LAS VEGAS — December 15, 2009 — Cirque du Soleil, in partnership with Elvis Presley Enterprises, a CKX, Inc ( NASDAQ: CKXE ) company, was thrilled to unveil today its latest resident show Viva ELVIS™, at ARIA Resort & Casino™ at CityCenter in Las Vegas. Preview performances for Viva ELVIS will start on December 18, 2009.
The show
Viva ELVIS, a harmonious fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music, is a tribute to the life and music of Elvis Presley. Nostalgia, modernity and raw emotion provide the backdrop for his immortal voice and the exhilaration and beauty of his music.
Created in the image of The King of Rock 'n' Roll — powerful, sexy, whimsical, truly unique and larger than life — the show highlights an American icon who transformed popular music and whose image embodies the freedom, excitement and turbulence of his era.
Significant moments in his life — intimate, playful and grandiose — blend with timeless songs that remain as relevant today as when they first hit the top of the charts. Viva ELVIS focuses on the essential humanity of the one superstar whose name will forever be linked with the history of Las Vegas: Elvis Presley.
"On a creative level, it was extremely stimulating to draw our inspiration from this musical icon," said Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil. "Viva ELVIS showcases the raw energy and pure talent of Elvis and highlights the exhilaration and beauty of his music on a grand scale."
"It makes perfect sense that Elvis should live on in Las Vegas, where his iconic status was cemented," said Robert F.X. Sillerman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CKX, Inc. "When we teamed with Cirque du Soleil, we knew that any show they created would match Elvis' larger-than-life presence. So we were pleased to open the vaults at Graceland and make available to Cirque du Soleil historic archival materials, recordings and concert footage that would help them create a show that will carry Elvis' legacy into the future."
"An evolutionary destination designed to transform Las Vegas at its core, CityCenter is larger than life, just like Elvis himself," said Bill McBeath, President and COO of ARIA Resort & Casino. "We want to bring the element of fun to ARIA, the centerpiece of CityCenter. Viva ELVIS will bring the King of Rock 'n' Roll back to Las Vegas for millions of his fans and create a buzz that will enable his persona to attract untold numbers of new followers."
"Elvis has always been in the forefront of new, contemporary entertainment and technology," said Priscilla Presley. "I believe Viva ELVIS continues this and reaches out and expands his legacy in a new, creative and exciting way."
"The show's acrobatic elements, set designs and other artistic components are part of an overall creative vision designed to showcase the timeless music of Elvis, his unique voice and unequaled talent as a performer," said Gilles Ste-Croix, Senior Vice-president of Creative Content and New Project Development at Cirque du Soleil.
"The unique strength and power of Elvis was in his voice," said Vincent Paterson, the show's Writer and Director. "I was greatly inspired by the originality and complexity of this musical legend. What I tried to paint, in all humility, is the show he might have created today."
Viva ELVIS will be presented exclusively in the custom-built Elvis Theater at ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter in Las Vegas. Preview performances for Viva ELVIS begin December 18, 2009. The premiere will be held Friday, February 19, 2010.
TICKET PRICES
*$175, $150, $125, $99
All preview performances* will be discounted 25 percent.
*Preview performances for Viva ELVIS begin December 18, 2009. During these performances, the creative team is in the very final stages of production for the show. The audience's reaction and participation is an important step in this process.
FROM A PRESS RELEASE
