Spinning acrobats poised high in the air, covered in silver glitter, dream-like performers and live music - Cirque du Soleil will return to Canberra in December with Quidam.
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The capital will be the first Australian stop for Quidam, which has been performed around the world for 19 years.
The shows begin on December 11 at the AIS Arena in Bruce and runs for nine days.
It's the first time the blockbuster Cirque du Soleil circus troupe has performed in Canberra since 2008, when it brought Dralion to the capital.
Quidam tells the story of a young girl who slips into an imaginary landscape with extreme aerial performances, acrobats, musicians, and singers.
Senior artistic director Denise Biggi said the long-running show had been extremely successful.
"The director Franco Dragone is a man of genius and I believe Quidam is one of his best works," she said.
"The biggest appeal is that when you go to see a Cirque show we're putting on stage imaginary creatures or characters. Quidam is different in the sense that it is about you and I, it talks about real life issues, the main character is a little girl who appears on stage with her parents. It's about human emotions."
There is also a generous helping of the acrobatic feats and athletic performances that are the Cirque du Soleil trademark - an estimated 155 million people have seen Cirque shows over the course of nearly 30 years.
Biggi says Quidam involves 48 performers who get through 2500 costumes, 300 pairs of shoes (every night), and are supported by a group of eight musicians and singers.
They hail from 15 countries - getting everyone's work visas in order at the same time is a bit of an issue.
But the show is on the final leg of its very long run and Australia and New Zealand are the last stops.
"Once we come to you it will soon afterwards actually be the end of the Quidam run. Quidam will be finishing February 21 in New Zealand. The show has now been going for 19 years and it's a very, very successful show," she said.
Cirque du Soleil's Quidam is on December 11-20 at the AIS Arena. Tickets go on sale from June 19. See cirquedusoleil.com/quidam