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Heralding the Qatar debut of Dralion, a signature Cirque du Soleil production seen by more than 7mn people worldwide since it premiered in 1999 in Montreal, Canada, Chevrolet’s exclusive importer and distributor Jaidah Automotive hosted a curtain raiser. |
Oceane - the goddess of water - and a juggler performed excerpts from the upcoming event at the official automotive sponsor’s Khalifa showroom - regaling a select gathering and giving a peek into the Dralion shows, to be held from September 19 to 28 at Aspire Dome.
The artistes made a stylish entry in Chevrolet’s Malibu and Cruze sedans that drove into the showroom with lights flashing. “This is the first time in the history of Cirque du Soleil that a performance is being held in a showroom,” said Gordon Roedger, account manager at SDI Marketing, which is presenting the event.
Qatar Tourism Authority and Chevrolet are the official partners in Qatar for Dralion, which fuses the 3,000-year-old tradition of Chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of Cirque du Soleil.
“Jaidah Automotive is proud to be associated with Cirque du Soleil, which aims to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world,” said Sami Skaff, automotive marketing and product development manager.
Tickets for the Dralion shows will be available at Jaidah Automotive’s Khalifa showroom, said Roedger, who later told Gulf Times that Dralion is “a high-energy show, full of fun and appealing to the entire family”.
Cirque du Soleil, a major Quebec-based organisation formed from a group of 20 street performers in 1984, today has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artistes from close to 50 countries. More than 100mn spectators in over 300 cities in more than 40 countries on six continents have seen their shows.
Dralion draws its inspiration from Eastern philosophy and its never-ending quest for harmony between humans and nature. The show’s name is derived from the dragon, a symbol of the East, and the lion, symbolising the West.
In Dralion, the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form. Each element is represented by its own evocative colour: air is blue, water is green, fire is red, and earth is ochre. In the world of Dralion, cultures blend, man and nature are one and the balance is achieved.
A troupe of 50 international acrobats, gymnasts, musicians and singers are part of Dralion, the characters of which are Azala (air), Gaya (earth), Oceane (water), Yao (fire), Kala (the heart of the wheel that represents time and the infinite cycle) and Little Buddha.
Blending Eastern and Western sounds to create rhythmic and lyrical motifs, the electric and acoustic Dralion score draws its inspiration from classic Indian melodies, weaving in influences from Andalusia, Africa as well as Central and Western Europe. The band has six musicians and two singers who perform live for every performance.
A mammoth structure creates the huge backdrop that dominates the stage. The metallic set-piece, 60ft wide and 26ft tall, is suggestive of a futuristic Chinese temple or a giant plate of medieval armour.
This year, close to 15mn people are expected to see a Cirque du Soleil show as the group performs all over the world.