Dubai is known as the city where nothing is impossible… and La Perle,brought to Dubai by Al Habtoor Group and brought to life by one of the most sought-after artistic directors in the world – Franco Dragone – is the show that proves that point. Joanna Andrews reports on the opening night of the world-class theatrical production
At last! Audiences have been wowed by the cast of Dubai’s first resident Las Vegas-style theatrical production La Perle. The spectacular show opened in style to the public on August 31 at its purpose-built theatre at Al Habtoor City.
There wasn’t a seat spare as the state-of-the-art theatre, with a capacity of 1,300 seats, was packed full. World-class artists took to the stage on the opening night to perform death-defying acts in front of a live audience for the first time after months of extensive preparation.
La Perle promised to take its audience on a journey – a modern day Odyssey – and it more than lived up to its expectations. Highly-skilled performers hypnotized the audience in the 90-minute high-energy show which combined elements of the spirit of Dubai with an iconic 860 sqm aqua stage. It was a breath-taking fusion of artistic performance, creative imagery and ground-breaking technology.
“I have never experienced anything like it before,” said one audience member. “There are so many elements going on at the same time. There were acrobats, contortionists, aerial artists and high-divers. I felt completely immersed. It was almost as if I was part of the show. In the blink of an eye the entire stage was flooded with water, there was even rain and a floor-to-ceiling waterfall. I felt like all my senses had awakened.”
“It was so futuristic. The technology was amazing,” said another visitor. “I want to watch it again.”
The theatre, which has been one of Dubai’s best-kept secrets until now, is nestled between The St. Regis Dubai and the W Dubai – Al Habtoor City in The Atrium.
La Perle tells a vivid tale inspired by Dubai’s rich cultural past, vibrant present and aspirational future. From never-seen-before motorcycle stunts, to artists diving from heights of 25 metres and flying through the air at sensational speeds, La Perle show offers an experience like no other.
Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor Founding Chairman, Al Habtoor Group, commented, “A world-class theatre and show of this magnitude takes years to prepare for.”
Franco Dragone, the artistic director famed for reinventing theatre and changing the face of live entertainment, said, “La Perle is the most awe-inspiring and technically advanced theatre production I have ever produced and directed.”
The founder of Dragone added that the mission behind La Perle was simple, “Emotions are universal, but stories are local and we carefully fuse the world’s human talents, artistic disciplines and technical innovations to bring these stories alive.”
And judging by the faces of the first audience to see the show, La Perle was a massive hit and is set to raise the bar for live entertainment in the region.
La Perle takes place twice a night, five days a week. Performances run from Tuesday to Friday at 7:00pm and 9:30pm, and Saturday at 4pm and 7pm. Ticketsstart from AED 400.