Red carpet action from Australian premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia
Cirque du Soleil’s latest spectacle made its Melbourne debut under a Big Top packed with stars – one of whom unexpectedly became part of the show. SEE THE PICTURES
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Celebrities converged under the Big Top for the premiere of Cirque du Soleil’s latest spectacle, Luzia, at Flemington Racecourse on Wednesday night.
Luzia, a journey through culture and nature, is set in an ‘imaginary Mexico’ and features Cirque’s famous acrobatic performances, as well as hoop divers, jugglers, trapeze artists, contortionists, aerialists and stunning sets.
In a Cirque first, Luzia also incorporates rain. To achieve a tropical downpour during the show, a ‘rain curtain’ in the ceiling of the Big Top sends 100,000 litres of water to the stage below.
Guests at Luzia’s opening night show included Kate Ceberano, Richard Wilkins, Billy Slater, Nathan Buckley, Marcus Bontempelli, Eddie Betts, Jack Viney, Brooke Blurton, Chloe Hayden and Totti Goldsmith.
Footy greats Campbell Brown and Billy Brownless spoke on the red carpet about the “off the books” drug testing scandal engulfing the AFL.
“You hope these things aren’t going on in football, but if it is, there’s no place for it,” Brown said.
Bontempelli said it was the first time he had attended a Cirque du Soleil production and he was looking forward to seeing the elite acrobatics.
Goldsmith had more of an idea of what to expect: “I’ve seen shows in America, I’ve seen them here and I’m so excited about tonight. There’s nothing like it.”
Buckley’s partner, Brodie Ryan, took to Instagram afterwards to rave about the show as a “family outing must”.
Ceberano similarly posted: “The new Cirque du Soleil show ‘Luzia’ is my absolute favourite! The music, the singer, the comics, the colour, the gifted artists that fall from the ceiling, contort and create so much beauty with their bodies.
“They make the impossible seem so easy. Absolutely mesmerising.”
Ceberano inadvertently became part of the show when the central clown character ordered her to swap seats with another attendee, eliciting laughs from the crowd.
This year, Cirque marks its 25th anniversary of touring shows in Australia. The company says Luzia is its most ambitious production.
It’s on under the Big Top at Flemington Racecourse until May 26.
Battle for Prahran heats up as anxious Labor braces for huge swing in Werribee
Thousands of voters have streamed into polling booths in Melbourne’s inner-east and west as the fight for the seat of Prahran fires up and the Allan government braces for the Werribee by-election.
Home in Pentridge Prison’s ex-Woollen Mill locks in a sale
A townhouse within the former Pentridge Prison’s Woollen Mill, featuring its very own guards’ watchtower and an underground cellar, has proved popular at an auction today.