Cirque du Soleil Returns to Ottawa with CORTEO Under the Blue and Yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big Top)

Created and directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, CORTEO premieres in Ottawa for a limited engagement on September 24, 2008.

The Show

CORTEO, which means "cortege" in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth. The CORTEO cast includes 61 artists from 16 countries.

Cirque Club

Cirque Club members have exclusive online access to purchase Corteo tickets starting today, April 9 at 11:00 a.m. at www.cirquedusoleil.com. Membership is free and registration is simple and quick. Benefits of Cirque Club membership include advance access to the best seats in the Grand Chapiteau, ticket upgrades, partner promotions and insider information on the world of Cirque du Soleil. Public on sale will be May 10, 2008.

Show Schedule
- Tuesdays thru Thursdays at 8:00 p.m.
- Fridays and Saturdays at 4:00 and 8:00 p.m.
- Sundays at 1:00 and 5:00 p.m.
No performances on Mondays

Corteo Ticket Prices
- $60.00 - $125.00 for Adults
- $42.00 - $87.50 for Children (ages 2-12)
- $54.00 - $112.50 for Students (13+) and Seniors (65+)(i)
(i) Weekdays performances on Tuesday - Thursday, and Friday at 4:00 p.m.

Tapis Rouge VIP Package

This special package includes one of the best seats in the house, and exclusive access to the VIP suite one hour before the show and during intermission. Tickets are $220.00 for adults and $154.00 for children.

Sponsors

Cirque du Soleil gratefully acknowledges Desjardins, Presenting Sponsor of the 2008 Canadian Tour of CORTEO, as well as CGI, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Infiniti, Panasonic and Delta Air Lines as the official sponsors.

Cirque du Soleil

From the 20 or so performers that the company featured when it all began in 1984, Quebec-based Cirque du Soleil has become a leading provider of quality entertainment with over 3,000 employees, including 900 artists who hail from 40 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has thrilled over 80 million spectators in more than 200 cities on five continents. With its International Headquarters in Montreal, the organization is presenting 15 different shows around the world in 2007.

On-line Press Room

For more information about CORTEO, including downloadable photos, description of the acts and creators' bios, please go to www.cirquedusoleil.com and click on "Press Room".

sbrunetta@brunettaetc.com