Saltimbanco
Encyclopedia
Saltimbanco is the oldest major touring show of Cirque du Soleil
that remains active in some form. 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 current version is staged in arenas, with shorter stops in each city it visits.
The show is 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.
English has lost the word 'saltimbank' from current usage; but it is still familiar in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian as 'saltimbanco', and in French as 'saltimbanque', meaning 'street acrobat' or 'entertainer'. According to the company's site, the word "saltimbanco" comes from the Italian
"saltare in banco", which means "to jump on a bench." The etymology of the word reflects its acrobatic associations. A 'salto' is a somersault in Italian; 'banco' in this connection is a trestle holding a board, set up as a temporary stage for open-air performers. 'Saltimbanchi' were thus those who performed somersaults on a temporary platform -- wandering acrobats, performing as buskers in the open air, the platform giving their audience a better view.
, and in 2012 the first show in Slovakia
.
: cyan, yellow, magenta, and green.
, and was released as a studio album on October 9, 1992. The music has a range of musical influences from the classical to the modern. Saltimbanco marked the first time Cirque du Soleil's music used an invented language for the lyrics, a tradition that has persisted in most of the company's subsequent musical scores.
The original soundtrack features the vocal work of Canadian vocalist Francine Poitras. In 2005, Cirque du Soleil re-recorded and released the soundtrack to update its music. Some songs were completely re-recorded, while others had new instrumentation added and included Poitras's original vocal track. Additional and new vocals were provided by Laurence Janot, a French singer who was touring with the show at the time. Every track was slightly edited in some form from the original CD.
Several other limited editions of the album have been released. In 2001 Cirque du Soleil Musique released a limited edition of the original 1992 soundtrack featuring two additional tracks, "Arlequin" and "Adagio" (performed by Laur Fugere). Another limited edition of the CD, Saltimbanco Live in Amsterdam, was created and distributed exclusively to staff members of Saltimbanco. The employee special edition features a live, in-house recording of an entire performance and is considered a collector's item.
Below is the list of tracks featured in the 2005 re-release of the album and alongside are the acts during which they are played.
, with visits to Santiago
, Chile
(March 2006); Buenos Aires
, Argentina
(May 2006); and São Paulo
(August 2006) and Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
(October 2006). That tour's final performance was staged in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 10 December 2006.
Following its closure in December 2006, Saltimbanco was configured into an arena show format, and re-launched in July 2007 to commence an extensive North American tour, visiting cities and areas that Cirque du Soleil had previously been unable to visit. The tour started in London, Ontario and subsequently toured Canada and the United States. Saltimbanco’s three-year tour ended in Columbus, Ohio. The show moved to Europe in 2009, the third time the production had visited Europe.
The following colorboxes indicate the region of each performance:
Europe North America South and Central Americas Asia/Pacific Oceania Africa
Ottawa, ON - From 8 August 2007 to 12 August 2007
Halifax, NS - From 15 August 2007 to 19 August 2007
St. John's, NL - From 23 August 2007 to 26 August 2007
St. John, NB - From 30 August 2007 to 2 September 2007
Syracuse, NY - From 5 September 2007 to 9 September 2007
Wilkes-Barre, PA - From 12 September 2007 to 16 September 2007
Greensboro, NC - From 19 September 2007 to 23 September 2007
State College, PA - From 26 September 2007 to 30 September 2007
Norfolk, VA - From 3 October 2007 to 7 October 2007
East Lansing, MI - From 10 October 2007 to 14 October 2007
Peoria, IL - From 17 October 2007 to 18 October 2007
Champaign, IL - From 9 November 2007 to 10 November 2007
Green Bay, WI - From 13 November 2007 to 15 November 2007
Madison, WI - From 17 November 2007 to 19 November 2007
Dayton, OH - From 21 November 2007 to 25 November 2007
Colorado Springs, CO - From 28 November 2007 to 1 December 2007
Denver, CO - From 3 December 2007 to 13 December 2007
Montréal, QC - From 19 December 2007 to 30 December 2007
Chicoutimi, QC - From 16 January 2008 to 19 January 2008
Detroit, MI - From 23 January 2008 to 27 January 2008
Cleveland, OH - From 29 January 2008 to 1 February 2008
Memphis, TN - From 20 February 2008 to 21 February 2008
Charlottesville, VA - From 26 February 2008 to 1 March 2008
Little Rock, AR - From 4 March 2008 to 6 March 2008
Shreveport, LA - From 8 March 2008 to 9 March 2008
San Antonio, TX - From 12 March 2008 to 16 March 2008
Laredo, TX - From 18 March 2008 to 19 March 2008
Corpus Christi, TX - From 21 March 2008 to 22 March 2008
