Epson Projectors Help Cirque du Soleil ECHO Bring a Dynamic, Immersive World to Life on Tour

Compact, High-Performance Projectors Help the Global Touring Production 

Deliver Vibrant Visuals, Faster Setup and Consistent Experiences City to City

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., Nov. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- When Cirque du Soleil ECHO travels from city to city, virtually every element of the production travels with it, including a sophisticated projection system designed to transform the performance environment and respond dynamically to the action onstage. As the Official Projector Partner of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, Epson today announced its high-performance laser projectors are helping ECHO deliver its immersive visual experience while meeting the demanding requirements of a production that tours around the world. A video about the project can be seen here.

ECHO is a show that plunges the audience into a universe of a thousand and one colors, wonders and possibilities on the themes of inventiveness, hope of youth and the importance of empathy. The production combines poetry, performing arts and high-flying acrobatics, exploring the precious balance between humans, animals and the world they share. The intention behind ECHO was to create an experience that audiences had not previously experienced in a Big Top.

Projection that Moves with the Performance

At the heart of ECHO's visual system is a giant cube that is tracked by 10 projectors positioned around the audience. As the cube moves up and down the stage, the projected imagery moves with it, creating a dynamic visual effect that makes the physical and digital elements of the production feel interconnected. The system combines structured lighting and cameras to track the cube in real time, allowing the projection system to re-project imagery from the various projectors' points of view. The result is a highly coordinated visual environment in which individual projectors work together to create a unified image.

"ECHO is a very complex show," said Alexis Rivest, Technical Director, VYV. "The system uses structured lights and cameras so the cube can be tracked in real time; that allows us to re-project from the various projectors' point of view."

For a touring production, delivering that level of visual complexity is only part of the challenge. The equipment must also withstand the realities of life on the road. "We tend to say a Big Top show is a little like being on a camping site; it's raining, snowing, it's a dust storm. You never know what you're going to get," said Stefanus Roos, Assistant Head of Video, Cirque du Soleil ECHO. "All of these elements have an impact on the equipment, and our old projectors were aging."

Designed for the Demands of a Global Tour

Through the Epson partnership, Cirque du Soleil was able to replace aging projection equipment with newer Epson technology designed to deliver the performance, image quality and operational efficiencies required for a touring environment. The upgrade also presented an opportunity to rethink the projection system around the realities of ECHO's production environment. With equipment mounted overhead and limited physical space available within the touring infrastructure, size and weight were critical considerations.

"The physical space of the actual projector is a challenge for us; we need to keep a clearance," said Christian Blais, Project Manager, Lighting and Projections, Cirque du Soleil. "Fortunately, the new projectors are much smaller than what we had previously. Having a smaller projector that is lighter and packs a bigger punch is very important for any environment. And we can fit more into a truck and reduce our trucks on the road."

Eight Hours to Rebuild a Show

For a production that tours internationally, installation and teardown are measured not in days, but hours. Once ECHO arrives at a new location, the technical team has a limited window to rebuild the projection system and prepare it for performance.

"No one tours around the globe like we do; we're pretty unique in the way we operate our systems," said Michaël Fortin, Technical Director, Touring Shows, Cirque du Soleil. "From my perspective, the main challenge for this changeover is our timeframe. You have that window of about eight hours to change the components. The clock starts ticking and there's no coming back."

The process begins with the installation of the structures that support the projectors, followed by mounting the projectors and running the necessary cabling throughout the system. "Our first step is to bolt our own structures that we hang the projectors on. Then we get the projectors up in the air and cable the whole system," said Roos. "Our next step is to calibrate the system, which means to get all the 10 projectors to talk together to get one single seamless visual, instead of 10 individual images."

"With the new projectors installed, we definitely see a reduction in setup time and there's less maintenance needed," said Fortin.

Consistent Color and Image Quality Wherever ECHO Performs

For Cirque du Soleil, technical consistency is essential. ECHO may be performed in dramatically different environments and countries, but audiences should experience the same visual impact regardless of where they see the show. "Consistency and giving an audience member the same experience whether they are in Montreal or Mexico is very important for Cirque du Soleil," said Roos. "Because of Epson's global support system, we don't have to compromise on any of that."

Epson's large-venue laser projectors feature 3-chip 3LCD technology with advanced image processing designed to deliver bright, vivid colors and consistent image quality. Built with installation flexibility in mind, the projectors can adapt to a variety of environments and placement requirements, making them well suited for large-scale entertainment applications.

For the ECHO team, the impact of the new projectors is particularly visible in the production's colorful visual content. "Colors are a lot more vivid, a lot brighter," said Roos.

One Technology Fleet, Worldwide Support

The ECHO upgrade is also part of a broader strategy for Cirque du Soleil – creating a more unified technology fleet across its productions. A consistent projector platform can simplify training and technical support while giving Cirque du Soleil's teams a common technology foundation from which to develop new creative concepts.

The collaboration with ECHO underscores the partnership between Epson and Cirque du Soleil. In 2024, Cirque du Soleil named Epson its Official Projector Partner, with the companies working together to explore new ways projection can expand storytelling and create immersive experiences. That partnership took shape with Cirque du Soleil ALIZÉ^™, Cirque du Soleil's first-ever European residency, where Epson projectors help transform Berlin's Theater am Potsdamer Platz into an immersive visual environment.

"Epson is known for exceptional image quality, but in live entertainment, performance consistency is just as critical," said Jason Meyer, Director of Product Management, Epson America. "With a production as technically complex and visually immersive as ECHO, every element must perform reliably night after night, wherever the show travels. Ultimately, our goal is to help Cirque du Soleil tell its stories. It's not about the technology – it's about the story, and we're honored to help bring theirs to life."

For ECHO, the collaboration is grounded in a simple goal, making complex technology work seamlessly so the audience can focus on the story. "Epson was amazing in understanding our reality, taking the time to listen to our constraint and come up with the best solution for our needs," said Fortin. For audiences looking to experience ECHO's immersive visual world firsthand, Cirque du Soleil ECHO continues its international tour in Mexico through the end of 2026, before traveling to Miami, Florida and Italy in 2027.

About Epson Large Venue Projection

Epson engineers and manufactures the core components of its large-venue projectors to help ensure uncompromising image quality and reliability with proven 3-chip, 3LCD technology and beyond HD resolution for stunning colors and image details that is only available from an industry leader. Built specifically for large-scale, immersive productions like Cirque du Soleil ECHO, these projectors offer the brightness, versatility and features that event producers require for seamless installation and operation. For additional information about Epson's large venue projectors, visit www.epson.com/largevenue. For additional information about Epson's partnership with Cirque du Soleil, visit www.epson.com/cirque-du-soleil.

About Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil is a global leader in live entertainment. For four decades, the company has pushed the boundaries of imagination, bringing its creative vision to a wide range of artistic formats, including touring and resident shows, seasonal productions, theatrical shows and more. Since its founding in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has inspired more than 430 million spectators across 6 continents and 86 countries. The Canadian company now employs over 3,000 people, including over 900 artists representing more than 80 nationalities. For more information, visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/.

About Epson

Epson is a technology innovation and engineering company whose philosophy of efficient, compact and precise innovation enriches lives and helps create a better world. The company uses technology and engineering ability to implement real-world solutions in precision innovation, industrial and robotics, office and home printing, and visual and lifestyle.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the worldwide Epson Group generates annual sales of more than JPY 1.4 trillion. corporate.epson/en/

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