Franco Dragone
Franco Dragone 1952 (age 71–72) is a Belgian theatre director. He is known for his work with Cirque du Soleil.[1]
Early life
Dragone was born in Cairano, Italy, and moved to Belgium at age seven. In the 1970s, he studied acting at the Belgian Royal Conservatory. His earliest theatrical work was explicitly political, working as a director of theatre and film in the mode of the commedia dell'arte dramatist Dario Fo. In the 1980s Dragone came to Canada where he directed a production for the National Circus School where he first came to the attention of Cirque du Soleil.[1]
Cirque du Soleil
From the years 1985 to 1998 Dragone would direct nearly all of Cirque du Soleil's most prestigious shows and played a significant role in developing Cirque du Soleil's distinctive merging of theater and circus performance. In the early 1990s Dragone's reputation grew with the production of Nouvelle Experience and Saltimbanco, nontraditional circus productions in which postmodern dance, music, and circus acrobatics were interlaced with a dreamlike narrative.[1]
His visibility greatly increased after he directed and introduced the cutting-edge Cirque du Soleil production Mystère at the Treasure Island hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mystère helped to change the nature of production shows in Las Vegas. While Dragone would direct only other show with the company in Las Vegas, O in 1998, to many he was the face of Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas.
Franco also directed Cirque du Soleil's first motion picture, Alegría - An Enchanting Fable, in 1997.
Post Cirque du Soleil
In 1999, Dragone created Lara Fabian's video clip "Adagio". In the following year he formed his own company called Dragone. During 2003, Dragone created a new live show A New Day... starring Céline Dion, which opened at Caesars Palace, thus continuing his association with Las Vegas.
In 2005, Dragone debuted his fourth production on the Las Vegas Strip with the opening of Le Rêve at the Wynn Las Vegas.
Dragone is currently in pre-production for a new show located at the City of Dreams in Macau, planned to open in late 2009.
Dragone has partnered up with Running Subway Productions and is currently in creation for a new touring show. The show will start touring in Spring 2009.
References
- ^ a b c Profile of Franco Dragone, "Franco Dragone at the Limits of Las Vegas", by Chris Jones, from Democratic Vistas Profiles: Essays in the Arts and Democracy.