Difference between Cirque Du Soleil, Beatles Love and Viva Elvis
Cirque Du Soleil is one of the most lavish, most extravagant and just sheer jaw dropping spectacles known to man. There are actually numerous varieties of this world-class show, and "Beatles Love" and "Viva Elvis" are the two that will probably have the most appeal to popular music fans. This comparison article takes a look at the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Profile
Cirque Du Soleil’s Beatles Love made its debut at The Mirage in Las Vegas in 2006. The show features a stunning combination of sound and visuals, along with a cast of 60 artists from all over the world. The project is the brainchild of ex-Beatle George Harrison and Cirque founder Guy Laliberté, both of whom were professed fans of each other. With Beatles Love, the two hoped to bring the impressive Beatles legacy to life in a spectacle of sight and sound. Also involved in the project were legendary Beatles producer Sir George Martin and son, Giles, who have reworked the original Beatles recordings for the stage.
Cirque Du Soleil’s Viva Elvis is the project of Cirque Du Soleil and Elvis Presley Enterprises. Previews of Viva Elvis were first performed on December 18, 2009 in a 2,000-seat theatre specifically designed for the show located at the then-new Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. In addition to the Cirque Du Soleil style attractions, the show also features multimedia presentations that give audiences the chance to relive the "Elvis Experience" right before their very eyes.
Approach
Cirque Du Soleil’s Beatles Love tends to cover a lot more emotional ground than Viva Elvis. Numerous portions of the show are appropriately somber and serious, which is at odds with Viva Elvis’ more celebratory feel and approach. Viva Elvis is simply more playful and lighthearted all throughout, yet it never strays very far away from the subject matter. It is also interesting to note that Viva Elvis often augments that original voice of Elvis with female singers, a choice that although seemingly incongruous, actually works for the most part.
Beatles Love is much more focused on the music and just the music than the Viva Elvis show is, and the remixing and reworking of the familiar Beatles favorites is a joy to experience. The speakers embedded in the seats also help to enhance the atmosphere considerably.
Criticisms
One of the common criticisms leveled against Viva Elvis is that it focuses more on the glitzy and tacky Graceland imagery instead of Elvis himself. The kitsch factor can be overwhelming at times, contrasting sharply with the somber, almost reverent approach to the Beatles in Beatles Love.
Summary
Cirque Du Soleil Beatles Love
- Made its debut at The Mirage in Las Vegas in 2006
- Tends to cover a lot more emotional ground
- Full of Beatles nostalgia andrhythm
- Initiated by a Beatles member, George and guided by the remaining Beatles members, Paul and Ringo
Cirque Du Soleil Viva Elvis
- Focuses more on the glitzy and tacky Graceland imagery instead of Elvis
- First performed on December 18, 2009 in a 2,000-seat theatre specifically designed for the show
- More playful and lighthearted all throughout
