After first premiering in April of 2016 in Montreal and winding through Canada, Mexico and the United States LUZIA by Cirque du Soleil has landed in Houston! From now until February 24 performances will take place under the big top set up in the parking lot at the Sam Houston Race Park.
This week I was fortunate to catch the show! As a huge Cirque du Soleil fan it is always fun to see what sets each show apart from the others from the company. LUZIA is themed as a waking dream of Mexico. Many of the festive colors and traditions of the Mexican culture were brought into this performance to bring the theme to life.
Setting the tone for the lands of Mexico were the beautiful costumes worn by the cast. Dresses embellished with bright flowers and surrealistic animal costumes such as birds and butterflies are sure to delight the young and old in attendance.
Performances for LUZIA include many of the Cirque staples such as juggling, swings and trapeze acts. There are also acts done on Cyr wheels and hoop diving. Whether you have seen one Cirque du Soleil show or ten these athletes never cease to amaze.
What is “LUZIA”?
The name LUZIA is a combination of the Spanish words for light and rain, luz and lluvia. The stage features a large circular disk of light with changing colors and designs. My absolute favorite portions of the show are when the rain is incorporated in. Fans of Cirque du Soliel have long loved the water aspects of O, however LUZIA marks the first time the company has used water in one of their touring shows.
Rain pours from the center of the stage as the performances continue around and in many cases in it. This detail makes for breathtaking scenes. The rain also makes different shapes. The art of creating that had me almost as perplexed as the contortionist! Seriously, how do people know that they are capable of twisting themselves into a human pretzel? I digress!
Other Details:
Cirque du Soleil shows are family friendly, with the exception of the Vegas production Zumanity. While some of the shows have costumes that might be a bit frightening for very young children I don’t see that being the case with LUZIA.
Shows like LUZIA that are performed under the big top versus in theaters are my favorite for two reasons. One is the nostalgic factor of the traditional circus. Two is that there really is no bad seat. Whether you splurge for seats in the front or choose to be towards the back you will enjoy the show!
To purchase tickets please visit the Cirque du Soleil website here!
For more info on the show check out this:
*Full disclosure: I received two complimentary tickets in exchange for a review for LUZIA. However my love of Cirque du Soleil and opinions on this blog are all my own!