As the sun rises over Denver, the familiar sound of metal scraping against asphalt heralds the arrival of a vibrant spectacle. Giant blue-and-white striped tents rise majestically above the parking lot near Ball Arena, signaling the return of Cirque du Soleil, this time with their enchanting production, “Echo.”
“We call this the ‘Big Push,’” explained Kevin Albert, senior publicist for Cirque du Soleil’s “Echo.” “We’re pushing up our big top and making a big statement that we arrived in town.”
This method of raising the big top, relying on manual labor rather than advanced technology, has been a tradition for Cirque du Soleil throughout its 40-year history. Albert noted, “There’s a lot of technology that exists now, but to raise up the big top, we’re still doing it with elbow grease.”
As preparations for the show continue, Albert reflects on how many elements of “Echo” harken back to Cirque du Soleil’s roots. Sylvain Guimond, a seasoned tour director with decades of experience at Cirque, shared, “‘Echo’ reminds me of the way we were working in 1989.”
At the heart of “Echo” is a narrative that centers around a young girl named Future and her dog, who embark on a captivating journey inspired by discovery and evolution. Albert elaborated, “As she’s going on a journey, she starts discovering and experimenting on stage with a huge cube. She realizes that the cubes represent the world — and that every action she does has a consequence on what’s going on around her.”
Themes echoing modernity and our relationship with the planet are prominent in the performance. Louana Seclet, a trapeze artist portraying Future, emphasized, “The show is pretty related about what we are living right now. It’s a metaphor of our planet and us living on the planet and how we take care of it and how we can take advantage of it and destroy it.”
Her fellow performer, Henrik Veres, who plays Future’s dog, added, “The show suggests our environment’s fragility.”
The layers of meaning don’t stop there; Seclet believes there are multiple interpretations available for audiences. “A kid going to watch the show can really see it as maybe a fairy tale,” she suggested, “and an adult can watch the show and see it as a George Orwell book.”
The allure of circus is deeply ingrained in both performers. Seclet shared her passion, saying, “I love everything about circus. The fact that we are touring, the big top, the smell of the big top, the smell of the popcorn, the proximity with the people…”
Veres, a sixth-generation circus performer, feels similarly about the life of a touring artist. “Traveling. I love it and sometimes hate it. I’ve almost never been stationary in my life. Every few months or few weeks I’ve been in a different city, different country since I was a kid.”
With roots steeped in circus tradition, Veres reminisced about his journey. “I was born and raised in a circus family,” he shared, recounting his early attempts to master various circus skills, only to find his niche in juggling.
“I really picked up on it very fast,” Veres explained. “I was mostly self-taught because nobody around in my circus family was doing juggling.”
Seclet, meanwhile, has a more traceable lineage in the world of trapeze. “I’m doing Washington trapeze,” she said, referencing a discipline invented by Kaye Washington, a gymnast who wanted to incorporate gymnastic tricks into trapeze performances. Seclet discussed her family’s involvement: “He (invented) himself some way to go on the tricks, or a new way to go on the trapeze.”
After years of training under her father, who also embraced the Washington trapeze style, Seclet graduated from the École National Circus in Montreal, finding her way to Cirque du Soleil. “And here I am,” she concluded with a sense of fulfillment.
As the spectacle unfolds under the big top, it creates an immersive experience for audiences. “The Big Top gives you the environment to be very close to the action,” Albert stated. “You feel like you’re just submerged in the show and in the story.”
Guimond added a reflective note, saying, “For two hours, people don’t have to think about the problems that they had before they came into the tent. When they get out, then they go back to their lives. But for two hours, we take them on the journey and hopefully it alleviates a little bit of the seriousness of life.”
The excitement around “Echo” is palpable in Denver, where it will run from Saturday, July 12, through Sunday, August 17. It invites everyone to experience the magic of circus while simultaneously engaging with profound themes relevant to our existence.
In addition to the Cirque du Soleil performance, Denver has an array of activities planned for the weekend.
On Friday, July 11, the B-Side Music Friday at the MCA in Denver features live music from experimental jazz rap group iies and R&B artist Lady Los. Attendees can also explore the museum before enjoying performances that will start at 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 12 brings Crosscurrents, a day-long festival on the South Platte River featuring headliners Poolside Thomas Jack, as well as other artists like Indigo Waves, The High Lines, and Crl Crrll. The event is free and open to the public from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Confluence Park.
City Park Jazz will also host a free outdoor concert featuring Better Sensory Perception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in City Park.
On Sunday, July 13, the Evenings Al Fresco concert at the Denver Botanic Gardens will feature the Symphony of the Rockies and other local musicians at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $22 for members and $32 for non-members.
The Summer Craft Fair in Palisade will showcase handcrafted items, food, wine, and local artists, running from noon to 6 p.m. at Carboy Winery.
Throughout the weekend, the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum Festival in Colorado Springs will run from July 10 through 13, celebrating Team USA’s achievements with various events and free admission to the museum, along with athlete meet-and-greets on Saturday and Sunday.
The Colorado Black Arts Festival, also happening this weekend in Denver, will celebrate African American arts and culture from Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This three-day festival will feature live music, art, storytelling, and delicious food.
The High Mountain Hay Fever Festival in Westcliffe will take place from July 10-13, focusing on bluegrass music with headliners Rhonda Vincent & the Rage.
Indie Week on Colfax will celebrate local businesses from July 14 through 20, featuring pop-up events and promotions throughout a variety of shops and restaurants.
Next week, Dazzle Tribute Week in Denver will honor music icons like Natalie Cole, Norah Jones, and Etta James during a seven-night festival.
Additionally, July will feature ongoing events such as the “Month of Video” exhibition in Denver featuring diverse video art programming, and the play “Flyin’ West” at the Ent Center for the Arts in Colorado Springs, which runs through July 27.
For musical theater fans, “Young Frankenstein” is on stage at the Breckenridge Backstage Theatre until August 10, while the Colorado Shakespeare Festival presents “The Tempest” and “Richard II” through August 10, with tickets starting at $36.
This vibrant schedule promises something for everyone in Colorado, allowing residents and visitors alike to enjoy cultural expressions across different mediums, while the magic of Cirque du Soleil’s “Echo” captivates audiences under the big top.
image source from：cpr