Wichita, KS - From 26 March 2008 to 30 March 2008
Omaha, NE - From 2 April 2008 to 6 April 2008
Des Moines, IA - From 10 April 2008 to 13 April 2008
Moline, IL - From 15 April 2008 to 18 April 2008
Cedar Rapids, IA - From 23 April 2008 to 27 April 2008
Albuquerque, NM - From 14 May 2008 to 18 May 2008
Boise, ID - From 21 May 2008 to 25 May 2008
Victoria, BC - From 30 May 2008 to 1 June 2008
Kelowna, BC - From 4 June 2008 to 8 June 2008
Kamloops, BC - From 11 June 2008 to 15 June 2008
Edmonton, AB - From 18 June 2008 to 22 June 2008
Saskatoon, SK - From 25 June 2008 to 29 June 2008
Regina, SK - From 2 July 2008 to 6 July 2008
Winnipeg, MB - From 9 July 2008 to 13 July 2008
Kansas City, MO - From 16 July 2008 to 20 July 2008
Newark, NJ - From 7 August 2008 to 10 August 2008
Toronto, ON - From 13 August 2008 to 24 August 2008
Hamilton, ON - From 27 August 2008 to 31 August 2008
Amherst, MA - From 3 September 2008 to 7 September 2008
Buffalo, NY - From 10 September 2008 to 14 September 2008
Trenton, NJ - From 17 September 2008 to 21 September 2008
Minneapolis, MN - From 24 September 2008 to 28 September 2008
Milwaukee, WI - From 1 October 2008 to 5 October 2008
Highland Heights, KY - From 8 October 2008 to 12 October 2008
Honolulu, HI - From 30 October 2008 to 16 November 2008
Prescott Valley, AZ - From 20 November 2008 to 23 November 2008
Tucson, AZ - From 26 November 2008 to 30 November 2008
Oklahoma City, OK - From 3 December 2008 to 7 December 2008
Tulsa, OK - From 10 December 2008 to 14 December 2008
Hidalgo, TX - From 17 December 2008 to 21 December 2008
Biloxi, MS - From 14 January 2009 to 18 January 2009
Hoffman Estates, IL - From 21 January 2009 to 1 February 2009
St. Charles, MO - From 4 February 2009 to 8 February 2009
Indianapolis, IN - From 12 February 2009 to 15 February 2009
Baton Rouge, LA - From 18 February 2009 to 20 February 2009
Rockford, IL - From 24 February 2009 to 1 March 2009
Youngstown, OH - From 4 March 2009 to 8 March 2009
Louisville, KY - From 11 March 2009 to 15 March 2009
Mobile, AL - From 2 April 2009 to 5 April 2009
Nashville, TN - From 9 April 2009 to 12 April 2009
Huntsville, AL - From 15 April 2009 to 19 April 2009
Charleston, SC - From 22 April 2009 to 26 April 2009
Lakeland, FL - From 29 April 2009 to 3 May 2009
Gainesville, FL - From 7 May 2009 to 10 May 2009
Tallahassee, FL - From 13 May 2009 to 17 May 2009
Jacksonville, FL - From 20 May 2009 to 24 May 2009
Sunrise, FL - From 27 May 2009 to 7 June 2009
Tampa, FL - From 25 June 2009 to 5 July 2009
Estero, FL - From 8 July 2009 to 12 July 2009
Cypress, TX - From 15 July 2009 to 15 July 2009
Houston, TX - From 22 July 2009 to 26 July 2009
Phoenix, AZ - From 29 July 2009 to 2 August 2009
Salt Lake City, UT - From 5 August 2009 to 9 August 2009
Columbus, OH - From 12 August 2009 to 23 August 2009
Stockholm, SE - From 17 September 2009 to 20 September 2009
Helsinki, FI - From 23 September 2009 to 27 September 2009
Turku, FI - From 30 September 2009 to 4 October 2009
Oslo, NO - From 8 October 2009 to 11 October 2009
Aalborg, DK - From 14 October 2009 to 18 October 2009
Copenhagen, DK - From 21 October 2009 to 1 November 2009
Gothenburg, SE - From 4 November 2009 to 8 November 2009
Mannheim, DE - From 10 November 2009 to 14 November 2009
Nice, FR - From 18 November 2009 to 22 November 2009
Rotterdam, NL - From 10 December 2009 to 13 December 2009
Geneva, CH - From 18 December 2009 to 27 December 2009
Barcelona, ES - From 30 December 2009 to 10 January 2010
Strasbourg, FR - From 20 January 2010 to 23 January 2010
Frankfurt, DE - From 27 January 2010 to 31 January 2010
Nantes, FR - From 2 February 2010 to 5 February 2010
Innsbruck, AT - From 25 February 2010 to 28 February 2010
Torino, IT - From 3 March 2010 to 7 March 2010
Pesaro, IT - From 10 March 2010 to 14 March 2010
Bologna, IT - From 17 March 2010 to 21 March 2010
Florence, IT - From 24 March 2010 to 28 March 2010
Stuttgart, DE - From 31 March 2010 to 4 April 2010
Bremen, DE - From 7 April 2010 to 11 April 2010
Valencia, ES - From 14 April 2010 to 18 April 2010
Santiago, ES - From 21 April 2010 to 25 April 2010
San Sebastian, ES - From 28 April 2010 to 2 May 2010
Sheffield, UK - From 20 May 2010 to 23 May 2010
Liverpool, UK - From 26 May 2010 to 30 May 2010
Glasgow, UK - From 2 June 2010 to 6 June 2010
Manchester, UK - From 9 June 2010 to 13 June 2010
Birmingham, UK - From 17 June 2010 to 27 June 2010
Newcastle, UK - From 30 June 2010 to 4 July 2010
Dublin, IE - From 7 July 2010 to 18 July 2010
Nottingham, UK - From 21 July 2010 to 25 July 2010
London, UK - From 28 July 2010 to 1 August 2010
Hamburg, DE - From 19 August 2010 to 22 August 2010
Dortmund, DE - From 25 August 2010 to 29 August 2010
Berlin, DE - From 1 September 2010 to 4 September 2010
Munich, DE - From 7 September 2010 to 12 September 2010
Milan, IT - From 15 September 2010 to 18 September 2010
Zaragoza, ES - From 22 September 2010 to 26 September 2010
Granada, ES - From 29 September 2010 to 3 October 2010
Madrid, ES - From 5 October 2010 to 10 October 2010
Lisbon, PT - From 13 October 2010 to 24 October 2010
Prague, CZ - From 12 November 2010 to 14 November 2010
