The Canadian Cirque du Soleil has been captivating audiences for 40 years and has become a global entertainment conglomerate. Now, in the coming days, they will be showcasing their new program „Corteo“ in Zurich. This is one of about 40 shows that the „Sun Circus“ tours worldwide. The Cirque du Soleil was celebrated as a fairytale circus and a „circus of post-modernism“ when it emerged from a small Canadian street circus 40 years ago. Their trademark was stilt walking, and they named their troupe „Les Échassiers,“ which means stilt walkers.
The international breakthrough came in the early 1990s with the show „We reinvent the Circus“ – a statement of purpose, as the Cirque focused entirely on people and acrobatics, eschewing the use of animals. „I’d rather feed three artists than one elephant,“ said Cirque co-founder Guy Laliberté. The transition from a pure touring circus came in the mid-1990s when the Cirque established permanent shows, including in Las Vegas. The street circus had transformed into a global entertainment conglomerate.
Since the founding of Cirque in 1984, the company states that 410 million people have seen their shows. The company now employs over 4,000 people, including 1,160 artists from over 80 different nationalities, performing in more than 40 shows. Following the pandemic in 2020, shows gradually resumed in the summer of 2021, and employees were called back to work.
In a large training hall, acrobats train for new shows, with 22 weeks of training dedicated to each new creation. The training hall is 18 meters high with a training area of about 1,400 square meters, resembling the dimensions of a circus tent. Acrobats fly through the air, are caught by their partners, and train on wires, trampolines, and at the trapeze. The shows of Cirque du Soleil tell a story and have a theme, unlike traditional circuses that often present unrelated acts.
Known for its music and breathtaking acrobatics, Cirque du Soleil is also renowned for its colorful and imaginative costumes. About 70 to 80 percent of the costumes are made at the headquarters in Montreal, with the rest coming from suppliers. More than 80 costumes were designed for „Corteo“ alone. The costume and makeup department employees were the first to be called back to work after the pandemic hiatus.
The Cirque du Soleil headquarters houses workshops where costumes, shoes, and stage decorations are made, with 100 to 200 employees working on these creations. Textiles, mainly made of stretchy Lycra, are delivered in white and dyed by a chemist. Wooden shoe lasts are used for making shoes for various shows. Dozens of sewing machines and tables are used in the costume-making process.
The visit to the headquarters is limited to one hour, as it is a working and training facility. Strict protocols must be followed during visits. Outside the main entrance, there is a bronze sculpture of a clown boot created by Rolf Knie in 2000. The Cirque du Soleil’s „Corteo“ will be showing in Zurich from October 17th to 20th at the Hallenstadion.
