Cirque du Soleil continues to impress in their one of a kind circus style entertainment in presenting Viva Elvis at Elvis Theater, Aria Hotel and Casino. In a tribute to the late King of Rock n Roll, Elvis Presley, Cirque offers a celebration of the man, his life and legacy. The show, which is approximately 90 minutes takes the audience on a journey through Elvis’ life. The performers are phenomenal in their acrobatic stunts, singing and dancing. The show opens up in a setting replicated after a typical Elvis concert with groupies and fans going wild over the anticipation of “The King” hitting the stage and bouncers doing everything that they can to control the crowd. The excitement of the crowd makes the audience feel as though they are a part of the concert experience as they begin to chant for Elvis. Elvis’ greatest hits are played throughout the show, with the opener being a signature staple in Rock n Roll history, “Blue Suede Shoes.” The audience gasps in awe and amazement when the giant blue suede shoe prop is rolled onto the stage and then used as an apparatus for the choreographed acrobatic performance. After the next couple of scenes, it is even more astonishing when an oversized guitar drops from the ceiling and dangles over the stage with a classic night under the stars setting to one of Elvis’ classic hits “One Night With You.” The next scene offers a reflection of the man himself through a still photo montage of Elvis throughout his life with pictures of his childhood and adult life. The church which was a focal point in the Elvis’ life was prominent in many of his greatest musical works. As such, it was only befitting to set a scene around the church to a live performance of “Saved” one of Elvis’ most well known gospel hits . As the show progresses, the stage transforms to a comic book setting inclusive of huge trampolines where acrobats dressed in superhero attire perform daring stunts to “Gotta Lotta Lovin.” The height of the jumps that the acrobats are able to sustain offers up a truly stunning performance. Elvis’ service to this country, enlisting in the Army and being drafted was one of the greatest news stories of his life. Clips from Elvis’ time in the military are displayed through a medley of photos and a duet performed to “Love Me Tender.” Perhaps one of the highlights of the show for us was the boot camp scene where a marching band performed to “Return To Sender;” the marching band, dancers and acrobats were so in sync and the rhythm of the entire performance was simply stunning. The climax of the show is the jail house set which transports the audience through Elvis’ film career for which he is most noted for his performance in “Jailhouse Rock.” This scene showcases some of the best dance and acrobatics in the show, not to mention it was to the tunes of one of Elvis’ most well known songs “Jailhouse Rock.” Other high points in the show included an illustration of Elvis’ emotional side through photos of his most romantic scenes in film and home movies of him and Priscilla. The show continues to move on through scenes which present the sexy and sensual side of Elvis playing such hits as “It’s Now Or Never” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love;” but the big finish in showcasing Elvis’ romantic side comes with a performance of “Love Me” and “Don’t” where two huge engagement rings in the exact image of Elvis’ and Priscilla’s drop from the ceiling over the stage and two couples connect in an extremely physical performance of tumbling and tossing through the ring hoops. As the show nears the finale, there is a performance of “Viva Las Vegas” complete with showgirls and dancers in costume of Elvis’ signature jumpsuit which is indicative of the time that he spent in Las Vegas. The show wraps up with the entire cast taking the stage to “Hound Dog” which is Elvis’ musical masterpiece and played a huge role in his rise to fame. Overall we thoroughly enjoyed the show and highly recommend Viva Elvis for your next visit to Las Vegas. Even if you are not a fan of Elvis you will appreciate the message behind his music and be amazed at the mark he left in the world through the life that he lived.