Zagreb, HR - From 17 November 2010 to 21 November 2010
Belgrade, RS - From 24 November 2010 to 28 November 2010
Basel, CH - From 1 December 2010 to 5 December 2010
Budapest, HU - From 8 December 2010 to 12 December 2010
Nurnberg, DE - From 15 December 2010 to 19 December 2010
Antwerp , BE - From 22 December 2010 to 2 January 2011
Paris, FR - From 13 January 2011 to 16 January 2011
Friedrichshafen, DE - From 11 February 2011 to 13 February 2011
Istanbul, TR - From 18 February 2011 to 5 March 2011
Johannesburg, ZA - From 9 March 2011 to 20 March 2011
Cape Town, ZA - From 23 March 2011 to 3 April 2011
Perth, AU - From 21 April 2011 to 8 May 2011
Adelaide, AU - From 12 May 2011 to 22 May 2011
Melbourne, AU - From 25 May 2011 to 11 June 2011
Hobart, AU - From 15 June 2011 to 19 June 2011
Brisbane, AU - From 8 July 2011 to 17 July 2011
Newcastle, AU - From 20 July 2011 to 24 July 2011
Sydney, AU - From 27 July 2011 to 14 August 2011
Wollongong, AU - From 17 August 2011 to 21 August 2011
Auckland, NZ - From 25 August 2011 to 4 September 2011
Shanghai, CN - From 21 September 2011 to 1 October 2011
Ekaterinburg, RU - From 15 October 2011 to 23 October 2011
Kazan, RU - From 26 October 2011 to 30 October 2011
Moscow, RU - From 3 November 2011 to 13 November 2011
St Petersburg, RU - From 16 November 2011 to 21 November 2011
Kiev, UA - From 27 November 2011 to 4 December 2011
Vilnius, LT - From 15 December 2011 17 December 2011
Riga, LV - From 21 December 2011 to 25 December 2011
Tallinn, EE - From 28 December 2011 to 30 December 2011
Malmo, SE - From 26 January 2012 to 29 January 2012
Sofia, BG - From 3 February 2012 to 5 February 2012
Bucharest, RO - From 8 February 2012 to 12 February 2012
Bratislava, SK - From 15 February 2012 to 19 February 2012
Graz, AT - From 22 February 2012 to 26 February 2012
Rome, IT - From 15 March 2012 to 18 March 2012
Manila, PH - From 9 August 2012
Québec, QC - From 13 June 1992 to 28 June 1992
San Francisco, CA - From 14 July 1992 to 16 August 1992
San Jose, CA - From 27 August 1992 to 27 September 1992
Santa Monica, CA - From 8 October 1992 to 20 December 1992
New York, NY - From 30 March 1993 to 6 June 1993
Toronto, ON - From 18 June 1993 to 11 July 1993
Chicago, IL - From 28 July 1993 to 29 August 1993
Boston, MA - From 9 September 1993 to 3 October 1993
Washington, DC - From 14 October 1993 to 7 November 1993
Atlanta, GA - From 18 November 1993 to 19 December 1993
Munich, DE - From 19 May 1995 to 9 July 1995
Berlin, DE - From 21 July 1995 to 3 September 1995
Düsseldorf, DE - From 15 September 1995 to 17 October 1995
Vienna, AT - From 10 November 1995 to 17 December 1995
Hamburg, DE - From 8 February 1996 to 10 March 1996
Amsterdam, NL - From 5 April 1996 to 19 May 1996
Stuttgart, DE - From 31 May 1996 to 14 July 1996
Antwerp, BE - From 26 July 1996 to 1 September 1996
Zurich, CH - From 13 September 1996 to 20 October 1996
Frankfurt, DE - From 11 November 1996 to 22 December 1996
Melbourne, AU - From 18 March 1999
Brisbane, AU - From 28 May 1999
Adelaide, AU - From 21 July 1999
Perth, AU - From 9 September 1999
Singapore, SG - From 25 November 1999 to 8 January 2000
Portland, OR - From 11 May 2000
Seattle, WA - From 6 July 2000
Tokyo, JP - From 12 October 2000 to 28 January 2001
Nagoya, JP - From 20 April 2001 to 3 June 2001
Osaka, JP - From 10 June 2001 to 9 September 2001
Yokohama, JP - From 20 September 2001 to 25 November 2001
Barcelona, ES - From 26 April 2002 to 26 May 2002
Vienna, AT - From 10 July 2002 to 4 August 2002
Brussels, BE - From 4 September 2002 to 19 October 2002
Madrid, ES - From 31 October 2002 to 26 December 2002
Bilbao, ES - From 26 February 2003 to 6 April 2003
Geneva, CH - From 18 April 2003 to 25 May 2003
Cologne, DE - From 5 June 2003 to 29 June 2003
Oostende, CH - From 24 July 2003 to 17 August 2003
Zurich, CH - From 19 September 2003 to 26 October 2003
Valencia, ES - From 28 November 2003 to 21 December 2003
Lyon, FR - From 5 March 2004 to 18 April 2004
Milan, IT - From 29 April 2004 to 6 June 2004
Gijon, ES - From 25 June 2004 to 31 July 2004
Frankfurt, DE - From 20 August 2004 to 25 September 2004
Rome, IT - From 7 October 2004 to 31 October 2004
Lille, FR - From 25 November 2004 to 26 December 2004
Birmingham, UK - From 24 February 2005 to 13 March 2005
Paris, FR - From 8 April 2005 to 17 July 2005
Monterrey, MX - From 4 August 2005 to 11 September 2005
Mexico City, MX - From 22 September 2005 to 6 November 2005
Guadalajara, MX - From 17 November 2005 to 1 January 2006
Santiago, CL - From 15 March 2006 to 22 April 2006
Buenos Aires, AR - From 5 May 2006 to 11 June 2006
São Paulo, BR - From 3 August 2006 to 22 October 2006
Rio de Janeiro, BR - From 2 November 2006 to 10 December 2006
Cirque du Soleil
Cirque du Soleil , is a Canadian entertainment company, self-described as a "dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment." Based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and located in the inner-city area of Saint-Michel, it was founded in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1984 by two former street performers, Guy...
