Aerial Straps |
From our friends at Cirque du Soleil...
As Amaluna by Cirque du Soleil Prepares to Premiere in the Washington, DC Area This Week, the Excitement is Building All Over Town!
After the remarkable success of TOTEM in 2012, Cirque du Soleil returns to the Washington DC area with a new Big Top touring show, Amaluna, which premieres on July 31 2014 under the iconic blue and yellow Big Top at National Harbor.
But as the cast and crew of Amaluna put the finishing touches on their village and prepare to wow audiences in the DC area, fans old and new can enjoy an assortment of activities this week around town celebrating Cirque’s arrival.
Goddess |
MONDAY, JULY 28, 11:30 AM to 6:00 PM
The Park at CityCenter has captured a rare breed of Cirque du Soleil artist, hailing from the magical island of Amaluna, for the purposes of public observation. Recreating her natural habitat in The Park at CityCenter, passersby are invited to witness and capture this exclusive fishbowl look at how this exquisite performer prepares before a show. Don’t miss out on the rare opportunity to study Amaluna’s ‘Crystal Goddess’ before we have to safely re-release her back into the Big Top at National Harbor.
Miranda |
TUESDAY, JULY 29, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Stella*s PopKern and Amaluna will surprise and delight locals around town with gourmet popcorn samplings. Keep an eye out for the Cirque du Soleil specially-themed blue and yellow popcorn truck.
Clowns |
THURSDAY, JULY 31, Noon to 2:00 PM
Join Cirque du Soleil as they unveil an Amaluna-inspired mural at the William H. Rumsey Aquatic Center on Capitol Hill in partnership with the DC Department of Public Works, MuralsDC, and the Department of Parks and Recreation. Mayor Vincent Gray will deliver a proclamation at 1:00pm as the final touches are added to this community mural, brought to life by local artist Aniekan Udofia. Join the Cirque du Soleil street team and be entertained by TSNY DC trapeze school for a street carnival and festivities including popcorn, sno-cones, face painting and more!
Uneven Bars |
ALL WEEK LONG!
Get social with Cirque du Soleil and find Amaluna characters in and around National Harbor! During the entire week of July 28 there will be various character images posted around the streets and sidewalks of the National Harbor area. Fans are encouraged to find and take a picture of each of the four main characters, and by posting to their social media accounts with #WeekOfAmalunaDC, they are automatically entered for a chance to win tickets.
Water Bowl |
AMALUNA:
Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter’s coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honors femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next.
In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young men lands on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera’s daughter and a brave young suitor. But theirs is a love that will be put to the test. The couple must face numerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacks before they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.
Amaluna is a fusion of the words ama, which refers to “mother” in many languages, and luna, which means “moon”; a symbol of femininity that evokes both the mother-daughter relationship and the idea of goddess and protector of the planet. Amaluna is also the name of the mysterious island where this magical story unfolds.
Above all else, Amaluna is celebration of love. The unconditional love between a mother and daughter, the strength of love felt within a community; and the heart-stopping love-at-first-sight of inevitable lovers-to-be.
Teetorboard |
A TRIBUTE TO THE WORK AND VOICE OF WOMEN:
For the first time in Cirque du Soleil’s history, Amaluna features a cast that comprises 70% women, with a 100% female band. “Amaluna is a tribute to the work and voice of women,” explains Director of Creation Fernand Rainville. “The show is a reflection on balance from a women’s perspective,” he adds. Director Diane Paulus, winner of a 2013 Tony Award (Pippin) says, “I didn’t want to build a ‘women’s agenda’ show. I wanted to create a show with women at the center of it, something that had a hidden story that featured women as the heroines.” Paulus drew from a series of classical influences when creating the concept of the show; including tales from Greek and Norse mythology, Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Cali |
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL:
Amaluna is Cirque du Soleil’s 33rd production. From humble beginnings with a group of 20 street performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment around the globe. The company has over 4,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists, from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought delight to more than 150 million spectators, in more than 300 cities in over 40 countries. Cirque du Soleil celebrated its 30th Anniversary in June 2014.
Black Peacock |
SPONSORS:
Amaluna is proud to be presented by Visa Signature, the official presenting sponsor of Cirque du Soleil, in association with Mileage Plus United. We also gratefully acknowledge our official sponsors for Amaluna, Infiniti, DHL and Xerox.
Click here to purchase tickets.