-member band. Sixty-five artists including dancers, musicians and acrobats help bring the Jackson experience to life.
"Working with Cirque du Soleil, it's a beast in itself of art and performance," Harrold says. "It's unparalleled. Put Cirque du Soleil with Michael Jackson music, and it's like a dream if you can even imagine that.
"When I'm on stage with Jay (Jay-Z), you're listening to the music and seeing Jay in person. With this show, you're watching somebody jump off something. It's in your face, and something you won't forget, a total 3-D experience."
Harrold considers the show "basically a Michael Jackson show with him not being there, as far as visually and musically. It's incredible."
Harrold never got to see Jackson in person, but he says the legend's influence is heavy.
"His music was not just one way, not just one genre," Harrold says. "He had rock influences, jazz influences, incredible writing, and he was just a hard hitter. As a musician, he's the epitome of pop music. It doesn't get any bigger than that. You hear 'Man in the Mirror,' you know what it is. You hear 'Bad,' you know what it is."
Harrold was relaxing at home in New York after touring with Maxwell when he got a call from keyboardist Greg Phillinganes asking him "to join the circus."
"I thought it was a friend playing around," Harrold says. "I was really amazed because I've done so much already, working with so many different people, but I never had the opportunity to 'work' with Michael Jackson.
"I always wanted to be affiliated with him, and I finally got that call. That was really the next thing on my totem pole."
When Harrold was asked to come aboard he asked himself, "Why didn't Michael Jackson have horns" in much of his music? He's not sure why, but he's glad that has changed.
"There are two horn players in the show," he says. "(Saxophonist) Mike Phillips is also in the band. This is the first time a tour in collaboration with Michael Jackson used horns. He never took live horns."
The tour band includes musicians who performed with Jackson on the road and in the studio.
"Greg (Phillinganes) played keys on 'Thriller,'" Harrold says. "These guys were on the 'Bad' tour, on the 'HIStory,' tour, and I'm getting a first-hand account of what happened back then."
Working on the "Immortal" tour presented a particular challenge for Harrold because it's far more collaborative than anything he's ever done.
"It's not like it's a Keyon Harrold solo thing, and that's a challenge for me," he says. "I had to humble myself to the fact I'm not going to be solo all the time. Here, I had to be a missionary to champion Michael Jackson's legacy. That's very rewarding, and I love it."
After the tour, Harrold will continue arranging music for other artists, as he has done with recent releases by Anthony Hamilton and James Carter, as well as working on his next solo record.
"I'm going to continue to enjoy music and see the world," he says.
Last edited by Nimue on 27th October 2013, 5:24 pm; edited 1 time in total
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 5:23 pm
posted by The Fairy on Thursday, February 2nd 2012
Quote :
Quote from Nimue on Wednesday, February 1st 2012 @ 2:44 PM
Did Jackie say "Michael really enjoyed????" at 2:19. It seems also that someone said "Michael is here", but I am not sure..
It is really hard to hear but I think he is asked: "Would Michael have enjoyed this?" and I think Jackie answers: "Michael would really have enjoyed"
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 27th October 2013, 5:28 pm
posted by The Fairy on Sunday, February 12th 2012
Cirque du Soleil brings Michael Jackson tour to BOK Center
Michael Jackson's eldest brother, Jackie, loves "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" by Cirque du Soleil so much that he's seen it six times.
"And I may even be in Tulsa. You never know," he said.
"Michael was an avid fan of Cirque du Soleil. He always wanted to work with them and used to catch all their shows in Las Vegas," his brother said during a recent telephone interview.
Nearly the entire Jackson clan has seen the show - and loves it.
"I see something new and wonderful every night I'm there."
He's not the only one. Michael's young children, Paris and Blanket, have seen the show several times, too.
"The kids love going there," he said. "There's lots of glitz and glamour, and that's what Michael Jackson's all about."
"Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" includes more than 100 minutes of Michael's original music, re-imagined for the show.
The performance revolves around the song lyrics to tell the story of Michael Jackson's life and legacy, and incorporates Michael Jackson's famous dance choreography with the larger-than-life production and agility of the Cirque du Soleil acrobats.
Dozens will perform to some of his biggest hits, including "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)," "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," "Dancing Machine," "Ben," "Smooth Criminal," "Dangerous," "Thriller," "Beat It," "Scream" and many more.
Those acrobats will literally turn Michael Jackson's signature moves upside down during Saturday's and Sunday's tour stops at the BOK Center.
Tour writer and director Jamie King has said that Michael's "giving tree" is the core of the show. King comes with pedigree. The choreographer also has spearheaded massive tours for Britney Spears, Madonna and Rihanna.
Michael's tree is much like the one in the classic Shel Silverstein children's book. Michael went there to become inspired and to be renewed, Jackie said.
It's rumored Michael wrote "Heal the World," "Will You Be There," "Childhood" and "Black or White" while sitting in its branches.
