Largest touring production in the world to set up in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG – An epic theatrical production involving 65 horses, 45 riders, acrobats and dancers will soon be setting up under a massive white-top in Winnipeg.

Odysseo, a $30-million production, is coming to town Sept. 10.

The production is so large it brings its own venue. The giant tent will be constructed at the corner of Sterling Lyon Parkway and Kenaston Bouleveard.

“I wanted to push the limits and do something,” said Norman Latourelle, the show’s founder and artistic director. He created the show Cavalia first. “It was the biggest touring show in the world. Odysseo is twice its size.”

Odysseo, created by Cavalia Inc. entertainment company, is described as the world’s largest touring big top. With the tent the size of a “three-storey hill,” some 10,000 tonnes of rock and dirt are trucked in to create the 1,626-square-foot stage. The whole structure is the size of a CFL football field.

In all there are five tents associated to the show, including a kitchen tent that serves up more than 600 meals a day and a climate-controlled stable tent for the horses.

Latourelle says it should also dump about $6 million into the Winnipeg economy through tourists, hotel nights, part-time employment and food.

Odysseo involves equestrian arts, theatrical effects and stage music in a journey to “discover some of the planet’s most unforgettable landscapes,” the creators said in a news release.

The show will start September 10 and run for a least two weeks.

Tickets are $49.50 to $129.50 plus fees; VIP packages are available for $189 to $249.50. They go on sale July 23 and are available through Ticketmaster or calling 1-866-999-8111.