BWW Reviews: CAVALIA - This Year's Must-See Show!

Cavalia opened in Sydney under the White Big Top at Moore Park this past Wednesday night to a full house ready to be entertained. If the standing ovation and the rapturous applause is anything to go by, I was not alone in feeling entertained and in awe of this spectacular show.

Cavalia is an amazing mix of the gravity-defying acrobatics you would expect from a Cirque du Soleil show and the poise and skill of both trainers and horse alike in Olympic Equestrian events. The show pays tribute to the relationship between humans and horses throughout history with special emphasis on their harmony and cooperation with each other.

In all honesty, I attended eagerly anticipating the acrobatic magic I knew a show created by Normand Laturelle (co-creator of Cirque du Soleil) would have but somewhat expecting to be a tad bored during the more horse-oriented dramatic and beautiful moments. I couldn't have been more wrong.

The show starts with some audience participation through a multiple-choice quiz, which taught us about the show we were about to see. We learnt the 47 horses ranged from 20 year olds to an adorable 9 month old who makes a brief but very cute cameo. There were of course other facts revealed but I won't spoil all the answers! You will have to go see the show for yourself! It was an effective way to gather the audience's attention as well as to provide some education for those who, like me, can't tell one type of horse from another.

I must admit, following the quiz, the show did start a little slowly and it took probably about 20 minutes for me to be truly engaged and enthralled but from that moment I couldn't look away. The riders, dancers and aerialists performed feats I wouldn't have thought possible and all to the soundtrack of powerful and entrancing live music.

The sound and lighting was used to great success to support the development and beauty of this great show. With images projected onto the curtains, walls and floors matched beautifully by appropriate music and sound effects, the stage seemed to truly transform in each scene from season to season and from one magical place and time to another.

When it's all said and done though, the show is about horses and it was they who stole the show. The trainers must be commended for the precision and beauty of their horses and the aerialists were incredible and almost un-human in what they can achieve but it was the horses themselves who gave the show the emotion and spectacle that makes Cavalia stand out. Cavalia cements itself as one-of-a-kind and a must see piece of theatre.

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WHAT: Cavalia: A Magical Encounter Between Human and Horse WHEN: Opened May 15, 2013; Extended until June 2, 2013 TIMES: Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm

Saturday matinee at 3pm and Sunday matinee at 2pm.
WHERE: Under the White Big Top, on The Showring at the Entertainment Quarter in

Moore Park
TICKETS: Available at www.cavalia.com.au or by calling 1800-765-955. $44.00 to $305.00 +

applicable taxes and fees. Special pricing and packages also available for groups,

children (2-12), juniors (13-17) and seniors (65+).

INFO: www.cavalia.com.au