Short answers, pulled from the story.
Guy Laliberté organized a summer fair in Baie-Saint-Paul with Daniel Gauthier and Gilles Ste-Croix in 1979 to mark the beginning of Cirque du Soleil. The trio walked on stilts from Baie-Saint-Paul to Quebec City as a publicity stunt to secure government funding for their stilt-walking troupe Les Échassiers de Baie-Saint-Paul.
Cirque du Soleil premiered its first permanent show Mystère in December 1993 at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino following a deal between the company and the Mirage Casino-Hotel. This production paved the way for additional residencies including O in Las Vegas and La Nouba at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.
Guy Laliberté sold his remaining interest in Cirque du Soleil by February 2020 for $75 million to Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec. The company declared bankruptcy amid the COVID-19 pandemic and was subsequently sold in November 2020 to creditors led by Catalyst Capital Group.
Several suspended productions including Zumanity, Totem, Volta, and Axel were permanently closed rather than revived after the worldwide suspension due to the global health crisis. New productions emerged such as Drawn to Life premiering in 2021 followed by Mad Apple opening in May 2022 at New York-New York Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Gymnast Matthew Cusick filed an employment discrimination complaint in November 2003 alleging violation of the Americans With Disabilities Act because Cirque du Soleil fired him after testing HIV-positive despite medical clearance. The company settled in April 2004 paying Cusick $60,000 lost wages plus additional damages totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars along with attorney fees.