Report on the Cirque du Soleil "ZED" First Anniversary Special Celebration
Cirque du Soleil’s "ZED" marked the first anniversary of its grand opening on October 1, 2009. To show our appreciation to all of our loyal fans whose attendance and enthusiastic comments inspired us and made our show possible throughout the first year, "ZED" hosted a series of special events at the Theatre from October 1 through October 18.
First Anniversary Special Curtain Call
Thursday, October 1, 2009 – Sunday, October 18, 2009 (26 performances in total)
In celebration of the first anniversary, from October 1 through October 18, a very special curtain call was performed at the end of each show. Visitors celebrated the first anniversary together with the 70 artists of ZED who have continued to present these thrilling performances throughout the first year.
A digested video clip from the first anniversary on October 1 is now available at the ZED official channel on YouTube!
First Anniversary Commemorative Souvenir
Thursday October 1, 2009 – Sunday, October 18, 2009 (26 performances in total)
An original commemorative bookmarker was given to all guests who came to see "ZED" during the special celebration period.
In the theatre lobby specially decorated with balloons and banners for the first anniversary celebration, a special collection of ZED photographs taken by world renowned photographer Kishin Shinoyama was exhibited and enjoyed by the many visitors.
"ZED" through the eyes of photographer Kishin Shinoyama
"ZED" photographs taken by photographer Kishin Shinoyama during two of the performances were exhibited. Amongst those on display were the never-before-shown photographs from behind the scenes at "ZED", including up-close images of the ZED artists and captivating moments backstage. With eyes that have focused on many stages, Shinoyama turned his attentions to ZED. These ZED photographs taken through his lens are artistically appealing pieces capturing the special moments of beauty from Cirque’s dynamic staging. In response to the large number of requests received from visitors, the exhibition is being extended to Friday, December 25.
Kishin Shinoyama
Born 1940 in Tokyo, photographer Kishin Shinoyama stood out as an up-and-coming new breed of photographer and received a number of awards while he was still studying photography at Nihon University, College of Art. After working for the advertising agency, Light Publicity, Shinoyama became a freelance photographer in 1968. His work is acclaimed for the portraits of celebrities most recognized in time such as Momoe Yamaguchi, Rie Miyazawa, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, among others.
In his "Gekisha" and "Shinorama" series, he has documented the times with his edgy styles of expression and new techniques. With his recent digital multi-media innovation "digi+KISHIN", a unique combination of both digital still shots and digital motion photography, Shinoyama has brought a new dimension to the field of photography. Shinoyama continually brings new forms of expression and techniques to the world.
On October 1, Testuya Ishii, a multi-talented artist who appears not only in the music industry but also in many other artistic fields, joined us at the Theatre to celebrate the first anniversary of the grand opening.
Mr. Ishii is currently working on a series of Kaodama art pieces inspired by ZED.
We plan to hold a special "Kaodama" exhibition in the Theatre lobby as soon as the necessary arrangements are complete.
"ZED" Pre-1st Anniversary Celebration Event
Saturday, September 26, 2009 and Sunday, September 27, 2009
A special performance by ZED artists was presented at Celebration Plaza located on the second floor of IKSPIARI. Prior to the performance, the ZED Clowns made a surprise appearance and people passing by had a good laugh at their hilarious antics!
Upon reaching our first anniversary, many thanks go to all of our loyal fans whose attendance and enthusiastic comments have inspired and supported us over the last year. "ZED" will continue to present impressive performances with loads of excitement and happiness into the future!
2009.10.26
