If you are like myself I had been watching these tents building up on my way into work for weeks!  Well last night I got the opportunity to check out the Cavalia Odysseo show VIP style!  And let me just tell you it was AMAZING!!!  I could not wait to see what the heck is going on in all these HUGE tents, yep I am nosey and you are too!  So I am taking you inside!  Let’s go!

 

 

So the first tent we entered we were checked in and given out VIP lanyards, yep how cool!  LOL in this tent was a HUGE, gourmet buffet with smoked salmon, shrimp, tenderloin with chimichurri, hummus, and too many other dishes to mention!  As you should know by now I like to eat and there was never a shortage of food as we waiting to check out the next tent! While waiting for the show to start we sipped on cava and other wine and for those that do not drink there are plenty of options for you too!

 

 

 

 

Next tent!  The SHOW!!!  I am nervous because I am not sure what to expect or to smell let me tell those of you that wondered does it smell like the circus in there NOPE!  I would have never known that 65 horses are hanging out in this space!  Let me get to it!  So we are seated and of course with the VIP experience our seats are AWESOME!!!  But honestly there is not a bad seat in the place the way that its designed.  So the usher reminds us there will be NO phone usage during the show so turn it off!  On the the show!  It was absolutely amazing!  The horses and the artists are so in-sync it is like magic!  The music that accompanies each of the sets takes you on a journey that you will hate to see end!  I don’t want to give too much of the show away so I will stop there but I will tell you there is a intermission in which we were ushered back into the first tent and treated to decadent and delicious desserts!  After the intermission we went back into the main tent and watched the remainder of the show which again was AMAZING!

 

Oh wait another PLUS to the VIP experience is that after the show we were taken backstage and got to meet a few of the artists and take selfies with some of the BEAUTIFUL horses!  So check out the rest of my blog post for further details on the show and check out the link below to buy tickets and take advantage of 15% off promo code SOCIAL! Also, the show has been extended until May 7th so get there!! And of course!  Enjoy!

EVENING SCHEDULE

5:30PM
Arrival at the Rendez-Vous VIP Tent.

5:30PM to 7:00PM 
Gourmet buffet dinner & drinks at the Rendez-Vous VIP Tent.

7:00PM to 8:00PM
Odysseo Act One.

8:00PM to 8:30PM
Desserts at the Rendez-Vous VIP Tent.

8:30PM to 9:30PM
Odysseo Act Two.

9:30PM to 9:50PM
Backstage visit, selfies with horse and artist.

9:50PM to 10:15PM
Stables visit.

 

 

THE SHOW

Odysseo: Larger Than Life

The horse has marked human history and progress more than any other animal. Horses have taken us to the ends of the earth enabling us to build bridges between cultures and expand civilization. It is the beauty and harmony of this ancient relationship, this meeting of two worlds, those of horse and man, that inspired the creators of Odysseo. As friends, partners and inseparable performers on stage, 65 horses and 48 artists lead the viewer on a great journey in yet another world – a world of dreams where together they discover some of the planet’s most unforgettable landscapes.

Odysseo marries the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at never-beforeseen levels. A veritable revolution in live performance, Odysseo comprises a list of superlatives: the world’s largest touring production and traveling big top, the biggest stage, the most beautiful visual effects, and the largest number of horses at liberty. The creators of this ode to the horse made the decision to indulge their wildest artistic ambitions. Their gamble paid off: Odysseo pushes the limits of live entertainment by creating a larger-than-life show that sends hearts racing, but it is also a feast for the eyes that succeeds in delivering the spectacular with soul.

Scenography and Visual effects

To give life to this extraordinary equestrian adventure, a 17,500 square foot stage was created with a hill that rising three-stories tall. Some 10,000 tons of rock, earth and sand are trucked in and then sculpted to create the vast space of freedom where humans and horses come to play in complicity. Above the stage hangs an imposing technical grid capable of supporting 80 tons of equipment including a full-sized merry-go-round far beyond anything attempted to date on any touring show and comparable to the best-equipped theaters of Las Vegas, London or New York.

