Cirque du Soleil debuts popular show Corteo in Halifax

For the first time ever, Cirque du Soleil is bringing its hit show Corteo to Halifax for six shows only.

Opening June 6, Cirque’s first two-sided stage production will be taking over the Scotiabank Centre through Sunday.

As performer Stephane Allard says, audiences will be thrilled by the show’s more than 50 artists and acrobats.

“It is a family show as well as for adults,” he tells CityNews Halifax. “Of course, the kids will be (attracted) to other things than adults, which is nice, and the adults can see there is so much detail on the set, a lot of props.”

Allard adds the show features 53 artists on tour, more than 30 pieces of music or songs and has entertained more than 10 million people in 22 countries on four continents.

Cirque du Soleil describes Corteo as “a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown”.

The show, which was performed for the first time in Montreal in April 2005, features a clown who pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by angels.

A member of Cirque du Soleil since first joining the entertainment giant in 2002, Allard has performed previously in Corteo as well as in the show Varekai, before taking an artistic break to devote himself to the musical creation of entertainment group Cavalia’s hit show, Odysseo.

However, in 2012, the lure of an offer to return to perform in Corteo was too much to ignore.

“When I do my make-up, put my costume on, I become another person and character,” says Allard, who is a violinist and plays the White Clown in the show. “Whatever problems I have in my life, (they) are gone for two hours.”

For tickets or other information on Corteo, visit the website.

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