REVIEW and DISCOUNT: Odysseo by Cavalia

By, Russell Powell

If you haven’t seen any advertising for Cavalia then you probably haven’t left your house in the last month. The billboards are everywhere, even fliers in a lot of businesses. There are even memes about it. Michelle was unavailable for Cavalia’s media night, and I jumped at the chance, because of the ticket price, thinking we might not be able to afford it otherwise. I picked up my horse loving mom, “Momo”, and headed to the giant white tent in the South Towne Mall parking lot, Sandy.
When I was telling friends that I was going, invariably, the very first question was, “Tell me if it is worth the cost”. So, let me answer that and get it out of the way. Yes. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Did I say, “Yes”?  What I meant was it is worth EVERY penny. I highly recommend it. So much so that I am trying to find time to take Michelle. Momo keeps posting and messaging me about the wonderful time she had and how she would like to go back (hint, hint).

Not only did we enjoy the food,
but we went back for seconds!

We were treated to the V.I.P. experience, which included access to the V.I.P. tent, dinner, fourth row tickets, dessert, and access to the cast and stable after the show. Shortly after we arrived, we were escorted into the tent with a mini boutique, lounge area with couches, tables, horse paintings, and an area for drinks, and popcorn. In the middle of the room were two long serving tables where a buffet-style dinner awaited. 
The food was a European inspired mix of rolls, quiche, various salads, select proteins, and even raw ahi tuna with caviar. The drink bar was fully stocked with full-time bartenders who served both non-alcoholic beverages and libations. Some people didn’t enjoy the meal, as many of the flavors were not typical for the Salt Lake area.  My mom is an amazing cook, and not only did she enjoy it, she went back for seconds. There was a man pacing around the room, making sure that all the servers were working quickly and efficiently. It turned out that he was the head chef from Montreal. They not only fed the V.I.P. guests but also provide two meals each day for all staff and performers.
The performance was breathtaking. There were different scenes, similar to a Cirque du Soleil and other performances that you would find on Broadway or in Vegas. The difference is the incorporation of the trained horses who take center stage. There are words to describe Cavalia, though I don’t believe my words would do it justice. The closest I could come would be that it is as a vivid dream, something that has to be viewed first hand. When the horses come over the three story hill, I was pulled into the imagery of Cavalia like no other performance before. The carrousel blew me away.

The costumes were also amazing!

As a wedding DJ, the thing I noticed the most was the production value. Because of the enclosed setting, the high quality speakers, and as enthralling as the colorful background is, you could watch the whole performance and not realize the music was live unless you looked around. They had musicians who adjusted the music to match the horse movements, both in tempo and in length. Truly a world-class show, well worthy of the praise and cost.
We waited around in the VIP area at the end of the show to talk to the media coordinator and the performers. They come from all over the world to live with Cavalia as it tours the country. It takes about two weeks to completely break down and move from one city to the next. My mom’s favorite part of the evening was going to the stables and seeing the horses up close. Each one has his own personality. They use different breeds of horses including Mustangs, Arabians, and ones from Spain called Andalusian. While we couldn’t touch any of them, they are majestic to behold up close.
You may never get another chance to see Cavalia. As of right now, shows will end the first week of June. It is not often that we have preforming arts of the highest quality that mixes nature and man, acrobatics, music, and visual imagery in our own backyard. It is truly “the most amazing show”. Thank you, Odysseo, for the opportunity to experience it first-hand.

View videos on our Facebook page and Instagram account. 

What?! A freakin carrossel just came down out of the rigging! Blowing my mind @cavalia #odysseoUT . . . #cavalia #horses #carrossel #carosel #acrobat #cirquedusoleil #drassage #dressage #live #livesound #livemusic #bigtop #travelingshow #stunning #rediculous #mindblown #rig #lighting #lightingdesign

A video posted by Michelle Powell / Enjoy Utah (@michellepowell222.enjoyutah) on May 11, 2016 at 6:51pm PDT

DISCOUNT:  10% discount for Enjoy Utah followers* Use promotional code SOCIALUT when purchasing tickets online at www.cavalia.net/live/ut. * This promo code is valid on all evening shows for Gold and above ticket categories.