The Fountains of Bellagio are sited in an eight-acre lake located in front of the Bellagio Hotel. The idea and character for the fountain were conceived by Mr. Steve Wynn, Chairman of Mirage Resorts. The Project took form in the summer of 1995, when Mr. Wynn determined the feature's essential character. Among the Project's objectives was the concept of creating a work that would be vibrantly kinetic and elating for visitors, while expressing the romantic spirit of Bellagio. The result is the most ambitious water feature ever conceived in terms of choreographic complexity and scale. Using a dramatic combination of music, water and light, the Bellagio delivers spectacular performances with its majestic fountains. Every evening, time briefly seems to stop in front of the Bellagio. Running every 15 minutes or every half-hour, depending on the time of year, the animated fountains are impossible to simply walk past. Cleverly orchestrated to a variety of songs -- from "One, Singular Sensation," featured on Broadway, to "Fly Me To The Moon," written by Bart Howard and made famous by Frank Sinatra -- the fountains appear to come to life with every note. Spanning across the quarter-mile-long lake in front of the Bellagio, the free show generally lasts between five and 10 minutes. However, performances are hindered by inclement weather. The fountain show is equipped with 1,200 nozzles and 5,000 lights, making it the most expensive and ambitious water feature. The Bellagio fountains have been made famous through appearances on the silver screen. The fountains were most notably highlighted in the remake of "Ocean's Eleven," starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts. To complement the fountain design the Bellagio brought in outside professionals to develop the show, including composer/conductor Gerard Schurmann ("Lawrence of Arabia") and choreographer Kenny Ortega ("Dirty Dancing"). The range of movement across the lake is varied; some of the movement is continuous, responding to the smooth passages of music, while other water jets are rapidly pulsing, reaching heights as high as 240 feet. With a wide array of musical selections and choreography, you could easily sit in front of the fountains all night and never see the same performance twice. Even those in passing cars on the Strip feel compelled to pull to the side and take in the show. Located within the lake and spanning its 1,000 foot length is an array of over 1,000 water expressions and 5,000 individually programmed white lights. Within this plan is a combination of water forms that enables the fountains to interpret and perform to selected musical pieces. Some of the movement is continuous, responding to the smooth, legato passages of music, while other water jets are rapidly pulsing and staccato. The simplicity of the layout of water elements and the variety of vertical water expressions available in the fountain allow for breadth and variety in the fountain's kinetics. A range of musical works was chosen by Mr.Wynn for the fountain's shows, from classical and operatic pieces to popular music and songs from Broadway shows. In addition, Mr. Wynn invited designers, musicians and performance artists to choreograph the fountain to the different musical selections. The result is a rich and dynamic collection of performances in water, each unique and expressive of its own musical character and the artist who created it. The performances range from delicate and whimsical to grand and commanding. Visitors to Bellagio will be welcomed with an experience in water performance like none other. One that will lift their spirits and leave them with a feeling of elation and joy. | 
