The Beatles Love, the acclaimed Cirque de Soleil show that's been running for 18 years in Las Vegas, is coming to an end of its long and winding road.
The show, featuring dance and acrobatics to the music of the Beatles, has been running at the Mirage, but that hotel is being taken over by the Hard Rock Las Vegas in July.
Cirque du Soleil CEO Stéphane Lefebvre said the decision was not made by the dance troupe, but rather the powers that be at the hotel/casino.
"This wasn't our decision," Lefebvre said in a video interview Tuesday afternoon, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "Hard Rock needs to take control of the entire venue and do some major renovations. So they need to get the show closed by July 7."
It's possible that The Beatles Love can run again at another venue, but it would need to be adapted to another theater.
"If it has a life beyond this venue, it will need to change the format a little bit. The theater is so unique, it's a 360-degree stage and very deep," Lefebvre said, per the outlet. "If we want to move it elsewhere, if we look at somewhere in Europe, we need to make some significant changes."
As a result of the shutdown, 230 cast members and crew will lose their jobs.
Though the show is closing, Mirage President Joe Lupo praised Love. "Throughout its historic 18-year run at The Mirage Las Vegas, The Beatles Love has been a captivating show that has delighted millions of guests as they shared in the wonder of Cirque du Soleil," Lupo said in a statement, according to the Review-Journal. "I want to share my sincere appreciation to MGM and the entertainment team who ensured that the show's legacy continued during our ownership transition."
Love may have contributed to renewed interest in the Beatles for some music fans. The soundtrack album, released in 2006, was the final album produced by the Beatles longtime producer George Martin. His son Giles Martin, who co-produced the album that features remixes and mashups of Beatles classics, went on to helm several remastered and remixed Beatles releases. In speaking about the Love album, Giles Martin said, "What people will be hearing on the album is a new experience, a way of re-living the whole Beatles musical lifespan in a very condensed period."
When The Beatles Love opened in June 2006, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and George Harrison's widow Olivia were in attendance.
When Love closes its final show with "All You Need Is Love," it will have played to more than 11.5 million fans over its nearly 20-year run.
