Immortal was born of mutual inspiration in 2010. As Jackson’s estate brainstormed live-show concepts, the call came from Montreal: Cirque wanted to create a Jackson spectacular.

Cirque and Jackson were no strangers. The singer toured the company’s Montreal headquarters in 2003 and took his kids to see Cirque’s Mystère in Las Vegas a year before his death.

Still, the estate had its own conditions — namely, that the show emphasize dance and enlist Jackson’s creative associates.

“We had a lot of confidence in Cirque. They’ve created some of the best shows ever made,” says estate co-executor John Branca. “But Cirque also has a lot of shows, and we wanted to make sure this was going to be a Michael Jackson show.”

Fifteen die-hard fans were invited in for feedback as the show progressed. The result: a production that is likely to satisfy the most discerning devotees while pleasing mainstream fans.

And you can thank a body of work that just might be, well, immortal.

“Michael lives on,” King says. “Maybe not physically. But certainly his influence, his energy, will never die.”

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