ZAIA -- The First Cirque du Soleil Show in Macau Opens at the Venetian Macao-
Resort-Hotel This Summer
MACAU, May 29 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Written and Directed by Gilles Maheu
Tickets on Sale May 30; For Preview and Regular Performances Beginning July 26, 2008
ZAIA was unveiled today as the name of the very first permanent Cirque du Soleil production set
to open in Asia. ZAIA will be presented at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel in Macau and will hold
its Gala Celebration August 28, 2008 to coincide with the 1st Anniversary of its host resort-hotel,
with preview performances beginning July 26, 2008.
Cirque du Soleil is a Canadian-based global entertainment company providing high-quality
artistic entertainment. Cirque du Soleil productions have played to almost 80 million spectators in
over 200 cities on five continents. In 2008, Cirque du Soleil will present 18 shows simultaneously
throughout the world. Each production fuses innovative acrobatics, theatre, dance and music with
spectacular costumes, lighting and make-up. Cirque du Soleil has successfully toured to 13 cities in
Asia, including Singapore, Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, Taipei and Shanghai with Big Top
productions but ZAIA will be the first production to be housed within a permanent theatre in the
region.
The name
ZAIA is about the dream of a young girl who journeys into space. The title, ZAIA, comes from a
Greek name meaning "life" and is also reminiscent of "Gaia," the living, self-aware, spirit of earth.
"We are extremely excited to bring this unique show to the Cotai Strip as our first permanent step
in China," said Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil. "The creative challenge is
very interesting for us as this area has yet to be developed for its entertainment offers. Thanks to
our partnership with Las Vegas Sands, we are anxious for Asian audiences to discover this Cirque
du Soleil production.
"We are both proud and delighted to be partnering with Cirque du Soleil and bringing this
internationally acclaimed production to Macao and to its first ever permanent base in Asia," said Mr.
Mark Brown, President of Sands Macao and The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel. "Cirque du Soleil
will surely give the people of this region a chance to experience wholly unique and world-class
entertainment, an aim to which we are also committed."
The show
ZAIA is about a young girl who journeys into space on a strange, yet familiar voyage of self-
discovery. As she travels, she encounters the beauty of humanity and eventually brings it back with
her to share with the inhabitants of earth.
ZAIA presents a young girl's perception of the stars and planets, space and infinity, all populated
by a panoply of fantastic, literally out-of-this-world creatures. ZAIA is a show that highlights dance,
movement and aerial acrobatics, soaring to the farthest reaches of space and human beauty.
ZAIA will be presented in a custom-built 1,800 seat theatre at the Venetian Macau-Hotel-Resort.
The combined cost of show creation and the custom-built theatre for ZAIA is in excess of US$150
million.
Preview performances begin July 26, 2008 and the Gala Premiere will be held Thursday, August
28, 2008.
The Creative Team:
Guide Guy Laliberte
Senior Vice President, Creative Content Gilles Ste-Croix
Writer and Director Gilles Maheu
Director of Creation Neilson Vignola
Set Designer Guillaume Lord
Costume Designer Dominique Lemieux
Composer and Musical Director Violaine Corradi
Choreographer Martino Muller
Acrobatic Choreographer Jeff Hall
Acrobatic Performance Designer Rob Bollinger
Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer Guy Lemire
Lighting Designer Axel Morgenthaler
Projections Designers Jimmy Lakatos and
Raymond Saint-Jean
Sound Designer Steve Dubuc
Make-up Designer Nathalie Gagne
Clown Acts Designer Leonid Leykin
SHOW SCHEDULE
The preview period for ZAIA will be from July 26, 2008 to August 27, 2008. During this preview
period there will be no shows on Mondays and Tuesdays and the show schedule will be irregular.
The Gala premiere is scheduled for August 28, 2008. Regular performances will begin August
29, 2008.
Regular performances for ZAIA will run Tuesday through Sunday. On Tuesdays and
Wednesdays the show time will be at 8p.m. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays the show times
will be at 7p.m. and 10p.m. On Sundays, shows will be at 4p.m. and 7p.m. There will be no shows
Schedule is subject to change without notice.
TICKET INFORMATION:
Tickets on sale May 30, 2008!
Ticket prices:
Adult ticket prices: MOP$1288, MOP$788, MOP$588, MOP$388
Children (under 12 years) ticket prices: MOP$688, MOP$488, MOP$288
To reserve tickets:
Phone: Macau - +853-2882-8818 / Hong Kong - +852-6333-6660
In person: The Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel Box Office
About Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a major
Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has close to
4,000 employees from over 40 different countries, including 1,000 artists.
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to almost 80 million spectators in over 200 cities
on five continents. In 2008, Cirque du Soleil will present 18 shows simultaneously throughout the
world. The company has received such prestigious awards as the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi,
ACE, Gemeaux, Felix, and Rose d'Or de Montreux. Cirque du Soleil International Headquarters are
in Montreal, Canada.
About Las Vegas Sands
Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) is one of the leading international developers of multi-use
integrated resorts. The Las Vegas, Nevada-based company owns and operates The Venetian
Resort-Hotel-Casino, The Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino and the Sands Expo and Convention
Center in Las Vegas and The Venetian Macao Resort-Hotel and the Sands Macao in the People's
Republic of China (PRC) Special Administrative Region of Macao. The company is currently
constructing two additional integrated resorts: Sands Bethworks(TM) in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania;
and The Marina Bay Sands(TM) in Singapore.
LVS is also creating the Cotai Strip(TM), a master-planned development of resort-casino
properties in Macao. Additionally, the company is working with the Zhuhai Municipal People's
Government of the PRC to master-plan the development of a leisure resort and convention complex
on Hengqin Island in the PRC.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Candice Sham
Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide
Hong Kong
Phone: +852-2884-8291 / +852-9303-1014
Email: candice.sham@ogilvy.com
SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil
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