Cirque du Soleil Presents Corteo in San Diego

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Famous for creating whimsical realms driven by imagination and ruled by the unknown, Cirque du Soleil spans five continents with a series of international illusions. From Zumanity to "O" and The Beatles: About Love, Cirque du Soleil intertwines the fantastical within the everyday - and now San Diego welcomes Corteo, the latest trip from the visionaries of sensory innovation.

Corteo invites the audience to set logic and reason aside and believe in a new world as seen through the lens of a clown's imagination. Meaning "cortege" in Italian - Coreto is explained as a festive parade and joyous procession that takes place in a transcending space between heaven and earth. Corteo celebrates the comedic and spontaneous nature and power of the stage and illustrates the passion of the actor and the grace of the acrobat.

At its most basic core, Corteo is the story of a clown picturing his own funeral taking place in an erratic carnival atmosphere watched over by angels. Within the framework of universal juxtapositions, Corteo playfully draws upon the strong and wise yet fragile and naïve nature of the clown. And through this theatrical mirror Corteo translates the essence of human character and the fallibility of the reality around us.

Alison Crawford, Senior Artistic Director of Corteo shares her thoughts on the 2008 production of Corteo in San Diego, “All Cirque du Soleil shows strive to be unique and distinctive. With Corteo, the show is technically very big, but it has a very nostalgic feel, like you’re in an old European theatre. The stage configuration is new for Cirque du Soleil. It actually runs down the middle of the big top and the audience sits on either side. The artists must perform to all sides, which creates lots of energy and movement.”

The Corteo cast is small yet strong - comprised of various clown characters, quiet angels, and acrobat dancers. Meet the stars of San Diego Coreto: Clowness, Dead Clown, Giant Clown, and Loyal Whistler.

Clowness - played by Valentyna Paylevanyan
The Clowness is an actress, a veritable grande dame of the stage, who somehow found herself a part of this quirky troupe. Her professionalism and her strength of character allow her to bear the foolishness of her partners, whom she never fails to charm.

Dead Clown - played by Jeff Raz

The Dead Clown is the central character of the story, the one whom this impressive funeral is honouring. What we see in Corteo is truly the Dead Clown's world, presented as his memories surface. Hence, many of the show's characters are seen through the Dead Clown's eyes: friends, lovers, coworkers, indeed, an entire village.

Giant Clown - played by Grigor Paylevanyan
Of all the Dead Clown's friends, Giant Clown is undoubtedly the Dead Clown's closest friend - they are almost like brothers. The Giant is as gentle and timorous as he is physically imposing. The beauty of the world melts his heart.

Loyal Whistler - played by Robert Stemmons
The origins of the Loyal Whistler lie in the classic role of "Mr. Loyal," the ringleader of traditional circuses. We feel the soldier and the diva are competing inside him, struggling for their turn in the sun.

Alison explains why Corteo is the perfect play for the beginning of a new year, “With a new beginning, people tend to be reflective. With Corteo, that’s the story – it’s looking back on a creative life. Corteo is introspective, but still fun and entertaining with stunning acrobatics.”

Corteo features a series of stimulating acrobatic acts that involve characters, props, dance, and song. Special mention acts are the helium dance, bouncing beds, chandeliers, and the acrobatic duet.

Helium dance:
All dressed up in his Sunday best, the Dead Clown delicately holds the Clowness, who is tethered to six enormous balloons. A hush falls as the angelic Clowness ascends and flies out into the audience, coming to rest on a spectator chosen by chance. Her gentle flight is charming and a delight to behold.

Bouncing beds:
Six artists mimic the gaggle of children and jump on two big beds that move on rotating platforms. In a playful atmosphere, they perform acrobatic feats each more daring than the last.

Chandeliers:
Four women, the Dead Clown's former loves, come together in dreamlike joy. They perform aerial acrobatics on three giant chandeliers that sway and spin above the Dead Clown's bed.

Acrobatic duet:
In this beautiful choreographed dance, a couple gracefully glides through a series of acrobatic and artistic poses highlighting superior strength, balance, and rhythm.

Alison describes what dreams and passions embody a Clown’s reality, “Corteo features a clown from a traditional old world circus. In his career and travels, he’s met many interesting characters (a Giant and two little people in the show) and seen unique and amazing things. To be a clown, you have to be willing to be vulnerable on stage and you must read the audience and react to them, and with them.”

Cirque du Soleil's Corteo arrives in San Diego on January 11, 2008 and will play until February 10, 2008 at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. For exclusive DiscoverSD.com Insider discount tickets, visit the Coreto VIP website here.

Get a sneak preview of San Diego Corteo in the DSD photo gallery here.