Cirque du Soleil cartwheeling back to Shanghai

Cirque du Soleil (太阳马戏) amazed Shanghai back in 2007, with 70 sold-out "Quidam" shows. At last year's Expo, the Montreal-based ensemble was the centerpiece of the Canada Pavilion. Now Cirque is back with its trademark show, "Saltimbanco," which will be staged at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

"Saltimbanco", which launched in 1992, is Cirque du Soleil's longest-running touring show, and has wowed more than 12 million people around the world.

Cirque du Soleil's arena show

The acrobatic show evolved from the company's traditional circus tent performance into an indoor arena show in 2005.

"'Saltimbanco' has undergone many changes since its birth," Wei Ming (魏明), general manager of Beijing Gehua Live Nation Entertainment and Sports and the organizer of the Shanghai show, told Shanghai Morning Post.

"The current edition is highly suitable for big theaters, and it is one of only two Cirque du Soleil shows which can be performed indoors."

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Taking its name from the Italian saying "saltare in banco" (to jump on a bench), the 150-minute "Saltimbanco" is designed to showcase multiculturalism in an imaginary city.

Colorful acrobats demonstrate their strength and flexibility throughout the show, with Chinese pole acrobatics, Adagio body balancing and Russian trapeze being the highlights.

“For me, 'Saltimbanco' is a message of peace," said Guy Laliberté, founder of the show.

"In the 1990s, immigration was an issue, the mixing of cultures in cities, and 'Saltimbanco' reflects that mix, with all of its personalities and colors. It’s the challenge we have in today’s world: respecting each other, living and working together, despite our differences.”

Disputable stage design

According to Wei Ming, the front stage setting and its backstage will occupy two-thirds of the Mercedes-Benz Arena. This has caused a dramatic cut in each show's ticket numbers.

"Each show only has 6,000 tickets," said Wei. "This has a big impact on the show's box office, but in order to achieve the best effect, this is worthwhile."

However the stage design of "Saltimbanco" has drawn some criticism, with the Sydney Morning Herald calling it a "letdown" because "there are moments when action is completely invisible to sections of the audience seated to the left or right of the central platform".

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"Saltimbanco" is currently touring Australia and will come to Shanghai, its only stop in China, after spending 11 days in Auckland, New Zealand.

Developed from a group of 20 street performers at its inception in 1984, Cirque du Soleil has performed for more than 100 million spectators in some 300 cities around the world.

Saltimbanco, Mercedes-Benz Arena, 1200 Expo Avenue, near Zhoujia Du Lu 世博大道1200号, 靠近周家渡路, September 21-15, RMB 180-980, ticketing hotline: +86 21 962388, www.ticket2010.com