Blogging at Cirque du Soleil

Update: The new pictures can be found here.

I don’t really know how to announce this, so I’ll just do it straight up: Cirque du Soleil has handed M-C two press passes to blog the premiere of Delirium, its new live music and performance event, and she has decided to take me. This is the first time Cirque du Soleil has allowed citizen journalists to blog, podcast, and vlog the event as journalists. Ever.

What does this mean, on a practical basis? It means Marie-Chantale Turgeon of Vu d’Ici fame and myself are attending this event as press. It also includes backstage access before the show, for the purpose of interviews or whatever. (All credit goes to M-C for this. She did all the work and deserves the attention.) While I don’t know much of the details, I suspect that Cirque has decided to do this because the organization hopes to open this kind of participation to the public at large. This would be amazing for publicity, not to mention making the company look great in the eyes of the public.

Anyone who listens to my podcast knows that I see very little difference between producers and consumers of content. I see the only barrier as being a mental one, and even that has mostly been created by media organizations who are preventing access to their transmitters. So I’m happy to be working with an organization that is embracing the culture that we, on the web, are so accustomed to.

One of the strongest arguments for such an opening, in my opinion, is that the hugest fans of the arts are generally not the journalists themselves. Day in and day out, fans of Cirque du Soleil are discussing arcane topics on message boards that most journalists would get lost in anyway. I say: why not let that enthusiasm carry over into the public portrayal of your projects? Cirque: These people love you! And bloggers are producing more important, funny, and insightful content than they ever have – let yourself be a part of where the world is going.

On my end, I’m extremely excited to be producing content that both newbies and existing fans of Cirque du Soleil can find exciting and informative. If you have any opinions or comments, please let us know!

(Also see M-C’s post on the event, in English and French.)


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9 responses to “Blogging at Cirque du Soleil”

  1. C.C. Avatar

    This if VERY cool news!!! Can’t wait to see what you guys come away with!

  2. [insert clever name] Avatar

    Whatever you do, be shure to NOT miss the legendary coke-transvestite-midget filled afterparty. I hear they usually take care to not allow press inside so compromising celebrity pics won’t end up in the Journal de Montréal. Just thought I’d let you know.

  3. Alastair Avatar
    Alastair

    Great news – do what you love and the money will come…

  4. Cirque du Blogs

    Tonight, a new Cirque du Soleil show, Delirium, will premiere at Montreal’s Bell Center. From the press packet, the show looks to be more music-focused than Cirque’s already very musical productions … if I’m reading it right, at least some…

  5. [insert clever name] Avatar

    skipper has a compound sentence problem

  6. Chris Avatar

    Nice one Julien!
    I watched a DVD of Cirque de Soleil’s “Dralion” not so long ago – It was amazing.
    I’m sure you’ll enjoy the show and do a great job of covering it.

  7. Tom A Avatar
    Tom A

    Cirque’s Delirium is to Cirque what brussel sprouts are to a great steak; what Austin Powers is to Dirty Harry. Delirium is NOT what Cirque has been about. Almost no acrobats. Just 90 minutes of monotone music with heavy percussion.

    Not a WOW moment in the entire show. Not one. I’ve been to 4 other Cirque shows. They are true to form. This one is a sucker punch.

    Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away. Stay away.

  8. Marie Avatar
    Marie

    Delirium is not supposed to be filled with a ton of acrobatics, it is a musical concert/performance.

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