«Odysseo» is Galloping into San Francisco

‘’Your travel life has the essence of a dream. It is something outside the normal, yet you are in it. It is peopled with characters you have never seen before and in all probability will never see again.’’

– Agatha Christie (1890–1976), English author.

But in contrast to Ms. Christie’s conclusion, I will see it again in order to experience another mesmerizing performance of ‘’Odysseo’’ by Cavalia. I enjoyed picture perfect views of the stage, which measures more than 17,500 square feet and is covered with 10,000 tons of dirt, sand, and stone to create the images of sky, land, water, and nature. The lights and music were accentuated by a constellation of breathtaking star performers, riders, and their sashaying, galloping horses.

‘’Odysseo’’ is a confluence of acrobatics, horseback riders, aerialists, dancers, musicians, and singers. This is one of the most visually exhilarating and astonishing shows I have ever seen. ‘’Odysseo’’ is the largest globe-trotting touring production in the world and I was truly fascinated with the odyssey of ‘’Odysseo.’’ I am now an official ‘’Odysseo’’ groupie, infatuated with its journey’s epic adventures.
According to the company’s brochure, ‘’Set under a 125-foot tall White Big Tent (located by the AT&T Baseball Park in San Francisco) audiences are transported around the world as more that 65 horses and an international cast play and demonstrate their intimate bond. The stage features a real carousel and a magically appearing 40,000-gallon lake in front of a stunning video backdrop the size of three of the largest cinema screens.’’

‘’Odysseo’’ is a family affair stemming from the vision and imagination of the creative genius – ​artistic director and creator Normand Latourelle – ​as well as the drive and determination of his entire family: Dominique, Normand’s partner in business, and Latourelle’s sons, David and Mathieu, who embraced the adventure with the passion, devotion, and unwavering faith that can only come from a close-knit family. The Montreal-based company showcases the artists’ virtuosity and the luminous style of costumes, sets, music, and kaleidoscopic illumination far beyond my imagination and my expectations.

I was delighted at the opportunity to meet and chat with Guennadi Touaev (Guenna to his friends)—the trick rider, Cossack rider, and equestrian voltige trainer who joined ‘’Odysseo’’ since its creation six years ago. Born in Northern Ossetia, part of Russia, Touaev has 30 years of trick and Cossack riding background as a world renowned artist and trainer. He started training with the dzhigitovka riding style at the famous Moscow State Circus, at the age of 12. He lives outside Paris, France and is highly respected and in high demand among equestrian aficionados.

Broydo: You have been in this business for quite some time. How do you keep the magic going?

Touaev: This is not a routine job and I love my profession. I never stop learning, even now after I switched to teaching and training. Motivational energy of each of the shows, seeing the assembling crowd and the show itself, are the main factors of my magic and my inspiration. It’s a beautiful show, a visual fairy tale.

B. Who is more challenging to work with: people or horses?

T. The communications with people are clear and straight forward, but with horses you have to guess. Some have complex and difficult personalities and require a lot of attention. I talk to the horses in French and English.

B. How many years does it take to train the performers or the horses?

T. There are several areas of training: my particular area is ‘’tricks’’ and ‘’Cossack’’ riding. The real Cossacks used the riding tricks in the war battles. When the battles were over and the Cossacks needed a job, they joined the circus. After processing the applicants’ resumes and viewing the videos of their performances, the selected candidates are invited for an interview. They start training younger than 20 years old, and reach the professional stage between 22 to 25 years old. Currently I am training 20 new novice riders. But the horses are the most important part of our training. They have to be trained at a very young age. The addition of the show’s water acts requires a special training in making sure the horses get used to this unique environment. My newest horses come from Spain.

B. Who are some of the ‘’Cavalia’’ performing artists?

T. The ‘’Cavalia’’ troupe is based in Montreal, Canada and features acrobats, aerialists, riders and dancers from around the world, including Canada, the United States, France, Guinea, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Poland, New Zealand, Germany, Japan and Brazil.

B. What are some of the challenges of this enormous production?

T. There is a challenge to make it perfect, each day and every show.

Fun Facts:

‘’Cavalia’’ productions are a symphony of colors and emotions, the central theme of which is the beauty and magnificence of its four-legged artists. ‘’Odysseo’’ features 65 horses from a dozen different breeds and they are originally from Canada, France, Spain, and the United States.

Designed by Michele Hamel and the late Georges Levesque, over 365 costumes for both the riders and the horses are used in this performance.

All of the music featured in ‘’Odysseo’’ is composed by Michel Cusson and performed live. With the superb vocalists and the talented musicians, the music was never overwhelming and melodically accompanied the performers on the vast stage.

Touaev’s philosophy behind the ‘’Odysseo’’ training process is vividly expressed in this spectacularly entertaining show. Bay Area audiences are in for an additional remarkable treat as the show’s producers are extending the show’s run through January 17. See www.cavalia.net for details and the tickets info or call 1–866–999–8111.

Lina Broydo immigrated from Russia, then the Soviet Union, to Israel where she was educated and got married. After working at the University in Birmingham, England she and her husband immigrated to the United States. She lives in Los Altos Hills, CA and writes about travel, art, style, entertainment, and sports. She hardly cooks or bakes, with no borsch or piroshky on her home cooking menu. Therefore, she makes reservations and enjoys dining out, mostly sushi.

By Lina Broydo