Prepare to be Wowed as Mesmerizing Performers Take the Stage
Written By: Sharon Sue Odysseo Cavalia Orange County
The $30 million touring equestrian production offers an assortment of entertainment for a variety of ages and interests: Acrobatics (in air, on land and in the water); singing; live orchestra; drums; dancing; and panoramic scenery with rain, snow and horses—lots of horses—65 to be exact. Horses that danced, rolled around on their backs like dogs, galloped, and did impressive formations. Riders who rode upside down and slid around the horse while it was galloping across the natural-habitat-looking stage. All this phenome takes place in a big white tent that houses a state-of-the-art video screen three times the size of the world’s largest cinema screens, as well as a three-story mountain for dazzling perspectives and a real lake, which magically appears at the end of the production due to cutting edge theatrical technology.
If you are searching for action, live music, variety and breathtaking feats, Odysseo is an “amazing” find to quote a gentleman in the audience. It would make an awesome Christmas gift for yourself, a loved one and/or a lucky family member!
This fast-moving production, which has no storyline, was previously in the area from February to April. It was extended from its original two-week schedule due to high demand. If you missed the original stint, I suggest you see the performance before it sells out again. And don’t worry, it hasn’t changed much due to its already perfected state, per Normand Latourelle, the creator and artistic director, who also cofounded Cirque Du Soleil. And how can you go wrong with so many beautiful horses?
Before this Orange County leg of the tour, the horses even experienced a vacation at a farm down in San Diego. They were able to run around open fields where they could play, bathe in the sun and roll around in the mud. “This interlude between shows is part of Cavalia’s horse care and training philosophy, which is based on understanding the needs, preferences, and emotions of the animals, and on mutual respect, kindness, patience, and trust, ” a recent Odysseo press release stated.
With a relaxing break before the show, the horses were ready to get back out there and perform with the group. A standout performance was the one in which a woman was controlling nine horses with merely words and hand signals. She had no whip and no physical contact with the horses, yet the horses obeyed all her commands—an amazing feat. The high-energy acrobats seemingly outperformed many Olympic gymnasts and the water finale was breathtaking and emotional.
There are a couple of caveats though: (1) the individual numbers and the overall show are somewhat long. From start to finish, including intermission, the production lasted two hours and 45 minutes—little tykes couldn’t take it. The Father behind me carried his sleeping son out on his shoulder. (2) The restroom lines are extremely long and for some took the full half-hour intermission to get through them.
However, if you can work around those two challenges, you’ll surely enjoy this aerialist, acrobatic and equestrian extravaganza that takes place on a 17, 500-square foot stage in a 125-foot-tall tent in Irvine, at the I-405 and SR-133 freeway junction.
Since its Montreal world premiere in 2011, the Odysseo cast has already mesmerized more than 2 million spectators in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Perhaps you’d like to be the next awestruck attendee. Call 866-999-8111 or go online to cavalia.net for more information and to purchase tickets.
Odysseo
16720 Laguna Canyon Road
Irvine, CA 92603
866.999.8111
*Spoiler Alert* Odysseo is Amazing
