'Corteo' Is the Next Dazzling Cirque du Soleil Hit That's Bringing Its Acrobatic Wonders Down Under
A beloved part of the troupe's repertoire since 2005, this show takes place inside a carnival-like parade imagined by a clown.
When a clown ponders its final farewell, what does it see? Cirque du Soleil's Corteo has the answer. When this production first hit the stage in Montreal in 2005, it won over audiences by setting its acrobatic feats within a funeral procession imagined by a jester — a carnival-like parade that muses on humanity's strengths and vulnerabilities — in a space between heaven and earth. Two decades later, it's one of the troupe's most-beloved shows.
Celebrating that milestone, Corteo is heading Down Under for a six-city tour in the second half of 2025. In Australia, the hit production will debut at Perth Arena from Friday, August 8, before playing at Melbourne's John Cain Arena the same month, then Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney and Brisbane Entertainment Centre in September. Come October, Adelaide Entertainment Centre will host the spectacle, as will Spark Arena in Auckland.
One of the tricks that's helped make Corteo such a success, with over 12-million audience members in 30 countries on four continents seeing it so far, is its unique stage setup. Watching this show means also watching your fellow viewers, because the action takes place in the middle of the arena, splitting it in half and causing patrons to face each other. This is Cirque du Soleil's first production with this layout.
As its clown protagonist conjures up the festive parade that ushers him from this world, attendees will witness a poetic yet playful performance — one where the acrobatics are unique, too, and where angels watch over.
"Corteo was the first Cirque du Soleil show created by Daniele Finzi Pasca, the same director who brought us LUZIA. Corteo is a real celebration of life that blends comedy and never-seen-before acrobatics into a unique staging arrangement," said Mike Newquist, Chief Revenue Officer of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group, announcing the show's Australian and New Zealand tour.
"Australians who fell in love with the breathtaking artistry and storytelling of LUZIA will be equally captivated by Corteo."
LUZIA was the last Cirque du Soleil production that bounded this way, kicking off in 2024 — and notching up another first as the Montreal-based company company's debut touring show to feature rain in its acrobatic and artistic scenes. Before that, 2023 saw Cirque du Soleil bring CRYSTAL, its first-ever ice production on ice, Down Under.
Cirque du Soleil's Corteo — Australia and New Zealand Tour 2025
Friday, August 8–Sunday, August 10 — Perth Arena, Perth
Friday, August 22–Sunday, August 24 — John Cain Arena, Melbourne
Thursday, September 4–Sunday, September 7 — Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney
Thursday, September 18–Sunday, September 21 — Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Brisbane
Thursday, October 2–Sunday, October 5 — Adelaide Entertainment Centre, Adelaide
Thursday, October 30–Sunday, November 2 — Spark Arena, Auckland
Cirque du Soleil's Corteo tours Australia and New Zealand from August 2025. For more information, or to buy tickets — with presales from 11am on Tuesday, February 18 and general sales from 12pm on Monday, February 14 — head to the show's website.
Images: Maja Prgomet, Johan Persson and Aldo Arguello.
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