CIRQUE DU SOLEIL RETURNS TO AUSTRALIA WITH SALTIMBANCO

• TICKETS ON SALE 9AM MONDAY 18 OCTOBER, 2010 •
• TICKETS ON SALE IN PERTH AND HOBART, SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER 2010 •
• HOBART, NEWCASTLE AND WOLLONGONG AUDIENCES
TO EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC FOR THE FIRST TIME •
Cirque du Soleil is returning to Australia for a national five month tour of Saltimbanco, one of the company’s most loved classic shows. The Saltimbanco tour will commence in Perth on 21 April 2011 and then travel on to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide with limited seasons in each city. For the first time, Cirque du Soleil will also perform in Hobart, Newcastle and Wollongong.
Saltimbanco, from the Italian “saltare in banco” which literally means to jump on a bench, is the show which started Australia’s love affair with Cirque du Soleil when the internationally-acclaimed entertainment company first toured here in 1999. A thrilling, kaleidoscopic celebration of awe-inspiring artistry and agility, Saltimbanco will be presented in theatre mode in arena venues across the country with the same energetic and vibrant performance as experienced under the Big Top. Originally directed by Franco Dragone, the show features an international cast of over 50 performers and musicians from more than 20 different countries.
Set inside an imaginary metropolis of colourful inhabitants, Saltimbanco features breathtaking acrobatics and unbelievable athleticism during solo spotlights and epic ensembles. Decidedly baroque in its visual vocabulary, the show’s eclectic cast of characters draws spectators into a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope. Technical expertise and extravagant design are woven together with spectacular costumes, amazing lighting, humour, and enchanting live music. Overflowing with colour, amusement and amazement, Saltimbanco is a fun show for the whole family to enjoy.
Sponsors
Optus is the presenting sponsor of the 2011 Saltimbanco Tour, which is the fourth consecutive Cirque du Soleil tour that Optus has sponsored.
About Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,200 artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators (almost 12 millions on Saltimbanco since 1992) in 300 cities on five continents. In 2010, Cirque du Soleil will present 21 shows simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com