The Making Of
The Show
Before the show, Guy Laliberté took a few minutes to relate how sad he was that George (Harrison) wasn't able to see the outcome of the project they had begun together but added that he was certain that George was with them. Scott Sibella, president of The Mirage, then got up and dedicated the evening's performance to two very special guests, Siegfried and Roy.
After a very warm round of applause the show got under way. From the very first note, LOVE had everyone going down memory lane. And if you could manage to tear yourself away from the action on stage, you would have caught a glimpse of Sir Paul singing or Ringo air-drumming along to the music that Sir George Martin and his son Giles so deftly remixed.
At the finale, the crowd erupted in applause and Mr. McCartney and Mr. Starr, joined by Ms. Ono, Ms. Harrison, George Martin, Giles Martin and the show's director, Dominic Champagne, took a victory lap around the stage. Mr. McCartney called out to the crowd, "Just one special round of applause for John and George."
Backstage, after the show
After the show, everyone headed to the training room to greet the artists. Sir Paul spoke to the performers, saying "Good night everybody, you're all great… I used to wear some of those clothes. It's fantastic, it just gets better and better, it's just beautiful, the energy is fantastic and the love you're putting into it and the skill, beautiful, thank you very much! I don't think we can say thank you enough. Thank you!"
A family photo was taken, with wide smiles and more than a few peace signs to be seen. Then some of the artists got to pose with their heroes one on one and get a few autographs. It was truly a magical evening… and it wasn't over yet!
Comments from backstage
"I thought it was beautiful. It was fantastic." Yoko Ono
"I am very happy, it went well. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were seated behind me and they had a blast the whole time. It really makes you feel good inside. And the big reunion at the end with Paul, Ringo, Yoko, Olivia and the Martins, it was like a dream to find myself in the middle of that. A magical moment that was completely unexpected." Dominic Champagne, Show Concept Writer and Director
"Something extraordinary happened at the end of the performance. At the second encore, Dominic and I brought Ringo, Paul, Olivia and Yoko onto the stage. Everyone was yelling, the artists too, and the distinctions between the artists and the audience disappeared." Gilles Ste-Croix, Show Concept and Director of Creation
"At the end it was fantastic. The Beatles went up onstage and dedicated the show in their own way to George and John. Then they came to see the artists. It's super to have them with us today. It's a special and unique occasion." Chantal Tremblay, Associate Director of Creation
"I am relieved and very, very, very happy. It was a great night. Seeing Olivia, Yoko, Paul and Ringo on the stage together, that was wild. It was really a spectacular night and it is the culmination of two and a half years of intense, difficult but wonderful work, and once again, I am very happy." Jean Rabasse, Theatre and Set Designer
Mathieu Hébert
Ownership of the trademarks: Apple Corps Limited for The Beatles (word & design), ™ Cirque du Soleil for Cirque du Soleil (word & design) ® and The Cirque Apple Creation Partnership for LOVE (word & design). ™ Trademarks used under license.
© The Cirque Apple Creation Partnership.