Saltimbanco makes its way to Manila! Cirque du Soleil part Deux!

I have been friends with Val for more than 10 years now, quite a long time. Despite the fact that we have different personalities. I'm very nice and she's very evil. *insert eye rolling from Val here* I consider her a very close friend. I call her when I have stupid crazy stuff to share and well she does the same thing too, most of the time. I remember her whenever I see lizards, big or small, because she loves them dearly. Want to know how crazy she is, she prefers you refer to her as Master. Yup! Delusions of grandeur.

Everyone, meet Valdemort!

Isn't she pretty? She's single, call me I'll hook you up!!! bwahahahaha...I kid, I kid.

So why am I writing about Val? Well, she is one of the reasons why I love Cirque du Soleil. She is part of the awesome Hoopla Inc. team. Don't know Hoopla? They brought in Varekai, Saltimbanco and Fuerta Bruza. All world class shows made accessible to the Filipinos. :D Anyway, Val is their resident artist in other words all those Cirque things you see scattered around the Metro, she had a hand in making them. Because she works very closely with these productions we always end up talking about them. Most of the time she talks and I pretend to listen. See, best friends. hahaha

For the last few months we've been talking about Saltimbanco, all her deadlines and me nagging on her to get me a ticket. :P You can't help but feel excited about it. How often do you get to see a world class production that's a mere drive away? And because I missed my first opportunity to see it I had to make sure I would make it the next time opportunity presented itself. 

Last Saturday was THE day. Despite the worst traffic in history the bu and I made in time to hear them welcome everyone to Saltimbanco! Boy did it not disappoint. 

Of course comparisons to Varekai were inevitable.Varekai was a show filled with stunts while Saltimbanco was a show filled with acts. Varekai was more dramatic while Saltimbanco was more loud and fun. But both shows were filled with color and sound and movement and energy that when we left both the bu and I could not stop talking about it.

What I didn't realize from watching Varekai was that the music is amazing. They sing everything live and you will be in awe. They don't sing with english lyrics so you won't get distracted. If you're watching the show this run notice how amazing they sound. :D

I think it's time I share something personal, when I was a little girl I had big dreams of becoming an awesome gymnast. I would practice by myself since my parents refused to let me join any class for fear that my leg muscles would overtake the rest of my body, for that I am grateful. After watching Saltimbanco I realized, no matter how much I wanted to become a gymnast these people have managed to take things to a whole 'nother level. Their flexibility and strength are sub-human. Ask the super strong guy "Arnold Swarchenegger" who literally lifted a guy his size using his NECK. Yup, his neck...look ma no hands! It was crazy. That's as much of a spoiler I'm giving, the rest of the acts you've got to see for yourself!

The bu and I were lucky enough to score VIP tickets from a fantabulous friend, that meant we were seated right where the action was. We literally had cast members walking up and down the aisle in front of us. The bu actually had to sit up straight one time because Eddie was on his way over. Luckily neither of us were chosen to go on stage but props to the dad who did. His son's reaction was priceless. He will be hero for many years to come.

Another perk of the VIP area was that you get to enjoy food during the break. Since we ran from Shang, got stuck in traffic and ran to the Arena there was no eating time in between. Lucky for us there was complimentary grub from Manila Hotel.

 We ate our fill and enjoyed the rest of the show. It was quite an experience and I'm sure Hoopla has more in store for all of us! I can't wait!!!

Just a few more days left so get your tickets now, you wouldn't want to miss this opportunity!

SHOW INFORMATION:

Venue:Mall Of Asia Arena

Show Schedule (August 9-19, 2012):

Thursday, August 9 at 8:00 PM

Friday, August 10 at 4:00 and 8:00 PM
Saturday, August 11 at  4:00 and 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 12 at 1:00 and 5:00 PM

Tuesday, August 14 at  8:00 PM

Wednesday, August 15 at  8:00 PM
Thursday, August 16 at  8:00 PM
Friday, August 17 at  8:00 PM
Saturday, August 18 at  4:00 and 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 19 at 1:00 and 5:00 PM

Ticket Prices:

                                                  ADULT                    CHILD

VIP                                         Php 10,500                  Php 8,400

PATRON CENTER                           7,500                         6,000

LOWER BOX CENTER                     5,500                         4,500

PATRON SIDES                              5,500                          4,500

LOWER BOX SIDES                        3,500                          2,800

UPPER BOX                                    2,500                          2,000

GA                                                  1,200                             960

Purchase your tickets here:

www.cirquedusoleil.com/saltimbanco, www.hoopla.ph and www.smtickets.com or by calling +632-470-22-22.

Saltimbanco another day...

I've always loved productions. The choreography, the sounds, the lights, the drama. They're just so much fun to watch. I think part of the reason why I loved the time I spent in London was because I was able to watch so many musicals. Almost everything on my list was crossed out, plus some other shows I didn't think I'd watch. :) Sadly I wasn't able to watch the All Male Swan Lake. That would have been nice. hehe...

Anyway, a really awesome friend of mine who I loosely call my best friend since I talk to her the most out of my HS Barkada invited my to watch the premier of Cirque du Soleil's Saltimbanco and I was over the moon! :D You have to understand, I had been perstering her about tickets since the press conference ages ago and she would not commit! hahahaha...Now that that's in perspective you can now understand how excited I was when she called me to tell me she had tickets for me! Yaaaaay! Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco here we come!!!

                                      

Or so we thought...

Much thanks to the habagat, plans had to be changed and well...sadly we weren't able to go. Until yesterday early afternoon I was stranded at home, the floods outside our village were high and well I wasn't the type of person who would walk into floodwater. Not that type of girl!

view from the main road

Floods effectively kept us home
***photos from Facebook

So imagine the stress I must have given best-friend Val, I kept calling her to tell her we couldn't make it, then we could, then we couldn't. Sorry best friend! Didn't mean to add to your stress. Hehe...

