Four “Corteo” shows will be presented, and ticket sales are underway.
Toni McAllister | Contributed
The Cirque de Soleil production of Corteo is heading to Acrisure Arena in Greater Palm Springs, it was announced Monday. Four Corteo shows featuring renowned acrobats will be presented at the 11,000-capacity venue, Aug. 31 to Sept. 3, 2023, arena officials said. Show tickets went on sale online at 10 a.m. Monday exclusively to Club Cirque members (For a free subscription, visit clubcirque.com.) General ticket sales begin December 19 at cirquedusoleil.com/corteo, officials said.
Corteo is directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca and first premiered in Montreal in April 2005. Corteo, which means cortege in Italian, is a procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show plunges the audience into “a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth,” according to show officials. The story involves the clown picturing 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, according to the officials.
The Corteo stage is central in the story and divides the venue, with each half of the audience facing the other half, “giving a unique perspective not only of the show, but also a performer’s eye view of the audience. An atmosphere like never seen before in Cirque du Soleil arena shows. The set curtains, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and the central curtains, which were hand-painted, give a grandiose feel to the stage.
This sets the tone for the poetry of Corteo,” according to officials. “Since its creation, the show has amazed over 10 million spectators, in 20 countries, on 4 continents,” according to a news release from Acrisure Arena. “We are thrilled to come and present one of our amazing shows in Palm Springs for the very first time. We look forward to presenting the Coachella Valley audience the world of Cirque du Soleil and discover Corteo” said Mike Newquist, president of touring shows division at Cirque du Soleil. “Guests of all ages will enjoy the unique story of Mauro the Dreamer Clown against a beautiful backdrop featuring our incredible acrobats.”
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