Local fans of Cirque du Soleil who were expecting them to come to town at the end of March will be psyched to learn that they will be showing up a bit earlier than that.
The Montreal-based, contemporary circus crew will be in H-Town with Alegría, one of their longest-running productions. But instead of starting its run originally on Tuesday, March 31, it will be adding 12 days of performances, starting Saturday, February 29. Now, it will be at Sam Houston Race Park from Saturday through Sunday, April 12.
Alegría — "joy" in Spanish — has touched over 14 million people in 250 cities around the world, taking them to the heart of a once glorious kingdom now in decay, led by the king’s fool and a dusty aristocracy. Carried by an intangible wind of change, an emerging movement from the streets strives to shake this established order, instilling hope and renewal to bring light and harmony to their world.
Touring since early last year, this revival keeps the essence of the original production by revisiting its signature elements and pushing them further to today’s audiences, as it was at its first performance in 1994. It also embodies the Cirque du Soleil experience with all its signature components: jaw-dropping acrobatics, an imaginary world populated by fanciful characters, soul-touching clowning, otherworldly costume and set designs, and an enchanting musical score.
In true Cirque du Soleil fashion, Alegría unfolds soul-touching clown antics and remarkable acrobatic performances in a whimsical and immersive visual universe. Other highlights include a daredevil fire knife dancer eating, breathing, touching and juggling with flames; a sublime couple on Aerial Straps soaring through a delicate snowstorm; and 14 tumblers bouncing off a Powertrack (trampoline tracks) embedded into the stage to perform crisscrossing series of daring somersaults.
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Alegría runs February 29 through April 12 at Sam Houston Race Park, 7575 North Sam Houston Pkwy W. For tickets, showtimes, and more information, visit the official site.
Cirque du Soleil returns to Sam Houston Race Park's big top.
