IT'S A NEW DAY WITH CIRQUE DE SOLEIL

Looking back, the Cirque de Soleil show,"Mystere" which opened in December 1993 was probably the most significant event in Las Vegas entertainment since the arrival of Elvis Presley as a regular headliner. The template for the successful contemporary Las Vegas high end resort (mixing clubs, fine dining, shopping and entertainment on equal footing with gambling) is generally believed to have started with the Mirage in 1989. But for its headliner, the property took an already well established act, "Siegfried & Roy," and built them a custom showroom. Obviously, that decision worked out brilliantly for Mirage but ducked the issue of how to move Las Vegas into more innovative entertainment than variety acts, topless showgirls and established headliners.
So, when next door to the Mirage, Treasure Island opened "Mystere" a few years later the time was more than ripe for something new, and instantly shows like "Splash" and "Jubliee!" become retro-Vegas. "Mystere" was Cirque's first free standing show (other Cirque shows toured North America) and this allowed the troupe unprecedented opportunities to innovate and create (staging, lighting and the unlimited potential of a custom theatre) that resulted in what is still thought to be the best of the French Canadian company's efforts in town.
After "Mystere"'s success Cirque became the most important entertainment creators in Las Vegas by becoming the go to team for MGM-Mirage properties. They now have four shows going. Anyway, the amazing thing is that "Mystere" is now more than a decade old and the production still seems fresh. And, yet because of its age, "Mystere" is the one Cirque show tourists even have a chance at getting things like ticket bargains and good last minute seats. Good deal.
In the most simplistic terms "O" (at Bellagio) is "Mystere" on water, "Zumanity" (at New York New York) is "Mystere" with pumped up overt sexuality, and "KA" (at MGM Grand) is "Mystere" built into a Hollywood blockbuster with magnificent and epic staging and scope. Each of the Cirque shows is really, really good in its own way. Still, if you can only see one of these shows, "Mystere" is the most integrated theatre work.
So, now back to the Mirage where, after the Siegfried & Roy show closed, the decision what to do next was now an entirely predictable one: Cirque. So, Cirque has show number five, as yet untitled (rumor is that the name of the new show will be Love), based on the music of the Beatles coming to the Mirage in late June or early July. This will be within weeks of when "Phantom of The Opera" opens at the Venetian. Interestingly this will put this latest installment of the Cirque empire into a head to head competition for attention with the latest chapter in the Broadway/Vegas nexus. Stay tuned. (The comments above, are excerpts from the Movable Buffet blogger).