Edison Peña, the Chilean miner who became popular worldwide as a major Elvis fan, visited Las Vegas January 10-12 to experience Viva Elvis by Cirque du Soleil and ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter. Peña was offered a guest appearance in the show Tuesday, Jan. 11 and received VIP treatment during his stay at ARIA.
During the performance, Peña traveled across the Viva Elvis stage in style, riding in the shows representation of Elviss iconic pink Cadillac during "Blue Suede Shoes." After his special appearance in front of the excited audience he described the experience to the cast as "fantastic – the scenery, the special effects, the music, all of you. You are the best and beautiful. I have no words."
Peña, along with 33 miners, was trapped underground in a Chilean mine for more than two months before help could bring them to the surface. During this time, Peña would have the miners sing Elvis songs to pass time and keep their spirits alive as they waited to be rescued.
After discovering the extent of Peñas love for Elvis, Graceland offered the rescued miner a trip to Memphis where he received a private tour of the mansion and all of the exhibits. He was also able to experience other Memphis attractions such as the historic Sun Studio where Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis all started their music careers.
Peña finished his whirlwind tour of everything Elvis with his exclusive cameo in Viva Elvis, which stands as a tribute to the life and music of Elvis Presley.
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