Cirque du Soleil was founded in 1984 in Quebec, Canada. It is known as an entertainment group consisting of dancers, athletes, and street performers with world-class abilities, including Olympic medalists, as well as directors and artists.
This spring, the news came that “Hawaii’s first permanent Cirque du Soleil performance was to be held in Hawaii. On December 17, the world premiere was finally held at the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel, where the event was to take place, with a red carpet appearance by a number of luxurious guests.
This concept took two years to complete. The photo below left shows the theater under construction in May of this year, when we visited it with helmets on. This was the former site of the “Magic of Polynesia” dinner and show, but construction was underway on a completely new theater. The completed Outrigger Theater has 784 seats, providing a theater space where the audience can enjoy a sense of togetherness.
It was on the same day in May that the VIPs were gathered and the show’s official name was announced. First, the president and chief executive officer of partner Outrigger Hospitality Group and the Hawaii creative team, including producers and directors, greeted the guests, who were then treated to a live performance. The name of the show was then announced as “Auana.
Auana” is a Hawaiian word meaning “to embark on a new journey,” “to wander,” or “to go off the beaten path. To reflect the voice of the Hawaiian community, the team also includes costume designers Manaola Yap, a renowned designer who is familiar with Hawaiian mythology and creates patterns inspired by Hawaiian nature, and Hiva Vaan, one of Hawaii’s leading kumu hula Hiva Vaan, one of Hawaii’s most famous kumu hula, has also been featured.
The red carpet event for the December 17 world premiere was attended by the team and cast, as well as the Governor of Hawaii, “The Rock” actor Dwayne Johnson, Tokyo Olympics surfing gold medalist Carissa Moore, popular “Hawaii Five-0” drama actor, and “Moana 2″ movie voice actor. Moana 2” voice actors and others appeared one after another and thrilled the audience.
The show started with a full house. The show was composed of an innovative storyline incorporating hula, music, comedy, and Cirque du Soleil’s unique acrobatics and other performances. As he said at the press conference that he wanted to “respect the land of Hawaii and its people,” the story of the Hawaiian islands and their unique culture were beautifully expressed through breathtaking acrobatics and innovative visual techniques.
The production was a fast-paced 90 minutes of meticulously supervised depiction of the Hawaiian story, thrilling scenes, audience involvement, and tricks to bring the audience into the show.
The audience, mesmerized by the show, gave a standing ovation at the finale, and the applause didn’t let up for a while. The highlight of the show was, of course, the performance, but I also enjoyed the costumes, music, lighting, and stage design.
Cirque du Soleil’s “Auana” is the latest addition to Waikiki’s entertainment scene.
Performances are twice daily at 5:30pm and 8:30pm, Wednesday through Sunday at the Outrigger Theater located in the heart of Waikiki. Tickets are $69 and up (excluding tax and fees) with a 30% resident discount for Hawaii residents.
© Source travel watch
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