CAVALIA RAISES ITS WHITE BIG TOP IN SAN JOSE, OPENING NOW SCHEDULED FOR JULY 18

SAN JOSE, CA (Wednesday, 13 June, 2012)  – Traffic slowed to a crawl as an enormous new structure, gleaming white with fairy-tale spires towering ten-stories high, rose up in mere minutes next to Hwy 101 in San Jose. The fantastical White Big Top will become home to the Silicon Valley debut of Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse, opening in San Jose mid-July.

At the tent raising it was also announced that the innovative multi-media and multi-disciplinary production created by Normand Latourelle, one of the co-founders of famed Cirque du Soleil, will push back its San Jose premiere by a week, in response to overwhelming demand at its current engagement in Mexico City. Cavalia will now open in San Jose July 18, 2012, under its signature White Big Top, at the intersection of Hwy 101 and 87 East on the 101 Tech campus site, across Hwy 101 from the San Jose Airport. Tickets to Cavalia are available at www.cavalia.net or by calling 1-866-999-8111.

Besides the amazed drivers doing double-takes, a crowd of media were on hand June 13 to watch the White Big Top rise to its full height of 110 feet tall – over 10 stories. Spanning more than 26,000 square feet, Cavalia’s White Big Top accommodates a 160-foot wide stage, behind which a constantly changing digital background is projected onto a 200-ft.wide screen, drawing spectators into dream-like virtual environments. The gigantic stage area provides equestrian stars room to gallop completely free and express themselves in all their grace, strength, and beauty. Over the past nine years, Cavalia’s White Big Top has graced the skylines of the largest North American and European cities. Weighing more than 50 tons, The White Big Top has more than 71,400 square feet of canvas and seven trailers are required to transport it. It is the second-largest touring tent in North America – surpassed only by the one housing Cavalia’s sister production, Odysseo.

“We are delighted with our new home here in San Jose,” said Eric Paquette, spokesperson for Cavalia. “From the very beginning, Cavalia has been praised for its unique approach and revision of the traditional performance experience, and we feel a special connection with Silicon Valley, the birthplace of technological innovation.” Dean Rubinson of Ellis Partners LLC, the developers of 101 Tech campus site on which Cavalia will be staged added, “101 Tech is proud to host Cavalia’s premiere in San Jose.”
Enjoyed by some 3.5 million people, Cavalia is a lavish production involving 47 magnificent horses and featuring 38 riders, aerialists, acrobats, dancers and musicians from all over the world. A show unlike any other, Cavalia celebrates the relationship between humans and horses, virtually reinventing the equestrian arts.

Delightful, thrilling and poignant, Cavalia explores humankind’s longstanding relationship with the horse. Juxtaposed with the vibrancy of the production is a subtle thematic line that takes audiences through the evolution of horses and human’s interaction with them. Cavalia’s horse training is based upon a philosophy of understanding horses, rather than making horses understand the human beings around them. The tone of the show, embraced by the entire company, is one of mutual respect, kindness, patience, and trust. Audiences have found Cavalia exhilarating in scope yet touching in the compassion shown by both horse and human.

Cavalia has received critical acclaim from around the world, including The New York Times, which noted that the theme of Cavalia is “Celebrating horses, humans and their bond,” while O Magazine called the show “Breathtaking!” Jay Leno of The Tonight Show raved, “The greatest show I have ever seen!” The Washington Post exclaimed, “Impressive, highly refined, indeed a wonder,” and the San Francisco Chronicle affirmed “Cavalia takes horse play to a new level, even for non-horsey folk.”

TICKETS – For its exclusive run in San Jose, Cavalia will be presented under its signature White Big Top, at the intersection of Hwy 101 and 87 East on the 101 Tech campus site, across Hwy 101 from the San Jose Airport. Tickets are priced from $44.50 to $139.50 + applicable fees. For guests who desire an extraordinary outing, the show can be customized for an extended experience from $169.50 to $239.50, including a Horse Lovers Package that lets patrons tour Cavalia’s stables after the show, and the VIP Rendez-Vous Package that includes a cocktail/dinner reception, a post-show tour of the stables, and much more. Special pricing is also available for children (2-12), juniors (13-17), senior citizens (65+) and for groups.  

ABOUT CAVALIA INC. – Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Cavalia Inc. operates two separate touring shows, Cavalia and Odysseo, both of which marry the equestrian arts, stage arts and high-tech theatrical effects at never-before-seen levels. Cavalia, seen by some 3.5 million people across North America and Europe since its 2003 debut, celebrates the relationship between humans and horses by loosely recounting the evolution of this bond. Odysseo, which premiered in autumn 2011, takes the next step, leading viewers on a journey through some of the breathtaking landscapes horses have helped humans discover around the globe. Follow Cavalia Inc.’s latest developments at www.twitter.com/cavalia or www.facebook.com/cavalia.

ABOUT 101 TECH CAMPUS SITE - 101 Tech is a technology office development by Ellis Partners LLC of up to 956,000 square feet of new generation office space.

For Calendar Editors:
WHAT:          Cavalia
WHEN:          Premieres July 18, 2012
WHERE:     Under the White Big Top, at the intersection of Hwy 101 and 87 East on the 101 Tech campus site, across Hwy 101 from the San Jose Airport.
TICKETS:      Available at www.cavalia.net or by calling 1-866-999-8111. $44.50 to $139.50+ applicable fees.  Special pricing and packages also available for groups, children (2-12), juniors (13-17) and seniors (65+).
INFO:          www.cavalia.net

For Photo Editors:
High resolution photos can be downloaded from:  http://www.cb-pr.com/press/cavalia2012.html