Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco

Following record attendances with their 2009 season of Dralion, Cirque du Soleil will return to New Zealand this August for a strictly limited, two-week season of Saltimbanco, one of the company’s most loved, colourful shows.

Saltimbanco, from the Italian “saltare in banco” which literally means to jump on a bench, is a thrilling, kaleidoscopic celebration of awe-inspiring artistry and agility and will be the fifth Cirque du Soleil show to visit New Zealand.

Saltimbanco will be presented in theatre mode at Auckland’s Vector Arena from August 25 with the same energetic and vibrant performance audiences have previously 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.

About Cirque du Soleil:
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organisation providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has more than 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators (12 million people have seen Saltimbanco since 1992) in 300 cities on five continents. Cirque du Soleil is currently presenting 21 shows simultaneously around the world. For more information, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL – SALTIMBANCO 2011 - NEW ZEALAND SEASON
AUCKLAND – August 25 – September 4 2011 at Vector Arena

For more information, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/Saltimbanco