Taiwan Today

The world-renown Cirque du Soleil will present its production "Alegria" in Taiwan from Jan. 14 to Feb. 15 next year. It is the first time this performing art group will visit the island, and the public has already demonstrated its enormous passion for the Montreal-based entertainment powerhouse. Ticket sales began Sept. 2 and more than 18,000 were sold in just over a day, a record number for the group. By Sept. 17, all of the tickets had been snapped up, and the Cirque will now add 16 extra shows. Cirque du Soleil was founded by Guy Laliberte in Baie-Saint-Paul--a small town near Canada's Quebec City--in 1984. The troupe's creative combination of dancing, gymnastic techniques, theatre and music has revolutionized the conventional concept of a circus, with more than 80 million people enjoying its performances worldwide. The Cirque is made up of around 1,000 performers and has taken its act to 75 cities on five continents. The Cirque's Vice President Marketing Asia Pacific Milan Rokic said Sept. 3 that "Alegria" was created to mark the group's 10th anniversary, and it extends beyond the barriers of cultures and languages. United Daily News Group Spokesperson Hsiang Kuo-ning said that in the past Taiwan's promoters could not afford the cost of the production. But after three years of communications, UDNG has finally made the dream reality. According to Hsiang, the cost of bringing the Cirque to Taiwan reached US$15.7 million, a record for entertainment production on the island.