Delirium & Corteo

Two new Cirque du Soleil shows have started making their way around North America. Corteo started last summer and looks to be making it to Chicago this summer or fall. Delirium started here in Montreal Thursday night and is scheduled to make a 120 city tour of North America. So it is bound to make it to Chicago this year. It will be in St.Louis in early May, Eric. So far all of the reviews of Delirium I have seen have been good.

I mention this because I have had the privilege of working on both of these productions. It was a minor role of verifying that the stage structure could support the weight of the show along with recommending modifications, but it still gives me pride. Others in our office verified the overhead elements and even the grandstands. It is really one of the perks of my place of employment to be able to work with a client of this creativity and visibility. I have also verified the new stage for Alegria (now in Europe) and parts of KA in Las Vegas.

As far as the shows themselves, I have only seen four of them, Corteo, Alegria, Quidam, and Dralion. I found Corteo to be the best show. The show has acts that are more traditional and it is a well-rounded show with more than just acrobatics. Alegria had been the best show before and is the height of Cirque du Soleil style. I really liked Quidam the two times I saw it, but Dralion was a disappointment.

The Cirque now has 12 shows currently playing, 5 permanent installations and 7 travelling shows. Plus there are other shows currently in the works. There are Corteo, Delirium, Quidam, and Varekai touring North America. Alegria and Dralion are touring Europe while Saltimbanco is touring South America. None are in Asia, though Alegria was there recently. The permanent installation in Disneyworld Florida is La Nouba and the four shows in Las Vegas are KA, Mystere, O, and Zumanity. One of these years we'll make it to Las Vegas.