that remains active in some form. 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
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, on December 10, 2006. A new adaptation of the show started touring North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
on July 31, 2007, with its first stop in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The current version is staged in arenas, with shorter stops in each city it visits.
The show is 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.
English has lost the word 'saltimbank' from current usage; but it is still familiar in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian as 'saltimbanco', and in French as 'saltimbanque', meaning 'street acrobat' or 'entertainer'. According to the company's site, the word "saltimbanco" comes from the Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
"saltare in banco", which means "to jump on a bench." The etymology of the word reflects its acrobatic associations. A 'salto' is a somersault in Italian; 'banco' in this connection is a trestle holding a board, set up as a temporary stage for open-air performers. 'Saltimbanchi' were thus those who performed somersaults on a temporary platform -- wandering acrobats, performing as buskers in the open air, the platform giving their audience a better view.
History
Being Cirque du Soleil's longest running performances, Saltimbanco has carried some major milestones with it. In 2011 Saltimbanco was the first show by Cirque to be played in TurkeyTurkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and in 2012 the first show in Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
.
Set and technical information
Saltimbancos set plays on opposites and contradictions located within a cityscape. The rosace is actually made of metal rings which allow light to filter through like leaves on a tree. The lighting is very cinematic in effect due to the usage of different colored gels. The facts listed below are from the arena format of Saltimbanco, although some of these are also applicable to the grand chapiteau tour as well.- The stage itself is 110 feet (33.5 m) in length and 65 feet (19.8 m) in width.
- The Chinese poles are 24 feet (7.3 m) in height.
- The equipment for the show weighs a total of 180 tonnes (177.2 LT) and is transported and configured by 20 specialty technicians and 12 truck drivers.
- Approximately 140 people are hired locally in each city to set up and load out the show for the arena.
Cast
The 51-member performance troupe includes multiple musicians, singers, acrobats, and characters.- Urban Worms: The faceless multitude, the masses, the bureaucrats. They are the status quo: they watch and follow, but never act.
- Multicolored Worms: The Multicoloured Worms are the simplest of all beings, the origin of all life. Following their primal urges, they are concerned only with survival.
- Cavaliers: The Cavaliers are gentle protectors. They light our path through the world of Saltimbanco and point the way to the future.
- Baroques: The Baroques sleep under bridges and emerge to celebrate life. Defiant, rebellious, explosive, they are enlightened beings whose free spirits run wild.
- 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.
- Ringmaster: The Ringmaster likes to be the center of attention, and often steals the show. With his winning smile and natural charm, he usually gets away with it.
- Baron: What secrets lie behind the Baron's sardonic grin? Before you can find out, he has you locked in his hypnotic gaze. He beckons you with his gravelly voice. He is your timeless, ageless guide into the world of Saltimbanco.
- Dreamer: The moment he appears, the Sleeper falls asleep. When he does, amazing tableaus take shape. Has he conjured Saltimbanco from the depths of his imagination, or is he dreaming within the show?
- Child: Within the embrace of his parents, the child is safe. But the child must discover his own identity, and explore the world beyond his parents' influence. He appears to be like Eddie, playful and innocent.
- Eddie: Eddie is a jester, a clown. He is the child within us all, who finds adventure in his own imagination. Whatever he needs, he invents.
- La Belle: She reflects all human emotion, the soul of Saltimbanco. Her language is universal-serenity and excitement, hope and joy, disappointment and melancholy.
Acts
The acts in Saltimbanco are a mix of more traditional circus acts contrasted with modern acts.- Adagio trioAdagio (circus skill)Adagio is the performance of partner acrobalance poses and associated movements that involve stationary balances by a pair of performers. It is performed in professional circus, in various dance disciplines including acro dance and ballet, in pair skating, and as a hobby in university circus...
: Three acrobats perform in this adagio, which draws inspiration from acrosport. - Chinese poleChinese poleChinese poles are vertical poles of aluminium on which circus performers climb, slide down and hold poses. The poles are generally between 3 and 9 metres in height and approximately 3 to 4 inches in diameter. Some poles have a slightly larger pole that rotates around the static central pole...
s: Up to 26 performers perform in this act using four 25 feet (7.6 m) poles in the middle of the stage. They climb up, drop down, jump between, hang from, and even spin on these poles before making their exit. - JugglingJugglingJuggling is a skill involving moving objects for entertainment or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling, in which the juggler throws objects up to catch and toss up again. This may be one object or many objects, at the same time with one or many hands. Jugglers often refer...
: A juggler uses multiple balls in this manipulation sport. - Boleadoras: Two performers twirl boleadoras in this unique act created by Cirque du Soleil. The bolas are a percussion instrument, which is hit against the ground to produce a loud popping sound.
- Russian swing: Multiple artists jump off the swing, performing twists, spins, and flips, before landing on human pyramids, a mat, and other props.
