Paul McCartney walks the red carpet Friday at the gala premiere of Cirque du Soleil's "Love," based on Beatles music, at The Mirage. Photo by Isaac Brekken. Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte, left, walks with an unidentified woman as former Beatle Ringo Starr walks with his wife, Barbara Bach, at the premiere of "Love" on Friday. The gala also drew Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, and Olivia Harrison, widow of George Harrison. Photo by John Locher. Fans go wild as they spot Paul McCartney walking by at the premiere of Cirque du Soleil's "Love" on Friday at The Mirage. The show is based on The Beatles' music. Photo by John Locher. Olivia Harrison, left, the widow of former Beatle George Harrison, Cirque founder Guy Laliberte and Yoko Ono, the widow of John Lennon, pose on the red carpet Friday at the premiere of "Love." Photo by John Locher. Some of the cast and crew of "Love" pose for photographs Friday on the red carpet at the gala premiere of the Cirque du Soleil show. Photo by Isaac Brekken. Music directors George Martin, left, and son Giles Martin appear at the premiere of "Love." Photo by John Locher. Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn joined the gala festivities at The Mirage. Photo by John Locher. Julian Lennon embraces his mother, Cynthia Lennon, the first wife of John Lennon, on the red carpet at the premiere of "Love." Photo by John Locher. Former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and his wife, Barbara Bach, laugh it up with members of the media. Photo by John Locher.

If Robert Goulet had to deal with the effects of Beatlemania in 1964, he's found things haven't changed much.

The Las Vegas-based entertainer says he was trying to navigate the red carpet for Cirque du Soleil's "Love" gala Friday night when suddenly, "these big tough guys came out" and his wife, Vera, said, "Paul's right behind you."

Trying to clear a path for Paul McCartney, the man every camera was there to see, Goulet says he jostled Siegfried, who jostled Roy, as McCartney's entourage steered past the three Las Vegas legends.

Goulet said he spoke to McCartney, who "didn't know who the hell I was." His wife begged to differ.

More than 4,000 guests were invited to two private performances Friday of Cirque's fifth Las Vegas show, one that marks a rare licensing partnership with McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison, all four of whom attended the early show.

Starr, wearing a star emblem on his shirt, flashed the peace sign to the crowd as he moved quickly by. Ono, wearing the biggest hat in the casino, worked the carpet more slowly, posing to stare down the top of her sunglasses at reporters and photographers from nearly 100 media outlets.

Both were hustled through a door on the far side of the "Love" gift shop, catching browsers who saw them through the window by surprise.

Before the show, Mirage president Scott Sibella addressed the crowd and dedicated the show to Siegfried & Roy, who performed in the theater space for 13 years before Roy Horn's injury from a tiger bite in October 2003.

Waiting to stroll the red carpet in the High Limits Lounge before the show, Siegfried Fischbacher said he didn't think he'd feel nostalgic for a room remodeled beyond recognition.

"I'm just happy to be able to be here as Siegfried and Roy, and I'm happy to share this with the greatest name in show business," Fischbacher said.

Cirque founder Guy Laliberte made a special dedication to the late George Harrison, whose friendship led to the show's creation. "We shared an emotion, we shared a vision. We dreamed about this night," he said.

At the end of the show, McCartney, Starr, Ono, Laliberte and music producer George Martin came onstage with the cast, circling the round platform flashing peace signs.

"For George and John!" McCartney declared to a roar from the crowd.

McCartney hugged Ono and Harrison, to great approval of those seated nearby.

The Mirage's Media Center was transformed into a party with a psychedelic theme filtered through an East Indian sensibility, sort of the Taj Mahal gone wild. The party was expected to continue the all-night tradition of Cirque's rooftop "Zumanity" premiere and a "Ka" debut staged in the MGM Grand Garden arena.

Like the other parties, this one was transformed by Cirque's apprentice production designers and came complete with a planned performance: a 10-minute "Midnight Tableaux" by a dozen performers to signal the end of the mingling and the start of dance floor action.