Photo Coverage: ZARKANA Opens at Radio City Music Hall!

Last night, June 29, Cirque du Soleil opened its major new acrobatic spectacle, Zarkana, at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Performances began Thursday, June 9, 2011 for a limited engagement through October 8, 2011. Presented by iShares, Zarkana is written and directed by acclaimed film and theatre director François Girard (The Red Violin, Silk). BroadwayWorld was on hand for opening night and brings you photo coverage below!

Zarkana is an acrobatic rock opera that blends circus arts with the surreal to create a world where physical virtuosity rubs shoulders with the strange. The story follows Zark, a magician who has lost his powers - and the love of his life - in an abandoned theatre populated by a motley collection of off-the-wall characters and incomparable acrobats. He runs into the Mutants, four sirens as sinister as they are fabulous, who are determined to divert him from his quest.

Zarkana is a visual vortex set in a slightly twisted musical and acrobatic fantasy universe where, little by little, chaos and craziness give way to festivity and love regained. The diverse cast of more than 75 International Artists transports the audience into a fantastical and suspenseful world, blurring the boundaries between the real and imaginary.

Tickets range from $47 to $130 with a limited number of premium tickets available for all performances. For tickets, call 1-866-858-0008 or on-line at www.cirquedusoleil.com/zarkana or at www.ticketmaster.com.

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,500 performing artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in nearly 300 cities on six continents.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / Retna Ltd.

Theatre Marquee for the Opening Night Performance of The New Cirque Du Soleil Acrobatic Spectacle 'Zarkana' in New York City.

Atmosphere at the Opening Night Performance of The New Cirque Du Soleil Acrobatic Spectacle 'Zarkana' in New York City.

Characters of Zarkana

Daniel Lamarre

Daniel Lamarre with Characters of Zarkan

Cique du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte

Cique du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte with Characters of Zarkana

Characters of Zarkana

Line Tremblay & Francois Girard

Line Tremblay & Francois Girard with Characters of Zarkan

Characters of Zarkana

Characters of Zarkan

Adrienne Balloon

Selita Banks

Selita Banks and Characters of Zarkana

Teddy Bensimon, Kelly Killoren Bensimon and Sea Bensimon

Kelly Killoren Bensimon

Characters of Zarkana with Kelly Killoren Bensimon, Teddy Bensimon and Sea Bensimon

Alexis Biedel

Countess Luann de Lessep

Son, Noel de Lesseps, LuAnn de Lesseps and daughter, Victoria de Lesseps

Countess Luann de Lessep

Kathryn Erbe

Kathryn Erbe and daughter Maeve Kinney

Judah Friedlander

Lydia Hearst

Carrie Keagan

Gayle King

Gayle King with Characters of Zarkana

Ralph Macchio

Ralph Macchio & Characters of Zarkana

Sonja Morgan

Sonja Morgan with daughter

Sonja Morgan with Characters of Zarkana

Amber Tamblyn

Jill Zarin

Kathleen Turner with Characters of Zarkan

Daughter Rachel Ann Weiss and Kathleen Turner

Jill Zarin and Characters of Zarkan

Theatre Marquee for the Opening Night Performance of The New Cirque Du Soleil Acrobatic Spectacle 'Zarkana' in New York City.

BWW Hi-Res Gallery - Original Version

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As a 14 year old youth, Walter was transfixed by his first Broadway Show, the original production of 'GREASE'. His Journey to celebrity photojournalism began that fateful night. Meeting, photographing and getting to know the cast inspired him to spend his professional life doing what he loved. Walter moved to Manhattan and for a leading role as a Photographer & Photo Researcher. Currently headlining in New Jersey with his partner Richard and family members Dali (Jack Russell) & Gala (Schnoodle). Recently he made his Broadway debut sharing the stage with Hugh Jackman in 'Hugh Jackman on Broadway' as well as receiving the Actors' Equity Association Gypsy Spirit Award. Walter McBride Photography is syndicated worldwide by Corbis/AP.

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