Cirque du Soleil performers prepare for the opening of Corteo at the HEB Center in Cedar Park on Wednesday, February 20th. The show runs through Sunday, February 24th.
Corteo, the latest and most enchanting Cirque du Soleil’s production is now touring in North America. This unique production, directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, has been a great success and has amazed 8 million people in 19 countries on four continents since first premiering in Montreal in 2005.
Corteo, which means cortege in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.
The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music turns lyrical and playful carrying Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.
A first for Cirque du Soleil, the rotating stage is divided in two, with each half of the audience facing the other half, so they see not only the performance, but also have a performer’s eye view of the audience.
The two enormous baroque-style “Roll Drop” curtains (58 feet wide and almost 40 feet high), and the four sideways-opening Italian-style curtains are among the most striking scenic elements in the show. They were sewn in Canada and sent to France to be painted where it took more than two weeks to paint each of the central curtains in watercolors.
The cast of Corteo includes 51 acrobats, musicians, singers and actors from more than 15 nationalities, including Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United States, and Uzbekistan.
The opening show at the HEB Center was on Wednesday, February 20 at 7:30pm with another show Thursday, February 21 evening and then twice daily through Sunday, February 24. Cirque du Soleil Corteo then continues across the United States and Europe with the last stop at the Palacio Municipal De Deportes San Pablo in Seville, Spain on February 16 - 20, 2020.
About Cirque du Soleil
Originally composed of 20 street performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil completely reinvented circus arts and went on to become a world leader in artistic entertainment. Established in Montreal, the Canadian organization has brought wonder and delight to over 180 million spectators with 42 productions that have taken place in close to 450 cities in 60 countries. Cirque du Soleil currently has over 4,000 employees, including 1,300 artists, from nearly 50 countries.
A world leader in entertainment, Cirque du Soleil creates content for a broad range of audacious projects. On top of producing world-renowned shows, the organization has extended its creative approach to a large variety of entertainment forms such as multimedia productions, immersive experiences, theme parks and special events. Going beyond its various creations, Cirque du Soleil aims to make a positive impact on humans, communities and the planet with its most important tools: creativity and art.
Related
Cirque du Soleil Corteo at the HEB Center in Cedar Park, Texas
Cirque du Soleil Corteo
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HEB Center
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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