Marcus and I were invited to attend Cirque du Soleil’s premiere of Alegría – in a New Light last night! The show is here in Houston from now until April 12, 2020 in the Big Top at the Sam Houston Race Park.
I’ve been lucky enough to see a handful of Cirque du Soleil’s shows in the past, and they just flat out fascinate me. The talent (and strength) of the performers is unmatched, the music and costumes are incredible and the stage design is so well done. I pretty much had my jaw on the floor for the whole show!
Photo credit on all photos goes to Marie-Andrée Lemire.
All About Alegría
Alegría (‘joy’ in Spanish) takes audiences at the heart of a once glorious kingdom now in decay led by the king’s fool and a dusty aristocracy. Carried by an intangible wind of change, an emerging movement from the streets strives to shake this established order, instilling hope and renewal to bring light and harmony to their world. With its joyful spirit, Alegría is a vital, energizing force driven by a thirst for a brighter tomorrow.
In true Cirque du Soleil fashion, Alegría unfolds soul-touching clown antics and remarkable acrobatic performances in a whimsical and immersive visual universe. Perched at the top of the Big Top, gymnasts fly from one High Bar to the next, and leap into the void to reach the hands of mighty catchers suspended on a cradle swing.
Using all her limbs, an artist dazzles with her ability to spin and twirl a multitude of hoops while contorting her body with otherworldly ease. Other Jaw-dropping highlights include a daredevil Fire Knife Dancer eating, breathing, touching and juggling with flames; a sublime couple onAerial Straps soaring through a delicate snowstorm; and fourteen tumblers bouncing off a Powertrack (trampoline tracks) embedded into the stage to perform crisscrossing series of daring somersaults.
See the impressive trailer here!
Tickets to Alegría
This was our second time to attend a Cirque du Soleil performance in the Big Top tent, and again I was really impressed. From the outside, it looks like a circus tent, but on the inside you really feel like you are inside a high-class venue. The stage is round and the seating is available in an almost complete circle around the stage.
Regular tickets start at $44. Based on the way the Big Top is set up, there really isn’t a bad seat in the house. Our tickets were smack dab in the center about eight rows back. I think we had incredible seats!
Think outside the box for date night
A Cirque du Soleil show would be such a fun date night idea! Especially if you have something big coming up like a birthday or an anniversary. I’m all about spending money on experiences over things, and doing something unique like this is a perfect example. Marcus and I both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. This is definitely an out-of-the-ordinary event to go to. We couldn’t stop talking about it the whole way home!
This would also be a good event to take your family or children to. There were quite a few kids at the premiere, and they seemed to be really loving it. We were hearing lots of little giggles when the clown and mimes came out. We’re thinking we might take Adeline next year!
A few things to note:
- Parking on site is $12. However Ubers can pick up and drop off right at the front gate. That’s what we did since we had drinks – safety first always!
- It’s $12 beer night at the event, so just be prepared for that if you plan to drink while there. They do take credit card.
- They have your typical concessions (pretzels, nachos, hot dogs) at your typical concession prices. I would recommend grabbing a bite to eat before you come!
- They do have port-a-potties, but they are very nice and clean. They are similar to airport bathrooms and actually flush!
I want to thank Cirque du Soleil for inviting us to the premiere of Alegría and for having us at the media pre-party! We had an absolute blast and will definitely be keeping our eyes out for the next time Cirque du Soleil comes to Houston!
We got to see Cirque du Soleil’s LUZIA last year at the Sam Houston Race Park and had so much fun at the show. See my blog post here about LUZIA.
