Cirque du Soleil returns to Victoria next month with Corteo, the story of Mauro, a contemporary circus clown who watches as his own funeral takes place in a carnival-like dream.
Corteo has been performed over 3,500 times under the big top before Cirque adapted it for arena performances.
The production will hit Victoria in the midst of a two-year North American tour that kicked off in March 2018 so we assembled a list of fun facts about one of Cirque’s longest-running shows.
#West Valley! Let yourself be charmed by #Corteo! 💋 Our clown Mauro and his friends will be in town from September 27 to 30! https://t.co/RJQb0hgn3B pic.twitter.com/4DXDX9xIRx
— Cirque du Soleil (@Cirque) September 24, 2018
- Corteo is the Italian word for cortege, or procession and along with French and Spanish, many of the lyrics are sung in Italian
- The cast includes some 62 characters but the central figures are all clowns, each a representation of Mauro’s memories
- The set includes a special overhead transport mechanism designed to fit four platforms each, carrying 1,000 lbs up to 41 feet in the air
- The design on centre stage is a labyrinth, created in exact proportional size to the one of the floor of Chartres Cathedral in France
- Corteo’s accompanying album was one of the first Cirque production to feature multiple composers, as well as 61 musicians and singers, a 16-piece choir and 13-piece string section to perform songs sung in French, Italian and Spanish
Corteo swings through the Save On Foods Memorial Centre Oct. 4 to 7. For tickets click here.
