This is the first time The Beatles have teamed up to
do a major theatrical partnership after carefully guarding
its popular music for decades, said Neil Aspinall, managing
director of the band's Apple Corps label.
The deal for the joint venture was reached this week
between Cirque du Soleil, Apple and The Mirage, said
Bill McBeath, the hotel-casino's president and chief
operating officer. The yet untitled show is expected
to cost more than $100 million and should be ready in
about 20 months, he said.
The Beatle's Apple Corps Ltd., Cirque du Soleil and
the MGM Mirage in Las Vegas have struck a deal to produce
a unique interpretation of the music we all cherish.
Scheduled for an April 2006 opening, the Cirque du Soleil
will perform the Beatles music at a new 2,000-seat theatre
to be built at The Mirage. It is the first major theatrical
performance of the Beatle's music ever allowed. The
project was envisioned by George Harrison before his
death arising from his friendship with Cirque du Soleil's
founder Guy Laliberte. The joint venture has been formed
with the complete cooperation of Paul McCartney and
Ringo Starr, as well as George's widow Olivia and John's
widow, Yoko Ono.
According to Gilles St-Croix, the Cirque du Soleil vice
president of creation in charge of the production, the
show will feature characters from the Beatles songs
like "Eleanor Rigby, "Nowhere Man" and
"I am the Walrus". The show is expected to
cost $30million to produce.
The new show will be the 5th resident Cirque du Soleil
in Las Vegas. It will replace the MGM Mirage's Siegfried
& Roy show shut down a year ago after animal trainer
Roy Horn was severely injured by a tiger.
Another draw was The Mirage's commitment to building
a new theater. McBeath said the theater, under construction
since August, will hold about 2,000 people and offer
360-degree seating.
The theater replaces the one in which the German illusionists
performed for about 13 years before Roy Horn was nearly
killed Oct. 3, 2003, by one of his tigers. Since the
mauling, The Mirage has been without its signature act.
The show not only fills a major entertainment void at
The Mirage, the mega resort that helped redefine Las
Vegas, it adds another high-dollar extravaganza to bolster
the city's pitch as the entertainment capital of the
world.
Caesars Palace built Celine Dion a $95 million theater
for her "A New Day" show, which Concerts West
produced for $30 million. "The Phantom of the Opera,"
one of the most successful shows in the history of Broadway,
is coming to The Venetian hotel-casino in 2006; and
the Tony Award-winning musical "Avenue Q"
will open in September 2005 at the Wynn Las Vegas resort.
Cirque du Soleil recently announced a new $165 million
show at the MGM Grand called "KA."
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte didn't reveal
much about the 90-minute Beatles show, other to say
it would contain the Canadian company's famous acrobatics
and be a celebration of Beatles music.
It will a homecoming of sorts for The Beatles. The band
last played Las Vegas in 1964, playing two performances
at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Sir George, who will oversee the music element of the
show, said today, "After spending more than 40
years of my life working with The Beatles and their
wonderful music, I am thrilled to be working with them
once again, on this exciting project with Cirque du
Soleil. The show will be a unique and magical experience."
While the project has the approval of Sir Paul McCartney,
Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, Paul and
Ringo will not appear in the production. "It is
a fantastic project for us and I personally am excited
to collaborate with such a great creative team,"
Paul McCartney said. "How excited can I get --
The Beatles, Cirque du Soleil, an incredible venue in
Las Vegas - what could be better," said Ringo.
"I'm looking forward to the first show 'cause I'm
going to be there and I hope you are too."
Apple Corps Ltd. was founded by The Beatles in 1968
to look after the group's own affairs. The London-based
company has administered the catalogue of The Beatles
releases of the 1960s that have sold to date more than
600 million records, tapes and CDs. Since the 1990s
Apple has piloted new Beatles projects that have become
benchmarks for pioneering accomplishment and which have
included The Beatles Anthology projects, the 26 million-selling
album The Beatles 1 and the acclaimed Let It Be Naked
CD. Further information on The Beatles' projects can
be found at
www.thebeatles.com.
