Luzia, one of the most unusual shows I’ve seen from the Cirque du Soleil franchise, is the latest production to visit Oaks, PA. Based on Mexican culture and heritage, it’s innovative and international, boasting great costumes and set pieces. Luzia, presented in a Big Top with plenty of free parking and reasonable admission rates, attracts families of all ages. With this particular show, those of a Latino background got to enjoy their language and culture at the circus.
Originally premiering in 2016, Luzia feels brand new. While using the traditional music of Mexico, it also brings in a modern Latin sound that’s experiencing a popularity boom since the Bad Bunny Super Bowl Halftime Show. Most Cirque productions I’ve seen follow the formula of having one female singer who serves as a story teller. This Latina singer had a beautiful voice who could vary her style according to the sentiment of the song. Unfortunately, due to the acoustics, I was not able to understand a lot of the Spanish language music. The live instrumentalists were also unique in this production. Most notably, Spanish guitar, trumpets, and the best tuba player I’ve ever heard.
The Spanish word for light is Luz and the word for rain is Lluvia. You see plenty of both as a large circle acknowledging the Aztec calendar changes lighting and themes according to the act. The presence of rain is a performer all on its own. Not only do the some of the acrobatic acts perform in the water, they also have a waterfall of different shapes and symbols. Although I have seen small versions of this water feature, I have never witnessed these sophisticated images created from water droplets and blank spaces that pay tribute to the Day of the Dead. This is the first time Cirque du Soleil has used water in a touring production, and it was truly spectacular.
In all the Cirque du Soleil shows, the acts are different. While we are used to some of the basic circus acts such as juggling and contortionism, we were also treated to some unique memorable performances. Everyone has their favorite, and you can’t argue with the strength and flexibility of each act, but I was most impressed by the aerial straps acrobat who shared a water feature with a puppet jaguar. This was a very different take on what we have seen in other circus acts. The swing act, the last before the finale, reaches heights that are unimaginable. With the split-second timing, there can be no mistakes.
Even in the lobby of the tent, the Mexican theme was carried through. They featured light up cacti and papel picado, which are brightly colored intricate flags that look almost like doilies and strung up in banners. The finale of the show was beautiful and inspirational with all the musicians and artists coming on stage all at once. With Luzia’s lighting, costumes, and colors, you can’t help but be swept up in the joy on and off stage.
Cirque du Soleil’s Luzia plays at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks, PA until June 7th.