Search - Cirque du Soleil: Alegria on DVD

A Passionate, Dramatic, Explosive performance

Amanda | Dallas, Texas | 05/26/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unlike more recent Cirque du Soleil shows, Alegria was filmed later in its tour, after it got to Australia. Not only did this allow for the performers to hone their skills and for the show to "settle into itself" and mature, but also allowed for Cirque to build up its reputation and its resources to give the filmed version of Alegria the treatment it deserves.

While no recording can completely capture the true feeling of a live show, Alegria's recording is satisfying and feels like a complete experience of the show. While the picture can be a little gritty at points, it's pretty clear most of the time and the lighting feels like you're actually part of the audience. The camera work is also surprisingly well-done, capturing the acts just enough that they make sense. The biggest issue that many recordings of live shows tend to have is rapid camera changes (we're talking a different camera angle every five seconds), but thankfully, this doesn't seem to be much of a concern in Alegria. Even if the camera changes were as rapid as in other recordings, it just didn't seem to bother me as much here.

The show itself is as beautiful and passionate as anything fans can expect from Cirque. The world of Alegria is populated with unique and engaging characters such as the soprano "Singer in White" and her antithesis and back-up "Singer in Black;" not to mention the acrobatic Bronx, the cooky Old Birds, the ringmaster Fleur, the playful Nymphs and the colorful Tamirs. Some of my favorite acts include the "Fast Track," trapeze-like "High Bar," contortion-laden "Hoops," and "Russian Bars."

One of the most loved Cirque shows, Alegria is a centerpiece of the company and stands as one of the most beautiful, passionate shows Cirque has ever put out."