Emmy award-winning Cirque du Soleil is bringing its international hit production, Dralion, to HSBC Arena in Buffalo, October 27-31. From its humble beginnings in 1984 as street performances in Montreal, Cirque du Soleil’s mission has always been to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the world. With Dralion, the company fuses ancient Chinese circus traditions with Cirque’s well-known avant-garde style. The show takes on a futuristic dimension, where time is suspended and magical laws rule the land. The set, the costumes and the music are all blends of Eastern and Western cultures, creating something that is meant to heighten every sense of their audience members.
Even the name, Dralion, is a hybrid of Eastern and Western cultures, drawing upon two primary symbols of those cultures, respectively: the dragon and the lion. Additionally, the show centrally focuses on the four elements–Earth, Air, Fire and Water–as depicted by the main
characters through their acrobatics and individual colors in their costumes.
This show is what Cirque du Soleil is best known for: gravity-defying acrobatics set against
a backdrop of stunning visual showcases and soulful musicality that offer the audience a truly unique and globalized experience. Perhaps the defining piece for Dralion is the show’s wall, which spans the full length of the stage.
This metallic piece is suggestive of a futuristic Chinese temple or a giant plate of medieval armor, covered in perforated aluminum tiles with six giant claws attached to the structure that allow artists to climb and suspend themselves in mid-air.
Since 1999, Dralion has been one of Cirque du Soleil’s signature productions, acclaimed by more than seven million people worldwide. After many years of performing under a big top, Dralion will now be presented for the first time in arenas throughout the United States and Canada.
For tickets, visit www.hsbcarena.com/upcoming.asp or for more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.