Cirque du Soleil coming to Ljubljana
Featuring an international cast of 50 acrobats and musicians from 19 countries, the group will perform their famous show Varekai, which has already toured 23 countries around the world and has been seen by almost ten million people.
Viewers will follow the story of a lonely man as he discovers the secrets of a colourful world inhabited by fantastic creatures, where the impossible becomes possible, according to the official website of the Canadian circus group.
The word "varekai" signifies "anywhere" in the Roma language. The show, directed by Dominic Champagne, pays homage to "nomadic souls, the spirit of traditional circus art and to all who search for the path to Varekai with endless fervour".
The show is a dramatic clash of acrobatics, music and dynamic choreography, bringing together Hawaiian rituals, traditional Armenian music, 11th-century troubadour songs, gospel as well as contemporary arrangements.
Varekai will feature more than 600 costumes designed by Japanese designer Eiko Ishioka and the music of Italian composer Violaine Corradi, who got her inspiration from music across the world.
Cirque de Soleil was founded in 1984 and combines theatre, ballet, modern dance, incredible scenography and acrobatics to reinvent circus art and give it an artistic flair.
The group stands out with its extravagant costumes, some of which were also designed by Slovenian costume designer Alan Hranitelj in 2011 for their show Zarkana.
Apart from several awards, the group was also honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.
While the group was originally planned to visit Ljubljana in October 2016, the show was postponed to June due to problems with equipment in Turkey. The five performances of Varekai are scheduled this weekend.