Thursday, 4/24/97 Music of the Day Cirque du Soleil composer
Benoit Jutras speaks about the creative process behind ‘Quidam,’
and the futuristic circus’ encore engagement at the Santa Monica
pier.
By Cheryl Klein Daily Bruin Senior Staff Serene waves lap at the
ankles of the Santa Monica pier, twinkling in the morning light
with the promise of an early summer and a more than sunny welcome
back for Cirque du Soleil. In a small cafe across the street,
composer Benoit Jutras reflects on the encore engagement of
"Quidam," which opens tonight at the pier. In spite of a fourth cup
of coffee and the vibrancy of his bright red shirt, the Quebec
native is surprisingly soft-spoken and contemplative, confessing
that he misses the Montreal rain. But it’s hard not to love the
city that housed Cirque’s first visit to the United States back in
1987. "L.A.’s a special place because that’s the first place we
came except for Quebec, and the reaction in L.A. is always so nice.
It’s kind of our second home," Jutras says. Alternately band
leader, musical director and principal composer, Jutras has toured
all over the world with Cirque. But he admits he first joined the
now legendary circus on something of a whim. "When I received the
call (from Cirque), I’d never seen any circus in my life," Jutras
recalls. But with a master’s degree fresh from the Conservatory of
Montreal, he was anxious to leave school and his home province for
the first time. "I thought, ‘Since it’s for six months, it’s not
like I can’t afford six months of my life.’" Ten years and several
record-breaking tours later, "Quidam’s" mysterious umbrella-toting
mascot is a familiar sight on buses around Los Angeles. The fall
run boasted an audience of 280,000, affirming that Los Angeles
loves the avant garde. And while Cirque is famous for its
spectacular sets and ethereal lighting, those behind the production
assert that "Quidam" is not about technology. "We wanted this
latest production to be more human," said director Franco Dragone
in a previous interview. "It transcends the 20th century, and marks
a turning point. Like the preceding productions, it conveys
emotion, but it is also more raw." Jutras attributes this to
Cirque’s unconventional creative process. "We sit all the creators
together a year before the premiere and we start to talk about what
we want to grasp through the show," Jutras explains. "We talk about
emotion and we try to go as wide as possible with out thinking too
much of the plot." Jutras draws on his background in classical,
rock and world beat music to generate compositions covering the
entire range of human emotions. Some songs whisper of far away
lands, some rival the most energetic of rock concerts and in one
song a single haunting voice pleads, "Let me fall/ Let me climb/
There’s a moment/ when fear/ and dream must collide." While Jutras
works on his eclectic musical sketches, choreographer Debra Brown
works independently with the dancers and acrobats to formulate
fine-lined movements inspired by traditional Chinese circuses. Two
months before the premiere, choreographer and composer combine
stunts that seem to defy the capabilities of the human body with
sounds that twist circus music in ways only Salvador Dali could
imagine. "We work with acrobats from all over the world," Jutras
says. "They all bring their own music, even if it’s to listen to in
their Walkmans. It’s nice for me because I can get more direct
influence. Even seeing the way they listen to music and react to it
gives me a different approach." Yet Jutras can’t help playing
favorites among the performers. He is especially partial to
"Quidam’s" central character, a young girl cynical about what the
world has to offer. Audrey Brisson-Jutras, the singer and actress
who plays her, just happens to be Jutras’ daughter. He smiles at
the mention of her name. "At the premiere I was so nervous as a
composer, but a lot more nervous as a father," Jutras says.
"Because she’s so young, I saw a big evolution since the beginning
of the tour." Somewhat wistfully, he adds, "I miss her a lot when
she’s on tour and try to get her back home often. I say, ‘Okay, you
had your experience, now come back home.’ No way. She’s having too
much fun. She’s happy where she is." If Brisson-Jutras is carrying
on a musical tradition, it is a recent one. Ironically, both
Jutras’ parents devoted their lives to working with the deaf. "The
nice thing about that is I had a band when I was young and we were
able to work in the office of my parents because nobody was
hearing, they were all deaf," Jutras says. "We could make noise
until three in the morning and there was no problem." Jutras’
grandfather noticed him fooling around on the piano at his house
when he was very young and, spotting talent, finally decided to
turn the instrument over to his then five-year-old grandson. And
the rest… Jutras takes a final sip of coffee. "It’s a passion,"
he says simply. CIRCUS: Cirque du Soleil’s encore engagement of
"Quidam" opens tonight at the Santa Monica pier. Tickets range from
$16.50 to $45.50 for adults and from $8.25 to $31.75 for children.
For more information, call (800) 678-5440. INGA DOROSZ Cirque du
Soleil’s Benoit Jutras, the principal composer, band leader and
musical director, created compositions covering a range of human
emotions for "Quidam." Al Seid "Diabolos," one segment of "Quidam,"
demonstrates the circus’ unconventional creative process. Al Seid
Audrey Brisson-Jutras, the "Quidam" composer’s daughter, plays a
young girl who is cynical about what the world has to offer. Cirque
du Soleil Official Site Bruin Story