Review: Cirque du Soleil’s O, Las Vegas, Nevada
Cirque du Soleil’s O opened in late 1998 to mass acclaim. As a fan of the innovative French Canadian entertainment troupe, I was among the first to attend. I was enthralled and mesmerized, as water filled the stage for diving acts, then miraculously vanished, as performers deftly danced from water to solid ground. I remember thinking that O was the best Cirque du Soleil show to date.
Best Cirque du Soleil Show

In 2023, O celebrated its 25th anniversary, it remains as enchanting and magnificent as it ever was. I attended with my husband Richard, an artist and sculptor with an engineering mind. He truly understands the technical achievement O represents. It was an exciting and romantic evening, starting with dinner at The Mayfair Supper Club followed by time admiring the art of Richard MacDonald.
As we entered the theater, we were transported back to a 14th-century European opera house. Red curtains rose from stage level to the ceiling. As is the case with every Cirque show, the performance began while guests were still being seated. Two silly characters set the night in motion, as they clowned around amongst the crowd.

Soon enough, the curtains flew away like a giant scarf in the wind, disappearing into thin air. A beautifully surreal luminous lake was revealed in which the players would frolic and amaze us. The name O is a wordplay on the French word for water, eau. The “lake” is actually a 1.5-million-gallon pool of water that the entire show revolves around. Deep below the surface, thick glass windows allow for dramatic lighting and visual effects, as the story unfolds. The water comes and goes seamlessly, revealing a glacier-like land mass for terrestrial moments. Then the water returns throughout the performance.
The Magic of Cirque du Soleil
The scenic element of this aquatic show is a wonder unto itself. Add the music and the talent all rolled into one, and you end up with a spellbinding performance. In addition to an international cast of acrobats, contortionists and trapeze artists, O features brilliant high divers adept at aerial skills. Artistic swimmers slither through the water like mystical mermaids. Acts take place in, on, and above the water.

While each Cirque du Soleil show is loosely based on a single plot, the meaning is generally open for interpretation. It’s surreal, like a dream or a work of abstract art, designed to open up your mind. The amount of astounding acts keeps the show moving swiftly. It’s tremendously entertaining.
Favorite Acts
I loved the two clowns who first came out to capture the audience’s attention then reappeared throughout the show. The men in long red coats and the screaming brides (as I dubbed them) were also quite amusing. These endearing characters rushed from stage to proscenium, into the audience, often distracting us while the next act was simultaneously beginning. The art of diversion is skillfully used in this show, all the while offering a feast of live imagery and sensory overload. Then in an instant, serenity hits you. The stirring music soothes us, as we watch the red coat men atop carousel horses dangling from the ceiling. An aerialist high above performs, as the cast below engage in their own acrobatics and artful poses.

One of my favorite moments was yet another example of distraction. As a parade of characters marched around the proscenium, diverting our attention, a ship came into view high above the water. Hanging from the ceiling, the hull was like a steel skeleton. Needless to say, an aerial performance soon engaged us.
A hunched over ghoulish butler is a constant in the show, interacting with various characters throughout the performance. He makes his mark later in the show.
Fire & Water
A fire element brought a startling and rousing addition, but for me the high diving stole the show. Performers jumped from three large swings high above our heads. They danced, flipped, floundered and spun in the air then vanished into the liquid abyss. The most phenomenal act was a trapeze artist who balanced on her head about 50 feet up.

Another special moment was the appearance of three contortionists. They literally hung upside down, held in place by three aerialists, as they were flown into view. It was a beautiful sight. They landed on another glacier. Then bursts of water shot out from the lake all around the contortionists, as they continued to perform. Perhaps it was a tribute to the famed Bellagio water show?
One more act of note consisted of four male trapeze artists on rings dangling from the ceiling. Soon the brides joined in. While all this was happening, the ghoulish butler brought a box to the proscenium and climbed inside. As the aerialists continued to wow us, the box opened. The butler popped out seemingly transformed, dressed in all white and standing tall. Next, the lead female acrobat came out of the box. A piano appeared in the water, and the butler played while the lead character posed atop the baby grand. Slowly and sensually the piano, the pianist as well as the acrobat submerged into the lake and disappeared.
If you have not seen O, it is one of the best Cirque du Soleil shows. Bellagio Hotel & Casino, 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109; https://bellagio.mgmresorts.com