For milennia, humans and horses have shared a special bond. A new production from the Quebec-based Cavalia aims to tell story of mankind’s long and complex relationship to these majestic creatures.
Odysseo, the touring program from the Canadian equestrian and acrobatic performance troupe, premiered in 2011 and this week made its debut in San Jose.
The $30 million production is bigger than its previous entertainment, with over 100 tour buses, 65 horses and 48 performers, including riders, acrobats and musicians. Artistic director and creator Normand Latourelle says Odysseo is a show unlike any other.
“I think it’s the best show that people can witness, ever,” Latourelle says.
The man has a point. Latourelle, who helped Cirque Du Soleil get up and running in its early years, came up with the concept to combine high-flying acrobatics with equestrian performance, founding the company in 2003. This majestic merger has paid off in spades for Latourelle. It turns out combining the splendor of galloping horses, awe-inspiring acts of trick riding, amazing acrobatics and a talented musical ensemble all add up to one hell of a show.
And that’s not even mentioning the 40,000 gallons of water used to create a false lake beneath Odysseo’s traveling big-top tent. After intermission, and an inspiring musical number, unseen pumps flood the theatre’s dirt floor—setting the stage for a wet and wild display.
In addition to the equestrian stars and their talented riders—who performed numerous impressive stunts and death-defying acts in the saddle—the show was made ever more exciting by a collective of talented gymnasts, who kept the crowd gasping and clapping in between the acts of horsemanship.
The group stacked itself into human pyramids, led the audience in a massive drum circle chant and wowed with their flips and handspring maneuvers.
The company’s first production, Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse has been touring since then, playing to more than 40 million spectators.
