Let’s dispose of an immediate misconception: Cirque de la Symphonie is not affiliated with Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal-based company responsible for acrobatic spectacles in Las Vegas and the world.
No, this “circus of the symphony,” developed in 2004 after an experiment with the Houston Symphony, was created in Georgia by Athens’ Bill Allen, now director of CDLS, and Atlanta’s Alexander “Sasha” Streltsov, Allen’s co-founder and an aerial artist in the show.
The similarities to the other Cirques extend to marvelous contortionists and gymnastic feats, but that’s also where they end.
“They have great performances with colorful costumes and their own music written for their specific shows. It’s a giant machine,” Streltsov said last week. “We only perform with local orchestras and have regular costumes. When we get off the stage, people can actually recognize us. And there isn’t a story in our shows; it’s more of a concert, with each act fused together with the music. It’s a true collaboration between the orchestra and the cirque.”
On Saturday, CDLS will swing into Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Alpharetta with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. Michael Krajewski is conducting the presentation, which will include Streltsov’s magical cube-spinning act to “The Toreador Song” from "Carmen"; an aerial display with Streltsov and Christine Van Loo to the “Valse” from “Swan Lake”; and the German Wheel performance by Bruce Bilodeau to “Cortège de Bacchus” from “Sylvia.”
Krajewski, as so happens, was the conductor in Houston and throughout the years, as CDLS has expanded, remains one of Streltsov’s favorites.
The CDLS has grown tremendously from that first production in Texas, now touring nearly every weekend, and the background of the organization’s creation is an intriguing one.
Though he’s a native of Russia, Streltsov came to America to attend college at University of Georgia. A circus performer since the age of 12, Streltsov’s talents always resided more on stage in the air than in a tent. When he first came to America, he tried to work with local ballet companies, but never found a home in the “system.”
After leaving UGA to pursue performing, he went on tour with a different cirque company and while rehearsing in Cincinnati, conductor Erich Kunzel saw him flying over the stage and immediately thought of using Streltsov’s visual talents in a Cincinnati Pops Orchestra show.
Allen, meanwhile, was Streltsov’s guardian, agent and negotiator at the time and agreed to give it a try.
The show was a success and Kunzel began using Streltsov in shows around the country.
A random conversation with Kunzel’s manager one day instigated the possibility of using Streltsov’s talents to anchor a full company.
“[Bill and I] decided to give it a shot. Since I had been performing all over the world, I knew a lot of high-end performers and knew who would work and who wouldn’t,” Streltsov said. “There’s a good bit of acting involved and every performer has to have a musical ear and adapt to classical music and interpret that in cirque tricks.”
Most members of the cast are European and have other jobs during the week, usually performing at corporate events. Though Streltsov would like CDLS to broaden globally – they currently stage shows in Canada and Mexico as well as the U.S. – he recognizes the challenges since many of the performers have families.
But he’s happy that U.S. audiences of all generations are being exposed to music they might not typically seek out.
“This isn’t a kids show like a circus would be, but it’s still good for kids,” Streltsov said. “The one thing we learned through the years is not only are we presenting something unique, but we’re helping the symphony recruit new subscribers. We have such a colorful musical repertoire that kids not only get to see performers, but recognize the music as well.”
Concert preview
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: Cirque de la Symphonie
8 p.m. Saturday. $12-$35. Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park, 2200 Encore Parkway, Alpharetta. 1-800-745-3000, www.ticketmaster.com.
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