Photo by: Matt Beard Photography Inc

It’s like being inside a dream—but you’re awake. The visual feast of “O” by Cirque du Soleil blends the beautifully artistic with jaw-dropping circus acts, and it’s all done on top of, in and around water.

The show opened with Bellagio in 1998 and played up the theme of water (“eau” is French for “water”) to complement the property’s iconic fountains show. The theater houses a pool filled with 1.5 million gallons of water and reaches 25 feet deep. It all serves as the stage for the nearly 100 performers that include gymnasts, high divers, dancers, acrobats, trapeze artists, artistic swimmers and circus clowns. The show combines classic comedic circus acts with Olympian-caliber athletes performing death-defying stunts in a series of vignettes that elicit feelings of awe, from the awfully funny to the absolutely stunning. (Fun fact: Of all the Strip Cirque productions, “O” has the highest contingent of Olympic athletes.)

The costuming and props add to the world of “O,” soaking each scene in dream-like visuals. Catch a man on fire, carousel horses trotting through the air, a giant floating ship taking sail and the top of a sinking house serving as a stage for clowns; all these scenes are over the top when filled with performers dressed in otherworldly costuming.

The giant pool isn’t the only play on water. Listen to the sounds of water dripping, watch rain fall and thunder clap, dancers kick up waves, synchronized swimmers bubble to the surface of the pool and divers jump from the rafters of the theater, splashing down into the water at top speeds.

Trying to figure out a plot that runs through “O” would be missing out on the pure enjoyment of what you’re watching. Just let the scenes unfold and be amazed by the amount of talent and athleticism and beauty and brawn that appears onstage. Sit back and watch as imagination flows through the theater, and at the end of the 90 minutes, the dreamscape you just witnessed will leave you soaked in awe.

Photo by: Matt Beard Photography Inc

La Grande Expérience

Think about splurging when you purchase your tickets to “O” by booking the VIP package, La Grande Expérience. You’ll feel like a celebrity as you’re whisked inside the theater about 40 minutes before regular ticket holders and get to enjoy a bunch of goodies: an artist meet-and-greet; commemorative photo; preshow reception in a private room filled with champagne, drinks and hors d’oeuvres; and a virtual guided tour, where you’ll get to see behind the scenes of the show and learn so many facts and figures about what it takes to operate “O.” And you can ask the show expert as many questions about the production as you want!

It doesn’t stop there. After the reception, you’ll be taken to your private VIP suite (considered the best seats in the house), where oversized, cushy chairs and a table of treats like chocolate and popcorn awaits. You’ll also get private cocktail service if you feel like imbibing even more. (You also get access to private restrooms right outside the suite.)

Bellagio. 702.693.7068 or bellagio.mgmresorts.com

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