Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA arrives in NYC with an exciting partnership with Stag’s Leap Winery. The show displays Mexican culture in a fury of song, dance, and color that transports to another realm.
I was one of the few individuals who had never had the pleasure of attending a Cirque du Soleil show. It had always been in my periphery, but I was never particularly a circus guy. Little did I know that this was no ordinary circus and that it stretched beyond the definition of the word, pushing it to new heights and culminating in a show that was a festival of sights, sounds, colors, storytelling, and culture.
Stags’ Leap Winery 2023 Napa Valley Chardonnay and Stags’ Leap Winery 2022 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Here, México comes alive, but beyond the taste of the vibrant art and culture of the country, you also witness human spirit and endurance as the performers push the limits of what their bodies are able to do. LUZIA is an otherworldly experience that redefines the genre.
Before the show, I got the opportunity to enter the VIP area to meet with several of the show’s PR, talk to performers, and try some small bites and drinks. I learned that the word LUZIA came from a combination of the word “luz”, which means “light” in Spanish, and the word “luvia”, meaning rain. What absolutely stole my attention was the stellar wine provided by Cirque’s partner, Stags’ Leap Winery, based out of Napa Valley. I tried two vastly different wines, each amazing in their own regard; a golden Chardonnay with exotic fruity and floral notes, and a Cabernet Sauvignon with a deep, spicy, woodsy, berry-infused flavor.
The brilliant water act,
Courtesy of Cirque du Soleil
I personally preferred the Chardonnay, and I sipped it lightly as a representative from Stags’ detailed how the unlikely partnership between the winery and Cirque du Soleil came to fruition. She explained how although the two companies have vastly different products, they both strive to embody the same idea: “taking the leap”, like a stag when cornered by a hunter or a trapeze artist forty feet in the air. Both companies embrace adventure and the pursuit of the extraordinary, and I soon understood just how fitting this partnership was: both LUZIA and Stags’ take a leap into the unknown with their products.
In time, after I had greedily eaten several vegan empanadas with roasted pineapple salsa, the show was set to start. I grabbed my drink and bucket of popcorn, and once I was settled into my seat in the dark room, I eagerly awaited the first act. In no way was I prepared for what was to come, however. My first thought was that I did not realize how tethered to a story the acts would be. The plot loosely follows an individual (who remained the comedic relief for the show and was absolutely hilarious) who jumps out of a plane and lands in México, where he turns a key and activates the sights, sounds, and acts associated with Mexican culture.
Death-defying stilts,
courtesy of Cirque du Soleil
The story was a good way to tie together the acts, and it helped bring the show more meaning and cohesion. Regardless, it was an incredible sight to behold. The first ten minutes were simply breathtaking, featuring individuals clad in bright-colored outfits performing acrobatics on a treadmill set to a lush soundtrack. Most of the music in the show was live, and it added so much to the 3-dimensionality and depth of the acts; all the music was sonically full, bombastic, and elevated the performances greatly.
Her solo in Spanish gave me goosebumps, courstesy of Cirque du Soleil
What followed were acts upon acts of amazing storytelling, surprisingly emotional moments, and death-defying adventures. I mentally winced as I watched a contortionist completely twist his body in ways that I did not even think possible, I felt amazed at a water act that twisted a waterfall into shapes such as flowers and fish in a way that was completely magical, I felt the weight on my heart as I saw a performer interact with a puppet jaguar taking a drink by a pool, and that same heart nearly jumped out of its body as acrobats flipped from swing to swing in a giant Russian Swing act. Each performance was separated by moments of a non-traditional “clown” that mimed and engaged the audience with funny and clever skits, or a Mexican singer performing a gut-wrenching solo that made me feel heartbreak for relationships I never had. Each act was unique, never stale, and encapsulated an aspect of Mexican culture in a way that made me appreciate the country tremendously. I couldn’t help but think LUZIA was not a show, but a work of art.
After the show, as part of the VIP press, I had the opportunity to take a peek backstage and learn what went on behind the scenes and what went into keeping such a large show running. I was able to grab pictures with several performers, and talk to them about their training and diet (I was not surprised to learn that everything was as stringent as possible, and preparations were intense and constant). The dedication that each individual possessed was the most impressive part; after a show, they discussed what could be improved in subsequent shows, or rewatched their performances to critique and improve, or trained physically. It seemed as if this was more than a job—they treated it like their own personal endeavor and achievement, and as if they had deep individual stakes in the success of the entire show. It was wildly refreshing to see them treat each other as family and grow together, and this only furthered my view that the show should be classified as art.
LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil is a masterclass in acrobatics, thrills, music, color, sound, writing, and culture. I was almost overwhelmed by how many emotions I felt in such a small span of time, as each act tugged at me in multiple ways and kept me engrossed and at the edge of my seat. This show stands absolutely alone in what it has managed to do. It is only in NYC for a little longer, and in America for a limited time as well, so I urge anyone who is into art and wants to take a trip to México to grab a decadent glass of Stags’ Leap and check out LUZIA as soon as possible.
