Here comes Cirque

Rolling bowls, kicking umbrellas, climbing poles – these are some of the things Chinese performers supposedly do best, so Asian audiences can be forgiven if the thought of Western acrobatics provokes skepticism.

But Zaia – a brand-new production from Canada's world-famous Cirque du Soleil – is astonishing for all the right reasons. The costumes are spectacular, the scenes dreamlike, the choreography graceful, and the whole effect nothing short of exotic. In short, Zaia stands on its own as a production of stunning originality.

Cirque du Soleil started as a tiny circus almost two decades ago. Today, they are the most popular performing artists on the Las Vegas Strip – it's not uncommon to see whole streets filled with their billboards, given that they have no less than five permanent theaters there. A big part of the appeal is the non-traditional nature of Cirque du Soleil: you won't see any animals in their shows; instead, they thrill audiences with full-on, breathtaking entertainment.

This summer, Macau will welcome Cirque du Soleil with a permanent theater in the Venetian Macao; Zaia, the troupe's newest show, will debut in August. Now Destination Macau goes behind the scenes with Neilson Vignola, Cirque du Soleil's director of creation, for a face-to-face interview and an exclusive preview of the troupe's new theater.