Cirque du Soleil brings 'elegant,' acrobatic 'Corteo' to Columbus. What to know

To those in the know, Cirque du Soleil is a circus with something more.

In its lavish presentations, the Montreal-based troupe performs all of the athletic and acrobatic feats typical of traditional circuses, but adds a sense of emotional engagement distinctly its own.

That is especially true of “Corteo,” which features a middle-aged clown named Mauro, whose life is reflected back to him through a series of circus acts. The production will be performed at the Schottenstein Center Thursday through Sunday.

“It’s a very elegant show, and it’s got lots of characters and great acrobatics, and it’s very touching,” said artistic director Alison Crawford about the popularity of “Corteo,” which has been in the Cirque du Soleil repertoire since 2005.

“People are moved by it, and when you move people, they fall in love,” Crawford said.

And the character of Mauro is a profound point of identification for the audience, she added.

“We follow him through his life, so it touches people in many ways,” Crawford said. “You can understand your life and see some of the craziness, some of the loveliness, some of the funniness, some of the sadness.”

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What happens in the story?

As Mauro is shown episodes from, or related to, his life, the audience will be introduced to a huge ensemble of performers, some 53 in all.

“As we go through the show, we get to meet the people who were very dear to him in part of his life as a human being and also as a clown,” Crawford said. “He has many close friends: giants, little people, The White Clown.”

Those “close friends” offer acts that relate to Mauro’s past.

One such act is “Chandeliers,” featuring four female aerialists performing on and around huge light fixtures. “We don’t know who they are,” Crawford said of the aerial artists. “Maybe they’re (Mauro’s) lovers, ex-lovers or wives.”

Another act, “Bouncing Beds,” features trampolines dressed to resemble enormous beds.

“It reminds us of jumping on beds when we were little,” Crawford said.

At the side of Mauro as he ponders his past is a guardian angel known as The Little Angel. That spectral character ultimately takes the clown “somewhere,” Crawford said.

“That’s up to you,” she said. “Is this a dream? Is it real?”

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Is every act a show-stopper?

Despite many large-scale acts, a number of acts are more intimate and less grandiose.

“We have some clown acts that make you laugh,” said Crawford, also pointing to poignant moments in the story.

“There are moments where Mauro meets a friend, a little girl with an amazing contraption (in which) she comes down,” Crawford said. “(She) is kind of like his imaginary friend.”

How is seating different than a typical performance?

“Corteo” is designed to be seen from two sides; in the Schottenstein Center, Cirque du Soleil will perform in the center with rows of audience members on opposite sides.

“All of a sudden, the curtains go up and you go, ‘Oh my goodness, there are people on the other side,’” Crawford said. “It’s more intimate, I would say. It cuts the theater in half, so (the audience) is closer to the action.”

What is the look of the show?

“As you walk in, you feel like you’re in an Italian theater,” Crawford said. “The music is live, and you see the musicians on both sides. It’s almost like overwhelming when you walk in.”

How big is the show?

In addition to the 53 performers, there are 27 technicians and numerous other personnel who travel with “Corteo.”

How long is the show?

“Corteo” runs two hours and 20 minutes and includes an intermission.

Is the show appropriate for families?

Absolutely, said Crawford.

“The little ones will laugh and have fun with the beds and the angels,” she said. “It’s an extremely family-oriented show.”

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At a glance

Cirque du Soleil will perform “Corteo” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday at the Schottenstein Center, 555 Borror Drive. Tickets start at $54. For more information, visit schottensteincenter.com.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cirque du Soleil's 'Corteo' coming to the Schottenstein Center