Cirque du Soleil bring Alegria show to Manchester MEN Arena

Oct 20 2011 Chester Chronicle

Cirque du Soleil has announced the company is limbering up to debut its critically-acclaimed production Alegría in UK arenas for the first time, visiting Manchester’s MEN Arena from April 4-7 next year.

Tickets for Alegría, all priced at £50, are on sale now.

Alegría is a classic Cirque du Soleil production that has received international acclaim and wowed more than 10 million people worldwide since it premiered in 1994 in Montreal.

Alegría is a Spanish word that means happiness, joy and jubilation and features an international cast of 55 performers and musicians from 17 countries and showcases breathtaking acrobatics.

Phil Bowdery, president of touring forŠLive Nation, said: “Cirque du Soleil is a global phenomenon and Alegría is regarded as a jewel in the crown. It’s the ultimate in live entertainment and we’re thrilled to have it tour in UK arenas.”

The spectacular production showcases gravity-defying acrobatics which will dazzle and astound audiences of all ages.

Fans will hold their breath as the skill and poise of the world-renowned performers are put to the test with dramatic acrobatics such as the intense and high-energy aerial high bars in which daring aerialists fly to catchers swinging more than 40 feet above the stage.

In the rhythmic and dangerous fire-knife dance, artists manipulate flaming knives around their bodies, while power track showcases a brilliant display of synchronised choreography and tumbling on a trampoline system magically concealed under the stage floor.

In Russian bars, artists fly through the air and perform spectacular somersaults and mid-air turns, landing on bars perched on the sturdy shoulders of catchers.

Cirque du Soleil has dazzled and amazed almost 100 million people in 300 cities across five continents since its humble beginnings in Quebec in 1984, and its return to the UK in 2012 is set to be one of the entertainment highlights of the year.

For tickets to the 2012 shows, call 0844 847 8000 or visit men-arena.com.