Cirque du Soleil: Alegría

Composer: René Dupéré.
Cirque du Soleil: Jean-Marie Benoît (acoustic 12-string guitar); Mark Langis (double bass, bass guitar); Andre Gosselin (percussion); Howard Forman, Dominique Messier, Francesca Gagnon, Francis Covan.
Personnel: René Dupéré (vocals, programming); Dutch Robinson, Francesca Gagnon (vocals); Howard Forman, Bill Beaudoin (guitar, electric guitar); Jean-Marie Benoît (acoustic guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, classical guitar); Olga Gross (harp); Philippe Dunningan, Philippe Dunnigan (violin, strings); Francis Covan (violin, accordion); James Darling , Marianne Dugal, Francine Lupien, Alain Giguère, Christian Prévôt, Denis Béliveau, Brian Bacon, Carla Antoun (strings); David Gossage (tin whistle); Richard Gagnon (clarinet, bass clarinet); François Martel (bassoon); Jody Gollick (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone, tenor saxophone); Patrick Vetter (soprano saxophone, alto saxophone); Richard Beaudet (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); Roger Walls (trumpet, piccolo trumpet, cornet); Jocelyn Couture (trumpet); Joey Sommerville (flugelhorn); David Grott (trombone); Dennis Miller (tuba); Mark Langis (upright bass, electric bass); Dominique Messier (drums); André Gosselin (timpani, percussion); Rodrique Tremblay (musical saw).
Audio Mixer: Rob Heaney.
Editor: Mickey Gauvin.
Illustrator: Michel-Thomas Poulin.
Photographer: Al Seib.
Arrangers: Claude Chaput; Robby Finkel; René Dupéré.
Cirque Du Soleil's Alegria fuses elements of French, Spanish, African, and Mediterranean music into dramatic new-age pieces. Highlights include the title track, "Querer," "Taruka," "Jeux D'Enfants," "Icare," and "Valsapena," all of which recall the theatrical, multicultural appeal of Cirque Du Soleil's elaborate circus performances. ~ Heather Phares