Cirque du Soleil is as synonymous with Las Vegas as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, or even gambling. Currently, Cirque performs six resident (full-time) shows at various locations. At the Treasure Island in Vegas, the acrobatic troupe entertains fans with their delightful show Mystere.

First debuting in 1993, Mystere quickly won over nearly every critic, and the show has been running ever since. Mystere isn't overly original for a Cirque show, as many have been styled after his highly successful production, but the blend of circus-like skills, operatic music, comedy, well-choreographed dance and elaborate stage sets make Mystere stand out as one of the troupe's finest accomplishments.

To date, the show has run well over 12,000 performances and the awe-inspiring production continues to sell out. Treasure Island does very well because of this working relationship; however, Mytere's critics cite an inability for the show to connect with them on a storytelling level.

The premise behind Mystere is truly a mystery to most. Although the dazzling effects and near perfect acrobatic routines are alone worth the price of admission, Mystere works in the metaphorical world, taking a Thompson-like approach to the real, turning it surreal and losing some of its luster in its own self-worth.

Mystere can be described, in short, as the evolution of all life - all existence - set to bright and vivid colors and sounds. It starts out with the loud (some say obnoxiously loud, but it's very brief) banging of the drums, indicating the Big Bang - the start of the universe as we know it. It then begins to take a wildly mythical trip through early life, showing man's evolution into a creature able to realize that the “life” journey is truly never-ending.

Mystere combines the music and the imagery well, and the actual premise of the show is quite enough to bring folks to the edge of their seats; but in terms of following a point coherently, Mystere is a scatter shot of entertaining aspects that never seem to tie in together.

Even still, the gist of the show is grabbed by all. It's about mankind in general, the potential of our species. Mystere certainly succeeds in displaying the potential of mankind to perform acrobatics. Their stunts and array of aerial feats are among the most celebrated throughout the world, and certainly in Las Vegas. Mystere has paved the way for O, Zumanity, Ka, Love, and even Criss Angel's semi-weird production.

Before the lights go out and the show music starts, guests filing into the auditorium to take their seats are entertained by a clown. This is where Cirque shows draw a bit of criticism. The clown is very hands-on, for lack of a better term, and is not shy about including random audience members in his acts of annoyance.

And just when you think you're rid of the clown, he'll suddenly reappear at various points throughout the show. Other than that, though, Mystere goes off without a hitch. From the lights and music to the acrobatics and assortment of actors, it's been a long-running show for a reason.