After a seven-year hiatus, Cirque du Soleil has officially returned to Singapore. This time, through its dazzling production KOOZA.
On 29 Jan, a select group of guests were given a rare behind-the-scenes (BTS) look as its iconic Big Top, the main tent of a circus, was raised at Bayfront Event Space.
It marked a pivotal milestone in the setup of KOOZA; as the empty plot of land near Marina Bay Sands transforms into a fully operational performance venue ahead of the show’s opening day on 6 Feb.
Typically unseen by the public, the raising of the Big Top offered a striking visual of scale, precision, and teamwork behind one of the world’s most ambitious touring productions.
An unknowing individual may expect a spectacle, almost like a pre-show of sorts that would entertain and awe as the tent unfurls elegantly.
However, this expectation could not be further from the truth, and perhaps only exists in the movies.
The entire process of raising the massive tent took about 45 minutes and was executed in a clockwise direction comprising four quadrants.
Each quadrant required pure brute force as groups of grown men pushed the metal poles that were propping the Big Top into an upright position.
The structure, once completed, will seat up to 2,500 guests and takes approximately 10 days to fully assemble.
Meanwhile, the entire site itself will function as a self-contained performance village, comprising three main tents; the Big Top, the Concession Tent, and the Artistic Tent, alongside supporting infrastructure such as kitchens, offices, and a box office.
As a circus that tours globally, Cirque du Soleil crews must adapt to a wide range of environments, cultures, and teams who often speak different languages.
Nicolas Cormier, 35, a structure builder with Cirque du Soleil told MS News that coordinating with the local teams is always a challenge.
“Sometimes we hire up to 100 local workers, so we need to communicate clearly, show them what needs to be done, and make sure everything is done safely,” he said.
“It is challenging, but we manage it every time and create a beautiful show at the end.”
Even with the advancement of technology, he pointed out that manpower remains the main tool when it comes to building the Big Top.
For context, Mr Cormier shared that there are more than 200 people working onsite, and coming together to raise the Big Top when needed.
The work doesn’t simply stop once the Big Top is raised, as staff will still have to install the lights and sound systems, as well as building the spectator stands.
This year’s Big Top features a new grey-and-white design, reflecting a more eco-conscious approach compared with previous iterations.
Mr Cormier explained the reasoning behind the colour change for the tents.
“For the big top and all the tents before, we used to have more blue and yellow colours. Over time, we changed all three tents to white and grey,” he said.
“It’s a bit easier to keep them cool, uses less energy, and also makes managing the temperature inside a lot simpler.”
As expected, bringing together the Big Top and its supporting infrastructure is no small feat.
Mitko Hristov, 43, head of carpentry and props, shared some insight into the craftsmanship behind the props for the shows.
Source: Cirque du Soleil
When asked for an example of a carpentry challenge, Mr Hristov cited a scenario from two years ago when they had to rebuild all the teeter boards (an acrobatic apparatus that resembles a playground seesaw) as they were quite old.
More recently, the circus introduced a new juggling act in which his team had to build a new box in collaboration with the other teams.
“We collaborate with other teams every day. We also work closely with lighting and rigging, as well as others, and everything happens at the same time,” he added.
Sustainability also plays an important role in the crew’s workflow. “For example, we repainted the stage and made it shiny again, made it ‘Cirque du Soleil’. We do not just throw it away and build a new one.”
Image courtesy of Cirque du Soleil
“When a prop is no longer in use, we try to repurpose it. We keep it and turn it into something else. We also make a lot of things from scratch. Instead of throwing materials away, we keep and transform them,” Mr Hristov explained.
The Big Top raising in Singapore signalled that KOOZA is one step closer to welcoming audiences under the tent.
Known for its high-energy acrobatics, clowns, and live music, KOOZA also marks Cirque du Soleil’s long-awaited return to the local stage.
Image courtesy of Cirque du Soleil
Following strong demand, Cirque du Soleil has also announced an extension of KOOZA’s Singapore run, adding 26 additional performances from 25 Feb to 19 March.
From meticulous planning and teamwork to sustainability efforts and global coordination, the behind-the-scenes setup of KOOZA offered a rare glimpse into the immense effort required to bring Cirque du Soleil to life.
With the Big Top now in place, the stage is literally set for Singapore audiences to once again experience the magic of the circus under one of the world’s most iconic tents.
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Featured image by MS News. Photography by Hannah Teoh.