Yesterday, Cirque du Soleil announced that they will bring a new production to Radio City Musical Hall next summer. They've yet to provide the show's name (or much other information, for that matter), but their official press release does lay out the creative team, including director Francois Girard (The Red Violin, Silk) and composer and musical director Nick Littlemore (protégé of Elton John). The New York Times gives us a bit more information, noting that there will be a cast of more than 70 performers and a budget of $50 million.
With this new production, Cirque du Soleil continues their effort to gain a foothold in New York. Earlier this year, the international company suffered its first major failure with "Banana Shpeel", abandoning their typical methods in favor of a more traditional, Vaudeville-style variety show. This new production, however, will return to the tried-and-true acrobatic extravaganza, thematically unified by a single concept.
Currently, Cirque plans to run the show for the next four summers. If they even come close to their past successes, the Radio City location will be an ideal spot to tap the tourist market. This new production could very well be the permanent New York presence the Montreal-based troupe has been seeking.
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