Corteo is a one-of-a-kind production, written and directed by the brilliant Daniele Finzi Pasca. Premiering for the first time in Montreal under the Grande Chapiteau in April 2005, Corteo has already enchanted more than 9 million spectators in 22 countries on 4 continents.

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Corteo, which means procession in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by Mauro the Dreamer clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to immerse the audience in a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity set in a mysterious space between heaven and earth.

The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over silently by caring angels. Juxtaposing large with 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 both lyrical and playful, carries Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.

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This unmissable show brings an international cast and crew, representing more than 18 nationalities with performers from Argentina, Armenia, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Finland, France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Romania, Russia, United Kingdom, Ukraine, United States and Uzbekistan.

For the first time at Cirque du Soleil, the stage is central to the arena and divides the venue, with each half of the audience facing the other half, providing a unique perspective not only of the show but also of an artist's view of the audience. An atmosphere never before seen in Cirque du Soleil's arena shows. The scenery's curtains, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and the central curtains, hand-painted, lend a grand air to the stage, setting the tone for Corteo's poetry.

Tickets to this family-friendly show will be available to purchase on Thursday 25 April at 10 am on www.everythingisnew.pt and at other usual locations. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.


About the Director

Daniele Finzi Pasca lives in three worlds at once: stage directing, circus arts, and the art of clowning. Born into a family steeped in the arts (his great-grandfather, grandfather and father were photographers while his mother was a painter), he started his career as a gymnast and became a circus artist before delving into the world of theatre.

In 1983, he headed to India where he volunteered to care for terminally ill patients in Calcutta. On his return to Switzerland, he created the company Teatro Sunil in 1986 where he went on to direct close to twenty shows. His impressive career includes Icaro, a monologue imagined for a single spectator. Presented in 15 countries in six different languages over the past 20 years, the show was recognized by the Theatre Critics Association of Montevideo as the “Best Foreign Show.”


Daniele went on to publish Come Acqua Allo Specchio, a collection of short stories. He also wrote and performed in Aitestás, considered the “Best Foreign Show” by the National Theatre Critics Association of Mexico. In the early 2000s, he came back to Quebec where he directed Visitatio, a coproduction of Teatro Sunil and Carbone 14, then directed the shows Nomade (2002), Rain (2003), and Nebbia (2007) for Cirque Éloize.


In 2011, he founded Compagnia Finzi Pasca with Julie Hamelin Finzi and the members of
Teatro Sunil. Together they created operas and other productions including Donka – A
Letter to Chekhov, a coproduction with The Chekhov International Theater Festival and
Vidy-Lausanne Theater to mark the 150th anniversary of the birth of Anton Chekhov. They created La Vérità (2013) and Bianco su Bianco (2014), among others.

Daniele also directed the Closing Ceremony of both the Olympic Games in Torino (2006) and the Sochi Olympic and Paralympic Games (2014). Daniele picked up several awards over the years including the 2012 Hans Reinhart Ring – the highest distinction in Swiss theatre – in recognition for his lifelong contribution to the performing arts. He was chosen to create and direct the next edition of the Wingrowers’ Festival of Vevey, Switzerland, in 2019, an event held every 25 years that attracts hundreds of thousands of people.


After Corteo, LUZIA is Daniele Finzi Pasca’s second collaboration with Cirque du Soleil in 2016. On the occasion of Montreal’s 375th Anniversary, Daniele created Montréal Avudo, a show that pays tribute to the St-Laurent River which will come to life with enormous projections inspired by the city’s history.