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Sandy • A huge white tent rose Tuesday over a shopping center parking lot, where it will house a massive theatrical show of horses and human performers.
The tent, which had its ceremonial raising Tuesday outside the The Shops at South Town, will be home in April to "Odysseo," a touring show by the Montreal-based troupe Cavalia that features 65 horses and 45 handlers, acrobats, dancers and musicians.
Cavalia's creator, Cirque du Soleil co-founder Normand Latourelle, calls "Odysseo" the largest touring production in the world.
"I pushed the limit of what could be achieved in a touring show," Latourelle said at a new conference at Sandy City Hall, before the tent raising.
"Odysseo" will debut in Sandy on April 20, beginning an 11-performance run that ends April 30. (See box for details.)
Latourelle said he became fascinated with horses after he left Cirque du Soleil in the late 1980s. He was producing a show that included a horse in a walk-on role. "Every time, the audience was looking at the horse," Latourelle said.
Latourelle sought out more horses for subsequent shows, ultimately mounting the first Cavalia show in 2003.
The "Odysseo" show arrives in Utah as companies that use animals for entertainment are being pressured to change their ways. For example, SeaWorld in San Diego last fall announced plans to phase out its Shamu theatrical show for a more nature-based presentation, and in May, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is scheduled to retire the last of its performing elephants.
The difference between those shows and Cavalia's productions, Latourelle said, is that horses are domesticated animals, not wild creatures kept in captivity.
"Horses wouldn't exist without being with humans," Latourelle said, adding that the narrative of "Odysseo" tells the story of the relationship between humankind and horses.
Latourelle also stressed how tenderly Cavalia's horses are treated and trained. Trainers do not use whips or spurs, and between tour stops, the production takes a two-week break — and the horses spend most of it on a farm, relaxing and "just being horses," he said.
"When they start to trust you, when they're not afraid of humans, they give you 10 times more than what you ask," Latourelle said. "You can see, we have happy horses on stage."
The tent — one of two Cavalia owns for the production — covers 58,000 square feet, as much space as a football field. It's held up by three metal arches and four spires that rise 125 feet above the asphalt.
Once the tent is secured, Latourelle said, climbers will clean the white canvas. The last place this tent was used was in San Francisco, he said, and water restrictions in drought-plagued California prevented a full cleaning.
The entire touring production, which is now performing in Irvine, Calif., requires 120 semitrailer trucks to ship from location to location. Latourelle compared that to one of the largest rock shows ever, U2's "360 Tour," which used 65 semis.
Once the Irvine run ends on April 3, the elements of the "Odysseo" stage will be moved up to Utah. The elements include 80 tons of lighting and sound equipment, bleachers with 2,000 seats, a carousel that descends from the roof and an artificial pond that holds 40,000 gallons of water.
"I wanted to have my ex-partner at Cirque du Soleil jealous, and I think I achieved that," Latourelle joked.
The production will generate 100 part-time jobs, such as running concessions and merchandise stands, and another 100 jobs during setup and striking, Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams said at the news conference. McAdams also touted the economic benefit of the production's 120 full-time staff members "staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, using our transportation."
Sandy Mayor Tom Dolan called "Odysseo" "one of the most spectacular entertainments in the world," a show that will draw audiences from across Utah and beyond.
Dolan said people driving past Sandy on Interstate 15 will notice the giant white tent. "This will look like snow on the mountains, from our view," Dolan said.
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