RIYADH — To mark Saudi National Day, the General Authority for Entertainment presented Cirque du Soleil in Riyadh in one of the international performance company’s largest shows to date and its first in Saudi Arabia.

The event, attended by 27,000 guests, was organized by MBC Group and broadcast live on MBC1.

Cirque du Soleil’s debut in the Kingdom broke the record for the largest number of attendees in a single circus performance. Taking place at the King Fahd International Stadium, the event was presented on a tailor-made 100 x 40-meter theater that was designed and constructed especially for the occasion.

Intertwining storytelling with spectacular acrobatics, audiences witnessed a visual masterpiece that included aerial silk, suspended pole, rotating ladder, German wheel, fire manipulation and Trampowall performances, as well as unicycle tricks, contemporary and hip-hop dance, electric motorcycle stunts, and even a free-flying Hoverboard illusion.

Blending the latest in spectacular stagecraft, mesmerizing special effects and enthralling fireworks, Cirque du Soleil was watched by over 200 million viewers worldwide, turning the Saudi National Day celebrations into a truly global event.

This is part of the General Entertainment Authority’s efforts to attract and welcome the largest and most innovative entertainment and leisure companies to the Kingdom and facilitate business for them, Abdulrahman Bin Nasser Al-Khalifa, general manager of communications and official spokesperson of the authority, said while announcing the event.

“These efforts are in addition to supporting a growing local sector, creating healthy competition between national companies to enrich the local entertainment scene,” he added.

On his part, Omar Al-Radi, head of events at MBC Group, commented: “Organizing such a phenomenal event is thanks to the ambitious vision of our country, which has instilled enthusiasm in the hearts of all of us, as we work on this extraordinary international event that is set to break records, and go beyond the international standards to celebrate the Saudi National Day like never before.

“We are proud to be part of Saudi National Day celebration and to be taking it to a global level as the show will be televised live with around 200,000,000 expected viewers from around the world.”

Show synopsis

As the sun sets on the horizon, a tribe of nomads gather on the dessert dunes in search of an oasis when a raging sandstorm sweeps across their encampment. The desert dwellers are whisked off to a surreal world and the wheels of the future begin to revolve.

The encampment turns into a magical oasis where waterfalls flow upwards, and when the great falcon spreads its wings, a new sun rises over the horizon.

The visual theme of the King Fahd International Stadium’s exterior is reminiscent of bedouin tents. This design was explored on stage as well, thus creating “theater within a theater” experience. The four elements came into play with the tent structures and four enchanting mashrabiya-inspired lanterns to immerse the audience in a surreal realm where tradition inspires the future.

The set design is accentuated by bold architectural lighting that carved out dynamic visuals with graphic angular lines and geometric patterns. Drawing inspiration from the visual culture of Saudi Arabia and harnessing the power of video mapping, large-scale projections whisked the audience away to a surreal world brimming with historical and geographical references as seen through the prism of Cirque du Soleil. — SG