- Duo trapezeTrapezeA trapeze is a short horizontal bar hung by ropes or metal straps from a support. It is an aerial apparatus commonly found in circus performances...
- Hand-to-hand
- BungeeBungeeBungee may refer to:* Bungee cord, also called shock cord, an engineered stretchable cord* Bungee jumping, an adventure sport* Bungee language or Bungi creole, and its related population, existing mainly along the north-south trade routes of Manitoba, Canada* Bungee chair, a type of office or...
: Four acrobats flip, sway, and bounce in time with each other in synchronization using bungees. - Artistic bicycleArtistic cyclingArtistic cycling is a form of competitive indoor cycling in which athletes perform tricks for points on specialized, fixed-gear bikes in a format similar to ballet or gymnastics...
: A bicycle artist wheels around the stage, all the while playing the guitar, hand balancing, swinging and dancing on wheels.
Retired acts
- Tight rope (double wire): The acrobat ascends a wire as two more tightropes, one three feet higher than the other, are revealed. She performs many tricks; flips, spins, splits. She even backflips from one rope to the other, and then jumps back. This act was removed from the arena transition due to rigging issues.
- ContortionContortionthumb|upright|Contortionist performingContortion is an unusual form of physical display which involves the dramatic bending and flexing of the human body. Contortion is often part of acrobatics and circus acts...
- DiaboloDiaboloThe diabolo is a juggling prop consisting of a spool which is whirled and tossed on a string tied to two sticks held one in each hand. A huge variety of tricks are possible using the sticks, string, and various body parts...
- Vertical ropeCorde lisseCorde lisse is an aerial circus skill or act that involves acrobatics on a vertically hanging rope. The name is French for "smooth rope".- Description :...
: This was one of the first Saltimbanco acts, a one-man Spanish web act. - Manipulation
Costumes
The costumes in Saltimbanco are bright and vivid in color to accentuate the dynamism of the urban city. The colors utilized for the costumes are all primary colorsPrimary color
Primary colors are sets of colors that can be combined to make a useful range of colors. For human applications, three primary colors are usually used, since human color vision is trichromatic....
: cyan, yellow, magenta, and green.
- Baron: The Baron clad in black, red, and white wears a cape, length-arm gloves, and tights that play to his character.
- Multi-Colored Worms: Wear jumpsuits that cover everything but their faces.
- Urban Worms: The masks of the Urban worms are made of a polyester resinPolyester resinPolyester resins are unsaturated resins formed by the reaction of dibasic organic acids and polyhydric alcohols. Polyester resins are used in sheet moulding compound, bulk moulding compound and the toner of laser printers...
base which is both hypoallergenicHypoallergenicHypoallergenic, meaning "below normal" or "slightly" allergenic, was a term first used in a cosmetics campaign in 1953. It is used to describe items that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions...
and permeable to air.
Music
The Saltimbanco score was written and composed by René DupéréRené Dupéré
René Dupéré is a Québécois composer from Mont-Joli, Québec, Canada.- Biography :Dupéré is best known as the composer and arranger of music for contemporary circus productions by the Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil...
, and was released as a studio album on October 9, 1992. The music has a range of musical influences from the classical to the modern. Saltimbanco marked the first time Cirque du Soleil's music used an invented language for the lyrics, a tradition that has persisted in most of the company's subsequent musical scores.
The original soundtrack features the vocal work of Canadian vocalist Francine Poitras. In 2005, Cirque du Soleil re-recorded and released the soundtrack to update its music. Some songs were completely re-recorded, while others had new instrumentation added and included Poitras's original vocal track. Additional and new vocals were provided by Laurence Janot, a French singer who was touring with the show at the time. Every track was slightly edited in some form from the original CD.
Several other limited editions of the album have been released. In 2001 Cirque du Soleil Musique released a limited edition of the original 1992 soundtrack featuring two additional tracks, "Arlequin" and "Adagio" (performed by Laur Fugere). Another limited edition of the CD, Saltimbanco Live in Amsterdam, was created and distributed exclusively to staff members of Saltimbanco. The employee special edition features a live, in-house recording of an entire performance and is considered a collector's item.
Below is the list of tracks featured in the 2005 re-release of the album and alongside are the acts during which they are played.
- Kumbalawé (Opening pt. 2)
- Saltimbanco (Chinese poles)
- Cantus-Mélopée (Solo trapeze)
- Norweg (Double wire)
- Kazé (Double wire)
- Barock (Russian swing)
- Adagio (Adagio trio)
- Amazonia (Duo trapeze)
- Pokinoï (Vertical rope)
- Il Sogno Di Volare (Bungee)
- Horéré Ukundé (Finale)
- Rideau (Opening pt. 1)
Tour
Saltimbanco toured around the world several times during its original 14-year tour under the Grand Chapiteau. It played its final show in the Royal Albert Hall in London on 1 February 1997. Saltimbanco was revived the following year on 14 October 1998, and went on to tour the Asia-Pacific region. The show played for another nine years, becoming the first Cirque du Soleil show to tour South AmericaSouth America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, with visits to Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
(March 2006); Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
(May 2006); and São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
(August 2006) and Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
(October 2006). That tour's final performance was staged in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 10 December 2006.
Following its closure in December 2006, Saltimbanco was configured into an arena show format, and re-launched in July 2007 to commence an extensive North American tour, visiting cities and areas that Cirque du Soleil had previously been unable to visit. The tour started in London, Ontario and subsequently toured Canada and the United States. Saltimbanco’s three-year tour ended in Columbus, Ohio. The show moved to Europe in 2009, the third time the production had visited Europe.
