Cirque du Soleil Corteo performing at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas on February 2, 2023. (Photo: Ralph Arvesen)
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.
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.
Oftentimes, I feel as if the Cirque du Soleil shows loose themselves on many younger viewers. They cannot understand the story-line. We shared this performance with our kids and grandchildren and everyone enjoyed it ! It was fast moving and very entertaining, especially for the kids when the "child" rode the helium balloons over their heads with help from the audience! Keep appealing to all ages and you will always have a winning recipe. Bravo! Amazing performances by all the cast members. Thank you.The opening show at the Moody Center was on Thursday, February 2, 2023 with other shows through Sunday, February 5, 2023. Cirque du Soleil Corteo then continues across the United States and Canada with the last stop at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington on March 2 - 5, 2023.
Excellent! The stage was up close and personable. Felt like I was in the show. Very impressed with the cast who did an outstanding job. The musicians and the singers sounded great.
An absolute must see. Finally after 22 years of wanting to see one of their shows a bucket list entry was crossed off. It made for a perfect date and turned her on to something new. A spectacular show! You wouldn’t be disappointed watching one, 100%.
Absolutely amazing performers! I truly loved the aerial artists. Talk about inspiration for strength training. Them legs have muscles for days! Now, if I can just find a chandelier to swing from.
Awesome! The show was spectacular! One of the best Cirque shows I have seen. Wonderful acrobats and comedic performances. The range of stunts and characters were amazing!
Cirque du Soleil Corteo
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Photos by Ralph Arvesen
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