 ODYSSEO’S WHITE BIG TOP

Standing 125 feet tall, the White Big Top is a traffic-stopping addition to the skyline of each city Odysseo performs. When visitors enter, they are immediately transported into a lavish and intimate environment reminiscent of any permanent theatre. Following the instant success of the company’s eponymous show in 2003, creator and artistic director Normand Latourelle began to dream of how to break through the limitations of a big top tent. The biggest challenge was to open up the performance area. Latourelle knew that such unprecedented flexibility would allow him to showcase more horses and acrobats to create mind-boggling scenes. This involved removing supporting masts from the stage, a common staging issue in tent shows. A specially-designed big top was created in Europe, where the weight of the structure shifted from masts to three arches above the tent. The Italian firm Canobbio, in collaboration with Normand Latourelle, designed the tent and supervised construction. Asteo of France and Genivar of Canada oversaw engineering operations. The arches that support the massive structure were built by Show Canada. More than twice the size of the structure created for the first production, Odysseo’s White Big Top is the size of an NFL football field. The 17,500 square foot stage, larger than a hockey rink, and the 50 foot wide backstage area offers a vast playground for more than 30 cantering horses. The grandiose stage also offers incredible possibilities for large-scale staging. A total of five tents comprise the Odysseo village. The White Big Top houses the stage and backstage, seating and lobby areas under a single roof. The Rendez-Vous tent hosts VIP ticket holders for dinner, an open bar and photo opportunities with the artists. This package includes a private tour of the stables and the best seats in the house. The horses live in a climatecontrolled stable tent complete with showers, tack shop and a blacksmith department. Between the stables and White Big Top, the Warm-Up tent is where the riders rehearse with the horses before and after the show. This area also includes wardrobe, makeup and dressing areas for the human artists. A staff kitchen tent prepares more than 300 meals daily.

 

Assembly of the White Big Top

• There are 3 arches that support the White Big Top. Each arch consists of 8 sections that are 8 feet wide by 29 feet long. Once assembled, each arch is 88 feet high by 203 feet long.

• The masts of the big top have been specially engineered to be able to lift the arches into place.

• The canvas is held in place by 1,310 three-foot long stakes holding down the 250 anchor plates

• 26 motors are needed to raise the canvas onto the structure, resulting in the White Big Top.

• The length of all the steel cable used to attach the structure to the ground is equal to 3.6 miles.

 

FACTS ABOUT ODYSSEO

• Odysseo features 65 horses of 11 different breeds including the Appaloosa, Arabian, Quarter Horse, Canadian Horse, Canadian Warmblood, Holsteiner, Lusitano, Paint Horse, Percheron Hanoverian Cross, Selle Français and Spanish Purebred (P.R.E.).

• The horses are from Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Australia, the United States and Canada.

• There are 48 artists – riders, acrobats, aerialists, dancers and musicians.

• The artists are from around the world including the United States, Canada, Brazil, France, Guinea (Africa), Poland, Russia, Spain, Ukraine and Italy.

• There are 350 costumes and 100 pairs of shoes and boots in the show. Artists may have up to seven different costumes.

• An artist may have no more than 30 seconds to do a quick costume change between numbers.

• A team of 13 dressmakers, one property master, one designer and one shoemaker worked in the Odysseo studios to create the costumes.

• Materials used in the costumes include linen, silk, cotton, leather and some imitation fur. The use of natural fibers gives the clothes sheen and lets them fall in a way that synthetic fibers simply cannot match.

• The costumes are adapted to the artists’ needs, especially those of the acrobats and riders, to facilitate their onstage movement while not compromising their appearance.

• The on-tour costume department consists of one wardrobe person and three dressers who launders, mends and cares for the costumes. At times during the show, they juggle 15 simultaneous wardrobe changes. They have two sewing machines, one shoe-repair machine and one overlock machine.

 

ABOUT CAVALIA INC. – Cavalia Inc. is an entertainment company that specializes in the creation, production and touring of innovative shows. Founded by Normand Latourelle, the company reimagines the equestrian and theatrical arts. With its headquarters in Montreal, Cavalia Inc. is an integral part of Canada’s cultural heritage, and the largest Canadian-owned cultural enterprise. Its expertise in high technology, multimedia and special effects creates magical, unique, never-before-seen experiences. Its first show, Cavalia, has been seen by more than 4 million people across North America, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and Asia since its 2003 debut. Odysseo, the company’s second show, has toured to rave reviews and public acclaim since its 2011 premiere. Follow Cavalia’s latest developments at www.twitter.com/cavalia or www.facebook.com/cavalia. #OdysseoCHI
Read more at https://cavalia.com/press-release/odysseo-cavalia-raises-colossal-white-big-top-soldier-field-south-lot/#WWwM8fESIRpmLwTi.99