When Las Vegas Magazine put the word out for nominations for its Hall of Fame class (eligible nominators included Carrot Top, Wayne Newton, Wolfgang Puck, David Copperfield and more) for 2021, it was an awkward time. Because the process began late in 2020, nearly all the nominees had not yet come back to the Strip, and our Hall of Fame differs from most others in that it focuses on things our readers can enjoy right now.

But our nominators were undeterred. This year’s class, announced in January, is incredibly strong, and we’re happy to report all have since returned, including one of the Strip’s most beloved shows of all time: Cirque du Soleil’s “O” at Bellagio.

Ask anyone who’s seen “O” to describe it, and they’ll most likely open their mouth to speak, take a pause, think a bit, and come up with something like, “It’s just so beautiful!” It really is almost impossible to put the experience of “O” into words, and that’s kind of the point. After all, the show does not follow a linear storyline—there’s no hero, no heroine, no climactic scene that wraps everything together. It’s more a series of elegant, highly athletic moments, peppered with bits that seem like they were pulled from another dimension. Oh, and there are clowns, too!

Did we mention that the activity described above isn’t just happening in front of you, but above you and behind you? Oh, and did we mention it’s all taking place around a stage that transforms instantly into a deep pool?

Add to all this an incredible score performed live and it’s almost too much to take in at times. There’s a reason serious fans of this show have seen it countless times; every time you go, you see something you missed the last time.

And the cast and crew can’t wait to bring “O” back to life. “We are thrilled to be returning to performances!” said Pierre Parisien, “O”’s senior artistic director. “The entire team at ‘O’ is excited, and the energy is incredibly high as we look forward to entertaining audiences again.”

Best of all, those who have seen “O” before and can’t wait to see their favorite moments again can rest easy: Even with the long layover and new safety rules in place for most shows, “O” will remain more or less intact—and probably even better than you remember. “Guests can expect to see the extremely high quality of human performance that ‘O’ is known for,” Parisien said. “We have made some minor modifications in order to distance our performers from the audience for now. We have also worked on pushing our acrobatics to a new level.”

If you’ve never seen “O” before, get ready for a life-changing experience. You’ll be counting the days before you can see it again.

Bellagio, 702.693.8866

Click here for your free subscription to the weekly digital edition of Las Vegas Magazine, your guide to everything to do, hear, see and experience in Southern Nevada. In addition to the latest edition emailed to every week, you’ll find plenty of great, money-saving offers from some of the most exciting attractions, restaurants, properties and more! And Las Vegas Magazine is full of informative content such as restaurants to visit, cocktails to sip and attractions to enjoy.