Beatles come together for Cirque's 'Love'

For the epic task of bringing together the two surviving Beatles, the widows of the two deceased and the band's legendary producer, it turns out all you need is Love.

Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, producer George Martin and the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison — Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison —appeared on the red carpet Friday at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas for the grand opening performance of Love, the surrealistic portrayal of the Beatles' career performed by Quebec-based theatre troupe Cirque du Soleil.

"It was emotional because two of us aren't there," Starrtold the Associated Pressafter the show. "So it really comes home when you're watching this."

McCartney, who has often clashed with Ono,did not speak with reporters, but he appeared on stage after the performance and yelled, "This is for John and George!"

Love, which has already drawn rave reviews from critics, features interviews, photo montages and footage from the Beatles' last concert on a central London rooftop playing in huge back projections while acrobats and dancers perform on stage.

And, of course, the show is filled with the Beatles' music, including both old favourites and previously unheard material. Martin oversaw a reworking of master tapes from the band's recording sessions, giving even familiar songs such as Revolution, Yesterday and Blackbird a fresh sound.

"If John saw the show, he'd probably say, 'Yeah, but it could be better,"' Martin said when asked what Lennon, who was shot and killed in December 1980, would think of the production. "John was never satisfied with anything that he ever did in his life. In his mind, he had a dream world which could not be realized."

Characters from Beatles songs, including the walrus, Lady Madonna and Sgt. Pepper, appear in the show, which presents a sweeping journey through the band's past.

"I tried to get inspired by the lyrics, but also the moments and the motion of their careers," said show creator Dominic Champagne "We tried to be spiritual and physical without trying to be too didactic. I didn't want to do the live version of The Anthology. We're not here to teach the Beatles story to people."

The idea for the show was conceived by Harrison, who was a friend of Cirque founder Guy Laliberté, prior to Harrison's death in 2001. Olivia Harrison then pursued the project, enlisting the input of McCartney, Starr and Ono.

Love is the first major theatrical project for the Beatles' company, Apple Corps Ltd., which has a reputation for being aggressive in protecting the band's legacy. It also marks the company's most significant endeavour since 2000, when it released 1, a CD collection of Beatles No. 1 singles that has sold more than 24 million copies.

With files from Associated Press