The following colorboxes indicate the region of each performance:
Europe North America South and Central Americas Asia/Pacific Oceania Africa
2007 schedule
London, ON - From 31 July 2007 to 5 August 2007Ottawa, ON - From 8 August 2007 to 12 August 2007
Halifax, NS - From 15 August 2007 to 19 August 2007
St. John's, NL - From 23 August 2007 to 26 August 2007
St. John, NB - From 30 August 2007 to 2 September 2007
Syracuse, NY - From 5 September 2007 to 9 September 2007
Wilkes-Barre, PA - From 12 September 2007 to 16 September 2007
Greensboro, NC - From 19 September 2007 to 23 September 2007
State College, PA - From 26 September 2007 to 30 September 2007
Norfolk, VA - From 3 October 2007 to 7 October 2007
East Lansing, MI - From 10 October 2007 to 14 October 2007
Peoria, IL - From 17 October 2007 to 18 October 2007
Champaign, IL - From 9 November 2007 to 10 November 2007
Green Bay, WI - From 13 November 2007 to 15 November 2007
Madison, WI - From 17 November 2007 to 19 November 2007
Dayton, OH - From 21 November 2007 to 25 November 2007
Colorado Springs, CO - From 28 November 2007 to 1 December 2007
Denver, CO - From 3 December 2007 to 13 December 2007
Montréal, QC - From 19 December 2007 to 30 December 2007
2008 schedule
Québec, QC - From 3 January 2008 to 8 January 2008Chicoutimi, QC - From 16 January 2008 to 19 January 2008
Detroit, MI - From 23 January 2008 to 27 January 2008
Cleveland, OH - From 29 January 2008 to 1 February 2008
Memphis, TN - From 20 February 2008 to 21 February 2008
Charlottesville, VA - From 26 February 2008 to 1 March 2008
Little Rock, AR - From 4 March 2008 to 6 March 2008
Shreveport, LA - From 8 March 2008 to 9 March 2008
San Antonio, TX - From 12 March 2008 to 16 March 2008
Laredo, TX - From 18 March 2008 to 19 March 2008
Corpus Christi, TX - From 21 March 2008 to 22 March 2008
Wichita, KS - From 26 March 2008 to 30 March 2008
Omaha, NE - From 2 April 2008 to 6 April 2008
Des Moines, IA - From 10 April 2008 to 13 April 2008
Moline, IL - From 15 April 2008 to 18 April 2008
Cedar Rapids, IA - From 23 April 2008 to 27 April 2008
Albuquerque, NM - From 14 May 2008 to 18 May 2008
Boise, ID - From 21 May 2008 to 25 May 2008
Victoria, BC - From 30 May 2008 to 1 June 2008
Kelowna, BC - From 4 June 2008 to 8 June 2008
Kamloops, BC - From 11 June 2008 to 15 June 2008
Edmonton, AB - From 18 June 2008 to 22 June 2008
Saskatoon, SK - From 25 June 2008 to 29 June 2008
Regina, SK - From 2 July 2008 to 6 July 2008
Winnipeg, MB - From 9 July 2008 to 13 July 2008
Kansas City, MO - From 16 July 2008 to 20 July 2008
Newark, NJ - From 7 August 2008 to 10 August 2008
Toronto, ON - From 13 August 2008 to 24 August 2008
Hamilton, ON - From 27 August 2008 to 31 August 2008
Amherst, MA - From 3 September 2008 to 7 September 2008
Buffalo, NY - From 10 September 2008 to 14 September 2008
Trenton, NJ - From 17 September 2008 to 21 September 2008
Minneapolis, MN - From 24 September 2008 to 28 September 2008
Milwaukee, WI - From 1 October 2008 to 5 October 2008
Highland Heights, KY - From 8 October 2008 to 12 October 2008
Honolulu, HI - From 30 October 2008 to 16 November 2008
Prescott Valley, AZ - From 20 November 2008 to 23 November 2008
Tucson, AZ - From 26 November 2008 to 30 November 2008
Oklahoma City, OK - From 3 December 2008 to 7 December 2008
Tulsa, OK - From 10 December 2008 to 14 December 2008
Hidalgo, TX - From 17 December 2008 to 21 December 2008
2009 schedule
Tupelo, MS - From 9 January 2009 to 11 January 2009Biloxi, MS - From 14 January 2009 to 18 January 2009
Hoffman Estates, IL - From 21 January 2009 to 1 February 2009
St. Charles, MO - From 4 February 2009 to 8 February 2009
Indianapolis, IN - From 12 February 2009 to 15 February 2009
Baton Rouge, LA - From 18 February 2009 to 20 February 2009
Rockford, IL - From 24 February 2009 to 1 March 2009
Youngstown, OH - From 4 March 2009 to 8 March 2009
Louisville, KY - From 11 March 2009 to 15 March 2009
Mobile, AL - From 2 April 2009 to 5 April 2009
Nashville, TN - From 9 April 2009 to 12 April 2009
Huntsville, AL - From 15 April 2009 to 19 April 2009
Charleston, SC - From 22 April 2009 to 26 April 2009
Lakeland, FL - From 29 April 2009 to 3 May 2009
Gainesville, FL - From 7 May 2009 to 10 May 2009
Tallahassee, FL - From 13 May 2009 to 17 May 2009
Jacksonville, FL - From 20 May 2009 to 24 May 2009
Sunrise, FL - From 27 May 2009 to 7 June 2009
Tampa, FL - From 25 June 2009 to 5 July 2009