Jackie was consulted by Cirque organizers for help with music selection, he said, especially the parts that involve the Jackson 5 and the family's later group, The Jacksons.
"I knew him more than anyone else," he said. "I was his oldest brother."
Songs featured in the Cirque show include the span of Michael's career, from his days with Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Jackie in the Jackson 5, to The Jacksons and onto Michael's own enormously successful solo career.
Jackie and brother Tito "founded" the Jackson 5 after winning a string of youth talent contests as kids, he said.
"We started from that. We learned as little kids what to do when a microphone quit working. We learned the show wasn't over if we broke a guitar string. We learned how to entertain."
The Jackson 5's first album, "Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5," released in 1969, sold more than 2 million copies in its first six weeks.
Young Michael was shot into an explosive solo career that included albums "Got to Be There," "Ben," "Music & Me" and "Forever Michael," then went nuclear with "Off The Wall," "Thriller," "Bad," "Dangerous," "HIStory," "Blood On The Dance Floor," "Invincible" and even his posthumous "Michael."
"'The Immortal' is very important to the legacy of the entire Jackson family," Jackie said.
"He always wanted to make the world a better place. During this show, it is. There is love, joy and dancing.
"This is a journey, for sure, it tells people everything about Michael. This show dramatizes his love for music and his fans and his overwhelming desire to make the world a better place."
Nimue
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Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 28th October 2013, 12:53 pm
posted by Nimue on Tuesday, February 14th 2012
Michael Jackson choreographer shares dance moves with kids at New Orleans arts school
NEW ORLEANS — Choreographer Travis Payne has created dance moves for some of the biggest names in entertainment — Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Usher, Lady Gaga and Madonna.
On Monday, Payne took his dance moves from the stage to the community as he guided New Orleans kids through a routine choreographed to Michael Jackson's 1980s hit "Smooth Criminal" at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. Students clapped, cheered and gave each other high-fives as they took turns dancing with Payne.
He is one of about 10 choreographers behind the Cirque du Soleil show "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" that honors the late entertainer and is in performance at the New Orleans Arena on Wednesday and Thursday.
Senior dance major Dorothy Nunez moonwalked across the floor in a sparkly silver fedora as her peers took turns free-styling for Payne and showing off their best Jackson moves and some moves of their own. The 50 or so students who participated were majors of either musical theater or dance, including ballet, jazz and modern dance.
"This is surreal," said 17-year-old Morgan Ballard, a senior dance major at NOCCA, an arts training center that offers intensive instruction to high school-age students in such genres as dance, media arts, music, theater and writing. "I respect Michael Jackson so much as an artist, and I feel so close to him right now. I don't want it to end."
New Orleans is the first tour stop on the "Immortal" tour in which Payne took time to share some of Jackson's most famous dance moves with community children. The show launched last year in Canada, and its U.S. opening was in Las Vegas in December.
Payne is a twice Emmy-nominated choreographer, director and producer. His work encompasses some of the most influential visual and musical moments of contemporary pop culture, created for and performed by some of the biggest names in entertainment.
Payne co-choreographed and danced with both Michael Jackson and his younger sister Janet. He worked with Michael Jackson for more than 15 years, from the early 1990s until the pop star's death in 2009.
In an interview with The Associated Press on Monday, Payne said he was rehearsing with Jackson almost daily for the "This is It" tour at the time of Jackson's death. He said his death at age 50 "remains a shock" but working on the "Immortal" tour and taking time to share Jackson's legacy with younger generations feels good and helps with the healing process.
Before dancing with students, Payne talked to them about his career and fielded questions about his work with Jackson and other artists. Girls giggled and let out a universal "oooh" when Payne mentioned Usher. He said he's also worked with Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and the singing group TLC, among others.
Payne told students to be as diverse as they can as artists.
"If you like hip-hop, that's exactly why you should take ballet," he said. "If you're a dancer, know how to sing, and if you're a singer, know how to move."
Payne said he's always on the lookout for fresh talent, and Monday was no different. But mostly, he wanted students to have a good time, he said.
"Young people have a lot to deal with," Payne said. "I think art can be a form of escapism."
Payne said Jackson used art as an escape and a way for the shy artist to communicate with the world.
"His dance and his music were his voice," Payne said. "The stage was a safe place for him."
"Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" will be performing through August before heading to Europe in October. A permanent Las Vegas show is due in 2013 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and will include an exhibit of Jackson memorabilia.
In recent years Cirque du Soleil has had shows honoring Elvis Presley, Celine Dion and the Beatles.
Subject: Re: Cirque du Soleil 28th October 2013, 1:03 pm
posted by Nimue on Friday, February 17th 2012
I will go back to the Imortal Album. I am not sure if someone look into this, but I think there is something else. I got my album of course and there are some "changes" from the original songs, but one track called my attention right now. It is the second song:
"The Imortal Intro" (Imortal version).. odd enough the into is the second song not the first one in the album..
Unfortunately I cannot upload the mp3 file here, but here is one address you can find:
