Quite simply, Cavalia's Odysseo will surely be one of the best live shows you will ever see.
No horsing around, I guarantee you won't leave with a long face. In fact, wild horses won't be able to contain your wonder.
And that's all the puns I'm using because the 65 horses, 45 performers (including dancers, acrobats, musicians and riders), 250 workers from Winnipeg, and countless others behind the curtain who have helped put on this show deserve way more credit than one can offer with wordplay.
I just attended the 50 min media preview and it blew me away.
It opened with a joyous number titled "Village Celebration," where an incredible array of tumbling (and even more incredible abs) where on display. There were acrobats propelling themselves across the sand-covered floor, guys on stilts bounding over bars, followed by horses with riders running and jumping at breakneck speed.
During the whole show, a constant refrain from myself and other members of the media around me was "whoa." We were awestruck, and this was only the beginning.
The tumbling -- and physiques -- on display during the Village Celebration scene alone are worth the price of admission (Tourism Winnipeg)
Next came a breathtaking sequence titled "Freedom" where performer Elise Verdoncq guided around eight slender white horses without any sort of assistance. A quick Google search informs me that she is The Horse Whisperette, which is abundantly clear in this number. These gorgeous creatures would gather around and disperse from her, getting so close to us audience members that it seemed surreal.
It was so beautiful that it nearly brought a tear to my eye. Up to today I've never (aside from being a fan of Swift's Gulliver's Travels) considered myself to have an affinity for horses. Odysseo has changed that.
There were many more spectacular numbers, several of which were driven by the incredible live band who were stationed above and to the side of the stage in tree fort-like settings, along with the gorgeous singing of Valentina Spreca, who was often a fixture on stage.
"Carosello" (Cavalia)
There were seemingly implausible acrobatics in a number called "Carosello" that saw feats of strength from male performers holding themselves out horizontally on a static pole; daredevil riding in a number called "The Great Adventure" where a certain female rider rode in circles at incredible speed while bent over backyards on the saddle while her hands and feet dangled in space (lord knows how you could even practice such a hair-raising manoeuvre).
The finale we were given involved the whole stage being flooded while every performer either pranced atop their horse, tumbled through the water, or hung swinging from the roof on rings. We were so close to the action that staff gave us warm towels to protect us from the water being kicked up by the horses. All of it was enthralling stuff that I won't soon forget.
The stage alone is an immense spectacle at 1,626 square metres, featuring a three-story tall hill underneath which over 10,000 tons of rock, sand and earth have been piled.
We already know that the Winnipeg audience will embrace this larger-than-life spectacle; before the media show began, artistic director Normand Latourelle said that by tomorrow night's opening they will have broken pre-sale records for Cavalia. They've also added 14 more shows to compensate for the demand.
So what are you waiting for? Go to their website now to get yours. This big top show is one you don't want to let gallop by you.
Cavalia's Odysseo plays Winnipeg until Sunday, October 18. It is located in the giant white tent off of Kenaston Blvd. Aside from the link above you can also purchase tickets by calling (toll free) 1-866-999-8111.
Only in The Peg chronicles the adventures of the Peg family–Missus, Mister and Lil’ Peg–as they discover everything there is to see and do in Winnipeg. Follow them on Twitter at @tourismwpg or visit them on Facebook. For even more info on Winnipeg, visit www.tourismwinnipeg.com. Subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter to stay in the loop on the latest information, contests, and upcoming events!