Estero, FL - From 8 July 2009 to 12 July 2009
Cypress, TX - From 15 July 2009 to 15 July 2009
Houston, TX - From 22 July 2009 to 26 July 2009
Phoenix, AZ - From 29 July 2009 to 2 August 2009
Salt Lake City, UT - From 5 August 2009 to 9 August 2009
Columbus, OH - From 12 August 2009 to 23 August 2009
Stockholm, SE - From 17 September 2009 to 20 September 2009
Helsinki, FI - From 23 September 2009 to 27 September 2009
Turku, FI - From 30 September 2009 to 4 October 2009
Oslo, NO - From 8 October 2009 to 11 October 2009
Aalborg, DK - From 14 October 2009 to 18 October 2009
Copenhagen, DK - From 21 October 2009 to 1 November 2009
Gothenburg, SE - From 4 November 2009 to 8 November 2009
Mannheim, DE - From 10 November 2009 to 14 November 2009
Nice, FR - From 18 November 2009 to 22 November 2009
Rotterdam, NL - From 10 December 2009 to 13 December 2009
Geneva, CH - From 18 December 2009 to 27 December 2009
Barcelona, ES - From 30 December 2009 to 10 January 2010
2010 schedule
Salzburg, AT - From 13 January 2010 to 17 January 2010Strasbourg, FR - From 20 January 2010 to 23 January 2010
Frankfurt, DE - From 27 January 2010 to 31 January 2010
Nantes, FR - From 2 February 2010 to 5 February 2010
Innsbruck, AT - From 25 February 2010 to 28 February 2010
Torino, IT - From 3 March 2010 to 7 March 2010
Pesaro, IT - From 10 March 2010 to 14 March 2010
Bologna, IT - From 17 March 2010 to 21 March 2010
Florence, IT - From 24 March 2010 to 28 March 2010
Stuttgart, DE - From 31 March 2010 to 4 April 2010
Bremen, DE - From 7 April 2010 to 11 April 2010
Valencia, ES - From 14 April 2010 to 18 April 2010
Santiago, ES - From 21 April 2010 to 25 April 2010
San Sebastian, ES - From 28 April 2010 to 2 May 2010
Sheffield, UK - From 20 May 2010 to 23 May 2010
Liverpool, UK - From 26 May 2010 to 30 May 2010
Glasgow, UK - From 2 June 2010 to 6 June 2010
Manchester, UK - From 9 June 2010 to 13 June 2010
Birmingham, UK - From 17 June 2010 to 27 June 2010
Newcastle, UK - From 30 June 2010 to 4 July 2010
Dublin, IE - From 7 July 2010 to 18 July 2010
Nottingham, UK - From 21 July 2010 to 25 July 2010
London, UK - From 28 July 2010 to 1 August 2010
Hamburg, DE - From 19 August 2010 to 22 August 2010
Dortmund, DE - From 25 August 2010 to 29 August 2010
Berlin, DE - From 1 September 2010 to 4 September 2010
Munich, DE - From 7 September 2010 to 12 September 2010
Milan, IT - From 15 September 2010 to 18 September 2010
Zaragoza, ES - From 22 September 2010 to 26 September 2010
Granada, ES - From 29 September 2010 to 3 October 2010
Madrid, ES - From 5 October 2010 to 10 October 2010
Lisbon, PT - From 13 October 2010 to 24 October 2010
Prague, CZ - From 12 November 2010 to 14 November 2010
Zagreb, HR - From 17 November 2010 to 21 November 2010
Belgrade, RS - From 24 November 2010 to 28 November 2010
Basel, CH - From 1 December 2010 to 5 December 2010
Budapest, HU - From 8 December 2010 to 12 December 2010
Nurnberg, DE - From 15 December 2010 to 19 December 2010
Antwerp , BE - From 22 December 2010 to 2 January 2011
2011 schedule
Lille, FR - From 5 January 2011 to 9 January 2011Paris, FR - From 13 January 2011 to 16 January 2011
Friedrichshafen, DE - From 11 February 2011 to 13 February 2011
Istanbul, TR - From 18 February 2011 to 5 March 2011
Johannesburg, ZA - From 9 March 2011 to 20 March 2011
Cape Town, ZA - From 23 March 2011 to 3 April 2011
Perth, AU - From 21 April 2011 to 8 May 2011
Adelaide, AU - From 12 May 2011 to 22 May 2011
Melbourne, AU - From 25 May 2011 to 11 June 2011
Hobart, AU - From 15 June 2011 to 19 June 2011
Brisbane, AU - From 8 July 2011 to 17 July 2011
Newcastle, AU - From 20 July 2011 to 24 July 2011
Sydney, AU - From 27 July 2011 to 14 August 2011
Wollongong, AU - From 17 August 2011 to 21 August 2011
Auckland, NZ - From 25 August 2011 to 4 September 2011
Shanghai, CN - From 21 September 2011 to 1 October 2011
Ekaterinburg, RU - From 15 October 2011 to 23 October 2011
Kazan, RU - From 26 October 2011 to 30 October 2011
Moscow, RU - From 3 November 2011 to 13 November 2011
St Petersburg, RU - From 16 November 2011 to 21 November 2011
Kiev, UA - From 27 November 2011 to 4 December 2011
Vilnius, LT - From 15 December 2011 17 December 2011
Riga, LV - From 21 December 2011 to 25 December 2011
Tallinn, EE - From 28 December 2011 to 30 December 2011
2012 schedule
Gdansk, PL - From 19 January 2012 to 22 January 2012Malmo, SE - From 26 January 2012 to 29 January 2012
Sofia, BG - From 3 February 2012 to 5 February 2012