So wan't to know why I was so excited to watch Saltimbanco? Let me tell you about it...

Saltimbanco is Cirque du Soleil’s longest-running touring show and has performed since 1992. That means  a whole lot of people have already watched the show and have enjoyed it. I don't think it would have lasted this long if it wasn't awesome.

According to research, Saltimbanco has a cast of 50 high-caliber artists hailing from 20 different countries,  featuring breathtaking acrobatics and unbelievable athleticism during solo spotlights and epic ensembles. 

I remember the time the bu and I watched Varekai. It was so awesmazing that we couldn't stop talking about it. Apparently this show is a much bigger production. Their costumes, make up and set design is just so colorful and vibrant and that's just one aspect of the show. Then they start doing their stunts and you just sit there. Awe-struck. 

Don't believe me...let me show you...

That's just a sneak peak at some of the things you will see in Saltimbanco. So if I were you, I'd go on out and get myself a ticket. I'm sure it going to be worth your money.

SHOW INFORMATION:

Venue:
Mall Of Asia Arena

Show Schedule (August 9-19, 2012):
Thursday, August 9 at 8:00 PM
Friday, August 10 at 4:00 and 8:00 PM
Saturday, August 11 at  4:00 and 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 12 at 1:00 and 5:00 PM
Tuesday, August 14 at  8:00 PM
Wednesday, August 15 at  8:00 PM
Thursday, August 16 at  8:00 PM
Friday, August 17 at  8:00 PM
Saturday, August 18 at  4:00 and 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 19 at 1:00 and 5:00 PM

Ticket Prices:

                                                  ADULT                    CHILD

VIP                                         Php 10,500                  Php 8,400

PATRON CENTER                         7,500                        6,000

LOWER BOX CENTER                 5,500                         4,500

PATRON SIDES                             5,500                         4,500

LOWER BOX SIDES                     3,500                         2,800

UPPER BOX                                   2,500                         2,000

GA                                                   1,200                            960

Purchase your tickets here:

www.cirquedusoleil.com/saltimbanco, www.hoopla.ph and www.smtickets.com or by calling +632-470-22-22.

                                             

Are you excited for Fuerza Bruta already? If you aren't then check this out...

Fuerza Bruta: Brute Force

Nope, this post has nothing to do with beating people up. I have no need for physical violence in my life. Zen. Wooozah. :D

I am a show-whore, that just sounds wrong, I love watching productions. Plays, musicals, performances, concerts. I still dream of watching a world class ballet. I loved Cirque du Soleil and am excited for Saltimbanco, the new one coming to Manila, but more about that in another post. So imagine my excitement when my bestfriend told me about Fuerza Bruta. Ok, I admit at first I was confused, what the h*ll is Fuerza Bruta. But after much research I realized this show is gonna be awesome. Why might you ask? Well let me just walk you through everything I know about Fuerza Bruta.

Fuerza Bruta, or when translated means Brute Force, is an interactive theatrical experience that originated in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2005. It is a non-stop collision of dynamic music, visceral emotion, and kinetic aerial imagery that resembles nothing less than a fantastic interactive theatrical experience. Too many big words? Let me show you...

Not your typical show, Fuerza Bruta breaks tradition. Shunning spoken language and theatrical convention, it is an event where worlds collide and reality takes a back seat. Audiences are engulfed in a 360 degree spectacle featuring mind-blowing visual effects within inches of the audience that must be seen to be believed - a man running full throttle on a giant treadmill, bursting through a series of moving walls; tumbling performers suspended in mid-air and gorgeous women twisting ethereally in a clear pool suspended overhead.

Founded by some of the creators of the international sensation De La Guarda, including Diqui James (De La Guarda Co-founder/Co-creator); Gaby Kerpel (De La Guarda Composer/Musical Director); Alejandro Garcia (De La Guarda Technical Director) and Fabio Daquila (De La Guarda Production Supervisor). You may not be familiar with these names, but I assure you they are important. Won't take my word for it? Then why don't we ask some of Diqui James' fans? Leonardo DiCaprio, Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Cameron Diaz, Sting, Britney Spears, Harrison Ford, Tyra Banks, Robert DeNiro, Catherine Zeta Jones, Sandra Bullock, Lucy Liu, Demi Moore, Lil Wayne, Jessica Alba, Fergie, Beyonce, Rachel McAdams, Jude Law, John Legend, Tyra Banks, Shakira, Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Serena Williams, Ashton Kutcher, Kanye West and more. I already sent them all facebook messages and am just waiting for them to send me their testimonials. Haha...feeling close.

But seriously, a hit around the world, Fuerza Bruta has been enjoyed by audiences from New York where it ran for 4 years in Broadway, Chicago, Miami, Puerto Rico, Caracas,Sao Paulo, London, Bilbao, Lisboa, Berlin, Madrid, Moscow and Taipei. And we get the chance to see it too. Hoopla Inc, the company responsible for bringing in Cirque du Soleil is once again treating Filipinos to world class entertainment without having to leave the country. How awesomely exciting right?

So I will see you there! :) We will be in awe and then we will get drunk because I haven't even told you about the best part. The show ends with a techno dance party.

Fuerza Bruta will be at the Manila Hotel Tent City. It will run for 6 weeks starting Feb. 14, 2012.

Show Schedules:
Monday to Thursday: - 8 PM
Friday and Saturday - 8 PM and 11 PM
Sunday - no show!

Ticket Prices are as follows:
Weekdays - Php 2,500
Weekends - Php 3,000

For more information and tickets visit Hoopla