The latest information on the Cirque 'Viva Elvis' show.





Meantime, secrets are spilling out from the new 1,800-seat Aria theater at CityCenter, where the Cirque Elvis show will be presented. Vincent Patterson will direct the show, which will feature a live band and female vocalists accompanying the songs and music of Elvis.

Zowie Bowie’s big band conductor, trumpet player David Perrico, will be one of Cirque Elvis’ musical directors. Elvis’ Memphis and Nashville master tapes have been re-digitized by Cirque’s recording engineers to isolate him so the only male voice in the show will be his!

Cirque’s resident Las Vegas Senior VP Jerry Nadal said: “Elvis will be a biographical structure, with appearances by characters based on his wife, Priscilla Presley, and his manager, Col. Tom Parker. The story is divided into various sections of Presley’s life, and all has the approval of everybody connected to the late King. This is a tribute to Elvis’ life, so we’re focused on his contributions to the entertainment world and not the dark side.”

Priscilla and CityCenter chief Bobby Baldwin have already seen a run-through and given a huge thumbs-up approval. The entire CityCenter cast moved from Montreal to live here and is now in the final months of rehearsals before the opening.

Cirque expanded its powerbase in Las Vegas by veering from its solely circus-themed shows when it premiered The Beatles Love at The Mirage. Then it went one step farther by building an entire show around one performer, Mindfreak star Criss Angel. It continues the expansion from full circus themes with the upcoming tribute, although there will still be the famed acrobatics, I’m told, to heighten the Elvis entertainment experience.

2009/09/16 Brian Quinn / www.epgold.com