Bucharest, RO - From 8 February 2012 to 12 February 2012
Bratislava, SK - From 15 February 2012 to 19 February 2012
Graz, AT - From 22 February 2012 to 26 February 2012
Rome, IT - From 15 March 2012 to 18 March 2012
Manila, PH - From 9 August 2012
1992 schedule
Montréal, QC - From 23 April 1992 to 2 June 1992 (show première)Québec, QC - From 13 June 1992 to 28 June 1992
San Francisco, CA - From 14 July 1992 to 16 August 1992
San Jose, CA - From 27 August 1992 to 27 September 1992
Santa Monica, CA - From 8 October 1992 to 20 December 1992
1993 schedule
Costa Mesa, CA - From 30 January 1993 to 14 March 1993New York, NY - From 30 March 1993 to 6 June 1993
Toronto, ON - From 18 June 1993 to 11 July 1993
Chicago, IL - From 28 July 1993 to 29 August 1993
Boston, MA - From 9 September 1993 to 3 October 1993
Washington, DC - From 14 October 1993 to 7 November 1993
Atlanta, GA - From 18 November 1993 to 19 December 1993
1994 schedule
Tokyo, JP - From 11 March 1994 to 11 September 19941995 schedule
Amsterdam, NL - From 9 March 1995 to 13 April 1995Munich, DE - From 19 May 1995 to 9 July 1995
Berlin, DE - From 21 July 1995 to 3 September 1995
Düsseldorf, DE - From 15 September 1995 to 17 October 1995
Vienna, AT - From 10 November 1995 to 17 December 1995
1996 schedule
London, UK - From 5 January 1996 to 28 January 1996Hamburg, DE - From 8 February 1996 to 10 March 1996
Amsterdam, NL - From 5 April 1996 to 19 May 1996
Stuttgart, DE - From 31 May 1996 to 14 July 1996
Antwerp, BE - From 26 July 1996 to 1 September 1996
Zurich, CH - From 13 September 1996 to 20 October 1996
Frankfurt, DE - From 11 November 1996 to 22 December 1996
1997 schedule
London, UK - From 2 January 1997 to 1 February 19971998 schedule
Ottawa, ON - From 14 October 1998 to 1 November 19981999 schedule
Sydney, AU - From 7 January 1999Melbourne, AU - From 18 March 1999
Brisbane, AU - From 28 May 1999
Adelaide, AU - From 21 July 1999
Perth, AU - From 9 September 1999
Singapore, SG - From 25 November 1999 to 8 January 2000
2000 schedule
Hong Kong, HK - From 25 January 2000 to 19 March 2000Portland, OR - From 11 May 2000
Seattle, WA - From 6 July 2000
Tokyo, JP - From 12 October 2000 to 28 January 2001
2001 schedule
Fukuoka, JP - From 9 February 2001 to 8 April 2001Nagoya, JP - From 20 April 2001 to 3 June 2001
Osaka, JP - From 10 June 2001 to 9 September 2001
Yokohama, JP - From 20 September 2001 to 25 November 2001
2002 schedule
Amsterdam, NL - From 14 February 2002 to 14 April 2002Barcelona, ES - From 26 April 2002 to 26 May 2002
Vienna, AT - From 10 July 2002 to 4 August 2002
Brussels, BE - From 4 September 2002 to 19 October 2002
Madrid, ES - From 31 October 2002 to 26 December 2002
2003 schedule
London, UK - From 7 January 2003 to 6 February 2003Bilbao, ES - From 26 February 2003 to 6 April 2003
Geneva, CH - From 18 April 2003 to 25 May 2003
Cologne, DE - From 5 June 2003 to 29 June 2003
Oostende, CH - From 24 July 2003 to 17 August 2003
Zurich, CH - From 19 September 2003 to 26 October 2003
Valencia, ES - From 28 November 2003 to 21 December 2003
2004 schedule
Seville, ES - From 16 January 2004 to 22 February 2004Lyon, FR - From 5 March 2004 to 18 April 2004
Milan, IT - From 29 April 2004 to 6 June 2004
Gijon, ES - From 25 June 2004 to 31 July 2004
Frankfurt, DE - From 20 August 2004 to 25 September 2004
Rome, IT - From 7 October 2004 to 31 October 2004
Lille, FR - From 25 November 2004 to 26 December 2004
2005 schedule
Manchester, UK - From 6 January 2005 to 27 January 2005Birmingham, UK - From 24 February 2005 to 13 March 2005
Paris, FR - From 8 April 2005 to 17 July 2005
Monterrey, MX - From 4 August 2005 to 11 September 2005
Mexico City, MX - From 22 September 2005 to 6 November 2005
Guadalajara, MX - From 17 November 2005 to 1 January 2006
2006 schedule
Mexico City, MX - From 13 January 2006 to 5 February 2006Santiago, CL - From 15 March 2006 to 22 April 2006
Buenos Aires, AR - From 5 May 2006 to 11 June 2006
São Paulo, BR - From 3 August 2006 to 22 October 2006
Rio de Janeiro, BR - From 2 November 2006 to 10 December 2006
External links
- Saltimbanco’s official page at Cirque du Soleil
- Alexis Brothers: Official website of Marco and Paulo Lorador, the original hand-to-hand act in Saltimbanco.
- Armen Chakmakian and Armen Blog: Official website and blog for Armen Chakmakian, keyboardist for Saltimbanco band.
- Artistic Bicycle: Ivan Do-Duc - Artistic bicycle act in Saltimbanco