Written and directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, Corteo premiered in Montreal on 21 April 2005, in a big top. Its name means «procession» in Italian: a joyful procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown, Mauro, who dreams of his own funeral between heaven and earth. Flying chandeliers, bouncing beds and live music were the hallmarks of this show. Its central stage divides the auditorium in two, so that each half of the audience faces the other – a first for Cirque du Soleil. Following its arena run, Corteo was seen by over 12 million spectators in more than 150 cities, including the Royal Albert Hall and the O2 Arena in London, and the Accor Arena in Paris. In 2024, it received the Pollstar Award for Best Family and Event Tour of the Year. Following a final tour of Europe, Australia and New Zealand, Corteo took its final bow in Auckland in November 2025: its final scheduled performances in Abu Dhabi in June 2026 were cancelled.
