New Cirque du Soleil show to feature Elvis' music
Plus: Laughs Are Back • 'Zumanity' Celebrates • Eat, Drink & Be Charitable • 'The Opera Festival' • Missing 'Miss Rhythm'
It's official. Elvis Presley is back in the building. The long-rumored Cirque du Soleil Elvis show will become a reality when CityCenter, the multi-billion-dollar monster MGM project on the Strip opens in November 2009. Robert F.X. Sillerman, chairman and CEO of CKX, the company that controls Elvis-related projects said, "I am pleased that during this time, when we remember Elvis Presley and celebrate his life, we are able to announce his return to Las Vegas, a place where he truly rose to iconic status. This will be the first step in establishing a 21st century presence in Vegas for the King."
Cirque du Soleil is currently creating the as yet-to-be-named show, which is said to combine live musicians and singers, projections and dance numbers centered around music from The King. Cirque founder Guy Laliberté promises the show will be "an unforgettable encounter with the King of Rock and Roll. Elvis had a unique relationship with his adoring fans in Vegas and a large part of our mission is to recreate the excitement and the spirit of joy he generated here."
LAUGHS ARE BACK
Good news for all of us who like to laugh. The Comedy Festival will be back at Caesars Palace on Nov. 14 and will be expanded to five days. Last year, it was a huge success and included performances by Dave Chappelle, Larry David, George Lopez, Bill Maher, Dennis Miller, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, Garry Shandling and Jon Stewart. This year's talent lineup will be announced later, but "comic relief" will be aired live by HBO from the Colosseum on the final day, with co-hosts Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams. The event will benefit Children of Katrina and other Katrina-related charities. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard as I did at last year's festival. Put this on your must-do list.
'ZUMANITY' CELEBRATES
"Zumanity," one of my favorite Cirque shows, is celebrating its third anniversary with the extension of its Sensual Summer Nights Package. For only $69 per person, you get premium orchestra seating, a complimentary Zumanitini cocktail and an appetizer from the Eroticafé. This offer is valid through Sept. 30. Tickets for the package can be purchased online at www.zumanity.com, www.nynyhotelcasino.com or by calling 866-606-7111 or 702-740-6815. You can also get them at any of the MGM MIRAGE box offices.
EAT, DRINK & BE CHARITABLE
If you're a football widow, here's something that might interest you, and you would be donating to a good cause while you're at it. Casa Di Amore Italian restaurant is offering a brunch menu from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday through Feb. 4. A select menu with mimosas and Bloody Mary's will be featured for $25 per person. From that price, $5 will donated to My Hope Chest, a local non-profit organization focusing on the need of breast reconstruction for uninsured and underprivileged women. As an added treat, you'll be entertained by pop/jazz vocalist George Bugatti whose style has been compared to Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra. Take it from me, the food at Casa Di Amore's great and having Bugatti on site is a real bonus. Casa Di Amore is located at 2850 E. Tropicana Ave. (at McLeod Drive).
'THE OPERA FESTIVAL'
Culture Corner: The Nevada Opera Theatre will feature "The Opera Festival" at MonteLago Village Resort, 7:30 p.m., Sept. 23-24, at the Performance Plaza. The outdoor concerts will feature the Nevada Opera Theatre Artists, Orchestra and Chorus. Guest artists include Dinyar Vania, the New York City Opera tenor who has been hailed as the next great opera star and who is in demand at La Scala and other major European opera companies; Demetra George, two-time Grammy nominee who has performed with the Nevada Opera Theatre in leading roles at Paris Las Vegas in "La Traviata" and will be 'Sonia' in "The Merry Widow" set for June 9, 2007; Viktoria Kurbatskaya, the Russian-born soprano who performed the title role of "Tosca" in the
January 2006 production at Artemus Ham Concert Hall.
Opera selections for the festival include "Brindisi" from "La Traviata"; "Nessun Dorma" from "Turandot"; "The Merry Widow"; "Tosca"; "Tales of Hoffman"; "Madama Butterfly"; "Carmen"; "Don Giovanni"; "The Elixir of Love"; "Rigoletto"; and selections from well-known Italian love songs. The concerts are free to the public, but it's recommended that you arrive early. For more information, call 702-699-9775 or 702-731-3370. If you're an opera lover, this is a real treat and what a deal.
MISSING 'MISS RHYTHM'
I'll wrap up with a letter from Chris Main in Victoria, British Columbia, who writes: "Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ruth Brown has been notified that her weekly show at the Bootlegger Bistro has been discontinued. Brown, who turned 78 going on 39 back in January, has been performing her rhythm and blues magic on Thursdays for more than two years ... It was a great show. The phrase is right, "blues magic." The place was fun, food good and the atmosphere out of this world. It was a must-see every trip. The town is going to regret not having Miss Rhythm performing on a weekly basis. She had more talent in her little finger .... Saw her last trip and she was the most gracious and inspiring person one could ever want to meet. Between this and no regular weekly gig for the Lon Bronson All-Star Band, the town is going to hell in a hand-cart!" Couldn't agree more, Chris.
Good luck and I'll see you on the Strip. And don't forget to check out www.valleyblogs.com
If you have a question or a Las Vegas experience you would like to share with my readers, please e-mail me at lennylv@cox.net. Please include your full name and the city or town where you live.
