Odysseo, the new show from Cavalia, wowed me.
Under the world’s largest touring tent, 52 performers and 66 horses put on a true spectacle. Horses gallop, riders perform stunts, aerialists and gymnasts fly through the air and the high-tech theater morphs from landscape to landscape.
Odysseo’s digital and real scenery creates breathtaking moments, in service of the equestrian and human performances. A live band and singer transport you to an otherworldly place where man and horse encircle one another sometimes madly, sometimes sedately.
The humans on stage put on a great aerial and acrobatic performance, designed by a former Cirque du Soleil collaborator. Seven-year-old Caitlyn was enthralled, watching the show from the edge of her seat: “They do really cool tricks that can be kind of scary because the people do flips.” Caitlyn’s favorite part of the show was, in fact, the “guys in vests” (the acrobatics).
The horses on the other hand are at times completely under the control of their handlers, and at other times seemingly walking or running free, which is thrilling to see. Of course, when the high-speed, circus-style tricks begin, it is evident that the horses and handlers trust one another completely.
Both the riding stunts and the groundwork with the horses are impressive; trainers use voice and gesture commands throughout the show to control the horses. As Caitlyn notes, “The horses listen to the instructor and are really cool because they do things you don’t expect, like when they went in a line and went around in a pinwheel.”
For anyone who has ever had an attachment to horses, this show is a must-see. The technical training and detailed horse-human communication on display is captivating. Also, the beautiful and powerful animals are shown at their best with technical gait changes, complex steps and voice control, which will mean a great deal to anyone who has enjoyed the company of horses.
Fans of Cirque du Soleil should consider seeing Odysseo as well. There are impressive floor routines as well as aerial work on bars, ribbons and hoops and the technical aspects of the show are of the same scale as the Cirque shows.
At the end of the two-and-a-half-hour show, you’ve been treated to a complete spectacle, in the true sense of the word.
Photo credits: François Bergeron.
