Mystère

It may have recently celebrated it's 6000th running, and enjoyed notoriety as Las Vegas Journal's “Best Production Show” for eight consecutive years – yet Franco Dragone's enchanting fantasia production “Mystère” shows no sign of decreasing in the popularity stakes. With a cast of over 70 artistes; a “nouveau cirque” format and the impression of acclaimed theater director Franco Dragone, the spectacle of “Mystere” has been packing out audiences within the purpose-built Treasure Island Hotel and Casino theater - for over fourteen years.

The very launch of “Mystere” at Treasure Island Resort coincided with the hotel's own launch back in 1993. Built to a theatrical “Pirates of The Carribbean”-esque brief, Treasure Island was conceived to offer far more than the opulent neighboring competition. Designed to be a family-friendly 'other-worldly' vacation experience, much of the hotel's grounds were based upon the inspired creativity of proprietor Steve Wynn (also renowned for his hand in the creative direction of many a Cirque production.) The result was an extravagant resort bringing fantasy to life with a super-sized volcano to the entrance, and a nightly outdoor show of fire-breathing, contortionists and spectacular gymnastics. It's fair to conclude that the arrival of Cirque de Soleil's ostentatious brand of theater, would overshadow such performances indefinitely.

Alleged to have been inspired by “the mysteries of life”, “Mystère ” commences upon a mystical journey of discovery, from the very birth of life within our galaxy. When it first debuted in 1993, “Mystère” was a significant gamble for the Cirque de Soleil production company, since the show defied all previous examples of classic Cirque creativity. For starters, the melting-pot of cultural influences was far greater than they'd ever previously experimented with – as was the diverse musical score, which jumps from convivial Spanish rhythms, to tribal African tempos.

A trademark of all Cirque de Soleil productions are the extremely complex sets – most of which whose building costs run into seven figure amounts. The simple 3-D cube, upon which an aerial ballet dancer descends to open the show represents just one form of apparatus suspended by hydraulics from the theater's ceiling. From the audience vantage point, the cube looks to be floating in mid-air, however the technology involved allows the cube to transform into a spinning dice, within which the ballet dancer also spins. The visual result is breath-taking.

“Mystère” advances to more gravity-defying feats of gymnastic excellence during the “Bungee” scene. Dancers shrouded by a trailing plumage of floating chiffon feathers dive and soar in graceful harmony, suspended only by small elastic wires attached to their waists. Similarly the “Chinese Poles” reflect the Herculean strength of “Mystère's” athletic entertainers, who flip and flit with effortless ease across 12-20 foot expanses of space. René Dupéré and Benoit Jutras are the composing duo behind the production's eclectic score, which ranges in pace from up-tempo Japanese Taiko drums, to haunting melodies with a distinctly Celtic flavor. Dupéré has been a driving force behind nearly all of Cirque de Soleil's ground-breaking scores – work which has led to a Grammy nomination, and two Felix Awards. Canadian born Benoit Jutras brings the melange of exotic world music to the fore, and is renowned for his work upon the 2003 Robert Leplage film “Far Side of The Moon”.

Las Vegas resort tycoon Steve Wynn is an integral cog in the Cirque machine, since he owns the majority of the resorts within which the productions headline. He is known for funding the purpose-built theaters, required for the kind of nouveau theater Cirque have brought to Vegas. Incidentally, he also has some input into the creation of each production, and once told the production team behind “Mystère” that the show's concept was too dark for a family-friendly experience. It would seem the creators took heed of Wynn's advice from “Mystère” onward, devising animalistic and supernatural costumes with less terrifying features. Even the clowns have lost the painted “Ronald McDonald” appearance – replaced with eccentric looking, wizard-like gents, or “Tweedle Dee” and “Tweedle Dum” like characters.

Cirque de Soleil boast the largest quantity of simultaneously running shows in Sin City, and the choice between adventurous “Ka”, or ballet inspired “Le Rève” can prove challenging. But if you really want to get to the roots of Cirque de Soleil theater, there really is no better place to start than with “Mystère”. Featuring all the spectacular stunts, and aerial finesse attributed to the production company's multifarious shows;“Mystère” still retains the balanced blend of theater and classic circus, from which the newer shows were inspired.