Gallery • 19 Photos

Anna Bellville

A performer playing the character Valentyna hangs from balloons while walking across another performer's arm in Cirque du Soleil's show, "Corteo," at the Worcester DCU Center.

Cirque Du Soleil’s “Corteo,” which is currently showing at the DCU center from Jan. 12 to Jan. 15, features gorgeous sets, costumes and an extremely talented cast.

The show follows a clown named Mauro, as he envisions his funeral. The characters within the circus give him a large funeral procession, almost like a festival.. “Corteo” truly allows the audience to feel the fun and exhilaration of the circus, even with a story that involves death. 

“Corteo” features a large cast of over 100 cast members who make the show interesting and engaging to watch. The wide variety of the cast includes acrobats, jugglers, dancers and musicians, just to name a few. The blend of different talents creates a captivating performance that makes it hard for the audience to look away. The cast and crew no doubt brought a lively, magnificent atmosphere to the show. 

In addition to the cast, the set designs elevated the performance as well. The beautiful sets include props such as beds, hanging chandeliers and the gorgeous handmade curtains that surround the entire stage. The curtains are very reminiscent of old renaissance paintings, but with the contemporary twist of clowns. The stage breaks the arena in half to provide a unique perspective, where the audience surrounds the performers. The unique props also tell the story, as they are used within the performance as transitions or for the sake of comedy. The costumes are very well made and communicate a lot of the story with division of characters. It also shows the changes in Mauro as he watches his funeral.He goes from a basic white outfit into a colorful circus outfit that he is gifted. The rest of the cast are dressed in bright colors that mimic outfits you would see at a traditional circus with shades of reds, blues and purples.

There is so much talent within this show. The acrobats display many different types of skills; they are seen doing extremely difficult tricks that just keep the attention of the viewer, one of my favorites being the women who dangle from the chandelier at the very beginning because of how majestic they look while performing. Not only are the performances by the acrobats captivating, the singing is exquisite. The singers are able to showcase their vocal ranges within each of their performances. It allows for a thrilling atmosphere when it is displayed with the talented band, which includes the violin, drums, saxophone, keyboard and guitar.

“Corteo” is a performance that has it all: dancing, music, acting and a fun atmosphere. It is a true to life circus without the animals that is great entertainment for everyone. It is a show worthy of a standing ovation. Go see it currently at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts until Sunday, Jan. 15. This is a once-in-a-lifetime performance that everyone should experience.