A horde of muscular horses gallop at full throttle, splash water as they abruptly turn about and perform perfectly synchronized moves. Witnessing this display of equestrian art resembling a scene right out of a medieval horse-riding saga, normally introverted Korean audience members, from babies to grandmothers, let out whoops of fascination. 

The equestrian theatrical spectacular “Cavalia,” which kicked off on Nov. 12 at Jamsil Seoul Sports Complex’s Big Top Theater, will be performed until Dec. 28.

“Cavalia” is a lavish production involving 50 horses of 11 different breeds and 46 riders, aerialists, acrobats, dancers and musicians from Canada, France, Belgium, the United States, Morocco, Australia, Moldova, Spain, South Africa and Sweden. The epic display of horsemanship takes place in front of a 60-meter-wide screen and captivates the imagination of spectators. 

“Cavalia” is a combination of the Spanish and French words for horse, “caballo” and “cheval,” and the English word “cavalry”; it celebrates the timeless bond between humans and horses based on “mutual respect, kindness, patience and trust,” according to the show’s publication.

“It all started with creating a nouveau genre of entertainment that was more theatrically based,” choreographer and artistic codirector Alain Gauthier told The Korea Herald in an interview beside the stable. “By incorporating state-of-the-art technologies, it evolved into a multimedia production that involved equal measures of acrobatic and equestrian techniques.”

Gauthier added, “When you first deliver a show, it’s like a child. The show has to learn how to walk, grow, mature, age and renew. We made an adaption to our performance in Asia by having the front part of the stage completely flooded with water, and also by playing an oriental music.”

Stunt rider Fairland Ferguson said that although horses are not as jovial as dogs or standoffish as cats, they have their own personalities, which are revealed in their trust and willingness to act as well as in their expressions of happiness and sadness.

“As a rider, we develop a special relationship based on mutual respect and care. Relationships are real and horses will tell you whether they have those relationships or not. They’ll give you everything ― their energy, strength and even sound as they run into the ground for you.”

Since its debut in 2003, “Cavalia” has been enjoyed by more than 4 million people worldwide. It was produced by Cavalia Inc., an entertainment company headquartered in Montreal that specializes in equestrian and performing arts. The Canadian Embassy in Seoul helped bring the production to Korea. For more information, visit cavalia.co.kr.

By Joel Lee (joel@heraldcorp.com)