Cirque du Soleil

In the organizer's words:

Following the sensational success of the tent show KURIOS in Munich and Düsseldorf, Cirque du Soleil is delighted to be visiting Cologne in spring 2025 with its internationally acclaimed production Corteo.

The unique, cheerful procession of clowns and acrobats, staged by Daniele Finzi Pasca, will be coming to the LANXESS arena in spring 2025.

A special feature is a revolving stage that divides the audience into two opposite areas, allowing the audience to experience the performance from the perspective of the artists, a first for Cirque du Soleil.

Corteo, originally conceived as a tent show, is considered one of Cirque du Soleil's outstanding successes with audiences. Since its premiere, the show has thrilled more than eight million spectators in 19 countries on four continents. Corteo, which means "procession" in Italian, refers to a joyful procession, a festive parade that takes place in the imagination of a clown. The show combines the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat. The audience enters an imaginary world full of fun and spontaneity in a magical place between heaven and earth.

The clown experiences the end of his time on earth in a carnival-like atmosphere, while compassionate angels watch over everything. Corteo juxtaposes the big with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection. This emphasizes both the strength and fragility of the clown. His wisdom and kindness symbolize the humanity that lives in all of us. The music, alternately lyrical and playful, carries Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.

The stage concept transports the audience into a theatrical atmosphere never before seen in this form at Cirque du Soleil arena shows. The curtains, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, were hand-painted and give the stage a grandiose appearance. The buildings give the whole thing a poetic setting. A total of 51 acrobats, musicians, singers and actors from all over the world perform at Corteo.