Cavalia’s ‘Odysseo’ Review: An Evening Of Amazement Awaits You

Every now and then you see a show that truly blows your mind and leaves you at an utter loss for words. This was my experience when I was recently invited to review Cavalia’s Odysseo which opened earlier this month in Atlanta. Chances are, if you live here, you’ve seen the big white tent erected next to 75/85, but you probably haven’t realize what awaits you inside.

The show, which is based out of Montreal, is pure magic for those who attend. The stunning visuals matched with the amazing performances creates a similar sense of amazement that one feels when attending a Cirque du Soleil show. It’s hard for me to pick a favorite performance from Odysseo… The insane acrobatics definitely rank at the top, but I also really enjoyed some of the more simple performances (simple only in terms of the number of horses on the stage) with the intricate side-stepping footwork with the horses.

There is a state-of-the-art screen that is at the back of the stage. Visuals are projected onto it to simulate different environments that the horses are traveling through. While it’s a 2D show, the effects on the screen have a definite 3D style to it – without the corniness factor that engulfs so many of the current 3D movies.

There were a handful of errors during the show (though it was still early in the show’s run), but the horses recovered from them quite remarkably. When a horse got of line, it would simply wait along the side to join in again as the line came back around. Between such occurrences of that nature and the actual sheer “wow” factor of what the performers are able to do with these majestic creatures – it really leaves the audience with a profound appreciation for horses and how intelligent they are.

Cavalia was started by Normand Latourelle, one of the original founders of Cirque du Soleil. Knowing this, I couldn’t help but smile to myself at the mind-blowing performances and sets that Cavalia unfolded across the evening. I wondered if there was perhaps a small friendly rivalry between Latourelle and the other Cirque founders to see who could put on the most amazing show. I have to say that from the Cirque shows that I’ve seen, I think Cavalia takes the cake.

Some fun facts for you about the show? There’s 71 horses that are in the stable tents next to the main tent. There were 63 horses that performed the night I attended. There are 55 performers that leave you in awe on the 27,00 square foot stage. The tent itself is 100,000 square feet and soars 125 feet into the air in the old Midtown parking lot.

Cavalia’s Odysseo will run through January 8th at the Midtown location. Be sure to see it’s before it’s gone – it’s truly an incredible experience and one of the most majestic shows you’ll ever see. I recommend picking up the VIP Rendez-Vous Package, which includes a tour of the stables after the show, a cocktail/dinner reception and more. The added interaction with the show really completes the experience and leaves you a smile and a sense of wonderment.

Review By: Emma Loggins
Official Site: http://www.cavalia.net/en/odysseo/tickets-info/atlanta-ga-usa

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  1. Forget Odysseo this year. Don’t buy tickets if you felt the majesty, the mystique, the power, the surreal human-animal, horse magic bond in last year’s show. Cavalia 2010 found this emotion and connection and displayed it with a variety of soft romance and action packed thrills. This year’s Odysseo Cavalia 2011 is an excellent display of human tumbling gymnasts. The set is excellent. But where were the horses of Cavalia? Big Miss for me.